Stephen Jeavons Posted October 19, 2018 Report Share Posted October 19, 2018 Hi All, I have a 70ft Trad built by Five Towns Boatbuilders in 1994. I'm keen to fit a cratch. The builders have fitted a steel box-like structure in the centre of the roof about 2 feet back from the front. There are also two strap shaped bits of steel welded either side of the rear facing panel of the well deck as though something should slide in there from above. I'm assuming these two features are to do with the fitting of a cratch. I realise the builders no longer exist but I was wondering if there is any other owner of a Roger Fuller boat on the forum that may have had a cratch sympathetically fitted either by Five Towns or another company who could give me some clues as to how the above fittings are utilized. I can probably conjure something up but would prefer to see what the builders had in mind if this was standard on all RF shells. Thanks Stephen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alan_fincher Posted October 19, 2018 Report Share Posted October 19, 2018 8 minutes ago, Stephen Jeavons said: I realise the builders no longer exist but I was wondering if there is any other owner of a Roger Fuller boat on the forum that may have had a cratch sympathetically fitted either by Five Towns or another company who could give me some clues as to how the above fittings are utilized. Surely Roger Fuller would be prepared to advise you himself if you approached him? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Jeavons Posted October 19, 2018 Author Report Share Posted October 19, 2018 Hi Alan, Unfortunately, the hotmail address I have for him is no longer working and the Five Towns phone number no longer works so I have no means of contacting him. If anyone has any up to date contact info, Id appreciate it Stephen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WotEver Posted October 19, 2018 Report Share Posted October 19, 2018 According to Companies House his company is still active and you can contact him at:’ Navigation House, 1 Whitebridge Lane, Stone, Staffordshire, ST15 8LQ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Jeavons Posted October 19, 2018 Author Report Share Posted October 19, 2018 That is indeed his old address but it's no longer a boatyard ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave moore Posted October 19, 2018 Report Share Posted October 19, 2018 Hi A friend of mine has a Fuller boat with a top plank and cratch/ cloth arrangements. PM me and I’ll forward his details. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alias Posted October 19, 2018 Report Share Posted October 19, 2018 1 hour ago, Stephen Jeavons said: That is indeed his old address but it's no longer a boatyard ? There's a mobile number and an alternative email address at the foot of this page: http://www.spurstow.com/rogerfuller/pages/root.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Jeavons Posted October 19, 2018 Author Report Share Posted October 19, 2018 Hi Peter, Thanks for that. Actually, I've tried those numbers before without success. Also that is a redundant email address. However, great news, I have discovered the correct contact details and have just had a great conversation with the man himself who has offered to send me drawings of how his system for a cratch works. He even recalls my boat well from memory so I'll be sending him up to date photos for his gallery ? For what it's worth, Roger Fuller still has a small workshop at the site mentioned in the earlier post where he does small jobs but no longer builds complete boats. Thanks to you all for taking the trouble and offering suggestions Stephen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WotEver Posted October 19, 2018 Report Share Posted October 19, 2018 (edited) 2 hours ago, Stephen Jeavons said: That is indeed his old address but it's no longer a boatyard ? No, but he’s still there, I believe. Edit to add - so you’ve found Edited October 19, 2018 by WotEver Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark99 Posted October 20, 2018 Report Share Posted October 20, 2018 (edited) Fuller Bote. Edited October 20, 2018 by mark99 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WotEver Posted October 20, 2018 Report Share Posted October 20, 2018 And if you fit a large hinge to the rear of the top board and fashion a dovetail at the other end to sit into the top of the cratch board, you can fold it completely out of the way if you wish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Jeavons Posted October 22, 2018 Author Report Share Posted October 22, 2018 (edited) Many thanks to you all for the help and to Mark99 for the above photos, I like the proportions of your cratch. Did you do the woodwork yourself? All very helpful. I have a pretty good idea of how to go forward thanks to your photos and with Roger Fuller's help, I understand more of the detail now. He recommended that the top-plank extend all the way from the mast-box and to dove-tail it into the cratch board (as WotEver above has also said). The cratch board should never be vertical but should lean forward 1-1.5 degrees from the vertical to be correct. Incidentally, the boat above has a long well-deck like mine, would you classify that as a tug style due to the length or would it need a high deck to be considered a tug. Also would the overall boat's length come into play (you wouldn't really have a 70' tug would you? Tugs are usually much shorter) Stephen Edited October 22, 2018 by Stephen Jeavons spell Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WotEver Posted October 22, 2018 Report Share Posted October 22, 2018 3 hours ago, Stephen Jeavons said: would it need a high deck to be considered a tug Yes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colmac Posted October 22, 2018 Report Share Posted October 22, 2018 4 hours ago, Stephen Jeavons said: Many thanks to you all for the help and to Mark99 for the above photos, I like the proportions of your cratch. Did you do the woodwork yourself? All very helpful. I have a pretty good idea of how to go forward thanks to your photos and with Roger Fuller's help, I understand more of the detail now. He recommended that the top-plank extend all the way from the mast-box and to dove-tail it into the cratch board (as WotEver above has also said). The cratch board should never be vertical but should lean forward 1-1.5 degrees from the vertical to be correct. Incidentally, the boat above has a long well-deck like mine, would you classify that as a tug style due to the length or would it need a high deck to be considered a tug. Also would the overall boat's length come into play (you wouldn't really have a 70' tug would you? Tugs are usually much shorter) Stephen Where else but on a narrow boat web site could you tell someone that you like the proportions of there cratch ? Different language aint it ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Jeavons Posted October 22, 2018 Author Report Share Posted October 22, 2018 (edited) Oops! I didn't think that through did I? Thank goodness we don't have auto-correct like we do on our phones ? Edited October 22, 2018 by Stephen Jeavons Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark99 Posted October 22, 2018 Report Share Posted October 22, 2018 10 hours ago, Stephen Jeavons said: Many thanks to you all for the help and to Mark99 for the above photos, I like the proportions of your cratch. Did you do the woodwork yourself? All very helpful. I have a pretty good idea of how to go forward thanks to your photos and with Roger Fuller's help, I understand more of the detail now. He recommended that the top-plank extend all the way from the mast-box and to dove-tail it into the cratch board (as WotEver above has also said). The cratch board should never be vertical but should lean forward 1-1.5 degrees from the vertical to be correct. Incidentally, the boat above has a long well-deck like mine, would you classify that as a tug style due to the length or would it need a high deck to be considered a tug. Also would the overall boat's length come into play (you wouldn't really have a 70' tug would you? Tugs are usually much shorter) Stephen Hi Steven, No the cratch came with the boat. Being a Fuller it does have a Luby. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Jeavons Posted October 23, 2018 Author Report Share Posted October 23, 2018 Thanks for the info and extra photo Mark. What is the name and RF number of your boat? Stephen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark99 Posted October 23, 2018 Report Share Posted October 23, 2018 #46 - yours? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Jeavons Posted October 23, 2018 Author Report Share Posted October 23, 2018 Consort No 24 ? Would you say that list is complete? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark99 Posted October 23, 2018 Report Share Posted October 23, 2018 I don't know re list. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Jeavons Posted April 15, 2019 Author Report Share Posted April 15, 2019 On 22/10/2018 at 19:24, mark99 said: Hi Steven, No the cratch came with the boat. Being a Fuller it does have a Luby. Roger made me a Luby for Consort Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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