dave moore

I’d go for a red oxide/ raddle red cabin top every time. Serviceable, easy to touch up or recoat, pretty non slip without sand or other additives, and without reflective and dazzle issues. We never had issues with heat in summer, probably due to Spayfoam insulation beneath. I am, of course, a staunch traditionalist.....

Bolt on for me, preferably to an upstand welded to the cabin top. They are so much easier to decorate off the boat, I no longer lie with my chin on the cabin top trying to paint flowers and landscapes.

I’ve followed some of this thread with interest. I write as someone working within the boating industry, as a signwriter and boat decorator, and I stress now that I’ve no fabricating skills or experience to draw on personally. I have worked alongside those with such skills for many years and seen not a few stretch jobs on a variety of shells of varying quality. In all of those cases, the shell has been cut transversely across the cabin top and baseplate, with vertical cuts from cabin top to gunwale followed by horizontal cuts along the gunwale/ cabin side line, before cutting the hull sides vertically. This stagger, I’m told, adds strength to the new insert when reattaching everything. This seems not always to be the case these days, I’d appreciate comment from those with more knowledge. Im home bound currently following major surgery, hence the opportunity to comment. I rarely do here, unless to advise/ clarify or help. And no, I’m not at all interested in fine print....... Dave

Are you thinking of Richard Milligan’s Orion tug with this set up in the engine ‘ole, Mark? Tasty.

My wife was adamant that she had to have a mains powered hair drier. End of.

Swallow was painted by Roy Phillips of Oldbury, Swift by Phil Speight. A good few hours of work in each.

The 2 Nurser cans have just sold for £2550. This must be a new record!!! My flabber is well and truly gasted.

Colleague Phil Speight painted the Swift board, he repainted it for BW some while ago after I wrote it in 2000. I’m aware of the pair of Nurser cans from Painted Boats, I wouldn’t be surprised to see the price escalate dramatically as the auction closes, given recent prices for old stuff......and no, I’m not bidding!! The provenance and painter make a very tempting prospect for a collector. A friend was tempted, thinking of offering £1400, until they had a change of heart. We’ll see......

The construction plays a part in the ability of an instrument to withstand variations in temperature and humidity. Those made of laminated timber are more robust than those made of solid timbers. Generally, the latter are more expensive and prone to damage when extremes are encountered. One of my Martins is older than I am, she deserves a gentle treatment at her time of life! 😉

My acoustics have survived short spells aboard my old boat without problems, though they are cased unless in use. I’d be wary of leaving them exposed in a warm, dry environment that is typical of many cabins in winter.

There is indeed a hot bulb Petter in Crane, started by blow lamp then rope around the flywheel, owner Geoff is a friend for several years. Lovely motor in a lovely boat.

As a part time folkie, as well as a painter, I’ve known much of Eric Bogle’s output since the late 70s. “ The Band Played Waltzing Matilda” I first heard by the sublime June Tabor at a Birmingham folk club shortly before leaving for Australia myself. It reduced my then wife ( Australian herself ) to tears that evening. The Sydney folk scene introduced me to a good few of his songs, some of which I still play and sing today. Rarely performed is his excellent “ I hate wogs” , not at all racist but a sharp satire on the prevailing attitudes at the time among white Australians towards migrants from other less white countries. I’ve never been so keen on the Irish versions of the popular stuff, but that’s just me....in the same way, crudely painted roses on horse shoes don’t appeal either!!

In the early 70s I taught at Springfield, a Black Country village between Dudley and Rowley Regis. The school stood on Doulton Road, the Dudley No 2 canal crossed lower down. Behind, in the Rowley Hills were quarries which produced “ Rowley Rag”, a stone used in road surfacing. Some of this was certainly delivered by boat. Ive just seen a Facebook post from one of my former pupils from those times. Her sister used to work for the quarry operators, Tarmac in later years, who said that an underground passage existed from the quarry to the canal to facilitate loading. This is a new one to me, I’d have thought it a prohibitively expensive option given the gradient from quarry to canal - do any of you have any knowledge of this? There is a largish basin on the offside of the Dudley No 2, just after the junction, in what is now Warrens Hall Park. Was this the loading point? I promised Fay I’d feed back with any hard information. Over to you.....

Photographed recently in Bewdley, on the Severn. There is, of course.....

Ray, there seem to be an ever decreasing number of boaters with little interest in things traditional, be it plates, windlasses etc and in many respects appropriate decoration, lettering and so on. I think Paul made a valid point in the Harry Arnold thread, it was the connection with working boaters that spurred the desire to emulate. Starting in the 60s, I only just caught the end of things. There are a small number of younger boaters anxious to continue things, but they are indeed a minority. I was surprised at the sparse response to Harry’s demise in the forum, perhaps in hindsight I shouldn’t have been.