JawsOrca

Day 16 Lovely sunny day today.. felt more like easter than January although apparently its ment to "rain" tomorrow... So Dave made it to the yard again as they were opening and when I arrived (A little later!) he had already got the angle iron engine beds in for the engine. Although I was vital in helping him screw the last one in.. thats my side of the story anyway. After lunch (lol i got there at 10.30 ish). He put the first coat of paint in the bilge and the engine area walls.. It looks very pretty. I also finished the batterning in the walls after getting decent screws so thats job done. We also managed to cut and install the roof beams.. Dave started glassing in and thankfully using props to push up it managed to remove a sag (The roof is directly below the dashboard and had a sag) so all looks good. Finally I cleaned up the old steering console and started to fill the holes in the wheelhouse bulkhead (it really is full of holes so will take some time. Picture attached of the engine area and once again you can see he's done a very good job of the engine bearers, beds and other structural timber. Tomorrow we will book the crane for next sunday! So thumper can go in and stay nice and dry! We also hopefully have the all clear to bring over to our yacht club so can do that in a couple of weeks (We just need to plumb all the engine in.. although can't wait to get out this yard as its opening hours are far too restrictive.

Is it not also, that on sea going hulls the higher the bow of the boat allows for less changes of water coming over the decks. I "think" (thinking of the silver classic here) that broads builders copied this design because it looked good (and still does in my opinion) therefore the boat had greater chances to be hired because people wanted "sealooking" boats then. I also think that the broads hulls where all designed to ideally have an air draft of under 6.6. for potter and wroxham hence to get more space in at the stern then had to lower the decks down (the under water profile didn't really matter - although they still have to be careful because potter bridge is actually round), (The bow height never really mattered as you would never have a 6.6 flair (although some appear to had got close!). Obviously the styling of the bathtubs was different and they went for an all round view with no "stepped up bow" and i guess its far quicker to mold and make up a flat square superstructure.

Love to see him try and lift this into the back of his land rover!

Thanks Strowager, I was thinking the same.. I've listed other bits and had no interest (and this is stuff that has sold quickly before). Problem is though that we are looking at moving the boat from this boat yard into the yacht club which doesn't really permit storage and living on a boat too means I have no space so once we move I'll have to probably pay for storage. Hopefully people will start spending soon..

Lol thanks to you both. I would paint it blue or yellow if you want but I'll have to add another £50 for the pain! Hopefully it will go at some point. Ebay seems really slow although its still early in the year I guess. I don't really want to put a gear box on but if it doesn't shift then maybe if I look for one at a jumble (Someone must have an old one used as an anchor!).

I was trying my luck Mark We had interest but we want it gone really. Ideally it owes £800 but I know making money out of boats is impossible! So £650 - £700 would be OK.. You sure you don't want it? it's hand painted!

Hi, Just to advise as this isn't getting any interest and we really want to sell. Its back on ebay for £700 with a buy it now of £1000. http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=331110838121 Please bid if interested.

Day 15. Dave got the the yard and 8.30am and set the alarms off (Its meant to open at 8am) but the yard where OK. I stumbled over 9.30am! We managed to paint the vetus engine and it looks very pretty. Dave finished off glassing all the bits in the engine bay (Yes I thought he had finished too). My and Brenda (daves mum) battled on with the window trims. The glass is so irregular it makes for hard work.. 15 mins each screw pretty much. I ordered lots of samples so hopefully after payday we can order the sidelining. Me and Brenda finally worked on some of the roof beams which will take the headlining (although I was losing my temper with not having the right screws (The glass is out by 5mm in places so some screws bite and some don't We also managed to "win" a vetus swanneck, muffler, waterlock and rubber transom outlet on ebay so all we need now is some hose to complete the exhaust system (we appear to be above the waterline so no airvent although vetus at the LBS suggested a swanneck although we don't think its needed, but it all help reduce the noise.. hopefully it will sound like the sailboat?!!). Next weekend Dave will get the beds adjusted for the vetus (he says) so the weekend we can hire the crane and put the engine in. I'll carry on with the battening.

