Narrowboat Syncopation

[aread2]

We've paid the deposit, signed the contract. Syncopation is scheduled for delivery on 31st December.

 

My wife and I have been going on narrowboat holidays for the last 25 years on and off. We had a plan that included buying a narrowboat sometime before the next decade ran out. Events have a way of catching up with you in ways you don't always expect.

 

Old proverb: How do you make God laugh? Tell him all your plans!

 

My mother died. My sister bought herself a house with her share and we decided to realise our dream - owning our own narrowboat. After extensive research we found that our requirements were going to be satisfied best by going bespoke - 5 permanent berths with at least two extras.

 

After a week on an electric narrowboat on the Mon and Brec I was determined to have a complex diesel electric transmission with an enormous battery bank for part-time electric-only cruising. It turns out that the technology is not all that mature and the system would have to be built more or less from scratch. While it's feasible it's also too expensive.

 

Still, the final specification is for a gas-free boat with cocooned engine and hospital silencer, so I should get a quiet cruise.

 

The builder? It's Mill Wharf Boats at Blisworth. What clinched it for me was the seductive curves of the cabinetry. Plus, they were building a gas-free boat at the time we went to have a look at them (Montseny, reviewed in the June 2007 Canalboat magazine), delivered in June 2006.

 

The shell is to be built by Tim Tyler this month and the fit-out is to begin at the beginning of June.

[charles123]

We've paid the deposit, signed the contract. Syncopation is scheduled for delivery on 31st December.

 

My wife and I have been going on narrowboat holidays for the last 25 years on and off. We had a plan that included buying a narrowboat sometime before the next decade ran out. Events have a way of catching up with you in ways you don't always expect.

 

Old proverb: How do you make God laugh? Tell him all your plans!

 

My mother died. My sister bought herself a house with her share and we decided to realise our dream - owning our own narrowboat. After extensive research we found that our requirements were going to be satisfied best by going bespoke - 5 permanent berths with at least two extras.

 

After a week on an electric narrowboat on the Mon and Brec I was determined to have a complex diesel electric transmission with an enormous battery bank for part-time electric-only cruising. It turns out that the technology is not all that mature and the system would have to be built more or less from scratch. While it's feasible it's also too expensive.

 

Still, the final specification is for a gas-free boat with cocooned engine and hospital silencer, so I should get a quiet cruise.

 

The builder? It's Mill Wharf Boats at Blisworth. What clinched it for me was the seductive curves of the cabinetry. Plus, they were building a gas-free boat at the time we went to have a look at them (Montseny, reviewed in the June 2007 Canalboat magazine), delivered in June 2006.

 

The shell is to be built by Tim Tyler this month and the fit-out is to begin at the beginning of June.

 

You apear to have most if not all of the incredients, the money, a good builder, a good shell supplier many years good knowledge and an excellent start with the engine and silencing arrangements, good luck and keep the board posted

 

ps if you find out how they do the curves on kitchen doors etc I for one would be interested

 

Charles

[aread2]

Small design change. Shell builder has never fitted Vetus water lubricated stern tubes before so not comfortable doing it. Would rather fit a conventional grease-stuffing type as Vetus are unable to offer a definitive answer as to what should be fitted. I'm inclined to go with him on this one as he's been building shells for a long time and I'm not that fussed about the Vetus stern tube, just thought it might be slightly lower maintenance.

[aread2]

The shell builder has apparently promised the shell will be complete in two weeks. Fingers crossed...

[aread2]

The Invoice arrived for the first stage payment yesterday. The shell has been promised by Tim Tyler next week. Things are really starting to move now! Only a few weeks late. The original plan was to start at the beginning of June, but one learns to take all these deadlines with a pinch of salt. Every delay in the start means more interest earned!

[bottle]

The Invoice arrived for the first stage payment yesterday. The shell has been promised by Tim Tyler next week. Things are really starting to move now! Only a few weeks late. The original plan was to start at the beginning of June, but one learns to take all these deadlines with a pinch of salt. Every delay in the start means more interest earned!

 

Hi

 

Good news that the shell will arrive next week, hope it does.

 

What is the first invoice for, you have not got anything yet (rhetorical)

[Lesd]

Good luck ith your build, I know how exciting it is to make a start !

One question though if I may; I'm not sure of you contract terms obviously but it seems odd to have been invoiced before your shell is even delivered !??

[Gary Peacock]

Hi

 

Good news that the shell will arrive next week, hope it does.

 

What is the first invoice for, you have not got anything yet (rhetorical)

 

What is the first invoice for, you have not got anything yet (rhetorical)

[bottle]

Invoice. A definition from Wikipedia

 

 

 

An invoice or bill is a commercial document issued by a seller to a buyer, indicating the products, quantities and agreed prices for products or services with which the seller has already provided the buyer. An invoice indicates that payment is due from the buyer to the seller, according to the payment terms.

