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LondonRascal
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Posts posted by LondonRascal
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This has turned into an interesting side thread, as so often the case is here and I enjoy. My feelings about the Westward Centre Cockpit that has been lavished is it reminds me of what is going on with Trixie right now.
The chap who bought this boat original off Herbert Woods clearly wanted to make the boat anything bu another ex-hire boat. There is a big risk here though because no matter what one does it will always be an ex-hire boat so there is only so much value that could be added.
In this case we have an interesting situation where two boats of the same type, built in the same year, both with 'new' Nanni engines are on the market at the same time. One has been kept reasonably tidy though cosmetically the hull needs a re-paint, the other has been transformed with new fixtures and fittings, upholstery, electric toilets, galley - you name it. There is £15,000 between the two.
Now if you wanted to turn the one for sale at Waterside Marine Sales into the same as that up for sale at NYA it would cost more than £15,000 - so therefore the NYA boat seems 'good value'. If however you just want a nice four berth boat with a centre cockpit in overall good order then NYA boat is way overpriced.
This reminds me of what I am doing with Trixie. The good point is she was never in a hire fleet, so from new has extras' the same boats in hire do not have. Things like a bow thruster, nav lights, electric winch, duel wipers and so on. But I feel she was over priced - not by much, just a couple of thousand but it was not worth loosing out over that knowing full well overall she was a decent good boat.
Now a lot of people would have left it there - but the road I am traveling down at the moment will not add much more value to the boat but will increase desirability. The fact is people know canopies cost a bunch, having things like the upholstery changed to a more modern neutral style, updating the galley, right down to the mechanical areas will make the boat be one that would stand out on the Brokers site. It won;t make me anything, but it does give me a lot of pride to have a boat in such good order and condition. I think perhaps that is what the chap who did so much with the Westward felt too - it is not about money, but happiness and pride in what you own.
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4 minutes ago, FairTmiddlin said:
Still waiting on the progress of that car licence. Or have you given up on the idea Robin.
I am like a Tiger ready to pounce - once the end of May is here I am off - and will be investing a lot of time into learning to drive. It may well be that I do this outside of London now too.
I am also selling the BMW 7 Series that I never got to drive, mainly because in the time I have owned it I have had to have it serviced, pay the insurance and road fund oh and have an MOT. Then a couple of weeks ago the boot spring broke and that is a 'got to get that from Germany' part and was not cheap. It is enormous being a 7 series long wheel base model and the only person who gets the enjoyment of driving it is SImon (or me when he happens to drive me places).
However, do not expect any form of sense to prevail once it is sold and I am the proud owner of a pink license Lexus is where I am headed.
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Cor blimey not seen one of them for years - used to have some on high with Richardson's back in the day - this was during the time of building river boats that looked fast and stylish - but forgot about letting people see much out of them or being practical to get in and out of.
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Groupon is an American worldwide e-commerce marketplace connecting subscribers with local merchants by offering activities, travel, goods and services in 15 countries.
It used to be incredibly popular and 'massive' but that has tailed off a lot. How the model works is you have something like a hotel and the hotel might charge £100.00 per night for a double room, but you could get the same room for £40.00 with your Groupon discount. In order to get the Groupon Discount you (the customer) sign up to Groupon. This is free, but you agree basically to let them use your email address, phone number and so on so you (your data) is the commodity to them. They then bombard you with offers daily that you simply cannot miss out on!
In my hotel example, the hotel agrees to a massive reduction in price hoping that the sheer number of discounted bookings that Groupon will bring them will overall work out better (and they will make future full value bookings from some of these discount customers). They also have to pay a little to Groupon - like an introduction fee.
Now, in the case of the pub, they appear to have gone into the scheme (I am sure through a sales call from Groupon on an email) and thus hope to increase foot fall and spend. As Andy has now found, when the likelihood of increased custom is seen (Bank Holiday weekend) then why accept the discounted Groupon bookings when you can make just as many at the full price? It might seem a good idea from the point of a business to change the goal posts - they make some more profit - but the flip side is you have disappointed customers, such as Andy.
