Polly

Brilliant post Tim

Great work, she is looking fine! I totally agree Hawke House is my 'go to ' company for boat coverings/fabrics/ adhesives. They are so helpful and great quality. The recent work replacing Brilliant's lifting roof sides was done using their acrylic canvas.

Lovely, atmospheric vid.

Duvets and fitted sheets or we have a couple of sleeping bag liners which are as good as Trevor says; a fleece each completes a cosy bed...Roy's £15 . Because we regularly sleep on saloon berths, I made bed roll covers from our upholstery fabric and put webbing and clips to secure. These tuck under the tumble home as bolsters. Rather than cushions, I covered standard pillows with upholstery fabric too and we put a pillowcase over at night. Don't get me started on the loo! if you wish to see an identical one, the Baby Blake with brass cylinders in the Museum of the Broads is a twin. We treat it with utmost respect, and use Thetford loo roll only.

Hi Barry, Are you going to keep her in the wet shed or is it a case of ££££ for a decent cover?

Thanks for the comments guys. As luck would have it, PBO are doing cookers in the Sept. Issue. ::

No, I don't sleep with one hand on the cabin sole Brilliant is a really dry boat, thank goodness!

I sat in Brilliant with water sloshing around my feet, yes inside! We were at LBBY and it was September. Brilliant was held up by Big Tow on one side, tied to the quay heading on the other and there was an industrial pump aboard doing good work. We were discussing the renovation that would be done as soon as they could get her on the yard. Me: (reflectively) I think I will get a SMEV Moonlight 3 cooker. Jason: (in disbelief) Pauline, I hope you understand there's a lot this boat needs before she gets a new cooker. Me: I think Norfolk Marine will store it for me until it's needed, they have a special offer on...... The blokes thought I had lost it, but no, it was a cunning plan! Brilliant had an antediluvian cast iron cooker of little beauty and doubtful BSSC credentials aboard, it was loathing at first sight for me. It wasn't original, and was top of my hit list to go. I figured this restoration was going to go to the full estimate...it did... and that by the end, Phill would be increasingly keen to save ££ by...yes, keeping the monstrosity! So I bought it that day, Norfolk Marine kindly stored it and now it sits in our nice dry boat, looking lovely and easy to clean, but with admittedly hot knobs at times.

Nope, but I hope you enjoy it very much. As librarian of the Richard 111 Society, these must be exciting times Keith. I see it was Leicester 1 York 0 over the reinterrment.

When I joined here, I looked to see who I already knew, personally, rather than virtually, then put them on the list of 'friends'. but I'm happy to add to the list.

Welcome.

Agree. I recall taking our 6 month old camping with a pressure cooker and a super bluet Gaz in a box. We had a kettle and a frying pan and that was it. I recall someone in a neighbouring tent saying they had been fascinated to see what we got out of these basic tools.

Congratulations Barry, so pleased you are afloat!

Hi Alan, The grill is a two slice wonder, I never came across a caravan/boat/ camping cooker that was any better. Grilling bacon is ok, but I always fatless fry for preference. The oven is nice once the draught is conquered! The grill guard is flimsy I think and easy to forget I guess, so I am not surprised you say that has happened in the syndicate. Actually, Brilliant has a few tricks up her sleeve, 1929 on the surface but some 21st century features lurking in quiet corners. For example, we have shore power sockets inside a cockpit locker; the locker was originally the cooking locker in primus stove times, and in fact the easiest place to cook is in the cockpit, it's designed that way. So I keep a portable induction hob, electric kettle, blender, and soon a small toaster( see above:)) in another locker and they come out if we are on shore power. Gas is saved, and, since I use the pressure cooker a lot on both cooking systems, we are pretty well sorted for low energy catering either way. I had an Origo on Rondonay so we have come up in the world! Having said that though, I prefer meths to gas for safety.

I really hope there is at least one more.

You're welcome. I would just add as a footnote that we are putting in a slim stainless steel shelf a small distance above the vent to act as a foil F1 style ( ) to deflect the down- draught, this should solve the issue of the oven. Of course with a conventional mushroom vent above this would not be an issue, but Brilliant isn't a boat I change! You get used to being cautious with the racks/ grill pan. I really don't think the hot controls are good however!

We bought a SMEV Moonlight 3 for Brilliant, and got a good deal from Norfolk Marine. It's stainless as they all seem to be. It is OK but I have issues with a few points, 1 the oven rack tries hard to dump the food off towards the back, and often does(!) 2 the knobs get very hot indeed when grill or oven is on, this despite a slide out grill shield 3 the oven blows out if there is any air movement above the cooker..ours is below a hatch and near a porthole, so I find myself closing these to a mere crack when I'd rather have them open. It's got a fail safe but it's annoying. On the plus side, the hob is good, the 12v supply gives ignition and an interior light, and the size is right for our saily.

Oh dear! Insurance has a bit to answer for there!

A really enjoyable read thanks.

Welcome Tim, have a great holiday!

If anyone can do it, Doug can, except for a lack of cutlery Perfect Lady was/is awesome.

Is this more of an ask than PL Doug?

Don't know about all, Tim, the mighty fell on Ranworth Island, but we was too genteel to ask to inspect the bruises.

Note to self, avoid Strumpshaw Fen!

He will be doing it himself brave soul! Good luck with the work, BATHROOM sealant? Argh. Actually it just goes to show that old woodies are an undiscovered country once you get them out of the water!