dave moore

Signal red and county cream, as I stated in my post on the other thread.

I was there too! Aboard Bumblebee, the boat owned by my school and named after Bumblehole, the Harris brothers yard where it was moored.

Keeps was indeed good paint, as was Tekaloid and Masons. Keeps suffered a fire in the factory back in the 90s and never really recovered. Tekaloid and Masons are long gone too, though various paint manufacturers can supply colours mixed to the appropriate formula. Masons P type enamel was a favourite with a good few of the boat painters I worked with in the 90s, their demise led Phil Speight to found Craftmaster as an alternative.

Hi Sorry to be slow, the pub got in the way. My notebook has the following: Signal Red (5708) Buckingham Green (3101) County Cream (3103) These, I think, are all Dulux colours. I’m not sure whether the numbers are RAL references or something else. They came from Ron Hough via Phil Speight. Hope this helps Dave

I have the colours at home, nothing special. I’ll post again soon.

Here is the method I use. It’s easier with the swan neck removed and in a workshop, at least for this ageing painter. You need: Masking tape, several short pieces of, say, 1” stuff to act as anchors. Strip of paper to wrap around the bar Long enough piece of string to set up one twist. Small piece of thin card. Chinagraph or Stabilo wax pencil 6mm or narrower lo tak or fine line tape. Start with the swan neck painted overall in the lightest colour, usually cream or white. Wrap the paper strip around the bar, mark off and unroll. Measure to determine the circumference then divide by 4 to give the width of each stripe. Cut the card to this measurement, this will be useful in subsequent marking out. I then make 4 marks at the top of the swan, where it narrows for the tiller bar. These are at 12, 3, 6 and 9 o’clock. The Stabilo is good for this. Next, I tie the string to the narrow part and lead off from the 12 o’clock mark, twisting it to my preferred rake of spiral. It’s useful to anchor it as you do this at odd places, especially where the string goes around the top bend. When you are happy with the look of things and the string is tight, mark along it with a series of dashes using the pencil. Once done, remove the string. Using the fine tape, follow the marks to set up one side of the first stripe. Next, use the cardboard strip, one edge against one edge of the tape and follow it, making a series of marks as before. Now tape those marks. This gives you the first stripe ready to paint. I usually do the second lightest colour now, usually yellow. When dry, remove the tapes. I then tape up to one of the yellow edges and then use the card strip again to mark the position of the 3rd stripe. Tape to these marks then add the 3rd colour, often red. When dry, remove tapes. Repeat this for the final colour, working from the other side of the yellow stripe. This sounds harder than it actually is. As a signwriter, I usually use a long sable chisel writer, size 6 or 7, to quickly apply paint. An artist’s one stroke will do the job, albeit more slowly. It’s not unknown for a bit of freehand fettling to be needed subsequently, especially if paint creeps under the tape or a wobble when applying it becomes apparent. I hope this helps. Dave

Over many years I have painted ramsheads, swan necks or Z irons ( take your pick of preferred title) with stripes. I’ve worked out an almost foolproof method of setting out, which works for me. Until recently, I’ve never given much thought as to the direction of the stripes, my only preference being that the spirals are gentle rather than tight wrapped. In a recent Facebook post, one highly experienced boater with boat feet in the traditionalist/working boat camp, suggested that in working days, the direction of the spiral was a visual reminder of the direction of rotation of the blades. This is a new one to me...have any others of you come across this idea? Imagining myself standing behind the counter of a motor, I’m not sure I could see which way the spirals ran, right or left....over to you.

Let us know when you are in the area. There are still pubs to be had.. Cheers Dave

Hi Graham. No offence offered, it wasn’t you. I can’t tell you where the painting and subsequent lettering were done, I’m not sure when the paint dock, adjacent to the main shed, was put up. It was a pair of pontoons, a boat’s width apart, with a corrugated roof and poly sides. In Malcolm’s time, I think...Back then, the lettering would have been by Ted Chetwynd, my inspiration, or Bruce Patterson, one of Malcolm’s staff, who also rated Ted. I’m happy to supply phone numbers if you ‘d prefer to speak.. I’m of that age....you know....

Hi Alan. Ken had it in the early 60s I think, I recall tales of it being used in the protest cruises to save the Derby canal.

Trevor is,I think, in the white overalls just to the left. He left a lasting impression on me, as someone who would produce a top class job regardless of time constraints. His working hours were somewhat irregular.....often turning up in mid afternoon, then working on till the early hours. I composed a limerick for him in the 90s,,,,l A grizzled old veteran named Trevor was at woodwork remarkably clever.... But the speed of his work Made poor Graham look a burk And the simplest jobs lasted for ever. He died a few years ago. Graham, Tony, Glynn and myself attended the funeral. Waiting outside, we were advised by an official that the cortège was delayed by an accident. “ Late for his own funeral “ I commented, bringing mirth from those who knew and worked with him. So appropriate...

Thanks from me too. I’ve known Malcom since the mid 60s and have lettered most of the Norton Canes output since the mid 90s. Malcolm’s original signwriter, Ted Chetwynd, was my inspiration when he lettered Cactus for him in those long ago days. One of the photos features Trevor Ward who was still at the yard until the early teens of this century, he was a fount of skilled knowledge about boats and boat building....a real old time craftsman. Thanks again.

Poor initial design by the builder, most yards would sort that for you.

These days, there is little need to wash out brushes, a tedious and soul destroying job, in my opinion. For many years I’ve used the Brush Mate storage system for mine, mostly Purdys.....they are an air tight container with fluid in a bottle connected to a wick attached to a felt pad. This diffuses the liquid from th bottle in to a vapour which prevents the paint in the brush from drying. You can use a brush, pop it into the container, take it out next day, week, month, year.... and paint on. Just as long as you maintain fluid level in the container. Widely used by most of the coach painters I work with. 2 sizes brush. Widely available from decent decorators’ merchants.

Cheers Mark. Indeed it does, I’d forgotten about that.