The conundrum of shiny boats

[dave moore]

Ray....Thule now carries a pair of my castles, painted them at Stourbridge a couple of years ago.

 

Dave

[churchward]

 

 

Yes I know these are modern builds but nevertheless to me a beautiful pair of boats.

 

I would like to own an ex working boat but as this is not possible at the moment I will make do with what I have. But I like to think in my own small way I am keeping the history and traditions alive.

great looking boats. I always like seeing and look for the little anchor motif you see on this butty and some others. It just adds something to the look. In some way I would like to add that in somewhere on my boat when it comes time to repaint.

 

Do you know if that motif was specific to a carrier livery or a particular boatyard or just a traditional mark to be found on all buttys?

[Jim Riley]

Could be worse you could have a shiny GRP boat!

Imagine the ribbing you would get then

Grp but not shiny, phew that let's me off then.

[Ray T]

great looking boats. I always like seeing and look for the little anchor motif you see on this butty and some others. It just adds something to the look. In some way I would like to add that in somewhere on my boat when it comes time to repaint.

 

Do you know if that motif was specific to a carrier livery or a particular boatyard or just a traditional mark to be found on all buttys?

 

I stand to be corrected but I think the "fouled anchor" in this form (above) was a speciality of Braunston. but it is also a generic nautical symbol:

 

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=fouled+anchor&rls=com.microsoft:en-gb:IE-SearchBox&rlz=1I7MXGB_enGB571&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=7hHcUpTHFoyshQfGk4HQAg&ved=0CDUQsAQ&biw=1600&bih=698

[churchward]

 

I stand to be corrected but I think the "fouled anchor" in this form (above) was a speciality of Braunston. but it is also a generic nautical symbol:

 

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=fouled+anchor&rls=com.microsoft:en-gb:IE-SearchBox&rlz=1I7MXGB_enGB571&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=7hHcUpTHFoyshQfGk4HQAg&ved=0CDUQsAQ&biw=1600&bih=698

Braunston eh? OK thanks for the info.

[station tug]

I have spray painted a few cars in my time but I am not that skilled with enamel and a brush so if I paint our own boat as I would like to I think I may borrow that excuse for not making it as shiny as it could be!

its not an excuse its a fact...look back through the threads of the build of my boat...iv painted many boats to a high standard and it wasnt a look i wanted for grace...as iv stated i wanted the boat to look old and well cared for not a posing marina boat..

i except that you probably wont have the talent for such things so probably better to pay someone that has.....

[Timleech]

I can't help but feel that some of the highly restored 'working' boats would look better if they were 'distressed' a little, before being polished

 

Tim

[churchward]

its not an excuse its a fact...look back through the threads of the build of my boat...iv painted many boats to a high standard and it wasnt a look i wanted for grace...as iv stated i wanted the boat to look old and well cared for not a posing marina boat..

i except that you probably wont have the talent for such things so probably better to pay someone that has.....

Ah sarcasm.

 

If you read my post I said I would borrow that excuse (as it will be form me) because I am not that skilled at enamel painting with brush I made no comment on your skill.

 

So there is no need for your response.

 

I am in no rush to pay someone to paint my boat when it is something I really would like to have a go at myself even if the result will be something less than perfect.

Edited January 19, 2014 by churchward

[station tug]

Ah sarcasm.

 

If you read my post I said I would borrow that excuse (as it will be form me) because I am not that skilled at enamel painting with brush I made no comment on your skill.

 

So there is no need for your response.

 

I am in no rush to pay someone to paint my boat when it is something I really would like to have a go at myself even if the result will be something less than perfect.

i wasnt being funny with you....if you dont have the talent for such things pay someone to do it...i acheaved the look i wanted for my boat i couldnt efford a propper old boat so i had to build one....thats what i was saying.......