Now some might say that it is bad to say negative things about businesses, how they 'need all the support we can give' and the like, but when a business clearly makes a move that lets down customers and those customers go elsewhere as a result and post such comments, there is but one person to blame - the business.
I think they should take the hit that some people who have got the Groupon deal will pay less, keep them happy and they will not only return time and again but continue to sing their praises of the business. You just can't risk negative reviews these days as once there there, they stay there. Now we know some reviews are fake, and we know too how fickle some people can be, but overall they do help act as a guide to many and so they have their worth.
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I will pass on that Neil, getting the helicopter licence would be a step too far lol
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The Westward at NYA looks nice - I think Mark of MBA Marine did a lot of the refurbishment work on that boat.
Of course a lot of it is 'set dressing' new upholstery, galley, dash and it looks fresh and new - amazing how this sort of thing helps sell boats and increases value even if underneath it is an ex-hire boat I know of 3 Westwards that have been re-engined I think they had Listers in them original (maybe a Perkins). Not my cup of tea because the free board on these things are so high to get on and off of, and the window's in the rest of the boat are pretty shallow. Instead of a lower freeboard and deeper windows.
Now the Sedan version looks good value, funny how a 4+2 berth 38ft boat can cost less than little Trixie. I am probably going to be about Brundall over the weekend talking to the service guys so will have a nosy at the boats for sale.
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I too have got a new horn, it is a Lindemann Marine twin tone.
On Trixie the existing one only worked sometimes and was pretty quiet, I did not feel she was the type of boat to have a big trumpet type horn but wanted more of a rich tone. Much time was taken finding videos of such in action to hear how they sounded and eventually opted for the above. It has a high and low tone simultaneously and means Trixie now sounds a bit like a classic Bentley.
£58.84 from Amazon.
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These have been now been claimed.
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34 minutes ago, JennyMorgan said:
Intimidate fitting? Tell us more!
Immediate fitting. Far too fast typing sometimes and not enough checking before hitting the submit button.
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As part of the updates to Trixie I have had all her fenders changed. Therefore I have the previous fenders spare to my requirements.
They are navy blue, in good overall condition with little in the way of marks on them. A good clean up will see them look very good. All are inflated to the correct psi and are of the Dutch Majoni brand and come complete with navy 3 ply line ready for immediate fitting.
I believe there are 8 size three and 2 size two fenders. Size 2 - 15cm x 58cm. Size 3 - 21cm x 62cm.
There may also be a bow fender. These have all been removed by Ludham Bridge Boatyard.
It would be easy if these could be given away as a lot and not broken up in to 2 or 3 to different people. If you are interested, please send me a private message and I will give you details of collection.
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6 hours ago, 40something said:
Sounds like the sort of TLC my gelcoat needs, I would be interested to know what the cost was, although I only need the superstructure doing.
I'd give George a call on 01692 631 011 since he will have a good idea of what work is needed for Hampton. Once it is done it makes keeping it clean a lot easier, and will bring the boat to life. Only ever wash with a suitable boat wash and wax to maintain the finish - 'washing up liquid' will strip polishes and waxes.
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Hello there, please don't blame me if you go from hiring to owning as a result of my videos lol. Good to have you onboard so to speak.
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So Friday came and with it so did we at Ludham Bridge Boatyard where we collected Trixie - if only for the weekend because she is back in their care for the balance of works to be completed along with a bunch more I have come up with.
However, what a incredible change to the exterior! You may remember the 'before' photo:
This is how she looked with a tatty canopy, fading painted accent line on the superstructure, a single non-working horn and a tired, rough gel coat. Under the water was bad news too - lots of growth on the hull, an Anode that had been struck by the prop where it was mounted on the Skeg.
Well while you cannot see all the improvements yet (some are yet to come some are under the floor mechanical things) the new canopy is just amazing. Unlike the previous one made by Jeckells this has radius curves for the glazing, and those glazing sections have been double stitched and the inside of such also covered with the fabric. This is Sunbrella Plus fabric and I have had the stitching upgraded to a thicker and UV resistant type to last longer too. This was all made by Bailey & Stone who are based in Butt Lane, Burgh Castle.
