Broads Authority’s annual public meeting

Details of the Broads Authority’s annual public meeting on Saturday 29 June have now been confirmed.

The meeting will run from 10am to 1.30pm at the dockyard in Thorpe and will include a short presentation by chief executive Dr John Packman repeated over two sessions, each followed by questions and answers.

Each presentation session at 10.30am and 12.30pm will outline the Authority’s achievements during the past year and its future plans.

Stands and displays from Authority officers will highlight specific projects, including the construction journey of the workshop, and both staff and members will be on hand to talk about their work.
Short trips on the Authority’s new patrol launch, the Spirit of Breydon, will also be offered free of charge.

Teas, coffees, soft drinks and cakes will be served during the morning.

Park and ride will be provided free of charge by the Griffin Pub, 212 Yarmouth Road, Norwich NR7 0SN with blue badge parking only available at the dockyard.

As parking is limited both at the pub and the dockyard please book a space in advance by contacting Lorna Marsh on 01603 756040 or lorna.marsh@broads-authority.gov.uk

Haines 31 Sedan

I spent the morning with Norfolk Yacht Agency in Horning Surveying this Haines 31 yesterday.

Colour coordination with the crew at Ferry Marine lol…time to give her a ‘wash off’ before carrying out some scrape samples….

Haines Marine are one of the most respected boatbuilding companies on the Norfolk Broads. A family run company based only 5 minutes from my home in Ingham, founded in 1980 by Bob and Mary Haines. They offer a bespoke service for new boats in every respect, trips to their factory to monitor the build, to choose the details of your boat and to follow its progress through the construction.

This older 1996 model was built on the Aquafibre hull. Many of these Aquafibre mouldings do the rounds one way or another and sometimes it's difficult to tell who's version is whos! Sheerline, Haines, Brooms, Aquafibre plus I think Falcon with a Renaissance also used the hull moulding.

Surveyors comment:
I have inspected dozens of these boats over the years and I cant remember one with any structural issues. The gelcoat on the underbody is usually pristine with no signs of any osmosis.

Surveyors Engine Running Checks:

Allow the engine to warm up slowly. Never apply full throttle to a cold engine! Check that the cooling water is circulating - Look over the side to make sure it's discharging. Check the oil pressure, engine temperature regularly and that the battery is charging. Check the stern gland and all seacock hose connections for leaks. Check the engine visually for signs of fuel leaks, overheating and excessive vibration. Before stopping the engine allow it to idle a few minutes to cool down.

Thinking of Buying a Boat and Need Help? 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
 

The way to go Boatshed!

The Real Deal!

Boat sales up!

It feels like there is a significant sales increase this summer. Im definitely seeing a boost in traffic in the aftermath of the worst of the recession. Lots of people are in search for replacement boats. Things can some times go quiet once the seasons started, but not this year… just had my fourth booking in today.

Fairline 50 with Boatshed Norfolk.

Broom Commander with Boatshed Norfolk.

Alpha 39 with Norfolk Yacht Agency.

Elysian 34 Private sale in Cambridge.

Thinking of Buying a Boat and Need Help? 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

Finesse 24

I had a trip to Fakenham today up near the North Norfolk Coast to Survey this little Yacht.

 

The owner having a 'clean off'' before applying some new antifouling paint

 

 

 

 

The Finesse 24, which was first launched in 1968, was conceived at a time when wooden boats, and particularly clinker ones, were falling from favour, glassfibre being the material of choice. They’re also solidly built, of good-quality materials, and, in the majority of cases, have been well maintained by their owners. The Finesse 24 is a development of the Finesse 21, which boatbuilder Alan Platt started building in 1961. The design had been produced by a friend, Laurie Harbottell, who wanted a cruiser for sailing in the shoal waters of the East Coast, and it proved to be such a head-turner that Platt went on to build over 80 more. Demand for a bigger version resulted in the Finesse 24 in 1968. The 24-footer is distinctive in style, with a full-bodied hull, pretty swept sheer, broad transom and perky bowsprit, and is every bit an East Coast cruiser, heavily influenced by the shoal-draught designs of Maurice Griffiths.
Surveyors comments: The hulls are so durable being made of top quality Iroko (a type of Teak) a very well built Yacht. Keep your eye on the deck sheathing,. The rate of deterioration and requirement for routine repair will increase with the degree of wear. The rate of wear varies considerably and is dependent on such items as the degree of wear and tear from feet, scrubbing brushes and exposure to sunlight / heat.

caribbean 030

56' Twin Scew Motor Yacht

I went to look at this lovely old TSMY again today in Beccles. 'Aspyrian’ is almost at the end of a very expensive substantial refitting programme which has been ongoing for the past five years. There has been full assistance from the MCA who have helped equip the vessel with the appropriate safety gear, etc. Steve Charlton the Manager at Waveny River Centre has un-doubtably employed some good craftsmen over the years who have reconstructed the vessel into something of a prestigious luxury Motor Yacht. Virtually every part of the vessel has either been stripped, repaired or replaced, and she now has a very extensive inventory of new equipment and safety equipment.

