Trixie (Rascal's Fleet)

[Jbx5]

Should have read Alpha crafts old boats as they had been left in a terrible state for a few years before the yard got sold off.

Alphas, Aquafibres in general are great boats so long as they have been well maintained.

John

 

[LondonRascal]

I think there are two ways of looking at things - you get a very reasonably priced ex-hire boat from Richardson's. You end up with a lot of boat for the money, a bunch of inventory, probably fuel in the tank and 'turn key' ready as she would have been as a hire boat. However, it is not going to be perfect and the moment you want to do anything like put in navigation lights, its hand in pocket time.

However if you are happy with an okay boat at an okay price this is ideal - you won't be worried about the odd knock and you will accept that things will have their scrapes and issues down the line and in all probability will get many years of happiness.

The other way is to get a boat that was in a hire fleet ten years ago, and might have been through two private owners. Over this time it may have had a lot of upgrades to it - new paint job, a bow thruster, new upholstery, new galley etc etc. However this now attracts a premium over and above the usual market value for this type of boat and it is up to you to decide if that extra cost is worth it in cosmetic condition and internal updates.

If you compare an average ex-hire Sheerline 24 to Trixie (and I have and viewed 3 since we got Trixie) you find the small things here and there and how the hull might have had several coats of paint over the years, rubbing strakes damages, windows not in as good order, etc etc and then I think to myself you know I am happy with how Trixie is, warm, dry, cosy and rather 'cute'.  It is funny how the same thing in a very slightly different layout look can effect your perception of value or enjoyment.

[LondonRascal]

So, today I collected Trixie, having had the last of the work completed on here - and all new seating internally.

So since purchase she has quite a lot of work done one way and the other, this has included:

• New canopy
• New fenders and fender ropes
• New mooring lines
• New twin tone horns
• Compound and polish of both hull and superstructure
• New name decals
• New vinyl stripe (now in the correct colour red)
• New batteries making up a much larger bank (twice bought first set destroyed by over charging) 
• Re-built Alternator
• All new drive belts, and Impeller a full engine service (done twice in 5 months for good measure)
• Striped down and cleaned heat exchanger 
• All new sea cocks
• New engine water strainer
• New hot water tank lagging
• New water pump and accumulator tank
• New shower pump
• New taps
• New steering and throttle/gear linkage cable
• A battery monitor
• USB charging outlets
• New TV
• New 2500w Inverter
• New shore power connections, consumer unit, sockets and internal ring main wiring
• New automatic shore/inverter changeover switch
• New LED navigation lights
• New LED internal lights
• New seating including foam and upholstery
• Hard wired high speed LTE Router for onboard WiFi
• Remote monitored alarm

There is some new carpets to get for the cabin and aft cockpit along with new curtains to match the seating colour better. Possibility for a new fridge that will reduce power consumption and have a bigger internal cavity space than the current and a new oven but the main thing is she is ready to go for the season so it will be nice to get some use and go exploring once more.

Here is the seating which is a soft Sage colour in a hard wearing but smooth to touch frabric.

 

[BroomSedan]

It's a good job you bought the one that didn't need any work.

[SwanR]

I’m sure I recognise those cushions. They look very much like the ones we bought from Wilko’s for the caravan. But they’re such a good match for our living room that we took them home! Nice colour on the upholstery. 

[Lulu]

9 hours ago, LondonRascal said:

• New canopy
• New fenders and fender ropes
• New mooring lines
• New twin tone horns
• Compound and polish of both hull and superstructure
• New name decals
• New vinyl stripe (now in the correct colour red)
• New batteries making up a much larger bank (twice bought first set destroyed by over charging) 
• Re-built Alternator
• All new drive belts, and Impeller a full engine service (done twice in 5 months for good measure)
• Striped down and cleaned heat exchanger 
• All new sea cocks
• New engine water strainer
• New hot water tank lagging
• New water pump and accumulator tank
• New shower pump
• New taps
• New steering and throttle/gear linkage cable
• A battery monitor
• USB charging outlets
• New TV
• New 2500w Inverter
• New shore power connections, consumer unit, sockets and internal ring main wiring
• New automatic shore/inverter changeover switch
• New LED navigation lights
• New LED internal lights
• New seating including foam and upholstery
• Hard wired high speed LTE Router for onboard WiFi
• Remote monitored alarm

Our to do/done  list is about as long as that! 

I managed to get the perfect colour carpet off cut from our local carpet dealer  for the front cabin for £10.  Think it might be the cheapest purchase so far

[LondonRascal]

On 21/03/2019 at 22:38, BroomSedan said:

It's a good job you bought the one that didn't need any work.

Other than the water and shower pump, canopy and batteries the boat was in good order. I am pretty sure too the canopy could have been repaired.  The pumps I think failed due to prolonged lack of use, the batteries - well 5L of deionised water under the cockpit seat gave the game away something was not happy there. That turned out to be the battery charger wrongly wired and programmed.

Overall the aim was to make a good base better and I think it has been worth it, if perhaps has taken a lot longer than I would have liked. I'm pleased I have avoided the need to have a Stainless Steel Mud-weight...So far.

15 hours ago, SwanR said:

I’m sure I recognise those cushions. They look very much like the ones we bought from Wilko’s for the caravan. But they’re such a good match for our living room that we took them home! Nice colour on the upholstery. 

They are indeed from Wilko, the entire boat inventory came from them in one hit online from bedding to plates to glasses and forks. Great quality and even the  cheap 'Functional' single Duvet rated to 13.5 Tog, is cosy and for £6.00 can easily be seen as a seasonal purchase should it get damp.