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LondonRascal
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Posts posted by LondonRascal
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While it is good to see innovation, and thanks too Stuart as well for drawing our attention to these devices having had a look at the website and camera, it really has all the looks of something that could have only been made in Britain – in a shed. But that is what we do so well here, and some go on to become great things and others are left behind once the idea is out and others copy them.
I know in saying this I appear to be putting the device down without even taking time to try it, or understand all of it capabilities but I just wanted to share my initial reaction to this. You see, it not cheap to buy, and looks for all the world as if was made on a home brew 3D printer.
Some of the features it has which are said to be boons are to my mind just the opposite. Try and send a photo from your phone you’ve taken when you are not connected to 3G/4G data – it takes ages and ages because the top speed in practice is 40 kbit/s – and the smaller resolution you make the photo to send faster, the less definition the photo has and then how good will that be to use to identify someone? And that is another thing, it is only a photo not a short video clip or live streamed video.
When you factor in the case for the camera that is another £28.00, data plan and SIM, the extra Bluetooth sensors the cost keeps going up – I can see no information as to the resolution of the photos or a ‘real world’ example neither can I find anything about it, reviews or peoples experiences online. It to me therefore sounds like a bit of expensive leap of faith it will work as intended and be of good quality.
For about £100.00 you can buy a far more feature richer camera which uses a SIM card but also has the ability for WiFi too – either way you can stream live video as well as snapshot photos. This is a massive market that began not so long back but now is growing year on year with more and more options – from doorbells that stream video and sound to solar powered security cameras and more. So much is coming to market and the Chinese have got their teeth into this in a big way and the prices are falling as a result.
I think it is a great idea, but something that would need to go on Dragons Den to get some funding to improve the look of the device and manufacture because as it stands I has great potential but is just too pricey for what you get.
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The thing is there consumers when it comes to hiring boats are, with respect to them not the same as when buying a new car (or indeed a new build boat for themselves). You've got a vast number who book on price and then you have those willing to spend a lot more on quality and many would see 'new build' as representing 'premium quality'.
So, build a new boat and it will book - because it is new, shiny and has the latest mod-cons - I am not sure many of the average holiday makers worry about the design too much, but prefer space and a fresh clean look inside. So maybe a new build Pearl fitted out as a four berth with two 'scissor' singles in the bow with en-suite, and a double at the stern and 'encroach' into the middle galley area to make the rear cabin a little larger, fit some glassy windows, bow an stern thrusters, an electric canopy and have a nice modern fit-out internally and you'd get people booking it as it is brand new.
If you could make some subtle changes to the lines through the placement and style of windows you could well make it look a lot different in profile - just as Serenade did. Yes, it looks like Benmore if stop and think but it also looks very leek and modern compared, and the fact they have built 5 of them says it must be a goodun.
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With that look on the face, it looks like a constipated Rabbit
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The problem is how many of the Pearl's have been in hire and are not now - masses of them.
Herbert Woods and Barnes have got them for sale at the moment - so nice as they can be especially if one re-jigs the internal fit out, they are 'of their time'. I guess they are only being sold on when bookings for them dwindle compared to other boats in their fleet. They are to me very 'graceful' and elegant in their looks and they handle very well too.
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Yeah granted I can think of that too (asking advice from public as to new boats) [slaps wrist] as to the weight distribution I doubt it would effect handling, but you just move mass around and one of the easiest ways to do this is batteries and in the case of Serenade since it has so many they have been put in places to balance up the fact there is now an engine and drive at the back of the boat.
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13 minutes ago, oldgregg said:
It also means that it's not possible to stand to the side of the helm (with the canopy open) and steer with your head out the top
I have to disagree there. Not having to sit on top of an engine no bad thing, and allows the saloon to be more light and open feeling without the 'big engine box' being there. You also can still stand up and loo out, but granted getting out the side of the boat now means stepping on a seat.
If I was designing a hire boat today the first thing I would do (which so far as I can tell nobody ever has) is go bonkers in asking people what they want - really engage over all these Facebook Groups, Forums, and my own customers instead of saying "take a look at the new boat we are building" and this is the first time people will have set eyes on the design or layout.