She will be launched shortly for sea trials before heading to Scotland for Charter work.

Thinking of Buying a Boat and Need Help? 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

Fiestabell of Bell boats For Sale

I had a trip to Martham Boats today to Survey this lovely old Broads Crusier that’s just come on the market. ‘Double Dutch’ was originally built in 1962 by Bell Boats of Brundall and was one of two wooden boats built for the hire fleet. She was originally called Fiesta Bell and she is believed to be the only one left on the Broads. She has been in the same ownership for the last 28 years and has been regularly maintained during that period, usually being taken out of the water every 2 years by Martham Boat Building Corporation and any works required carried out by them.

In the sheds at Martham with the usual array of Classics - 2nd white cruiser down on the right- a 42 ft Beauty built in Oulton Broad and heading back there once completed…

New Nanni diesel engine fitted in 2010 with tons of other new equipment, tankage and electrics…

Sale to include an 11’ clinker dingy built by Richardson’s with a wood trim and seats which are varnished - she also has a traditional rope fender and cover.

If your interested please email me at steventruss1@aol.com

Great way to sell a boat! - 1995 46′ Grand Banks Classic for sale in Washington

GRAND BANKS 42 CLASSIC YACHT FOR SALE

Grand Banks 36 Classic

 Source: Eston Ellis, Sea Magazine.com
 After 37 years, the Grand Banks 36 is still a classic
Lordy, lordy — look who’s close to 40.

Believe it or not, in just three years, Grand Banks will celebrate four decades as the world’s most popular trawler yacht builder. Almost since their introduction, Grand Banks yachts have turned heads and won over many a savvy boater.

This love affair began back in 1964, when Grand Banks first introduced three models — a 32, a 36 and a 42 — for the 1965 model year. The Grand Banks 36 Classic is still in production — and it remains incredibly popular. In Sea Magazine’s most recent survey of Western yacht brokers, it ranked as the second most popular trawler yacht overall — with the larger Grand Banks 42 in first place. While the 36 foot Grand Banks has long held “cult classic” status in the Pacific Northwest, it is riding a new wave of popularity everywhere, thanks to the growing worldwide demand for long-range trawler yachts.

Steeped in Tradition
With its distinctive teak-trimmed transom and rails, plumb bow, high bulwarks, large deckhouse and flying bridge, the 36 foot Grand Banks is a boat that has always had a traditional look — and for nine years, that traditional design was more than skin deep.

The first Grand Banks yachts were built in Hong Kong until 1968, when production was moved to Singapore. (Today, boats are built in both Singapore and Malaysia.) Known for traditional craftsmanship, flawless wood joinerwork and classic styling, Grand Banks did not switch from all-wood construction to contemporary fiberglass construction methods until 1973. When the builder made the move from Philippine mahogany to fiberglass, it did so without fanfare. In fact, Grand Banks made its fiberglass models look just like the wooden ones, with molded-in chines that look just like wood planking. Side by side, unless you already know the difference, it is impossible to tell that a well-maintained 1972 Grand Banks 36 is made of wood and a 1973 model is fiberglass. The acres of genuine teak trim and decking are the same on both versions. Only what’s beneath the white paint or gelcoat differs from model to model.

One thing that will instantly tell you a pre-1973 Grand Banks has a wood hull is its price tag. The oldest wood versions start at around $62,000 (depending on condition), while the oldest fiberglass 36s start at around $90,000 (and go all the way up to $450,000, for newer examples). The reason, of course, is that wood requires more maintenance. An unrestored 30-year-old Grand Banks may need to have some planking replaced, or at least have it through-bolted to its frames again. Neglected wooden 36s may have galvanic corrosion problems — or dry rot around the keel bolts, rudder posts, shaft logs and fuel fill ports. Not every marine surveyor or shipwright is experienced with wooden boats. It’s important to find professionals who are familiar with them, before you decide to buy a wood-hull boat of any make. That way, you’ll get a more accurate assessment of the boat’s actual condition and any potential maintenance issues that must be considered. Fortunately, Grand Banks owners are a proud lot and judging from what’s available on the used boat market, most of them seem to tackle their maintenance routines with near-religious fervour. With all the exterior teak on the 36 — even on the fiberglass models — that maintenance does require dedication.

