Santa dashes through Broads in a space-age solar boat

Children in Norfolk had a very unusual visit from Santa - arriving across Whitlingham Broad by solar powered boat!

South Norfolk Council and the Broads Authority got together with Creative Arts East and the Whitlingham Charitable Trust to put together a magical Winter Wonderland event to celebrate Christmas early.

Councillor Martin Wilby, Cabinet member at South Norfolk Council for Communities and Localism said:

"This is always a bit of a special day in the Christmas calendar at Whitlingham Broad. Whatever the weather it will be spectacular and fun."

Lucy Burchnall, Deputy Head Ranger said: “The Broads Authority was delighted to be able to lend Santa its futuristic solar powered boat so he could get to Whitlingham Broad. This magical event is always very popular and the special delivery by Santa is the icing on the Christmas cake

Seamster 813

I had a visit to Woods Dyke in Horning on Friday to Survey this popular little boat. This boat was designed by John Welsh. The medium to shallow V hull together with a long shallow keel allows for an easily handling cruiser.

Several other manufactures used Seamaster moulding to produce their own versions. This includes Ardvark Aird marine and latterly Bounty Boats. The hull is still used today by Viking 26 with their 26ft widebeam.

The factory built boat is unique in having through standing V berth configuration forward but with the shower toilet compartment extending across the width of the boat. A conventional dinette and galley area is further aft.

The craft also has a square foredeck to offer more space. This model has a particular emphasis on reducing production costs, over 400 of these boats were made.

The engine installation vary enormously from single petrol shaft drive to twin diesel. Some models had Volvo petrols with outdrive. This one had a single Perkins diesel on shaft.

The guys from Ferry Marine lifting her out for Survey.

Seamaster boats goes back to 1944 when Dick Sparrow(originally a cabinet maker)left London with his caravan, arriving to a field in Dunmow, Essex, which he eventually bought together with some ex W.D. tin sheds. These were used for Dick's original business, making toys, before going into caravan production. These models were called Vanmaster, and 250 caravans were built in total. In 1951, Vanmaster branched into a small boat production, introducing the Seamaster name. Up until 1960, the company was hugely successful, building some 200 craft between 17ft and 26ft.

Surveyors comments

Its becoming increasing common on my Surveys to see bilge pump outlets fitted through the hull very close to the water line. It must be high enough to remain above the water at the deepest angle of heel…see image above...or safer still stick a riser loop in it or a non return valve. Its one of the most common ways a boat sinks. Heres some tips on installing bilge pumps.

Mount the pump

You must not place the pump in the bilge unrestrained. If it falls over it will suck air and burn out. Pumps must be fastened down. Brackets are available that attach to a stringer or other vertical feature, or you can epoxy a couple of bolts to the bottom of the bilge to serve as mounting studs.

Float switches must also be fastened.

Use smooth-bore hose
Corrugated hose reduces pump output by as much as 30%, so always connect the pump to the discharge fitting with hose that has a smooth interior surface.

Bends and long runs also reduce pump output, so make the hose run as straight and as short as possible. That may mean discharging the pump through the side of the hull rather than through the transom. However. . .

Place the discharge above the waterline
If the discharge is submerged when the pump runs, the ocean siphons back through the pump into the bilge when the pump shuts off. When enough water has entered to float the switch, the pump will eject it, only to have it siphon back again. This continues until the battery is depleted, then the water floods the boat until it reaches a level that gets the crew's attention.

The discharge fitting must never go below the waterline. If the fitting is through the transom, be sure it is high enough not to submerge when the stern squats. And if it is through the side of the hull, it must be high enough to remain above the water at the deepest angle of heel.

Use a thin-wall fitting
The through-hull fitting can further reduce pump capacity. To minimize this restriction, use a fitting with the largest possible opening.

Lead wiring up
It is essential to get the pump wiring out of the bilge as quickly as possible. Run the wires up and secure them so that they do not sag into the bilge water.

Don't skimp on wire size
A 3,500 gph pump will draw 15 amps, typically necessitating 10-gauge, or maybe even 8-gauge wire. Consult the ABYC Wire Size Table to determine the appropriate wire for your pump and length of wire run.

Use butt connectors and heat shrink
Crimp-on step-down butt connectors will assure a good mechanical and electrical connection between the supply wires and the pump leads. Enclose these connections in adhesive heat shrink tubing to make them water tight. You must slide the heat shrink over the wire and out of the way before you make the connections. Then center the tubing over the crimped connector and shrink it with a heat gun or by playing a flame beneath it. Be sure there are no explosive fumes in the bilge!

Connect to the battery
When you turn the power off to leave the boat unattended, you don't want to turn off the bilge pump. Connect an automatic bilge pump directly to the battery, not through the distribution panel.

Fuse the positive side
It is essential to have a fuse in the positive wire as close to the battery as possible. Some switch panels (see below) include a fuse. Otherwise join an in-line fuse holder to the battery end of the positive wire using a crimp butt connector.

Install terminal fittings
Do not strip the ends of the supply wires and loop them beneath the battery terminal wing nuts. Install crimp-on ring terminals the proper size to fit the threaded posts on your battery. Use a copper washer-not steel-between the wing nut and the ring terminal.

Three-way switch
If your bilge pump has a separate float switch, you may want to wire it to a three way switch that allows you to select automatic, on, or off. Be sure to support all wire runs at least every 18 inches using cable clamps or ties.