I think it is important to consider design aspects from the past - like a gentle lowering to the transom for easy boarding, but it not just about the physical shape, I think boats need to be more user friendly inside too. Why do hire boats need so much instrumentation? Just a throttle, and a GPS speedo should be needed along with a readout for fuel, water and waste. That is it. No key, just a 'power' button so many are used to in their cars now. A simple two stage 'boat systems' indicator would display green for go or red to stop and call the boatyard covering everything from low oil pressure to a hot running engine.
I consider more modular fit-outs which can be removed and changed to suit like a 'sofa bed' style seat conversation from a seating area to a bed in one swift move and on premium boats like this, I'd get some proper mattresses from the likes of Eve and or Simba.
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1 hour ago, C.Ricko said:
Why would anyone outside the industry see it as an issue that the old moulds were being disposed of?
Some might simply have an emotional feeling of "That's such a shame" having spend many holidays on a particular style of boat perhaps through many different boatyards over the years and then learn no more of those boats could ever be made again.
But generally, no not many people would care.
The funny thing is boat building in my mind is rather theatrical as if one is 'dressing a set'. You have a boat shell that you then fit out and the style that is done in and materials used is where things can really make the difference. Look at what Barnes have done with their Serenade (an Aquafibre Diamond). By making a modification to the stern, using tinted bonded windows, moving the engine to the rear and running it on hydraulic drive and opening up the interior this has made all the difference to a boat shape and style that was from the 90's.
I know the same recipe won't make an Ocean 30 suddenly look 'modern' but there have been some pretty timeless designs over the years that with the right interiors and maybe a slight re-think of where a window goes or it's shape would make them revitalised. After all, if you start from scratch with a plain sheet of paper you might get a radical and very modern design but you also have had to go through that process of design - that ain't cheap, where as an existing mould on the other hand you can get stuck in to laying up. That also is not 'cheap' but the real cost is in labour time and the interior fit out that follows not so much making the shell.
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Some of the issue is how do you know about these things being sat there unless you were in the industry or a member of this Forum with mention being made of them.
I mean, seriously there are plenty of people looking at boats to buy and many must be like I have been - it is all very well but - type of feeling. What you like is now getting too long in the tooth so far as the engines, electrical systems and fit out go but the physical boat shape, style and size is still great.
I rather like the Shadow 33 hard top and for about £125,000 new is surprisingly good value - if you could stick to the end build coming in for that mind you.
I am not saying a boatyard should go making 'one off' examples of boats out of moulds that have been sat for years in the hope somebody somewhere might buy one such example, but with the power of animation and graphics generally these days you could take the designs and bring them to life in the virtual world which when shown off might kick start some orders.
I noticed that for £2,000 you can buy the complete mould tools and build rights to a Moonraker 36 - that is incredibly cheap - or £95,000 for the mould tool for a Sealine T60. Bung them on a ship to Taiwan or Thailand and have the boys over there do all the GRP and joinery work then transport the finished boat back to blighty for final fittings of of compliant parts for UK spec and CE certification and have the boat as a 'UK built' boat. for a fraction of the cost it would take to build here. Where there is a will, there is a way. This worked well for Tarquin Trader under the leadership of Tony Chappell who made a great deal out of such until allegedly he got a bit too greedy and things went downhill.
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17 minutes ago, Philosophical said:
Hopefully we'll see such innovation and attention to detail on the ones that appear on people's roofs
Can you get them in slate grey colour?
Tesla already are: https://www.tesla.com/en_GB/solarroof
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1 minute ago, Londonlad1985 said:
Those solar panels are great!
Totally keep the lines sleek. Hopefully we'll see such innovation and attention to detail on the ones that appear on people's roofs.
Thanks Andy,
They are not without their issues mind you, The large glass 'roof' panels you see are better and more efficient but they are also larger and taller and so on so brilliant in a solar farm, on top of a roof not so sleek and user friendly on a boat. The semi-flexible models also loose efficiency in high temperatures but overall as I say for the boat they look so much nicer than the single large panel that was there previously.
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I've just had news in that NYA are on the boat and working on the replacement and re-routing of the fuel vent hose from the centre fuel tank. This is a very involved job because the hydraulic tank which supplies fluid for the bow and stern thrusters needs to be removed. So far 100Ltrs of fluid has been drained and there is more to go!