The other big improvement is what George who runs Ludham Bridge Boatyard can achieve with his polishing. This is a time consuming process and so to have it done properly can cost. Some boatyards will 'cut and polish' whereby they use a use a compound polish that wears a small amount of the gel coat away to reveal fresh material under and it will naturally look shiny and wonderful. But that shine will soon go if not protected. George uses a variety of methods from wet sanding where needed, to different grades of polishing compound. Once the initial shine is then achieved a Carnauba wax is then applied which acts as a protector to the gel coat but this itself is subject to degradation from UV light and will 'yellow' in time so I then had a polymer polish applied over this. This means that this layer can be topped up as required to maintain he finish and future actual compounding (where a thin layer of the gel coat is worn away through the compound) can be kept to the minimum.
The results have been staggering. So much so the boat is now brilliant white, and I have asked George to do the same to the entire cockpit area which is now looking an 'off white'. I was surprised that he said nobody had asked him to polish a cockpit seating and helm area before - but since it is exposed to the sunlight and is all get coats, why not.
Here is the 'after pic' - taken on the river. The fenders are looking great too - all new, the deals I designed work great as well. The only issue is the red line - it is too bright and a vinyl stripe. I am having this removed and replaced wither with a vinyl that matches the canopy colour more, or it will be a gloss painted finish to match the canopy colour. She also has new horns - twin high/low tone that sound like a classic Bentley when used.
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Bow thrusters eh? Well how about having a boat a foot shorter than a Hampton and having one? That is what Trixie is fitted with and I think it is all about what makes you comfortable as an owner and boater. If I had bought Trixie and it did not come with a bow thruster I would not consider having one fitted but that is just me.
Simon, my stepdad has not much experience of boat handling and has never hired a boat on the Broads and now is getting to grips with one for the first time. He relies on the thruster and drives the boat as if a car and expects the front to go where he wants it to. I will show him over time how to be less reliant on a thruster and still manage the boat easily.
Bear in mind that the standard off the shelf thruster will need a lot of thought on where it could be mounted, I am sure there would be a lot more GRP work as the Hampton has a shallow draft and not much space for a 'tunnel' to be created. Some Bounty forward steer boats have had thrusters fitted but there not really 'bow' thrusters and they have had to be mounted a fair way from the bow. I just think you could gain so much in other areas of improvement you could enjoy for the thousands it would cost to fit an aid to manoeuvring the boat.
I don't know how bad your hull is cosmetically - I am guessing it is not original gel and has been painted previously? If however it is original gel and has never been painted but if you can get away without painting it all the better.
I have been truly amazed at the standard George has achieved at Ludham Bridge Boatyard on both the hull and superstructure on Trixie. Using a lot of time, and various methods from wet sanding to course and then finer and finer compounds with a power polisher, to then moving to Polymer polishes and finally a Carnauba based Wax the tired, rough and stained gel coat is now gleaming brilliant bright white. So much so I have asked him to do the entire cockpit area as this now looks cream and tired in comparison to the outside surfaces.
It is not cheap because you are paying for time, just as painting is not cheap not because of the materials but the sheer amount of preparation time to the surface to get a professional lasting finish.
Everyone is different, but I would have Trixie out the water every two years for the anti-foul to be re-applied. I also specified a hard 'coastal' anti-foul suitable for performance boats, because this tends to work very well on the Broads and does not peal, crack or flake as much as some. I can tell the performance increase from half an inch of growth on the hull to smooth clean hull has. Even at river speeds a lot of growth on a hull produces more drag, and that just means your use more revs to overcome this and thus burn more fuel. You can get yards who will do a all in one package of lift out, pressure wash, repaint of anti-foul and put back in for a set price based on your boats size. Sabena Marine in Wroxham are one of the best value at £331.00 for a 25ft boat.