 

From the point of view of a seller, an invoice is a sales invoice. From the point of view of a buyer, an invoice is a purchase invoice. The document indicates the buyer and seller, but the term invoice indicates money is owed or owing. In English, the context of the term invoice is usually used to clarify its meaning, such as "We sent them an invoice" (they owe us money) or "We received an invoice from them" (we owe them money).

 

My highlight, I do hope Aread2 is being very careful, I may be wrong and hope I am not but this does sound a bit suspect.

 

Of course we may not have all the facts and the builder is an upright citizen and as honest as the day is long.

[Gary Peacock]

I keep saying it do not pay for what you have not got!

 

But boaters being boaters are always happy to be parted from their money.

 

This might just be a case of issuing an invoice prior to delivery of the hull with payment to be made when it arrives, in that case all is fine.

 

What is very foolish is to pay for something in advance that might or might not arrive.

[aread2]

The hull is to be craned in on the afternoon of 14th September.

[aread2]

Craned In. Syncopation's shell is now afloat on the cut. Hit by a hire boat within an hour. It rang like a bell (the shell that is).

Edited September 14, 2007 by aread2

[Liam]

No damage I hope?

 

Some pictures would be nice !!

[aread2]

No damage at all. He then proceeded to scrape along the side of the next boat, watched by the rather bemused owner, standing with paintbrush in hand. Granted, he had just turned out of the marina, having picked the boat up for the week.

Plan A was to move the shell 20 minutes down the cut to the boat yard. Unfortunately the wind, orientation and size of the shell proved to be too much for the day-boat used to tow, so it has been tied up outside the marina at where it was craned in overnight until a larger boat can be brought up for the tow.

Inside

Skin Tank

Stern Tube

[Jason Wilson and Family]

Shouldn't that have been blacked or something before it was set into the water?

[sarahavfc]

Shouldn't that have been blacked or something before it was set into the water?

 

Not if the shell is going to be grit-blasted. Leaving the bare shell in the water to rust up will allow the steel to settle after all the bending and shaping, then by grit-blasting the shell the paint has a nice mill scale free, keyed surface to adhere to.

[John Orentas]

Hi Al.

 

Looks like a very nice boat, good to see a partial bulkhead in front of the engine room and a generously sized skin tank.

 

Is this a new trend:-

 

"The builder? It's Mill Wharf Boats at Blisworth...... The shell is to be built by Tim Tyler".

 

It always used to be the case that the chap who built the shell was described as 'The builder'. I have observed this change it terminology a few times lately, I wonder what is behind it.

[aread2]

Hi Al.Looks like a very nice boat, good to see a partial bulkhead in front of the engine room and a generously sized skin tank.Is this a new trend:-"The builder? It's Mill Wharf Boats at Blisworth...... The shell is to be built by Tim Tyler". It always used to be the case that the chap who built the shell was described as 'The builder'. I have observed this change it terminology a few times lately, I wonder what is behind it.

Mea culpa. My sloppy nomenclature.The builder is Tim Tyler, the fitting out by Mill Wharf.

Not if the shell is going to be grit-blasted. Leaving the bare shell in the water to rust up will allow the steel to settle after all the bending and shaping, then by grit-blasting the shell the paint has a nice mill scale free, keyed surface to adhere to.

Absolutely. The shell is to be grit blasted to remove the mill scale.

[Lady Muck]

Could it be a pro forma invoice? I issue these all the time coz I ask for deposit payments from clients. Its an invoice of how much I think the job will cost in total, requesting the deposit and is issued before I've started.

[aread2]

The shell is at the boat yard. Shot blasting and priming is booked to take place next week. The foam man is booked to do his thing on Monday 8 October.

[aread2]

Blasted, blacked and primed:

 

[jayjayranger]

are you having the vetus electric motor fitted. and is it there complete system with controllers, it would be great to see some photos

[aread2]

When I first compiled the wish list for Syncopation the spec included electric drive. Reality has set in in the meantime. While the boat remains gas free, with a 5KVA Dometic Travelpower driven by a cocooned Beta engine the electric propulsion packages were too expensive and too experimental.

Edited October 9, 2007 by aread2

[aread2]

The sprayfoam insulation has been applied and trimmed back to accommodate the lining.

The lining has been measured and is ready to be fixed in place. The windows are being fitted and should be complete at the end of today (the square ones are already in place).

The Engine 'ole has been painted:

The Houdini hatches are on-site and will be fitted before the lining. The wiring is due to be started soon and will be fitted behind the lining a section at a time.

The engine will be fitted when the interior is weatherproof. Until then it will stay in it's transit crate in the yard.

[aread2]

Lined Out.

All the windows and the Houdini hatches have been fitted now, making the shell weather proof and the lining has been fitted. The first coat of varnish has been applied to the lining to protect it during the fit-out.

The lining will be removed in sections during the next phase to permit the wiring to be installed. The engine will also be fitted shortly when Syncopation goes back into the dock to have skin fittings installed and another coat of primer applied.