Once that is out they will be fitting new hose but routing it in a gentle curve so it will always drain fuel back to the centre tank and not have a bend in it which effectively acts as a 'U Bend' trapping fuel in the hose. This will then mean I have a complete working fuel system with no risk of leaks and the only outstanding item for the BSS will be the fitment of the heat shields to my Racor fuel filters - to be done in the next day or two and then it will be on to Tim Waters to come down and hopefully sign off all the remedial works and I can get my 'ticket'.
I have also been talking to NYA about the ZF commanders that operate the throttles. I have been told that the units I have are not the latest and greatest ZF make, but on any craft that has had them fitted and which NYA has had to deal with there has always been some sort of issue. I know that I need a new command head for the upper helm and one of these alone is more than the cost of two Morse style heads. Therefore I have come to the conclusion the best method will be the complete removal of the current system and go to a mechanical 'Morse' system. Te only issue is the running of cables from upper helm down to the lower and to the engine room, but where there is a will there is a way.
I need to get a long video from last weekend up to bring everyone up to date as to the RIB and what else has been going onboard the boat - as ever more as it happens.
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2 hours ago, Ricardo said:
n there ain't no tech in BBQs
I'm sorry to say even this most basic of cooking methods has gone 'smart'...
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In my 'boat kit' the essential items I keep to hand are:
- A 'cigarette lighter' USB charger for my phone
- A suitable App on my phone for GPS speed (or a stand alone GPS unit)
- Spare AA and AAA batteries
- An LED head Torch and LED Handheld Torch
- Rubber fronted non-slip work gloves (great for rope handling and wet decks and grab rails)
- Life Jacket
- Binoculars
- Tidal chart (Web based is always handy as can save link to your phones home screen )
- Paper base map - they often have handy information to shore based amenities too
When it comes to boat centric stuff that's all down o personal choice what you may like to do is have some spliced dock lines made up so your nice decent lines can be stowed and the shorted dock lines take all the weather and are left behind when you leave the mooring. Some also do the same with fenders only keeping the nice ones for when out and about on the rivers to keep them looking smarter.
Consider having a second mud weight if you like to fish as this can hold you in a spot easier in light wind conditions - I;d not recommend this for overnight moorings or where wind speeds may increase as the boat cannot move with current and wind.
Avoid tall stem wine glasses, nice as they are you can bet your boots they will get broken on a boat. Stubby thicker based glasses tend to weather boating and BBQ'S better in my experience
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Charlie will fill you all in on the works that took place, generally speaking he spent the weekend on his knees - this made a change for him because this is usually only a weekday position he undertakes. Instead of tiles it was Dek-King and getting to know all over again just how bad the adhesive that one has to use with the product is. It is black and has the consistency of cake icing - the second you touch it though it it will adhere to your skin and not simply 'wipe off' and thereon in anything else you touch gets covered with it too.
I was busy deconstructing the wheelhouse to find the cable runs for the new deck lights, then it was on with removal of the solar panel and all deck heads to run the wires and terminate them and then fitting the new 'walk over' flush mounted semi-flexible panels which are far smaller and offer a 100w output each which is a real upgrade on our last panel.
Getting ready to remove the fittings and seating
Seating gone, fuel and water tank visible to run wiring
Routed channel to run wiring into decks (later covered with the Dek-King)
Bringing wiring around to main DC distribution panels.
Solar Panels in place
Close up showing where we have rounded the edges and removed the small metal fastening grommets.
New wires coming down from deck above.
All new wires terminated and cleaned up (found a small water leak this is now sorted too)
Bonding the panels to the coachhouse roof
Final result
Custom made polished stainless steel covers to protect cables and entry point to deckhead below.
Deckheads back up - new LED downlighters on order to replace slightly corroded ones (that have lasted for 11 years)
Charlie and I working on the Dek-king
Putting the heating ducts back together
Then the seating area...
And there she is back together.
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Personally speaking I think the only way this is viable is as an 'add on' to a wide scope App that was supported trough affiliated links and advertising.
For example you have an App that the major boatyards support - and every time you use the App one of their adverts will pop up making you have to close it before you can proceed, at other random times you would then have adverts pop up based on your locations like:
'You're near Ferry Inn at Horning. Show this App to get a free drink ! Lets' go" [tap to navigate]
And the 'features' would be a GPS based speedo, Map, Tide Tables and 'quick links' to moorings, electric hook ups and the like. It would mean that 'everyone' would have a slice of the action and help support the App - from pubs to boatyards but the focus would be on numbers of downloads and adverts not so much the great feature rich content because that is nice but takes the real time and money to get right and I cannot see how a stand alone tide App could make much or be widely taken up by thousands of boaters.