Two pumps
A bilge pump big enough to deal with a real emergency will do a poor job of keeping the bilge dry because the water in the discharge hose drains back into the bilge when the pump shuts off. And a big pump requires a big hose.

The ideal bilge pump arrangement is a small (400 gph) automatic bilge pump mounted in the sump to dispense with rain and shaft-gland leakage, combined with a high capacity pump (3,500 gph) mounted higher to deal with more serious ingress.

Stepping the discharge hose from the small pump down to 1/2-inch minimizes the backflow from the hose when the pump cycles, maintaining a dryer bilge. The large pump can be wired to a float switch if you prefer, but I think a manual switch makes more sense. An added advantage of this bilge pump configuration is that the high-capacity pump sits high and dry, extending its life indefinitely.

Thinking of Buying a Boat and Need Help? Call Insight Marine Surveys Ltd. I specialise in Boats of all types, and I will assist you to make an informed decision. Contact me for a detailed and comprehensive report at: steventruss1@aol.com

 

Ribcraft 9m

I had a visit to Anglia ycaht Brokers yesterday to inspect this Rib for a client in the Netherlands. Ribcraft are based in their own purpose built factory in Yeovil Somerset. They are one of the few British manufacturers who have the capabilities to design and manufacture the complete boat 'in house' giving us total quality control throughout.

Ribcraft's Hulls can be constructed in Aluminium, G.R.P. or composite materials, into highly polished tooling moulds Lloyds approved Chop Strand Mat and roving clothes are placed and laminated into position by Ribcraft's highly skilled laminators. All stages of construction are closely monitored by computer to ensure correct humidity and temperature resulting in even curing and an immensely strong blister free hull. All Ribcraft tubes come with a minimum of five independent air chambers as standard. Ribcraft tubes are cut to exacting patterns Using 1100 or 1670 Dtex Hypalon®, all seams are carefully overlapped and double taped internally and externally.

Surveyors comments: Inspect the hull for cracks, chips and grazing, in particular along the spray rails and chines. Hairline cracks running across the beam of the hull and any longitudinal cracks are the principal elements to look out for. Either of these could indicate substantial damage. Minor grazing, small star cracks (stress) emanating from pressure points and chips in the chines may detract from the boat's appearance, but are usually superficial and require a relatively easy and inexpensive repair job. Deck and transom damage is rare. However, points to look for are spongy decks caused by fuel or water logging. The problem will require the attention of an expert and a great deal of expense. Check the transom around its base and its bearer's knees. Minor cracks in both the base and at the top of the knees can be common, but generally do not indicate major damage. Seating and console upholstery condition are visually easy to see, but do check the deck attachment of the console, the seat hinges and the water tightness of any integral storage areas. Check the location of fuel tanks and battery do you really want them both located in the same deck space? One spark and perhaps a very loud bang! Inspect all fittings, pipes and breathers for signs of damage. Check out accessibility if a damaged fuel tank has to be replaced. This can be quite expensive if the design and construction has not taken this possibility into account.

Thinking of Buying a Boat and Need Help? Call Insight Marine Surveys Ltd. I specialise in Boats of all types, and I will assist you to make an informed decision. Contact me for a detailed and comprehensive report at: steventruss1@aol.com

Broom Commander

I had the pleasure of Surveying this Broads Classic yesterday. The 37ft Broom Commander Cynric was one of the final wooden motor cruisers to be built by the Norfolk based CJ Broom & Sons.

The Commander class was part of Brooms well known trio of motor cruisers built during the 1950s and 60s, however Cynric deviated from the standard design in that she was the only Commander to have twin screws - a definite advantage with regards to manoeuvrability - and one of only two examples of her class to have the enlarged fixed wheelhouse based on the design for the Broom 45.

She is a product of the era of the tall sided majestic looking wooden Broadland Motor Cruisers designed specifically for inland waters and estuary use.

Surveyors Comments: You can still buy older, big wooden craft for about £15,000 on the Norfolk Broads. Definitely get a Full Out of Water Survey on these types of boats, lovely as they are…. you could be sailing away with a never-ending drain on your bank balance? If you would like a Broom Commander.... Brooms Boats have one for sale called White Heron. Here is the addy....

Broom 30 for sale in Norfolk Uk

I had another visit to Brooms Boats in Brundall today on the South Norfolk Broads. They are still selling lots of boats considering the time of year.

This craft moulded by Aquafibre of Rackheath Norfolk uses the same hull as the Ocean 30 namely a round bilge displacement cruiser with keel. The centre cockpit configuration provides berthing for up to 6 people. The boat is prominent in design featuring an enclosed wheelhouse. The skipper version had a folding screen and canopy over the centre cockpit. This had the twin Perkins engine, capable of coast and estuary work. Engines were usually single Perkins 4107/4108.

The superstructure and interior were designed by Mr Martin Broom and four pre-1968 boats had a mahogany superstructure and teak-laid deck, after which time the construction was all GRP. Wooden uprights in the forward windscreen and wooden wheelhouse door frames were also phased out in later models.

Surveyors comments: Good ones don’t stay on the market very long. Expect to pay up to £40k for a good blue or green one. White twin engine ones with the upper helms fetch 45K
 
Thinking of Buying a Boat and Need Help? Call Insight Marine Surveys Ltd. I specialise in Boats of all types, and I will assist you to make an informed decision. Contact me for a detailed and comprehensive report at:
steventruss1@aol.com