We are coming up with my parents (I'm going to be drunk as I can't sit there with my dad on the helm, I can't help bit flinch and grab the wheel, although hopefully he will just surrender and let me helm). They reserved a mooring at the new inn and they may still have some spots if you give them a call. Looks good though and I'm looking forward to it.

Day 14. Dave installed the last two structural beams which connect the engine beds to the other other structural beams so its all tied together now. He also cut out the transom for the sterndrive and epoxied the exposed edges. We also had help today so we all managed to get the vetus engine degreased ready for a fresh coast of daffodil yellow tomorrow (yeah thanks vetus.shop.com for letting me know the paint code so I managed to look round and find the paint half price elsewhere!). Dave also managed to remove the gearbox from the vetus and after lots of head scratching it seems simple enough to connect up to the volvo outdrive, although we need to get a connector machined up to connect and intermediate shaft onto the vetus flywheel which shouldn't be too much work. We also managed to get the window frames screwed back onto one of the three windows needing this. So tomorrow we want to paint the vetus (I'll publish some pics tomorrow and put the frames back on two other windows and hopefully cut and frame the roof beams in the cabin. Dave wants to try and put the vetus engine bearers in tomorrow so then the vetus can be craned in. It really is annoying being in this yard and having to leave at 4pm, we really need to get the engine in and moved over to hoo where we can work during the week and after dark...

don't worry he has a few pints most evenings! At the moment the boat is in a boatyard in gillingham. Annoyingly though its is only open during daylight hours so the plan is to put the engine in (making use of their crane!) and the motor the boat over to Hoo where we are members of the yacht club (and live) so we can work during the evenings (and the clubhouse!), that will hopefully be sometime in march. I certainly agree its nicer on the broads. We've had a sailing boat for a number of years and didn't use her that much as there's not much to see at do at queenborough! But I certainly miss the broads, although I've just told my parents that we will be stealing their boat (Alpha firefly type) for two weeks in july!

Thanks Alan, Yeah thats dave! you will not see many pictures of me as I hide behind the camera! Looking forward to be back there next weekend

Although its fair to think you can motor out (even with a hireboat) you should be prepared for not being to motor out (i.e if the skipper is taken ill). Therefore the best advice (as offered by the RYA) is to ensure that you have a mobile phone (fully charged) and a VHF (which these days are rather cheap on ebay etc). I understand that the broads patrols listen on channel 14 24/7 (Please correct me if I'm wrong) (alternatively a call to yarmouth coastguard on 16 will put you in touch with a doctor). You are mento have training and licence to use a vhf (so not perfect for hireboats) for this but safety comes first and coastguard will turn a blind eye for.

I remember many years ago ... was going up the ant and the engine cut out, thankfully it was a hire boat and I managed to drift into one of the wild moorings up there, it was a nasty sunny day, perfect fishing, just been shopping so the fridge was full... Oh and then someone from alpha craft came out with a tug boat from ludham bridge and fixed it...But we could have stayed there for a few days easily! Thankfully we also had mobile phone signal (back in the day before 3g!)...

Day 13. Geez a frosty cold day today. The boat barely defrosted all day, even though the thermometer on the car read 6 degrees on the way home.. The boats in a shaded bit which would be nice in the summer really sucks now! Dave (with the help of a heater!) managed to glass in the other beds (and I went and had a look and they look lovely!). I managed to clean the old BMC engine up, dave and the previous boat owner came over and we got it turned it over but I needed time to bleed the system so we all gave up and they left me to paint it.. it really does look very pretty now! I've just published on ebay and it already has 31 views and two watchers which isn't bad odds! I also installed the double glazing film on the front windows as these have a serious habit of condensating (and its the only bit of light at the moment as theres a big sheet over the boat so we dont want to cover). Lets see what it looks like next weekend. Next weekend jobs; Dave wants to reinstall the outdrive transom plate (thing) so he can build up the engine beds for the vetus engine (I'll get a picture soon I'm hoping my help arrives next week so I can get the window trim on and then refit the roof beams above the dining area and finish my battens off.

Good to hear things weren't too bad for you and fingers crossed that's it for a fair few years now. I dare not drive up that way to take a look as it's heart breaking. I saw a picture of our first boat in the papers and I think she didn't float off her trailer ;( But as I say I can't look any further...

