The conundrum of shiny boats

[Ray T]

I am intrigued with the ribbing that those with shiny leisure boats get. At best it is banter at worst it is an accusation that the helm is only a "Sunday Sailor" daring to come out of a marina once in a blue moon and is barely capable of steering a boat.

 

Many of the working boats were, in their heyday worked with pride and kept spotless as possible - just look at photo's of the Ovaltine Fleet and these were by no means alone. Today I would hazard a guess that the majority of preserved working boats are cherished and kept very clean and polished, Just look at any historical boat gathering.

 

I won't mention the name but recently a ex working boat came past our marina and the owner was busy with a shammy cleaning the cabin whilst travelling. The boat and brass work absolutely sparkled.

 

I am not aware of this class of boater being ridiculed.

 

My boat is shiny, why, because I take pride in its appearance, I get satisfaction from keeping it so and this is my Scottish blood, 4 years ago now I paid £5K + to have it repainted and I want value for money.

 

Yes I am a shiny boater, the boat lives in a marina and we do not get out as much as we would like as Mrs T still works. I am not however a crap and inconsiderate helm.

Edited January 18, 2014 by Ray T

[Rebotco]

I daresay you'll find the critics of "shiney boats" tend to be those whose own boats are scruffy/neglected.

[pearley]

I like to think our boat is shiny too. After over 6 years of continuous cruising, we still get comments on how nice it looks. It stays shiny because Jeannette keeps polishing it!

[churchward]

I don't know why either but perhaps it is because some people just like to pigeon hole people and then make fun of or criticise something they don't want themselves or understand.

 

I don't have a particularly shiny boat (it's 18 years old inc most of the paint) but I can c ertainly understand why folk want to keep their boats clean and tidy.

[MtB]

I try to steer a middle course. I poke fun at 'shiny boaters' and try to keep Reginald looking 'looked after' but not like I spend more time polishing him than cruising in him.

 

This is the root of my fun-poking at least. I'm no great lover of 'over-restored' working boats either.

 

MtB

[Dyad]

Kids will find something different and poke fun, this extends into adulthood too.

 

Maybe it's a bit of jealousy as well, I know I am

[MtB]

 

Maybe it's a bit of jealousy as well, I know I am

 

Well I'm certainly not jealous. I could keep my boats immaculate if I wished, but I just don't find the effort worth the reward, or stress.

 

The shiny boaters seem to get so stressed out about scratches on their paintwork, even the hull blacking. Look at the side fender threads recently. Life's too short to worry about it in my personal opinion. Get on with boating, I reckon!

 

MtB

[Ex- Member]

Just recently I came across a lot of not just shiny boat negativity but the wide beam, diesel heated or basically anything not a narrowbaot with wood burning stove fuelled by wood you've collected yourself and seasoned on the roof.

 

It was even suggested that wide beams shouldn't be allowed on the K&A canals and they should be left to the traditional narrowboat. Someone did point out though that the K&A was actually designed for wider boats hence it's wider locks So in reality the wide beam is actually the so called traditional and narrowboats a slim imposter.

[Burgiesburnin]

Even if a boat does not have the best bright and shiny paint job, if it is clean and "looking near its best" then it can be appreciated.

[NB Lola]

Vive la difference!

Vive la difference!

[Naughty Cal]

Could be worse you could have a shiny GRP boat!

 

Imagine the ribbing you would get then

[Québec]

I humbly suggest, m'luds and ladies of the cut, that it is not so much the actual 'shineyness' or otherwise of the boat, but more the attitude of its owner in relation to maintaining the spotless, faultless gleaming.

 

The line between care and obsession is a very indeterminate one.

[pete harrison]

Many of the working boats were, in their heyday worked with pride and kept spotless as possible - just look at photo's of the Ovaltine Fleet and these were by no means alone. Today I would hazard a guess that the majority of preserved working boats are cherished and kept very clean and polished, Just look at any historical boat gathering.

 

I won't mention the name but recently a ex working boat came past our marina and the owner was busy with a shammy cleaning the cabin whilst travelling. The boat and brass work absolutely sparkled.

 

I am not aware of this class of boater being ridiculed.

