Duchess 9m Motor Boat

This was an interesting Motor Boat I surveyed today. This is the first time I have seen one of these up close.
The Duchess craft were a development between Boating scene of Basildon and L H Jones and son of St. Ives. The boat was designed based on the Seamaster 820 mouldings which were provided by Viking boats. The idea was to produce an easily handling low powered cruiser for river use. About 10 of these boats were built.

　

Surveyors comments: The semi displacement hull has a tall free board hull offering large internal volume. Jones & Sons have a good reputation and I was very impressed with the fit out.

Some Osmosis blistering is common on the older (1980) Seamaster or Vicking hulls. The level of blistering I normally see is considered relatively typical for a vessel of this age used in a freshwater environment and commensurate with other craft of this class that I have previously Surveyed. No remedial action is usually neccessary.....

Take a look at this link for full specs:  http://www.jonesboatyard.co.uk/documents/Duchess-9m.pdf

Broom 32

I had a visit to ‘Le Boat’ Boat Hire in Horning today on the Northern Broads. ‘Le boat’ often sell off a few hire boats at the end of the season and this one has just come on the market…an Aquafibre 32 (Broom). These stock boats are extremely good value. All items of equipment will work at the time of handover (unless marked otherwise and excluded from the boat’s specification). In most cases their preparation will include a polish, antifoul and engine service where necessary. You will be invited for a comprehensive handover to demonstrate and explain the boat’s equipment. After handover, only the engines and gearboxes are warranted against major faults for the next 3 months.

This ex hire boat came from Ireland, and has a steel plate fitted to the undeside of the keel. The River Shannon in Ireland has a gravel bottom along with small rocks in places. Part of the plate had corroded away so it was decided to remove it now the boats on the Broads.

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

Yare and Bure One Design

I had a trip to Martham Boat Building Corporation (Martham Boats) today on the Northern Broads. Martham Boats run by Ian and Patrick Curtis and their Farther. They are a well known traditional family run boatyard, they offer a wide choice of services which vary from the hire of traditional wooden cruisers to the fibreglass sailing yachts..... even stand up paddle boarding!  They also cater for the private boater with the moorings and storage to slipway, fuel and pump outs, engineering work both electrical and mechanical as well as boat repairs and manufacture. They have the perfect hoist for lifting out wooden boats.
They can also build you a boat, or make new sails and covers. They are the 'one stop' spot for the traditional wooden boat enthusiast. They welcome DIYS. I kept my own Yacht there for the winter one year. You get the perfect shed for working on your boat.. space, power… and also helpful advice if required. A nice friendly family atmosphere along with the other wooden boat owners all working away on thier individual boats. The wooden boat lovers paradise… check out the pics 

Another little 1920'2 Ernest Woods half decker being restored for an owner...

Today’s Survey... a Pre-purchase Inspection and Valuation on 'Orange Tip' (above). Built in the 20's a classic, rare, YBOD half decker (Yare and Bure One Design).... these boats are unique to Norfolk. This old girl has her name on the Gold Cup.. a regatta held in Wroxam for the last 100 years!!
Her builders plate reads Ernest Woods of Cantley Boat Number XX (20). Magic.. I know why I moved to Norfolk… im in my element…

New members wanted for the Broads Authority

Would you like to help make the decisions that affect the future of the Broads?

The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is recruiting two new members to the Broads Authority which is a member of the National Park family.

The Secretary of State appoints ten members to the Authority to reflect the national importance of the Broads with responsibility for conservation, recreation, the maintenance of the navigation area, planning, access, land management and resources.

The appointments will commence from April 2013 and are initially for up to four years with the option of re-appointment for a total period of up to eight years.
In the coming two years the Authority plans to improve water quality, restore more of the fen areas to productive management, work with local businesses to foster sustainable tourism and maintain its enhanced level of maintenance activity.

The Authority is currently working with Dutch, Belgian and French partners on promoting innovative solutions to the dredging and disposal of sediment from the rivers and broads.
It is expected that new members would take an interest across all the Authority’s functions and an induction programme is provided.

New members are also being appointed to the Dartmoor, Exmoor, New Forest, North York Moors, Peak District and South Downs National Park Authorities and Chilterns and Cotswolds AONB (Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty) Conservation Boards.

Applications are particularly encouraged from members of ethnic minorities, people with disabilities, women and young people.

Application forms and further details are available on-line at http://www.defra.gov.uk/rural/national-parks. If you would like an application pack by post, please contact Chris Buxton at Natural England, Foundry House, 3 Millsands, Riverside Exchange, Sheffield, S3 8NH (Telephone 0300 060 2745 or e-mail sos.appointments@naturalengland.org.uk ).