Hi Mark, We do (kinda/maybe) have a gearbox for it. The engine going in the boat is a M4.15 Vetus and it has a new box with that which we wont need (as the boat has an outdrive). But I was hoping on selling that on later, plus I guess that will need some work to join together and we would rather spend time on the boat. (Plus my parents boat is a bad hydraulic conversion and that box would fit that.. if I can just find the energy to explain to them that they should use that box!!). I'll be happy to get somewhere near £1200 though. It doesn't owe us this though so open to offers. (although I've stuck on ebay for a week at £1200 to see what it does). Kind regards, Alan

Couple of pretty pictures attached... nice and green!

Day 12. Hard to imagine that its only day 12, it seems like we have been doing this for months already! Unfortunately though we are at the point now where things seem to be slowing down or at least its where not many chances so it feels like its slowing down (I guess this is were the un-experienced start to give up). However things did happen.. Dave got both structural beams in the engine beds (I'm going to call them this as we aren't too sure what they are, I think they may have been engine beds if this hull has two engines). we have seen pictures of some of theses boats without these but our rule is replace what was there. So these are in and have one coat of glass over. Dave also managed to finish off the roof beam in the cabin which I removed as it as rotten. I managed to tidy the front cabin up and sort bits out so this area is now tidy so work can be done on the windows. The previous owners had removed the inner alloy trim and replaced with really badly fitted softwood trims. I don't like and want to put foam backed headlining on the side which will require refitting the alloy trims. Annoyingly last week I could only find some of the alloy trims (there was a pile of them) but after tidying up I found them all so the £30 new trims I ordered, I didn't need (Ebay listing coming soon..!). However this job is a two person job as we need someone on the inside securing the innerscrew and someone on the outside doing the screw up.. But I don;t want to take Dave away from getting the engine room ready for the engine. So hopefully next week I'll have some other family help. (Its a little waste of time as these will need to come out again when the sidelining is ordered however i want to make sure the windows are watertight before ordering and fitting the sidelining). Tomorrows jobs, Dave needs to get another coat of glass on the structural beams. I'm going to install the double glazing film onto the front windows in the hope that slows down the condensation (it works in the houseboat windows). The engine beams also need to join the structual beams to the engine beds so these need making and glassing. We (I) also need to clean up the BMC engine, get it started and painted so it can go on ebay. (As I say its now time consuming little jobs), although we plan on getting the engine lifted in the next month or so.

I kinda like the mix of old and new modern in-hull windows..! wooden version of the new princess's!

Hi all, As we have a nice new engine for our sabre project we are trying to sale the 1.5 bmc which came with it. We haven't run it up yet but aim to over the weekend and at the same time I'm going to give it a paint! (I even brought a put of BMC paint for it!) But It will be sold as running (and painted!). Pros: its got two alternators (two 45amps I think) It's meant to be reconditioned, although we can't confirm that and the marine engineer we got it off can't confirm either although that's what he was told when he brought it (so not sure why I'm saying that?!). We will ensure its run for a good time before selling! Cons: Condition is unknown (other than confirming its run), there's no gear box included, it has a water pump but its not attached (you need to remove one of the alternators apparently to install this - We can maybe do this for you I guess). I'm not sure how we will load this for you, you may need to hire the crane to load it We are looking for £1200ono. I'm going to stick on ebay next week but just want to give heads up here as I understand these are sought after. If you have any questions please message me and we will try and answer.

Salhouse ("Round the corner") and Surlingham broads are our top favourite moorings on the broads! Obviously under the bridges are all good too (we can't get under them now ;( )

Silver Melody (although the original was the best). Although I think Clive is given a huge hint there!

Its good to see they updated this as it did rise an eyebrowl.. but I also think its really good they done this as hoseasons and BA are clearly so bad at correctly marketing the broads these days.. (Plus having nav lights its nice to be able find another mooring when these boats turn up next to us!!).. But good work Richardsons your marketing is brilliant

Just back from the show.. That RC45 was bloody sexy! Interior fit out is stunning and along way ahead of some of the big boys! (The hull looked spot on too Well done to all the norfolk builders involved! (I want one!)...