Small or Just Right?
The 36 has been called a “right-size” boat for a couple, because it is so easy for two people to handle by themselves. Many long-range cruisers have a fondness for smaller boats, because it is easier to keep track of everything aboard, it’s easy to dock them and it’s more economical to run a small boat than a larger one — especially when you’re cruising hundreds of miles. However, the one onboard commodity no boater seems to have enough of is space — and that may be the 36’s one main shortcoming. That’s why the larger Grand Banks 42 is the West’s most popular trawler — and why the company now builds trawler yachts up to 64 feet. Still, the Grand Banks 36 has a surprisingly accommodating interior. There’s a large master stateroom aft, a single head compartment, a guest stateroom with V-berths forward and an airy saloon with an inside helm station (in addition to the station on the flybridge) and an adjacent galley. In 1988, Grand Banks gave the venerable 36 a subtle update, making the hull 6 inches longer and 4 inches wider. Several welcome improvements were added, including a stall shower in the boat’s aft head compartment and a walk-around queen-size berth in the aft stateroom (instead of twin berths). The bow pulpit was changed from teak to fiberglass.

Power to Cruise
Take one look at a Grand Banks 36, and you won’t expect it to win any on-the-water drag races. However, its semi-displacement hull is faster than you might think (thanks to a flattened aft section) and is quite sea kindly in even the sloppiest conditions (thanks to its deep draft, full keel and rub strakes that knock down spray). The first versions of the 36 came with a single, economical (but not very fast) 135 hp Lehman diesel inboard. The boat consumed just 3 gallons per hour at its 8 knot cruising speed, giving it a cruising range that approached 1,000 miles. Its top speed was around 12 knots. Later versions were available with a variety of larger, faster engine packages, including twin 210 hp Cummins diesels, to provide a 12 knot cruising speed and a top speed of around 15 knots. Whatever power package or hull type you choose, you’ll find that the Grand Banks 36 offers a great deal of practicality — whether you plan to do long-range cruising or close-to-home harbor hopping. The lines are timeless — and the resale values of used 36s remain remarkably high.

Broads photograph wins national competition

A photo of the Broads has beaten hundreds of others from across UK national parks to clinch top prize in a competition judged by adventurer Ben Fogle.

The picture of a young woman canoeing through Surlingham Broad at sunrise was shot by Tasmanian amateur photogapher Fraser Johnston who was inspired to take up the hobby while exploring the Broads only five years ago.

It was the only Broads entry to the Actively Yours contest sponsored by Merrell and wowed television star Ben, who chose the “breathtakingly beautiful” photo from a field of 334 entries from both amateur and professional photographers.

"Johnston's photo is evocative and moving," he said. "It's a beautiful winter's scene that makes you want to dive into the image. I find it surprisingly moving and breathtakingly beautiful. Canoeing is accessible to everyone; it requires no expertise. Just like the National Parks, it's for everyone."

Judges wanted to see people being active in one of the 15 members of the National Park family, emphasising that Britain’s breathing spaces belong to everybody.

The Actively Yours theme is supported by outdoor footwear specialists Merrell, who will be providing Fraser with his choice of outdoor or active footwear from their spring/summer 2013 collection.

Fraser moved to Norwich in 2007 after meeting his Norfolk girlfriend in Tasmania while she was on holiday.

“At the time I didn't even know that Norfolk existed,” he said. “It's much different to Tasmania where there is barely a flat piece of ground anywhere. However I learned to love the landscape especially after we bought an old hand made canoe. About this time I took up photography and we started exploring the Broads, putting a tent and some warm clothes in our leaky old canoe and setting off from Norwich, headed down river for the weekend.

“The photograph is a beautiful memory of a beautiful winter's morning setting off in the canoe after camping the night before. The position the shot is taken from puts the viewer right in the action, taking the stern position in the canoe."

The competition was launched on 18 March this year and ran until 26 April.  Kathryn Cook, UK Director of the UK Association of National Park Authorities, said the short-listing process was “an incredibly difficult one.”

"We were really taken with the quality of this year's entries," she said.  "There were some lively discussions amongst the judges about who should go through. Each of the photos so wonderfully represented what is special about the UK's National Parks - that they are free and open to all of us. We're certainly grateful to Ben for taking on the challenge of picking a final winner -- it can't have been easy."

To see the winning photo, as well as the other entries visit: www.nationalparks.gov.uk/photo-competition

The annual photography competition is one of the major events leading up to National Parks Week, which takes place this year from 29 July to 4 August. As with the photography competition, the theme for National Parks Week 2013 is Actively Yours. It is part of an effort to encourage everyone to get out and enjoy the incredible diversity of landscapes and activities to be found within the UK's National Parks family.

To learn more about National Parks Week, including finding information on events taking place near you, visit: www.nationalparks.gov.uk/2013nationalparksweek