MBA Marine

Good luck i hope you find a job soon. Not a great time at mo, firstly its winter so there are no temp positions that could be a foot in for a perminant job and secondly some yards are trying to loose staff at not taking on. I have had tripple the amount of CV's sent to me in the last 12months than previous years, but im a sole trader with no plans to expand. I just hope that with a number of skilled guys out of work there is not an influx of guys doing the odd job for cash as this will soon start to take work away from myself and the large yards. this could lead to more laying of staff and the visious cycle to continue. Good luck once again.

Dont use it in winter. get new boat. Replace both engines! Sorry not very helpfull but i couldnt come up with anything usefull.

Very, very good piont. Use a paint stripper first and take it right if its gonna be a thourough job. otherwise yes definatly a small test or single pack but it wont have the lifespan

If you do paint it then pay a little more and use 2-pac it will last much longer and dont be in a rush to get the paint on as its the prep that matters. Also shop around for your paint (or ask someone in the trade to get it for you) will cost you double from the wrong places.

Leave the ipad guy at home, you can full relax and unwind from day to day life if you take this connection to daily life with you you feel compelled to work a little/all the time!

May the 4th be with you!

They do have all those expencive overheads, and i dont recall slating the prices they charge, what they charge is down to them. I will work on yards where i have to but 90% of my work is on peoples private moorings. If none of us are greedy there are/is more than enough boats and work to go around.

I do know Tom but only through chatting when i've bought there we are similar in age (he's a little yonger) although did not school together. sub contract or working for them neither, I was employed by E.C Landamores for over 8yrs there we fitted webasto's of all shapes and sizes inc webasto aircon this was all fitted to either JPC or webasto direct (in the aircond case) spec inorder to keep warrenteis valid. I've been self employed for the last 4 years and have fitted about 5 webasto systems in that time (they dont come up to often), since JPC moved to Brundall from Wroxham i have had little reason to use them, I found that you can buy £1200 JPC kits (small airtronic blown air unit) for the £850 mark online brand new and warrented so as much as i enjoy a chat with Tom the difference on the purchase cost would cover (more than, depending on the complexity) the installation.

and your call would be welcome, you just gave me a £3per hour pay rise. many thanks thats my first rise in 4 years self emloyment!

Well you have me there and the companies need that sort of referal, you made me chuckle though as i used to intstal Webasto systems on yachts supplied by JPC and fitted to the spec they required, also used to install the Raymarine/autohelm autopilot systems on the same boats, maybe you have a good piont perhaps i could double what i charge, it might annoy my current clients but i could pick up some that like to pay more, then i could work less. ummm maybe.

Alot of those steel braid with the yellow outer are failing now if you have them they are normaly short lengths at the engine and are best changed now, the pure rubber ISO7840 is good hose and last for a very long time, Its quality i never questioned.

The thieves gain is all of our loss, sorry that this is pushing you to leave boating. Just a thought its always worth posting a wanted add in gumtree and similar, you never know it maybe a stupid thief!

Im sorry to hear that and im sorry to say that it would seem that nothing is safe at the moment. Everyone take note, if your engine is small enough take it off and lock it away at home. As has been talked about on here recently boats on trailers, where you can take all wheels off leaving trailer on blocks, chain and padlock the trailer to somthing strong, lock or remove the hitch. If it takes half a day of your time it was worth it not to loose whats yours.

To be honest it depends on the job, if you can see 100% of the job then you can price it without a problem, but with boats often people want you fit somthing in an area thats not seen light of day for years and when you start to look you find more and more wrong, or when you begin to disasemble some woodwork you find its all been glued. So to combat the unknown when pricing the job you have inflate the price for the unforseen, but if the job goes to plan or even as somtimes happens is easier than first thought, then hourly rate is much better as if you honour the price you have just ripped of the customer. You might argue why not give a price and if the final bill worked out cheaper then just charge that? fine.....but what about when you give a price then you find aload of rotten wood or find a dimwitt had played DIY sparky. Or like i have found with boat with the fuel pipe change, the gas bin drain has been installed with a rise that terminates about as high as the top of the box! this was not only not accessable but not visible. now found i cant leave it. On a fixed price if the client was argumentive i would have to battle to get paid for the work. What would i suggest? when you know and trust the guy you have do your work then you know he wont rip you off on an hourly rate. if its the first time then if you can get a price great, but from personal experience I have lost money on jobs that way and worked for nothing! my rates are very low as i like to give great value, i only try to earn what i need to support the family, and it really hurts when i work for nothing.

I charge £15 per hour, so can i take twice as long as your cheap £30 per hour guy? Oh and i promise not to drop my pants!!