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Having been to several of these events this has to be the best. Not only was it actually hot and sunny but we had a really good turnout and it was nice to see how other members here, who may only know each other over the year as' usernames' got the chance to meet in person and have a good time. We had cakes and a quizz, an R.N.L.I talk on safety and throw lines, a new Forum Idiot, 'Crew Indy' got their amazing plate hand crafted by our own Stuart. With music (some of it live later) through the sunlight and BBQ smoke sat on the grass it was just perfect.
It made me see what a great team the NBN has to help organise things, to muck in and help out both with putting up things like the Tent, to helping clear it all away the following morning and not leaving any rubbish. As a real community we should be proud of what loving the Broads and boating can bring together.
The Cruise in Company came together perfectly too, and these are great times where people on the shore or passing boats tooting their horns and waving can enjoy the spectacle of dressed boats cruising in a neat line down the river.
Thanks for all who came and made it such a good event to be part of
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I like reading about other peoples updates and visions, and this sounds like a real refurbishment going on in many areas. I will be looking forward to see the finished result in the flesh and that stick on leather effect covering for dash area sounds neat.
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Thats the one after ITV isn't it?
Sorry........couldn't resist:default_biggrin:
I shall have my VHF tuned to Ch4.
It’s PMR Ch 4 which for some reason seems to have become the more popular working channel on the Broads maybe because most boatyards who use PMR don’t use that channel.
I’ve been commissioning things in preparation. The generator is smaller but heavier than expected but also very fancy and rather quiet. The PA system looks the dogs wotsits but any one who knows their speakers will soon tell it is a good old Rascal Special off the back of a ship from China. Disco lights have had a major update. Bloody hell why do photos on amazon never quite give you enough scale as to how large things are lol. Also got a bunch of Union Jack bunting and flags for that wedding!
Not sure how will all get to Norfolk but we will Manage
Sent from the Norfolk Broads Network mobile app-
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Whether we like it or not, every one judges and makes assumptions. I also think there is a lot of scope to be generous and 'live and let live'.
I do not know anything about this boat, of the owner. I have passed by the boat and have always thought if it was someone living onboard there they certainly keep the boat and mooring very neat. Of course where she is moored is not an area I often get to cruise along (yet anyway).
But while it may not be perhaps technically proper and legal and right that someone has moored their boat on a long term basis at a location, the fact they have and are keeping the area tidy and their boat in good order does get them over the first hurdle of judgment namely how it looks cosmetically and in keeping with the surroundings. The next is what the person is like, do they cause nuisance and noise, litter and issues to neighbors and so on? If that is also a no then even if you are the land owner you surly begin to just accept it.
They are not doing anyone harm, not causing a right mess to be cleared up from fly tipping items and other rubbish and simply sit there day in and week out quietly. Before long they begin to simply become a fixture in the landscape. If I owned the land I might ask them for a contribution to moor - £10 a month say, just so things could be on a even keel and all above board. Then if anyone else wondered, got nosy and the like they can keep on wondering.
In short, perhaps this is the ideal advertisement for a live-aboard boater. Nice boat, tidy location, keeping things quiet and causing no problems. Does it mean it is okay for anyone with that mindset and way could turn up on many moorings elsewhere and follow suit, no perhaps not - but on the other hand I would rather that than some of the eyesores that do exist and where Tolls are not paid and very little if no respect is given to those around them or the environmental impact their staying at a location causes.
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15 minutes ago, Ricardo said:
A tom tom on a boat isn't a barmy as it sounds
Perform a U turn where possible.
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By the way, I know this does not record in increments of 0.1of a mile per hour, but or me I never worried too much about that, yes you could be doing just under 5MPH and it would say you are still doing 4MPH but you'd know by the difference in wash and having something is better than nothing at all in my view.
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Day Three:
Watching back over the video and remembering how unwell Shiela and I were, then waking up to a dank and miserable day with a lot of Fog somehow seems so far away and how quickly things change - leaves on the trees just beginning, yet now lush with growth. A sign of how much I have been doing of late not to have got the Blog edited sooner.
