BroadAmbition

Possibly Brian Greenwood, Toby Cox bought his business when Brian retired. Correct, we used Brian originally and have lately had Toby do a few jobs for us Griff

I have ordered some materials etc - on their way direct to you-hoo Griff

Never owned a powerfile, methinks it's about time I did though. Now when will Lidl be selling them again I wonder? Griff

Too late Griff I've just told him. Griff

Ditto. - Top fellow , cracking couple. I see them now and again. Hope he doesn’t see this ! Griff

Glad you're back - Not that you really left I suppose. Welcome and all that Griff

Right, getting caught up with this thread once more. Hopefully I will be down in January with determined attitude, sleeves rolled up and ready to get stuck in. Coming down by train is of course do-able but I need tools, preferably a selection of my own and some specialist stuff. I'm sure we have large cases with the wheels on them that I can bring into service, personal gear - minimal so that gets round that issue. However the biggy is when we find we need basic parts, plumbing fittings for instance, not having transport to the nearest plumb centre or screwfix (I have a trade account for them) is an issue. So I have been mulling this one over (It would have been so much easier if you had a car on-site - Hint brick size right on yer foot!) and may have come up with a solution. I have lots of mates the world over ex-RN / Raf / pongo to name but a few. This particular mate I have in mind (We go back to 87 serving in Norway) now lives in . . . . . . . . Plymouth 'Ta - - -dah' he has plenty of spare time on his hands too, - well he did have last time I saw him - his trade was/is Marine Electrics - Ideal. He knows about marine electrical systems and what's more he knows Plymouth well and has a car! - take note of that one Robin - He has a car AND a current driving license. So Simon or Si / Ash as we call him can be press-ganged into sorting out electrical issues, I'll deal with the plumbing / engineering issues. As of yet I have not contacted him on this one but will do once we have firmed up the diary for January. 1) Domestic fresh water system - Of course do your research with regards to variable pumps etc but I would advise to hang fire on purchasing owt until I have got my head round what is currently onboard. When it was originally installed I would assume it worked perfectly fine therefore no doubt it can be made to perform perfectly fine once more, just needs looking at and sorting. Any system can be upgraded / enhanced but cost is always a factor not to mention the time spent in going all round the houses to end up back in the same street, so hang on a bit will you? 2) Fuel tanks / system - Getting the specialist firm involved, imho a good move, can't skimp on this department and it does need sorting so you have 100% confidence. Prior to that though it would benefit yourself to really know the system onboard, how it is designed and how it should perform. One of those flexi cameras to a screen (Jason Hatch had a belter of a system) will help, good strong LED (small) torches and someone like me that can get into awkward corners, sending Sheila down there is all very well, but will she know what she is looking at? - No, Also if you can get your head round the system, then being able to point your specialist firm in the right direction will save loads of time / expense 3) Electrical system throughout - 'Si' can sort that one out we'll assist 4) Generator - Service - A breeze, put my name down for that one (Get the service items in stock though) 5) Sea chest / bilges / bilge pumps - Again a breeze, put my name down for that lot too. Ok, so it looks like we have a plan coming together. Me arriving Thursday pm of a given weekend, departing for home Monday pm should put a huge dent in it all, assuming of course I can bribe 'Si' into attendance with his knowledge / vehicle. Anyroadup, got to dash off out now. Promised a mate I would look over a Fairey Huntsmen he has recently purchased, then I have to grout a kitchen wall tiling job I did on Friday, then got to sort out some site electrics out at my Lads house renovation project, then take out MrsG for dinner. Need to clean my gun from yesterdays day out. Tonight of course its our weekly Lads evening at our Local, it's all go here, no rest for the wicked (I must have been proper naughty in a previous life) Griff

Brilliant - And now at LAST I know. TVMOM Griff

Hi Lulu - welcome. More info please - boat name / type / pics for starters - It's compulsory you know! Oh and don't mention the term 'Bathtub' it has some weird effect on some folks and whatever you do, don't call GRP craft 'Tupperware' = same result. I look after a bio degradable btw Griff

And just how many of us, me included, spend far too much time watching the speedometer / satnav making oh so sure we don't stray just a few mph over the stated limit instead of paying full attention to other road users, pedestrians and the actual road! Safety cameras my backside - revenue raisers in reality Griff

I have a dash cam, Bro' bought it for me as a Christmas present last year, to my eternal sham it is still in it's box, I've been proper lazy getting it set up and running. I have no idea if it is any good or not Griff

We have never been instructed to fit a bilge filter, which I am relieved about seeing as we have 2 x bilge pumps that can be left on auto or switched on manually and a further two that we have no control over that are set via float switches. That's four in total. The drip tray under 'B.A's engine / gearbox will easily hold the entrire oil contents of both with plenty of room to spare, I'm hoping that's why bilge filters have never been mentioned by any BSS examiner Griff

Good news, congratulations Griff

Can I just ask you all a huge favour? Those of you who are planning to put Christmas lights outside your property's, please can you avoid anything blue and flashing? Every time I drive past, I think it's the police and have a mild panic attack. I have to remove my foot from the accelerator, slam on the brakes, put my seat belt on, throw my phone on the floor, hide my bottle of Rum, swallow my joint, and shove the gun under the seat. It's a major drama, and proper awkward when I'm on my mighty Tiger. I really appreciate your cooperation and understanding........Thanks Griff

Looks very nice! saw it Monday. Never be finished if he keeps drinking tea with visitors. Ok, the 'Secret' is out (Not that it was much of a secret), I'll stick an update on our 'TLC' thread sometime soon Griff

Charlie, you know how your good wife shouts our your name when you are in the dog house? Well imagine that coming from me haha...Bloody blue fenders! I was thinking 'What goes round comes round' too. If 'B.A' is up to cruising with a tatty old blue fender, then Independence under command of the same Rascal is up to cruising on the same river system with a sparkly clean blue fender also Griff

Sigh, you weren’t supposed to see that as it ain’t finished yet Griff

Look what I found in the wetshed! Yep it’s a mucky black pneumatic fender. Floated in at some point and fished out. So I got set to and cleaned it. Voila, sparkly clean, not punctured and BLUE ! sometime in the New Year I shall be traveling down to Guz (Plymouth) with Robin and Bro, (diaries permitting) This ere BLUE fender has got the proud name ‘Independence’ written all over it, whaddya reckon? Oh and btw - don’t tell the Rascal ! Griff

Kingfisher is here again watching me toiling. Had a fresh cream cake delivered yesterday by a nice man, coffee and a chat Griff

Just had an otter swim round ‘B.A’ he's now on dry land hiding under this dinghy Griff

Snowy - no is answer Griff

I was going to contradict you there as I walked past her only yesterday, but having just bimbled down the walkway I see she is now noted by her absence so she must indeed be round at Simpson’s. Welcome to the NBN Griff

Oh and Mum, Dad, Dusty’s ashes are in Malthouse Broad Griff

There are two mobile phones in the drink aft of ‘B.A’ here in the wetshed (one of them being mine) Percy Pike making fishy phone calls ever since and one expensive adhesive applicator gun, the gun fell in only last month Griff

Really? 2 x 20hp bow / stern p u s s y. buttons, plus twin screw 500hp each and you want bigger ‘Fenders’? Mind you, we could do with a scabby blue fender for cosmetic appearance granted. Griff apparently auto correct won’t let me enter ‘p u s s y’