I can't help but feel that some of the highly restored 'working' boats would look better if they were 'distressed' a little, before being polished

 

Tim

i think your right tim, iv never understood why people restoring boats have all the dents and dings taken out of them and have glass paint jobs

[madcat]

I painted my boat to look as sinister and un inviting as possible, dark green and grey then dark green and oxide. It worked really well, nobody wanted to talk to me. It was meant to deter youths but deterred everybody. I started to paint him bright green but that's work in progress. I'm not looking for shiny just protected and plain.

 

Suppose I'm a bit of a crusty boater with my tatty builders tarps over the hold and no polished brass but that's my style at the minute. I don't bite ( often) but I want trouble to find somebody else and shiney stuff seems to attract trouble.

[churchward]

i wasnt being funny with you....if you dont have the talent for such things pay someone to do it...i acheaved the look i wanted for my boat i couldnt efford a propper old boat so i had to build one....thats what i was saying.......

Is that so? Okey Dokey then...

 

I didn't say I didn't have the talent for such things just that I don't think I am skilled enough to paint a glossy mirror finish. As I say I would really like to have a go so don't see why I would be compelled to pay someone to do what I wanted to do. If I was going to pay anybody to do anything it would be to show me how it should be done so I could replicate it.

I painted my boat to look as sinister and un inviting as possible, dark green and grey then dark green and oxide. It worked really well, nobody wanted to talk to me. It was meant to deter youths but deterred everybody. I started to paint him bright green but that's work in progress. I'm not looking for shiny just protected and plain.

 

Suppose I'm a bit of a crusty boater with my tatty builders tarps over the hold and no polished brass but that's my style at the minute. I don't bite ( often) but I want trouble to find somebody else and shiney stuff seems to attract trouble.

I guess in the custom car world that's what they would call the Rat look.

[station tug]

Is that so? Okey Dokey then...

 

I didn't say I didn't have the talent for such things just that I don't think I am skilled enough to paint a glossy mirror finish. As I say I would really like to have a go so don't see why I would be compelled to pay someone to do what I wanted to do. If I was going to pay anybody to do anything it would be to show me how it should be done so I could replicate it.

 

let me know when your ready and ill give you a few days for free...

[mark99]

Who built Ultima and Thule?.

 

Named after an Estonian or Swedish rock group?

[Ray T]

Who built Ultima and Thule?.

 

Named after an Estonian or Swedish rock group?

 

From Mr Shead:

 

THULE Built by D.MOORE BTBLDERS LTD - Length 17.526 metres (57 feet 6 inches ) - Beam 2.083 metres (6 feet 10 inches ) - Draft 0.61 metres (2 feet ) Metal hull, power of 35 BHP. Registered with Canal & River Trust number 500491 as a Powered. Last registration recorded on 22-May-2013.

 

ULTIMA Built by D.MOORE BTBLDERS LTD - Length 17.526 metres (57 feet 6 inches ) - Beam 2.083 metres (6 feet 10 inches ) - Draft 0.762 metres (2 feet 6 inches ) Metal hull, power of 18 BHP. Registered with Canal & River Trust number 51205 as a Powered. Last registration recorded on 22-May-2013.

 

The information on engines doesn't seem quite right some how?

 

I know not the origin of the names but Sweden was moored in front of them at the time I took the photo.

Edited January 19, 2014 by Ray T

[churchward]

let me know when your ready and ill give you a few days for free...

That would be uncommonly good of you to do that, thank you. I may need your services.

 

I don't know when I will get round to it. We are in the process of selling the house at the minute. We are not going permanently on the boat but off to a new adventure in Wales. Although If the timing doesn't work out we may put our stuff in storage and live on the boat for a bit if we have to get out of our present house more quickly than we can find and get into our new one.

 

I am reasonably confident with prep work as I am familiar with how meticulous you have to be to get a good finish when spray painting a car but it is the brush technique and paint application that is so different to spray painting I am familiar with. I would hope to hire a polytunnel or similar to do the work.

[Alan Saunders]

In Australian English b***ard can be a term of endearment or an insult. Maybe it is the same for shiny boat(er)?