So we began at Coltishall and I did contemplate having breakfast in the pub (they serve from 8:00am to 10:00am) but frankly did not much feel alive enough. A couple of coffees and some snacks did the job and we got underway and into ever thicker Fog. It is not something you have to do on the Broads, but I find it handy to let other people who may be in the mist to know you are there at least. So, every two minutes I would sound one long blast on the horn. It might not change much really but if someone was there and did hear it they would know that something was coming along so make them a little more alert to the fact.
We arrived at Wroxham and moored up and I was off to the Chemist for potions and over prices sugar syrup called Cough Medicine. Shiela had the cough I had the sore throat. I then popped into the Broads Visitor Centre and bought some key rings and tide table booklets to subsidise their away days
before heading back to the boat and calling the Pilot up to take us back through the Bridge.
While I was there I happened to meet some folks who were avid viewers of my Blogs and made there day with a hand shake - Shiela thought it was all most annoying that for the umpteen time someone we did not know had come over to talk to us as if they were old friends. I get used to this, but it can be a bit disconcerting at times.
The Pilot duly arrived and took us under the bridge and from Wroxham, through Horning the day was much brighter and the fog long gone. We had no real plan where we would be headed just so long as by the end of the day we were not too far from Herbert Woods to return the boat int he morning. We headed for St. Benet's initally. As we passed Ranworth Dam, the Fog once again began to build up - not as bad as at Coltishall earlier, but none the less made the landscape change considerable and the temperature fell too.
We moored up at St. Benent's and before long I was off to film in the mist - I wish I had taken more shots, stayed longer and used a Tripod - but Shiela was not feeling too warm and stayed on the boat and I did not want to get too much in the dog house for filming stuff when we were on our break. That said what I did capture really did have a nice feel about it, nobody there, and the mist rolling in and around the ruins made a familiar area look different.
Back on the boat and off to Ludham Bridge, a quick nosy as we passed Ludham Bridge Boatyard, Trixie still was in the water and having come through the bridge we passed the moorings, made a turn and came back to moor - why not head to the Dog Inn for lunch? We got half way (ok we got to the shop) popped in grabbed an ice cream and then decided we could not be bothered to go on walking so headed back to the boat.
Back underway, Thurne Dyke was the destination - and our final stop. We would eat in the Lion pub and enable us to have lots of time to pack up and me film the boat review. We duly arrived to a pretty empty dyke, I spun the boat around and backed it down the dyke and moored up. Roof back, a much brighter day now and time to just sit and relax. The pub later was spot on as ever, great food, great drinks and this becoming a firm favorite of mine on the Broads. Alas the only issue was us not feeling too great and having only a weekend break - but it was nice to be a hirer again and finally get around to having a real classic from the 90's.
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I may have some others somewhere - but what gets me is that single internal shot. I think I must have taken it because of the old hob, but it captures in a moment how boating was on the Broads. A simple telly that would not last very long on batteries, a galley that was functional - intended for people to easily cook in, look at the cooker three hobs but the space you get for pans, and a big oven.
Things change of course, and I have long been pro-modernity on boats, but sometimes I think you can have a bit too much simplicity. I see some boats these days with just a double hob, small oven and not even a draining board for the sink. It has a galley if you must, but seems more designed to have someone eat out than cook aboard.
Anyway, it just goes to show how much has changed internally and how something that in 1997 looked almost ready for the scrape heap can be made to look first class. I had a look on Craig's Database and you have a lovely boat now and will keep an eye out for her on the rivers.
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No need to spend a lot of get complecated units that hill walkers use with mapping and compasses etc, this is what I am looking at myself for Trixie for just over £30.00
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58 minutes ago, JennyMorgan said:
There are thousands of increasingly aged boats on the Broads relying on by now archaic technology, it is they that worry me.
I agree. It is time to stop this centuries old tradition of using such an unreliable and changeable means of propulsion as the wind.
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before heading back to the boat and calling the Pilot up to take us back through the Bridge.
Wanted.aquafibre 38
in Boats and accessories Wanted
Posted
Well I am in good working order but I don't use Independence much, if there are to be any health issues present it is one of mental illness to get involved with boating to begin lol