Malanka

I meant when it’s down as in on the roof cockpit open. Assumptions , assumptions, assumptions. ours which weighs at least 35kg was flipped up and held by its support legs in the wind. Justin has to lie on it to stop it being ripped off. Also don’t forget where wind goes water follows. Safely and securely attached, presumably it’s legs will support it but also hold it down. That’s a recipe for rattling and banging in the wind if ever I heard one. Think this through, there was a reason boatyards stopped making hard roofs. It wasn’t because they were lightweight and easily used????? We have a hard roof, we have modified it with modern materials, and reduced its weight by at least 10 or 15 kg. It’s still very heavy.. Im not guessing this is my practical experience. The reason is the size of the thing, and RTs cockpit is of a similar size... the thing cannot be allowed to diagonally flex or longitudinally flex, therefore using traditional materials good luck with that...Stick with canvas and remember the old push back cabriolet roofs on cars.

Tim, May I add my two penneth. Anything you make for a solid roof will need to be inflexible or the slightest breeze will rip it off. Inflexible is another word for heavy. Nothing made out of wood for a roof should be described as lightweight as it simply isn’t. The hugely heavy two man job for a roof on Malanka has had Justin lying on it more than once to prevent it being blown up and off by broadband breezes. If you make it too light you’ll be making more than one... Just my two pennies. oh and we have black inlaid go faster stripes too. Although technically not in shed at the moment.

Well Phil's guys at Simpsons Boatyard have been hard at work in the cold weather and new photos have arrived showing what they have done. As well as the boards there are some remediation maintenance activities going on with the toe rails the cabin top grab rails and the wooden bit on the bow. Here are some more surgery photos, so those with weak constitutions please read no further. More pictures showing the finished articles to come. I have a video of the large bow bit being chiselled out but it makes me weep so i didn't add it. Happy New Year to you all. For interest I have interviews coming up in January so maybe news on that front soon too who knows. Martin and Fiona

Well a quick update following the almost sinking. Malanka has eaten another starter motor and had to be towed to the shed, where she is now residing having her pretty bottom and front and back bits fiddled with. She has been inspected and there are some dodgy short boards starboard front, and some less serious stuff on the transom. Many thanks to Phil for the pictures. As you can see she is having a rub down and repaint as well in the crinkly bits due to taking up. We are re thinking the galley mods as Fiona wants an oven hob and grill so we may just go for a full combo type arrangement. See pic. obviously we now need a new starter as well. It had got a bit clunky but no smoke until this mornings attempt to start. Phil notified us immediately and we are communicating as he looks to see what’s what. All other planks and boards are tip top as the Swiss say. i will let everyone know what’s planned and on the employment front too. Merry Christmas to all or happy holidays for the pc brigade. lots of good wishes to you all and to your families. Without our boating family rallying round and helping us we may have lost our old lady to a muddy demise. Thank you you all for being wonderful people. Martin and Fiona

Most times when I have seen the paddle waved is from observation from the FRONT. Without a speed gun I defy anyone to tell me within 0.5 mph how quickly a boat is moving. I also suggest that if the aim of the limits is to reduce wash and therefore cumulative erosion then surely wash at any speed should be looked at. There are many boats on the broads that produce a breaking wash at 4 mph( you know to which type of boat I refer) many older wooden boats do not produce a wash of any significance until well past 5 mph. Earlier reference was made to speeding through a location ( doesn’t matter where ) with the tide . I respectfully suggest that anyone suggesting speed over ground at 7 mph with a through the water speed of 5mph and a 2 mph tide is any sort of hazard to cumulative erosion should think carefully about what they are suggesting. If it was an hazard that limit would not exist. It is fatuous beyond belief that “speeding with a tide” is any sort of anything nefarious, get a grip people. Chose to go through Yarmouth at non slack passage times and maintain 4 mph over ground and you will be a hazard to all. By the same token maintain 5 mph the other direction and your wash will be immense and quite destructive. Rangers know all this and use IMO a fair amount of common sense and discretion. personally I don’t care how speedy boats are I am concerned by wash. This season Both Fiona and Helena were almost knocked off their feet by a boat which passed us with two feet at 4 mph. Commonsense is the answer pity it’s not very common. M

As I have zero skills we get a man in. Actually several men in lots of times.