Deadline for receipt of applications is Friday 16 November 2012. To discuss the Broads Authority role contact: John Organ on 01603 756073

Rare spider introduced to the Norfolk Broads

One of Britain’s rarest and most spectacular spiders has been introduced to the Norfolk Broads after an intensive captive breeding programme.

A thousand hand-reared fen raft baby spiders or spiderlings have been released on the RSPB’s Mid-Yare reserve in an effort to generate new populations of this vulnerable species in Norfolk, where they are now restricted to a single site.

The fen raft spider, (Dolomedes plantarius) is Britain’s biggest spider and can grow to the size of a woman’s palm with a body length of 23mm. It can literally walk on water to catch its prey but owing to deterioration and loss of wetland habitats, its population has suffered. It is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN’s Red List of Threatened Species and as Threatened in the UK Red Data Book.

The fen raft spider is only found on three wetland sites in the UK - Redgrave and Lopham Fen National Nature Reserve in Norfolk where it was first discovered in Britain in1956, the Pevensey Levels in Southern England and in South Wales.

The release of the baby spiders were watched by their foster parents, mainly staff from zoos, who have patiently reared them in individual test-tubes over the summer. The spiderlings have been bred from the wild population at Redgrave and Lopham Fen Reserve.

Ecologist Dr Helen Smith, who co-ordinates the Fen Raft Spider Species Recovery programme for Natural England, devised the test tube rearing techniques with the John Innes Centre in Norwich. She has reared 5,000 spiderlings in her own kitchen over the last three years.

“I think everyone who does captive rearing gets very attached to them,” she said. “The baby spiders each have their own test-tube to avoid them eating each other so you have to devote yourself to feeding them for three months. We achieve survival rates of around 90% over this period, when survival in the wild would be very low.

“The Mid Yare reserve is a very good habitat and the spiders will be able to spread easily from the release site. It’s very exciting to be able to establish a new population in the heart of the Broads.”

Tim Strudwick, RSPB Site Manager, said "We are delighted to be able to provide a new home for fen raft spiders. The RSPB staff and volunteers have worked hard for many years to get the grazing marsh habitat into good condition for all kinds of wildlife and seeing ‘lost’ species return is the best reward.”

Between 2010 and 2012 nearly 12,000 spiderlings will have been released to the wild to establish new populations in Norfolk and Suffolk. At Suffolk Wildlife Trust’s reserve at Castle Marshes near Lowestoft they have been breeding successfully this year, producing an estimated 50 nursery webs. The aim of the programme is to secure the future of this species in the UK by increasing the number of populations from three to 12 by 2020.

The Fen Raft Spider Translocation Programme is funded by Natural England England, the Broads Authority, the BBC Wildlife Fund and volunteers. Other partners are the Suffolk, Sussex and Norfolk Wildlife Trusts, RSPB, the University of Nottingham, Buglife and the British Arachnological Society.

For more information about the programme visit: www.dolomedes.org.uk

Hunter Horizon 273

I was really impressed with this small Yacht I surveyed today. A modern small cruiser from British Hunter, with fractional rig and self-tacking jib for easy handling. She has accommodation for up to 5, including a small double berth aft.

Between 1988 and 1995, about 200 were built, with minor differences and name changes, from Hunter 27 to 272 and 273. The boat Surveyed is a Horizon 273 twin keel, built by Hunters in 1994. Some boats were built as a 'sailaway kit', and completed and launched by the first owners. Hunter 'sailaway kits' had all structural work completed by the factory - as the name implies the boats supplied in this fashion were ready to sail. Owner completion was restricted to fitting internal trim and fittings, and we generally find very little difference between 'factory finished' and 'home finished' British Hunters.

Surveyors comments: Regularly check the rigging for tensioning and the lock nuts or pins for safetying. The first inspection should be performed after a few days at sea in various weathers. Secure, lubricate and check the bottle screws for tensioning: if the rigging is loose, the chain plate friction may generate wear. Never lubricate bottle screws with silicon grease: use tallow, graphite grease or other. Change all shrouds or stays exhibiting kinks, severed wires or other defects. Regularly check the chain plates and stays for condition. 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

Connoisseur 37

I had a visit to Woods Dyke Boat Yard in Horning today on the Northern Broads to Survey this Connoisseur 37 River Cruiser. The acting Broker was Norfolk Yacht Agency.

