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Grace and Favour

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Posts posted by Grace and Favour

  2. Ecofan

    in Living Afloat

    Posted

    58 foot and had a 3 blade fan (which is now broken) but when it worked because our stove was at the blunt end, our bedrom (at the pointy end) stayed fairly cool. I wasn't blown away by it (scuse the pun)

     

    You're not a fan, then?

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    (Oi'll get me coat)

  5. Recommended boat builders?

    in Boat Building & Maintenance

    Posted

    I've been looking round for a boat builder to get an idea on cost for a bare shell.

     

    I am looking to do a fit out on a 57' widebeam barge.

     

    I found a Nottingham based firm (on ebay) (Dave Clarke) who gives a great idea of costs.

    Can anyone give me their own recommendations.

     

    I'm sure if you Google narrowboat builders you'll find a number of sites that give prices for 57' Sailaways

  9. Gas instalations, safety, and BSS

    in Boat Equipment

    Posted

    Quite. I wondered about that. What the examiner doesn't see... I was looking last at one of those gas heaters with a bottle in the housing. Looks like a perfect solution if fitting a solid fuel stove is awkward, or if you prefer easy heat in the morning.

     

    Personally I'm not keen on heat at night, when I try to sleep. But I like the idea of being able to simply switch on a small gas heater in the morning, rather than having to light up a SF stove.

     

    I've heard the Zibro Kamin Kerosene heaters are meant to be very effective, and produce little water vapour - - would this fit the bill luctor et emergo? - -

  10. Top box

    in General Boating

    Posted

    I saw this when you posted originally and I think it is great - neatly designed with roof curve and drip sill, low base height etc. Don't have easy access to a poly fabricator though, which is why I went the route I am looking at.

     

    Have looked at loads of 'wood' boxes on boats and my observation is that most are just badly designed ugly box bodges that don't 'belong' on top of a nb, and certainly not my nb. If one has to have a box to control the junk then I reckon the view from the stern needs to be pleasing to the eye with consistent lines - curved and angled to fit. I am going to spend a lot of time looking at it and don't want to be constantly reminded of by diy bodge or poor cover fit etc!

     

    My ideal would be mahogany wood with brass bits and a curved lockable chest-lid, which would look lovely but this was abandoned quickly as the cost and technical aspects were unfeasible. I know my design will still look right, but my question is specifically about birch ply - is it weatherproof if oiled? Or do I need to specify marine ply (cost goes up bigtime).

     

    If you are going to use a ply at all ( in my opinion solid mature hardwood is the material you should use) then use Marine ply - - and still be prepared for the box to have a shorter life than with hardwood.

     

    I suppose it all depends upon what you want the finished article to look like - how much effort you put into making it - and how long you want it to last - - the truth is that you get what you pay for - -

     

    Whilst the best materials will always cost more - one can never get an A grade product using B grade materials

  11. cleaning outside of your boat

    in Boat Building & Maintenance

    Posted

    I really do get racked off with some of the nonsense talked whenever the subject of paint crops up here. There is immense variance in the nature, content and overall quality of all manner of paints , polishes and whatever. Synthetic paint at a low price does not make synthetic paint at a much higher price a rip off .Carnuaba polishes vary immensely , particularly in the amount of actual wax therein. The vast majority of polishes contain some silicone - it`s there to help it spread and isn`t the reason that Mer , an excellent product when put to appropriate use , can create the occasional hiccup when used on old fashioned paint systems. Polymers and sealants are the greater danger to synthetic paint. Polishing mops can be a good thing or a bad thing depending on the use to which they are put. Automotive finishes and synthetic paints on boats etc. cannot be treated the same way.

    By all means go and buy the cheapest materials you can. Do it because it`s what you can afford , do it because you think you`re scoring off those who spend more , do it because you reason that a boat can be "too well done" to make sense to you. Do it because the bloke down the moorings who knows all there is to know about absolutely everything tells you to. Please , don`t do it because you think people like are us are taking our customers for a ride. And don`t do it because you think you know more about painting boats and maintaining the result than people like me. We use our own "expensive" paint, masking tape, and polish , we use 3M`s expensive abrasives . We use expensive power tools and expensive brushes - because that`s the way we get good results. We would make more profit by cutting all these costs and then machine polishing the boats to get a good finish - there`s a reason we don`t.