Whatever you wish to spend, look at the piggibank and then spend half the contents and keep the rest to spend over the next five years or so as you discover what a survey won’t show you. If you can’t do yourself like Doug ( Brundal Navy) then the woodwork that WILL need to be done is expensive in material and twice as expensive as the material costs in having it done. If you still want to continue after reading this kudos you’re as mad as the rest of us. Martin

Don’t you just love autocorrect M

Hi Ray, They are going to be installed . m

When turned on by Cornelia’s people the pump ran for over half an hour maybe even 40 minutes. The bulge pump normally goes off once per day or every 12 or 13 hours or so. Immediately after work was done and on crossing a rough Breydon it went off every three minutes and ran for 23 seconds ( yes I was panicking ) No this is not Malankas first incursion, nor is it the first bulge pump turn off either. Last time it was spotted by the yard guys and turned on. This is why we know it was on as it is of course now part of the close down routine. As I mentioned in another thread we had lines untied twice also. Bed slept in and so on. This year between visits we had a bed sleeper who got in by removing the window, they put it back in upside down, that’s how I knew route of entry. its not exactly a huge volume of water but Malanka is delicately balanced forwards and any water goes in that direction, she used to be balanced to the stern when we had wet planks there. After removal the opposite is now true. The rear saloon inspection area is and was before this totally dry under normal conditions. Phil has checked her for us and water did not make it past the floor planks. As to how this can be justified or who did it and why I can’t and won’t try to fathom. Perhaps now people will STOP PROPPING OPEN THE SHED DOOR. I don’t do it and I don’t see why anyone has to do it. Yes it’s inconvenient to keep opening it . My answer to that complaint is unprintable on a public forum. There is CCTV from another boat in the shed, unfortunately boat movement has repeatedly set off the motion detectors and there are literally thousands of trips in the 15 day period of interest. Besides which they have better things to do than trawl through CCTV footage, proof of boat access would not be proof of switch deactivation. Even if we recognized whoever it was. Maybe a person messing about did it who knows. I don’t want to know. Wet shed CCTV accessible remotely to owners a la webcam would be nice but this is as far as I know not on the cards any time soon. Better entry control via key cards would be nice but neither of these is as cheap as the current arrangement. IMO the best answer is not to panicked into action but to ask everyone to stay vigilant and report suspicious or nervous looking types to the office ASAP. Mom sure they would respond positively. M&F

An update, as I am now euphemistically described as “between opportunities “ we have decided to put on hold the roof removal until our financial circumstances are more certain. We have also decided to return to the UK as our number one aim, not at the expense of a great opportunity elsewhere but a goal non the less. We are still going ahead with some more minor works ( galley refurb etc) and the elimination of the soft patch in the cabin side in the saloon, and maybe the drive shaft bearings if Phil’s says they need doing ( I think yes) . We have agreed to paint the roof grey with waterproof paint as a stop gap measure. when a new position is secured the roof removal will be done at the end of next season. So not on hold completely but not the drastic surgery we originally thought. M&F

Dear All, This week whilst tucked up in the shed, somehow the bulge pump for our lovely old lady was turned OFF. We have absolute trust and a first hand account that she was not left there in this condition. Without the vigilance and actions of the lovely custodians of Cornelia our Broom sister our poor old lady would very likely be sat on the bottom at this moment. As you can see it was a close run thing. If you see anyone suspicious or who looks like they don’t belong or someone being a bit furtive please report it to the guys in the office. We will say no more on the topic. Martin and Fiona

We will be down south on way to Norwich ys Christian has an interview weds. Well here I am sitting bored rigid at Schipol airport, where I have been for the past three hours after finishing my interviews for a new job! Done book reading paper reading food eating. Am now reduced to people watching whilst charging my chargeables on the comfy seats. The finding of which after two hours flattening my bum on wooden ones made me feel very inadequate. The secret was the sign that read comfort zone!! Doh! Good thing is we-board in 30 minutes for a quick puddle jump to Norwich International airport ( sic) quick taxi as I don’t think Fiona will want to come get me after driving for ten hours. Hopefully she has some fizz chilling . I haven’t seen her since Tuesday morning and I’ve missed all the holiday packing and prep. Dog grooming and all that good stuff. I was stuck in a Hamburg hotel meeting room entertaining sorry lecturing to a bunch of folks about particle testing for injectable products. I kept them awake and hopefully get an invite to next years shindig which is in Vienna, which was where I had to skip the gig last year due to the arrival of gorgeous little Eliza. its so close I can almost feel it. I can’t feel my bum as that’s now completely fallen off . Can’t wait to smell the smell and know we’re going to wake up floating . Can’t beat that IMO. Playing guess the nationality before hearing the speaking at the moment, not doing too badly actually. Ok ok I should really leave now. So bored....... M

Oh yes I surely will. Officially unemployed as of last Friday. I’m currently doing what is referred to as enjoying “gardening leave”. Sounds great but is boring as anything and pretty soul destroying. Before I get to boat I flew from Zurich to Hamburg yesterday where I will be speaking today and tomorrow at a pharmaceutical educational conference, then Thursday fly on to Amsterdam for a new job interview on Friday Then after that fly to Norwich for holiday with the family, it’s all go when you’re unemployed you know!! see everyone whose floating next week. M