Since the early 1990s, Porter & Haylett have been known as Connoisseur Cruisers, named after their most successful classes. In 2009, the company took the name of the parent company Le Boat and moved their base to the old Wilds yard in Horning.
 
The Connoisseur 37 was first produced in 1979, followed in the early 1980s, by the longer 42ft version. The second pairing was produced during 1992 (for the 45ft version) and 1993 (for the 40ft).

In 2007 Connoisseur come together with Crown Blue Line and Emerald Star to become Le Boat with over 1100 boats across Europe.

Ferry Marine now operate the crain at Woods Dyke.

 

Ive Surveyed a number of these cruisers over the years. They have a good reputation for being well built out of good quality materials. A few blisters on the bottom (osmosis) is not uncommon and usually in significant, the hull mould is thick…. well above the standards of thickness on hulls built these days.

Check deck fittings are all secure and not allowing any rain water to enter the vessel. If any deck fittings have been leaking check the bulkheads for any degrading.

Some window leaks are not uncommon on older models. To stop windows leaking you may have use a non-hardening caulking so that the caulking can move with the expansion. To deal with this problem, you may have to remove the frames, rebed them and refasten them less tightly than they were previously installed.

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

Hampton Safari

I had trip to Norfolk Yacht Agency today to Survey yet another Hampton Safari.
This years boat sales on the Broads has been remarkable considering the state of the economy. Strangely I feel that the recession has had a part to play in this significant increase in business. For years we have been told how bad things are and how much worse they are going to get, but with the ridiculously low interest rates on savings it doesn't surprise me that boat sales have been on the increase.

When we travel abroad our pound buys us so much less than ever before and as a result, many of us are looking at ways of getting back that "feel good" factor by buying the boat we have dreamed of, feeling secure that in these current economic times a boat can often be an investment opportunity! There’s almost a ‘Life’s to Short’ attitude with many of my clients, and many of the older generation are left wondering why they should leave their savings in a bank account doing very little!

Speaking to many of my customers…. they word is they are no longer being put off by the "doom and gloom" brigade…. It could be a very good 2013!



Jet washing off all the marine life!

Norfolk Yacht Agency have just installed a new electric hoist in the workshops...cable of lifting up to ten tons, other facilities include a joinery machine shop and engineering workshop and they are able to carry out all types of work from routine maintenance to full renovation and fit-out projects.

Please type in Hampton in the search box and check out all the boats I have Surveyed over the last 2 years, and lots of comments on what to look for when buying.

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

 

Help protect Trinity Broads against non- native shrimp

Trinity Broads users are being urged to check, clean and dry their boats and fishing equipment before they enter the water to help protect the broads from the invasive killer shrimp.

Dikerogammarus villosus is an aggressive hunter, feeding on damselflies, small fish, water boatmen and native freshwater shrimp. It was first found in Barton Broad in March and since then has been discovered in the River Ant at Wayford Bridge and downstream in the Bure. Recently a few shrimps have been found in Wroxham Broad, believed to have been transferred by human activity.

Will Burchnall, the Broads Authority’s new Wetland Biosecurity Officer, appointed to help stop the spread of the shrimp, says it is vital the shrimp is kept out of the Trinities because of their high conservation value.

“Because the Trinities are isolated from the Broads system it is possible to protect them from the advances of this new predator but only if everyone is acutely aware of the danger it presents and takes every precaution not to transfer it from other waterways,” he said.

Will’s message is for everyone using other waterways to routinely check their equipment, such as boats, footwear, clothing, ropes, fishing tackle and nets that have been in contact with the water. They should wash the equipment, return any organisms to the water from which they came, and dry out the equipment for at least 48 hours as the shrimps can survive for several days in damp conditions. The shrimps can also be killed by immersing clothing, ropes and nets in hot water (at least 40º C) for 15 minutes.

Anglers are asked not to use keep nets as shrimps tend to gather in them—a practice backed by Norwich and District Anglers Association. If fishermen insist on using keep nets they are asked to use nets dedicated solely to the Trinity Broads and wash and dry them thoroughly afterwards.

Will plans to visit sailing, rowing and angling clubs across the Broads to give advice on how to identify the shrimp and stop it spreading.

The shrimp, which can grow to 3 cms, is larger than native freshwater species and can be identified by its tiger stripes and horns on its tail. It originates from the Black and Caspian Seas in Eastern Europe and has spread across most of Western Europe over the last ten years. It does not pose a threat to people or their pets.

Please note that the image is of an angler's waders after an hour fishing in Grafham Water, not at Trinity Broads.