    Sorry - I ain`t in a good mood I guess. Forgive my fit of spleen. I know our stuff is expensive . We set out years ago , first as painters and then as a paint company with the deliberate intention that price should not be an issue. We paint the boats , develop or source the product to achieve the standard we demand of and for ourselves and then charge what we need to in order for it to make any sort of sense to us. If a bottle of our polish , or a tin of paint, costs twice as much as someone else`s don`t think for a moment that we are therefore making twice the profit - we aren`t. This limits our market, I fully understand why and I`m sure International, Swisswax and the other pricier brands would agree with our reasoning. The only difference is some of them offer a cheaper range. We could but chose not to because we did not want to weaken the brand. And all the above notwithstanding, it`s only in our "home" market , the canal world, that we ever need to justify our prices.

    Again -sorry to rant - although not sorry enough to delete it. It`s not personal anybody. I guess I always believed that price wasn`t an issue if it was justified - whatever you`re spending your money on - and in my own business I`ve always done my utmost to offer good value - even at a high price.

     

    Phil,

     

    We haven't met, yet.

     

    I shall be buying a boat in 2010 (without doubt)

     

    Come that day - it will only be a matter of time before we do meet - - for I admire your attitude to business, and your approach to quality.

     

    Well done Sir!

  13. home cooking

    in Living Afloat

    Posted

    Fungii, Take great care about this.. When I learnt many years ago (over 40), I was fortunate enough to know a specialist, I went out with her many times. I strongly suggest going out with someone who knows, I hear there are now people who will teach you the craft on a fee paying basis.

     

    Making Pasta sauce isn't that difficult really . .

  16. Filling A Propane Tank At A Petrol Station? Safe??

    in Boat Equipment

    Posted · Edited by Grace & Favour

    It IS illegal for the general public to refill gas bottles not specifically designed to be self-refillable.

     

    It would be interesting then if it's also illegal to openly sell something that makes it easily possible.

     

    If one assumes the validity of the statements above . . .

     

    Should we not be reporting the seller of the 'refill valves' to Ebay - and maybe even save some poor muppet from inadvertently creating a fireball in his boot / boat / tent / caravan (etc)?

  19. A late summer holiday - 2009

    in Holidays Afloat

    Posted

    Well chaps - - we're treating ourselves to just two weeks on the cut this year . . .

     

    A really gentle stroll from Gayton down the Oxford, pootle about a bit - and then meander back -then see how much time we've left and decide what to do . . .

     

    Using one of the Alvechurch boats - - if I see any one I recognise I'll holler and cast a neighbourly wave - (there'll also be a few others who'll wonder why I'm waving at them I guess)

     

    Am so looking forward to it . . . . . . .

     

     

    - - - - - -

     

    Just planning my trip for next year too - - -- - but more of that anon . . . . .

     

    Toodlepip! :lol:

  20. Hire Companies Responsibility

    in General Boating

    Posted · Edited by Grace & Favour

    Well, we'll be starting this year's fortnight of holiday bliss in an Alvechurch boat from Gayton in a few weeks, and will be pleased to recount our experience of pre-departure training when we return.

     

    We're far from experienced boaters, having only had three holidays to date, which places us firmly in the 'Novices' (novii? :lol: ) fraternity, though I strive to follow correct procedures . . particularly when aiming several tonnes of someone else's boat

     

    Certainly our few, brief previous sojourns into the twilight world of narrowboating has us absolutely determined to join (full-time) the Morso-tempered Nanni state, but I must say that our past experience of pre-departure training have been . . (let me be generous) completely un-inspiring, and it's clear that unless the hirer is totally alert, focussed and unhurried, then the trainer will struggle to school them to the required level (as is often all too obvious when you look at some of the antics on the cut)

     

    I look forward to meeting some of you shortly - -

  21. Which loo

    in General Boating

    Posted

    Having read all the responses here - I should suggest that as we all recognise the unpleasant necessity of having on-board loos (of whatever description) - we really should adopt an wholly 'altruistic' approach - and always remember to 'turn the other cheek'

     

    And - 'One good turd deserves another'

  24. Second place

    in General Boating

    Posted

    Dave,

     

    An excellently crafted tale - very readable, and like all well written material, easy to follow, easy to picture and most evocative.

     

    It's a shame there are such peeps as your Ashby Pilot on the waterways - but unfortunately there are similar inconsiderate elements that permeate all walks of life . . .

     

    I look forward to your next report with anticipation . .. ..

     

     

     

     

    It may be scant consolation, but it really shouldn't surprise us that there are so many rsoles around - when one considers the volume of toilet roll available

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