It is well documented that the 'Ovaltine' boats were operated by some of the better boating families, and so although A. Wander Ltd. did not dock their boats any more often than other carriers their boats did not get knocked about quite as much (they usually ran back to the Warwickshire coalfields empty as well which would make a difference). Having said that I have loads of photographs of the 'Ovaltine' boats and the hulls tend to show much of the same paint wear and tear as most other craft of the period, it is the cabins that appear to fare better - although again some wear and tear in the usual areas is inevitable.

 

In my opinion ex-working boats, generally speaking, are far too well painted and shiny nowadays when compared to how they were when in full time trade. I think this is down to both the improved quality of modern paint combined with their lack of use. Many current ex-working boat owners lavish more care and attention on their boats than they ever received when in trade, but to my eye it does not take well applied and shiny paint to create a well turned out boat - there is an awful lot more to it than just an expensive paint job.

[churchward]

It is well documented that the 'Ovaltine' boats were operated by some of the better boating families, and so although A. Wander Ltd. did not dock their boats any more often than other carriers their boats did not get knocked about quite as much (they usually ran back to the Warwickshire coalfields empty as well which would make a difference). Having said that I have loads of photographs of the 'Ovaltine' boats and the hulls tend to show much of the same paint wear and tear as most other craft of the period, it is the cabins that appear to fare better - although again some wear and tear in the usual areas is inevitable.

 

In my opinion ex-working boats, generally speaking, are far too well painted and shiny nowadays when compared to how they were when in full time trade. I think this is down to both the improved quality of modern paint combined with their lack of use. Many current ex-working boat owners lavish more care and attention on their boats than they ever received when in trade, but to my eye it does not take well applied and shiny paint to create a well turned out boat - there is an awful lot more to it than just an expensive paint job.

I am sure you are right in that many working boats paintwork looked well used. However, I think in some ways that misses the point. it is well documented from many sources that the majority working boat family took pride in their boats so although of course they got battered by the trade they were involved in but anything that could be shined or cleaned was even if the paint was worn. They liked their brass work and kept it as clean as they could given the conditions they worked under and tools to hand.

 

I also think criticising someone for having an over restored boat because it has unblemished paintwork a bit muddled. All the boats were painted with care originally and so when first done they would have gleamed. One can view a restored working boat with good paintwork as being in "as built" or "outshopped" condition. I see don't see this as an invalid condition for the boats despite how brief a time they may have remained in this condition when commercial carrying in the old days or looking at the other way round why should a working boat look right only when its final 1960s worn out condition is maintained?

 

As with all things it is a matter of taste and the only view that really matters is the owner's of the boat.

I humbly suggest, m'luds and ladies of the cut, that it is not so much the actual 'shineyness' or otherwise of the boat, but more the attitude of its owner in relation to maintaining the spotless, faultless gleaming.

 

The line between care and obsession is a very indeterminate one.

being scruffy could be seen as the same but mirrored obsession and also a reflection of the owners attitude.

[FadeToScarlet]

If someone is so precious of their paintwork they refuse to share locks, then that gets my goat. One particular boater I know refused to share a 15 foot wide lock, despite me offering to go in first, and had me wait- and this particular lock takes 20 minutes to cycle tthrough and reset. Grr.

[pete harrison]

I am sure you are right in that many working boats paintwork looked well used. However, I think in some ways that misses the point. it is well documented from many sources that the majority working boat family took pride in their boats so although of course they got battered by the trade they were involved in but anything that could be shined or cleaned was even if the paint was worn. They liked their brass work and kept it as clean as they could given the conditions they worked under and tools to hand.

 

I also think criticising someone for having an over restored boat because it has unblemished paintwork a bit muddled. All the boats were painted with care originally and so when first done they would have gleamed. One can view a restored working boat with good paintwork as being in "as built" or "outshopped" condition. I see don't see this as an invalid condition for the boats despite how brief a time they may have remained in this condition when commercial carrying in the old days or looking at the other way round why should a working boat look right only when its final 1960s worn out condition is maintained?

Being a former boatman myself, on boats that were owned by a company rather than me, I fully appreciate that the condition of the paintwork is outside of the boatmans control - except that the boatman can try to care for it and make up for it in other areas such as brass and ropework e.t.c.. This is part of what I was trying to say when I wrote "there is an awful lot more to it than just an expensive paint job".