If anyone identifies the shrimp in the Trinity Broads they should report it at https://secure.fera.defra.gov.uk/nonnativespecies/home/index.cfm or contact Will Burchnall Tel: 01603 756003 or 07788438121 email: will.burchnall@broads-authority.gov.uk

More videos from RichardsonsBoating (playlist)

Broadsman 2 off to Sheerline.... cant wait to see the fit out and all the goodies...

Birchwood 22

I Surveyed this Birchwood 22 today down at Boulter Marine in Horning on the Northern Broads. The Birchwood 22 is a clever design of an open plan cruiser, offering generous accommodation for her size.

The guys at Boulter Marine have a great old hoist.... the boats can be lifted in minutes...

The Birchwood 22 first came out in 1970 and featured an open plan cabin arrangement for four people. The reasonably sized cockpit has a GRP hardtop fitted. About 100 were built up to 1980.

The hull shape is medium V. Various makes and powers of diesel and petrol outdrives were fitted. The mould was also used for the Birchwood 22 Interceptor.

The first models were called the interceptor range, had a shorter wheelhouse hardtop and were all outdriven.

The 22 version featured a longer hardtop and most models had inboard engines, with conventional shaft drive. The shaft was some what protected by a tunnel moulding in the hull.

Engines in the early Interceptor versions features Volvo 115/130 petrol outdrive engines. Later Birchwood had Wortham Blake petrol shaft drives. This one had the Seawolf 30HP petrol engine fitted.

Surveyors comments: The hull mouldings are thick and solid. Because of the thickness of the hull, some osmosis blistering will be normally seen across the underbody. One common misconception is that blisters seriously weaken and/or damage boat hulls. In years of surveying and examining various hulls with differing types of blistering I have seen very few cases that have resulted in serious structural degradation of a hull where it has weakened to a point where some type of failure was imminent.

Check for window leaks and water damage to internal bulkheads.

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

Ten new angling platforms in the Broads

The Broads Authority and the Environment Agency have installed ten new wooden angling platforms in an important fishing area on the River Waveney in order to improve facilities for anglers.

Access on an existing 150m stretch of reed bed has been improved by the installation of new platforms and a boardwalk. A new bank upstream has also been prioritised for angling to compensate for a restriction on fishing from the adjacent small and busy 24 hour mooring at Worlingham.

Two of the angling platforms close to the car park have a granite path to take wheelchairs and eight provide access over the reeds. The platforms should help to prevent the rond eroding while providing a safe, dry platform for anglers to sit on and be free of disturbance by boats.

The Broads Authority and the Environment Agency worked in partnership with the Broads Angling Strategy Group to plan the platforms which have been installed at a cost of £50,000. The Broads Authority paid for the materials and the Environment Agency paid for the construction.

Mark Casto, chairman of the Broads Angling Strategy Group said: “This is a fantastic resource for local anglers to enjoy because not only is it a good safe place to fish, it’s a really lovely spot. We particularly welcome the creation of two new swims and easy access facilities, which has given all anglers a real alternative when the moorings are busy at Worlingham.”

The fishing platforms are already proving very popular. A young local angler, who has been fishing at Worlingham since he was nine, said: “I am now 26 and this is the best thing that anyone has done for fishing.”

Hampton Safari Mark II

I was at Richardson’s in Stalham today Surveying one of their stock boats (ex hire). Ex hire boats are always being added to their sales list so if you don't find what you are looking for give them a call. There stock boats have been inspected by their Service Centre and prepared for sale. All items of equipment will work at time of handover (unless marked otherwise and excluded from the boat’s specification). In most cases Richardson’s preparation will include a polish, antifoul and engine service where necessary. After handover, the engines and gearboxes are warranted against major faults for the next 3 months.

Great little Cruiser... the perfect floating caravan... ideal starter boat for the Broads.

A good one will cost you K14....

 

Click to see Ricos website and more boats for sale...

 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

Haines 35 Offshore

I was back at Norfolk Yacht Agency today Surveying this locally built Motor Cruiser.

Haines have a great reputation for quality motor cruisers, primarily for inland waterways - until now. This Sedan 35 Offshore takes Haines build quality out to sea. The Offshore 35 came onto the Market in 2009 and immediately received great reviews for its excellent sea going qualities. It is an ideal boat for both inland and offshore use and built to luxurious standards. The accommodation is primarily designed for two people with room for day guests; you can sleep 4 with the use of the saloon area.
The Yanmar 180hp diesel engines provides good performance, the boat is capable of just under 25Knots.

 Surveyors comments:  It is becoming well recognised that the Haines Brand represents both excellent value, while being produced to an exceptionally high standard of finish.

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