You got a little lucky there. Sealine are never going to say that the hose they used in that application was unsuitable are they, but notice they did not say it was the exact grade that is required! Also its doubtfull that the person in the office whom gave the declaration had a clue what hose was fitted. I would suggest you try and use the same examiner next time otherwise you might be back appealing the same piont again next time.

2.2.3/R REQUIREMENT Fuel must not be retained in the filling hose, as this could cause blow back when refuelling. Is the fuel filling line self-draining so that fuel is not retained and is it free of kinks or other restrictions? Check the fall of each fuel filling line. Check for any kinks or other obvious restrictions in fuel filling lines where they can be seen or reached. Fuel filling lines must be ‘self-draining’ i.e. fall continuously from the filling point to the fuel tank connection so that fuel is not retained. Fuel filling lines must not be kinked or restricted. Note – Fuel filling lines must not have their internal bore diameter restricted to less than 31.5mm (11â„4 in). Damaged or deteriorating fuel filling lines could fail and result in a leak that could form a potential fire, explosion, or pollution hazard depending on the fuel used. In the case of petrol, hose not designed specifically for that fuel can fail rapidly. Indeed all fuel oils can ‘attack’ unsuitable materials. Is the material of the fuel filling line suitable and in good condition? Check the material and condition of fuel filling lines, which can be seen or reached. Check the markings on any fuel filling hose. Fuel filling lines must not show signs of fuel leaks, damage, or deterioration. Fuel filling hose must be marked as suitable for the fuel in use or supported by an appropriate declaration. Notes – diesel filling hose in good condition may be accepted without marking or declaration provided it can be examined over its entire length. Enough suitably marked diesel filling hose, or enough petrol hose, must be accessible to make a reasonable assessment as to the hose’s general condition. 2.3.2/R REQUIREMENT Best practice b We recommend that you use hoses marked with BS EN ISO 7840 although hoses marked with SAE J 1527, DIN 4798 or marked with the type of fuel in use are acceptable. Notice where the type of hose is specified its the 'best practice' section not a you must do, REQUIRMENT!

You may find the filler and breather have rules on diesels have been relaxed, i always had changed them for ISO7840 but last time i talked with examiner about it, he said the just have to be in good condition. Petrol's do have to be ISO7840

This boat is diesel, with regard to your filler, if your petrol then filler and breather hoses must be 7840 but if your diesel then the filler and breather pipe only have to be in sound condition, i would asume they would have to be 7840 in engine bay, i will read up on that bit.

I'm pro the boat saftey scheme but im currently bringing a boat up to standard and i have a grievence. One (of many) thing that has failed is fuel lines, im all for using the iso 7840 hose that we are to use (or copper) but in this case i think descresion should be used. The boat a Nimbus with twin volvo engines built i would guess 90's has long complicated pipe runs, current hoses are all pre-made on bench crimped at each end of every hose, the hoses are orgional and are as good as the day they were installed but are lacking the iso7840 number on the side. The boat has failed quite rightly on many things and the owner set for quite a large bill that i can do nothing about, but it just seems wrong that i have to remove good work and the customer has to pay for expencive hose (and cheap labour ) that surley wasnt necessary, the hose was a good quality fuel hose, i know it all comes down to the fire risk but i really doubt the 7840 will last any longer than what was in in a fire, I might do a (controled) bench test and see if one is anymore flame resistant than the other. Rant over!

Sounds bloody lovely.

Chrismas at our own home, myself the Mrs and kids. lovely. The rules and stress from my own updragging were banned, the chrismas dinner to feed at least 20 people with all the stress that comes with the prep, cooking and serving didnt happen. We ate a wonderfull salmon encroute made with ready rolled puff pastery (why make it, so much easier and i think cheaper to buy it), We ate as much as we wanted, didnt force down Christmas pud as it wasnt wanted, that we will have another day. Each to there own, but why my mother used to put us all through the hell that we had to go through each year i dont know (she still does it, but has buggerd off to Spain so we are not obliged to partake!) this laid back option was far more enjoyable for me and i think my kids had a fab day without grumpy parents. Inlaws for lunch today, then work tomorrow. Happy holidays and new year of good health to all. Mark

That is a fantastic video. Not so nice to see the artical in the EDP(online) regarding a dead sperm whale washing up on old hunstanton beach. sad to see such a beautiful creature dead on beach, but at least it doesnt look suspiscous.

Esaystart? do you have to write alot with this method?

I will give you that as the 'right' answer. but if you have a perfect mould tool i would like to see it!!!! I have to admit i quite enjoy the plug making stage, especialy the superstructure, right up to the point when its sprayed, then its flatting back time, this bit i can happily avoid, horrible fine dust get everywhere.