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lol so I have a problem you see when I am working on boats people come to say hello and then you talk and talk and well then an hour is history. So that is what happened today, so I showed him around the Sheerline and then we headed off to his Hampton to show me around that - it is what makes boaty people so unique.
Back on board Trixie and I am getting stuck in with lifting up everything and exploring, discover the water tank is in the bow - also how little foot room there is when laying down, then I begin going through all the electrics and making sure they were working when i find the horn, anchor light and spot light are not doing anything. Cleaned the inside and outside of windows and canopy and cockpit seating and making notes on what to do and get and sort and then thought I would just stop there and go for a cruise - so popped down the river and back. I guess that is what makes it an ideal little runabout.
If it was not for my mum's input I would not have got this boat to be honest I do wish there was just a bit more room - not much, 3 or 4 feet longer half a foot to a foot wider then I could really get happy but you really do feel it is a small boat after a few hours inside.
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9 hours ago, Meg said:
I hope to have more blogs of a gentler nature now. Good Luck
Well I tried to do a bit of filming today but I had a flat camera battery and no way to charge it on the boat so just went for a bit of a cruise after cleaning the boat through - and found some issues. Horn, Anchor Light and Spot Light do not work. Got the radio going and the speakers are pretty decent.
Met a chap off of here and he had a look round and i went and had a look at his lovely Hampton (with original gel coat which is rare) pleased to say although domestic batteries were low on power the cranking battery was good and she fired right up.
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Thanks for the advice reference to Independence. On board tonight and water pump is playing up - it is..what couple of months old - anyway tomorrow is drain oil change on RIB new battery then over to Trixie to begin clearing things out and exploring every nook and crany which on that boat will take a short while I think lol
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4 minutes ago, Ricardo said:
I can see independence getting lifted and small fortune spent on new seacocks of which there's probably quite a lot
Indepedence has had two sea cocks replaced in 2015 - those that remain operate very easily and are all (internally) showing no signs of any corrosion and are all earth bounded. The only valve that is of concern and will need attention is one of the fuel balance valves that leads away from the centre fuel tank to the port side.. Not only has the handle begun to show signs of corrosion but the actual threading on the fuel tank and valve is corroded. This may mean getting the damn thing off becoming a challenge. Technically it does not need to be there a the tank outlet, some suitable fuel hose could be put over the corroded thread on the tank, and an inline valve fitted further down the line - or done away with completely since there is another valve in good condition about 6 feet further on at the base of the port wing fuel tank.
About 5cm away from the valve in question, and situated along one of the hull stringers are several wires carrying DC current. I blame their proximity to the valve and the two apposing metals between tank and the valve as cuasing the corrosion as no other valves anywhere else on the boat has any corrosion.
Once NYA have completed their works, and hopefully I have got some trust in her controls again then come the summertime most boaters are enjoying their boats and boatyards are less busy will be the time to lift her and have the anodes dealt with a good inspection too.
I also am keen to learn why water is forming in the forward area of the boat. This is sealed from the engine room area so cannot come from there. It is not that much, not enough to raise the float switch on the bilge bump even. I guess we are talking about a bucket of water collecting over a period of a month - it could be condensation which I found was noticeable in the recent very cold weather - none was showing where hull was underwater, but above the waterline it was very wet with condensation under the cabin sole and and behind panels when removed. It could however be rain water getting in somewhere too. Of course me being the worrying type has got me to wonder if it is seeping in through the bow thruster tunnel/hydraulic motor area, but I am not slender enough to get down to where that is to have a good look. In the warmer weather with no condensation risk and no rainfall, it will then mean I can begin to track down the source more easily. If it stops suddenly I know it would either be rainwater or condensation - if it continues well then it is something else.
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The skin fitting is part of the assembly - so you must replace both and they come as a 'set' so to speak. I have attached the details from Aquafax below.
I am not sure if the fitting of a Galvanic Isolator does much to help your boat from other boats stray currents but is more to stop your own shore power system causing you problems. I could be wrong there. This is another thing to sort because you can bet your boots that Trixie has not got a Galvanic Isolator fitted yet does have a shore power system in place.