 

When I Iater owned a large Woolwich pair I painted them myself, apart from the lettering which I had done professionally (the same philosophy as the company boats I had previously worked and painted). I honestly believe that my boats looked much closer to "outshopped condition" than many of the current crop of ex-working boats that are just too good. Even Frank Nurser's painting is not that accurate and straight lined when looked at very closely, let alone a large dock like Bulls Bridge which had a high turnover of work. The problem is that most period photographs were taken from several feet away and much of the lower quality detail is lost.

Edited January 18, 2014 by pete harrison

[peterboat]

If someone is so precious of their paintwork they refuse to share locks, then that gets my goat. One particular boater I know refused to share a 15 foot wide lock, despite me offering to go in first, and had me wait- and this particular lock takes 20 minutes to cycle tthrough and reset. Grr.

Dont think I would have given him the choice! we had the same going to Thorne 3 widebeams can go in this lock with ease and this one small narrowboat wanted to go in on their own and they wanted us to help with the lock!!! We reminded them of water shortages and the instructions to share locks where possible it worked .

My boat has just been painted but I am not precious about it I will try to keep it as shiny as possible as this protects the steel and it was bloody hard work making it look good something I dont want to repeat to often.

 

Peter

[Loafer]

I thought 'shiny boaters' referred to the boat TYPE, rather than the owners. Ie 'posh' boats, like Hudson's/Fuller's/Norton Canes, whatever. I'm an owner of one of the latter, but the missus and I live on her, with no fixed abode and nowhere else to live, so I wouldn't regard us as shiny from the 'person' point of view.

 

Am I a shiny boater because I live in a Hudson? (No offence taken!!) and don't look scruffy?

[pete harrison]

I thought 'shiny boaters' referred to the boat TYPE, rather than the owners. Ie 'posh' boats, like Hudson's/Fuller's/Norton Canes, whatever. I'm an owner of one of the latter, but the missus and I live on her, with no fixed abode and nowhere else to live, so I wouldn't regard us as shiny from the 'person' point of view.

 

Am I a shiny boater because I live in a Hudson? (No offence taken!!) and don't look scruffy?

No, this nothing to do with who built the boat. It has more to do with the ultra glossy paintwork, impeccable linework and lettering combined with the prissy outlook of the owner.

 

edit - I am now going to dip out of this thread as I have no interest in this subject and have unwittingly been drawn in. All I wanted to say was that shiny boats have nothing to do with ex-working boats, especially going back to when they were in full time trade.

Edited January 18, 2014 by pete harrison

[Circe]

We've just had a repaint, so we're about to embrace the realms of shiny boatery-ness. I sincerely hope I'm the one at the helm when she gets her first scratch, because after saving for 3 years and shelling out over £5k for the repaint, it's got to last.

 

No problems about sharing locks etc, but we'll be taking a lot of care with this paint job. Not in a 'look at me' way, just in a 'I can't afford another repaint' way!

[Pykebird]

Having spent ages and a good chunk of my hard earned dosh re painting my boat last year, I will try and not drive her into bushes whilst nosing at other people's boats, but thats all that will change!

[Naughty Cal]

We will be having the inverse problem this year trying not to scrape the bottom after we have spent an arm and a leg each and a good dose of elbow grease each on scraping back to GRP, applying a few coats of gel shield and then some alarmingly expensive copper coat!

[patty-ann]

Well my boat has yet to be painted and my boat fitter told me to wax it to keep it shiny but as I have a problem polishing my shoes and cleaning car, waxing a boat may not happen. He also told me to touch up my scratches--there will be a few of those!. As I see it so long as my boat looks OK I will not be obsessive, but if others want shiny boats, that's for them. We all have to be content with our own standards. I have seen some lovely boats but I would worry about double locking with them.

[Dyad]

 

Well I'm certainly not jealous. I could keep my boats immaculate if I wished, but I just don't find the effort worth the reward, or stress.

 

The shiny boaters seem to get so stressed out about scratches on their paintwork, even the hull blacking. Look at the side fender threads recently. Life's too short to worry about it in my personal opinion. Get on with boating, I reckon!

 

MtB

 

Oh I'm just jealous of anyone with a boat Mike .. or is it envious, just off to google.

[lynalldisocvery]

Its no different to sunday best car drivers, fair weather bikers, me taking the pee out of land rover owners who never get their cars muddy etc, you are making a mountain out of a molehill