It depends on context and inflection and (as Alan F points out) local and individual useage.

e.g. In a short pound the steerer of a 'shiny' boat refused to exit her lock until I had and even after I held off tight to the bank she shouted 'Don't you dare hit my boat!'. I merely but I wanted to retort 'You stupid b***ard shiny boater!'

 

My boats are disgracefully dirty because I am too lazy to wash and polish them. People offer to take the better one off of my hands so that they can give it the loving care that it deserves. A shabby boat may deter thieves but is more likely to encourage vandals.

 

I admire working boats and highly polished boats. I find the vast majority of owners and hirers are very pleasant people - even the shabbby boat owners.

In competition aircraft scale modelling a model that looks as it would in-service scores more points than a pristine example. I guess it is the same for full-size boats; I bet that some of those old-time NB captains would have desired the standards that modern paints and techniques can achieve.

 

Alan

[Water Rat.]

Surely most of us are hobby boaters? Boating is my hobby. Nothing wrong with that is there?

[Timleech]

Surely most of us are hobby boaters? Boating is my hobby. Nothing wrong with that is there?

 

Nothing at all.

 

Tim

[churchward]

Surely most of us are hobby boaters? Boating is my hobby. Nothing wrong with that is there?

Nothing at all. I suppose it is used by some in the same way that the word amateur is used as an insult/sub standard rather than someone who is not paid for a particular activity.

[station tug]

shiney,rusty hippy hutch sinker or stinker if there paying a liecence it all makes the waterways viable.....i worry sometimes its all becoming an elitest playground....iv met some great people with all sorts of boats in all sorts of conditions........

[alan_fincher]

I can't help but feel that some of the highly restored 'working' boats would look better if they were 'distressed' a little, before being polished

 

Tim

 

We are quite good on the "distressing", but not particularly good at the polishing!

[Bettie Boo]

shiney,rusty hippy hutch sinker or stinker if there paying a licence it all makes the waterways viable.....i worry sometimes its all becoming an elitist playground....iv met some great people with all sorts of boats in all sorts of conditions........

Very well said - worth a greenie I thinks

 

I'd like to think it all boils down to....don't judge a book by it's.......

[station tug]

Very well said - worth a greenie I thinks

 

I'd like to think it all boils down to....don't judge a book by it's.......

dont judge a book by its???????????? paint job???

[Black Ibis]

One of the reasons it's easier to keep our ex working boat looking shiny (besides Dave Moore's immaculate paint job) is that it's not painted below the gunwales. Traditionally and for practical reasons working boats only painted their cabins and cants. Many modern boats (our previous boat included) have paint not blacking in the area below the gunwales most likely to get scratches! seems like asking for trouble.

Edited January 19, 2014 by Black Ibis

[nicknorman]

We have a shiny boat, spray painted in 2-pack to a high standard. It is now approaching 3 yrs old and so far we have managed to avoid scraping the cabin sides on trees etc. We do this not by hogging the centre channel and dispatching lesser boats into the shrubbery (as would be our right as Hudson owners) but by being sensible in our navigation - ie we don't require 10 feet between us and an oncoming boat, and if another boat is coming towards us and there is clearly not room at the expected passing point, we adjust speed, stopping if necessary, so that the passing point is modified to a place where there is adequate room. Maybe that makes us prissy in the eyes of some, but I would say that makes us merely competent, after all there is no point in driving into the bushes, shiny paint or not, when it is avoidable.

 

As for the blacking, that is of course fair game for locks, other boats in locks etc etc. We would never contemplate cruising or locking with fenders down, we only put fenders down when moored to prevent the annoying bumping of the boat against the side.

 

So we have a shiny boat, but one that we are not afraid to use properly (as is perhaps demonstrated by our Grand Tour of the BCN outer reaches last September). If that makes us bad people then so be it, but I rather think the problem lies with the accusers, not with us. Mostly such people are just envious slobs who can't be bothered to keep their boats looking nice and aren't competent enough to avoid crashing into things and vegetation unnecessarily. The same people would run a key down a fancy car if they thought they could get away with it.

Edited January 20, 2014 by nicknorman