We will be taking the old lady out and about with a different crew next week. Justin is studying hard for his IB next year and won’t be joining us. But little Eliza and her mum will be along for the float. honk say hi or wave as we pass by. Looking forward to floating . M&F

In our case 10 ton boat vs fisher person. Erm figure it out. They as we know the rules don’t abuse them and harmony rules. I wonder why that never ever happens. I fish I also boat simples. I have asked people to move ( they didn’t) I have told miscreants to stop trawling (they didn’t until we took a picture) why is this even necessary??? Please enlighten me

I think in reality it’s everything off. I really don’t want to see her all ripped up it’s too upsetting. Hopefully I just see the after pictures M

Oh I forgot to mention we are going to revamp the galley too. Full size oven and separate hob unit. Achieved by moving the cooker forwards of where it is ( into the gangway) nice curved worktop to smooth the lines and Fannie is your auntie. Cant wait for that either M

Wow what an amazing journey. Enjoy whilst still young was my fathers motto too. Wise words M

It’s on the list but not for at least 5 yrs more. Too much left to do. We are seriously looking at properties in Norfolk and Suffolk at the moment for future retirement potential and rental income in between. I am jealous but it’s just not me YET, close but no banana. M

Oh my goodness! Finished, what’s that. I can’t say finished without mentioning the dreaded word. VARNISH Last restoration parts refers to big boat bits. Internal varnish is like the forth road bridge , a true “never ending story” M

Dear All, Just a quick five minutes to let you all know something and explain why we haven’t been on the forum much since August. The firm I work for has been bought by another American firm and as a result our time in Switzerland may be coming to an end. Justin will complete his International Baccalaureate in June next year and then we ( Fiona and Myself) will be free to go wherever the employment takes us. we have lived outside the UK for 15 years now and we must admit To beginning to desire a return to blighty. We will of course go wherever the wind blows and enjoy our next adventure. We would also like to thank everyone for their condolences on the passing of my mum. For those interested in such things she died suddenly and unexpectedly from meningitis aged 86yrs. The family are well, Christian graduated from UEA with a 2:1 in international development. He is working now and on his way to complete independence. Eliza will be 1 in a few weeks, she is now walking very well indeed and even has a few words as well. Helena will be returning to Canterbury in October to continue her studies in Animal Science. After his IB Justin intends to read Military History and Politics in the UK before embarking on a career within the UK military. So it’s all go and all change chez nous, which for those familiar with our comings and goings is pretty par for the course. Many many thanks to you all for a magnificent summer in which we met up with many new friends and supped large with ones of old. This year we did many new things and enjoyed every minute with friends old and new. Next year it’s that bloody bridge or bust.... See you all afloat. Martin Fiona et al.

Dear all, Drip leak has been repaired on the fuel pump, full engine service performed and new, less dentist waiting room LEDs, fitted in the saloon. We will be out from the 13th October please feel free to drop in and say hi. The party will be Fiona myself and the two aireloons. We may head south depends on weather , may just cruise about ooop north. We do intend to play as many two pence machines as we can and just have fun. This will be our last cruise before the top is effectively ripped off Malanka and new stuff done. We are anxious to enjoy our cruise but also apprehensive about the last restoration parts. Kind of we know it has to be done BUT. It’s a major investment but we think worth it. Martin Fiona Boris and Monty.

OK just a quick update following the summer cruises. New batteries worked a treat and we didn't come near low or no power available for the fridge. Less successful were the LED lighting. "Warm white" was the description, major surgery operating room is more like it. Oh dear back to the drawing board with less "glaring" harsh tones is required. Phil says he has some so let's see what they look like. Currently the lady is having her injector pump repaired as there was a very very slow drip leak, more noticeable as a smell really, and an full engine service in preparation for the autumn cruise.

Just as an afterthought, birds die from ingesting the oil in an effort to clean themselves which is why making it sink into the water where bacteria can deal with it is the preferred option?. Nobody likes crude oil spills and to imply or infer otherwise is rediculous in the extreme, but frankly to compare diesel oil smells with crude oil spills and seabirds coated in the foul stuff, is to put it mildly a little crude. If one needs a hammer to make the point is it much of a point to make in the first place? Maybe in fact it was but one loses any support or credibility when anyone uses a completely over the top and quite inaccurate analogy. Quite similar in some respects to what is happening in daily politics and news media in the uk I believe. The standard of which gets lower every time I watch it. Even watching F1 this afternoon some moronic half educated presenter was describing an amount of people ? What is that supposed to mean ? I despair and will disappear down my little hole and stay there .