Of course it is not all Chandlery based things to get and sort - just ordered every thing from dinner plates and cutlery to saucepans and bedding - I remembered a tin opener - but what would be nice is a sort of 'hire boat' inventory list you can just use as a base to go shopping with as trying to think of the things you might need (I just thought of another - stove top kettle) is taxing on the brain.
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We have seen this time and again and many have been surprised that while the planning department might question some new quay heading or a change of use for a former public phone box, when it comes to new stylish housing they seem more keen to listen and allow. The problem is it is a one time cash pot to grab, and perhaps this sort of behavior is what makes me feel sour.
Without knowing the real details at Broom, a cynic may wonder if they really were not making money and loosing it with parts of the business propped up by other areas. Or was it simply that those who own the company were not making enough money and in order to make more will try whatever it takes and if that too fails to swell their coffers sell up and take the cash pot with the value of the sight etc
Haines has a very different approach and it is working; not only do they have a good base of customers who value a more conservative 'hushed' style of design and fit, but they have also been able to start working alongside other businesses and providing them with boats. Take the Haines built boats from Ferry Marina.
Where I wonder was Broom with their very popular Broom 29 from the 1990's which is in popular demand still with many on hire. They updated this model a lot and I think it works, but I think they should have branched out and got some of these sold to the likes of Herbert Woods, Richardson's etc for classy brand new two berth boats but with that broom brand adding some appeal.
They seem to have not been reactive enough either with their designs or they future outlook. This of course is just the ramblings of myself, but I can't help but think if push came to shove and one day the whole show was put up for sale some old boy out there who had a soft spot for Brooms would come and start the place up and rescue the name all over again. Of course Broom has long since not been the 'real' Broom of the past for years, but there are a lot of loyal Broom devotees out there and it is amazing to see how many of these old ladies from the 1970's still attract so much care and attention from their owners, something you seem not to see so often in other marques.
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I agree. Let me be clear about this, if you are unsure about your own boat on these sort of things do not on any account follow me to the chandlers and go away with a lighter wallet. Get some friendly knowledgable advice as to your own situation and proceed from there.
I need to change one of the sea cocks because it is not able to turn and close, since I am doing that I will have the others doing. Some of the hose clamps have seen better days in places too. I have sent an email off to Ludham Bridge Boatyard and will see what their diary is like for some of this work to be done, as it would be nice to have her in fine fettle ready for the May meet.
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On Broad Ambition we have a ladder home made it is - about 6 foot long with lead weights. It is kept in one of the lockers at the stern and is flung over the transom with the top secured over the cleat.
This was put into real practice a couple of years ago when one of the crew onboard got off the boat at Reedham - overbalanced and jumped back on the boat - only to then make a leap back off the boat to shore, but had by then lost momentum, did not make it and went in between boat and quay. Rapid thinking, a shout MAN OVERBOARD and while someone kept an eye on the chap in the water another had the ladder deployed in seconds - it was fortunate the current was slight at the time more than anything, but getting him out the water was made significantly easier with the ladder.
I am guilty of making myself take more care when on wider tidal rivers when in practice the narrow and slow running river Ant is just as dangerous if you went in.
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1 hour ago, 40something said:
What is the issue with the wheel type seacocks or is it just a preference? I only ask because my boat has one
The gated sea cocks due to the fact they screw in and back out tend to get corrosion occur around the threads, meaning you are no longer able to open or close it and while all sea cocks can suffer from becoming seized, the gated variety are more susceptible to this.
I am going to go with composite Marelon sea cocks. These are known more typically as 'plastic sea cocks' although their make up is actual material is more complex, they are very tough and unlike their metal cousins can never corrode or suffer from electrolysis - something I have going on one of my valves on one of my fuel tanks on Independence.
Totally keep the lines sleek. Hopefully we'll see such innovation and attention to detail on the ones that appear on people's roofs.
AQUAFIBRE MOULDS
in Hire Boat Discussion
Posted
This is exactly what is being done, right now over in Taiwan - who are fast becoming one of the worlds largest manufactures boats (ranked 5th as of 2017) and they have massive backing from the Government by creating the South Star Yacht Industry Park.
How Europe and America will fair in the long term I know not, but this is before China has woken up to boat building, once they join in in a big way goodness knows what the future will be - I recon Princess will make a boat and China will just copy it, halve the cost and do rather nicely like Huawei have with phones and market share.
Here is one of the giant CNC gantry mounted milling system's: