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In a black mood nov 06
The story so far>>>>>>>>>>>
Iteldoo4me has been a traumatic
journey from initial idea, through the build, to now.
I decided a year ago I would have a boat,firstly I took on the search tactics for a boat,this
meant travelling around the country looking at used boats,and talking to as many boat owners I could find,but overall
I found that what I wanted didnt exist,appeared excessive in price,and for the costs I assumed,presumptiously
that a new one was going to have to be the way forward. I took it on good advice to go to HIXON BOATS,they had the gear,the plasma cutters,and apparant workforce, this proved to be a very big mistake when it was done. I
prepped and spray painted it myself(handy having been a paint sprayer for 14 years) A condition of purchase was I use
the builders spray booth,what a mammoth task,it took almost as long to paint her as it took to build!
First job was to grind off the welds alond the gunnells,so I could 'dress' it alond the full length of the
boat,welds look ok,but I was after a smooth look along this area,There was a lot of weld splatter ,in fact it was everywhere,I
was told that it would be removed,but it never was,I ended up having to do it myself,and although I managed to
do it the best I could I did feel let down by the uninterest in the boat from the builders.There was a lot of 'finishing
off to do,I could of left it,but felt that by tidying up ragged welds,and shaping the shell cosmetically in visible places,it
would be visually more pleasing to the eye,which now I must say I am pleased about,but a lot of
the asthetic appearances dont really come to light till its all painted! I used MASONS 2 PACK SYSTEM,including a 1 pack
etch primer,thoroughly reccomended but excrusiating uncomfortable on the lungs despite wearing a full face oxygen mask!.
The process of paint build up was one coat of steel etch(this is an acid based product)followed by 9 coats
of 2 pack primer filler,wet flatted and da'd off to flat finish,followed by 6 coats off top coat.I had plannned on using a
standard 2 pack system for cars,but was warned that I may have problems with it being a marine application requirement.I
think many people do use basic 2 packs as a system for painting boats,but I decided to go on good advice.Another time I'll
stick to a basic 2 pack,its lot cheaper than a branded name,and sure it will be just as adequate.
This was followed 6 weeks later by a quick wet flat with 800w&d,including removal of a couple of runs I
had found,and a good buff over using a farecla cutting compound.I believe this was G5 >?
The task of fitting it out was also an unknown entity,in theory, it becomes a very assuming,and presumptious
task, some experience in renovation of property,may have contributed to my confidence level,but
anyone wishing too take this type of task on,needs to be aware of a very carefull planning requirements.A good bit of
shopping around has got to be a serious consideration,as the costs seem to soar really quickly,I had suspected that £5000
would be my costing ,but 3 months down the road £8000 is a more realistic figure.However,it was with out doubt far less in
finances to do it ones self,than buying it all done by a boat fitter.There are always fors and against doing a self fitout,but
for me,as the boat name suggests,Iteldoo4me.Plus its unique,as all boats are,a bit differant in its interior,a 60's theme
to bring a bit of nostalgia to the beast,all painted in a 2 tone straw and mint green emusion and gloss.This was because I
used seconds timber,not the faced ply that is conventionally used, despite it being a risk in many ways I am pleased
with the overall visuals of it all.
She has been through the mill of problems ,which now is being slowly rectified, . Thanks to Andy at
THE WINDING HOLE BOAT BUILDERS .No thanks to
HIXON BOATS,who built her,and refused to accept resposibilty for faults,oh
well nothing suprises me anymore! See you in court !!!!!!.NAME AND SHAME IS THE INTENTENDED AIM.This is a real pity,as overall Hixons have let themselves down,it makes the proffessional boat fitters out there
have a 'tag',which is unfair.Just a little bit more care and attention to detail,for the money I had paid them,and I would
be a happy chappy.(HIXON BOATS are no longer trading for those of you a bit concerned!)
AND I'M STILL FINDING THINGS TO DO TO HER,WILL IT EVER END I ASK MYSELF!!!
Bit like a house,start to decorate,and when its all done,.start again!
Style of the boat is 60's,with the internal walls being covered with photos and memoribilia(all contributions
gratefully appreciated!!!!!!) As my bruv says,'walls are for putting pictures on'
HOODS DIRECT from Redhill Marina have made the cratch cover,and
'MAX' the joiner from Redhill Marina, made the frame.
The winter is upon us now,but looking forward to a few days out in the snow ,if we get any,
16/02/06
I have added some more pics to the site,its always a long process getting the right
ones on,so I just put the new additions to the boat on,I found that there are a lot of 'unfinished' jobs to do,its
the jobs I left for another day,probably bored with it or something,well they have to be done.The plumbing is on its
way now,and with the calorifier now in and plumbed up,its not far away from the complete fit out completion.I reckon another
week and I'll be looking for something to do,although somehow something tells me that I wont be lost for a few more projects.
12/12/05
I've moved.Seems theres no holding me down.Yesterday I took the boat
to Shardlow Marina,about 2 miles along the Trent from Redhill Marina,promptly went wrong,seems someone nicked the 'SHARDLOW
MARINA' sign on the trent junction,a detour of about 2 hours eventually got me on right direction,afterall practice
on the locks never did any harm,bit of a rush as the sun was setting,and it was upstream,and for a novice like me it was all
very daunting,so to its new moorings,secured for a year.Watch this space for photo updates.
Take it easy out there fellow boaters.
7/2/06
With the weather being more generous the diy'ers are out in force,me no exceptoion,even
with a new boat I find I am painting again,and adding morew trim to what I consider to be bland doors,so a a bit
of spicing up is required.A new set of louvred doors for the bathroom brings a bit of character to the inside,and atempts
to continue with getting my heating installed this week should prove interesting!
Still plenty of jobs to do,never ending it seems.
7/3/06
Have just started from the beginning again,and decided to rectify the
work I did when fit out first started!Well it was a bit bohemian,and have also added a door between the corridor and
the kitchen,now all I need to do is lose some weight,or I wont be able to get from one end of boat to other.
15/04/06
Today I took,Lindy,& Martin to Beeston for a beer and lunch,and a great
day was had by all! Superb weather,and great company,as Martin has a boat next to me at the Shardlow moorings,but as of the
beginning of the day had not actually been on the water,That has now changed!.and a great skippper he turned out to be,took
to the helm no prob,and Lindy also took the helm no problem,like ducks to water if your excuse the pun!!!!!
Only problem was on return to Shardlow Marina when could I get the hulk
in its mooring,no way,ended up having to go around Marina with a broadside gale attacking me,with the intention of another
attempt,almost getting prop caught up in a warning buoys rope,and deciding that stern in first isnt such a clever idea
without a bow thruster, or more brains than mine, so it was bow end in first.It was a relief to get back.Now I plan to
learn how to get into the mooring,stern first!!!
This is a postscript to all of you thinking that
a BOWTHRUSTER is not a neccessity on a narrowboat,......it is!!!! The additional costs involved
are really quite minimal,after all if your having a new boat built,then another couple of grand should break the bank,unlike
me who has decided that its essential as a back up,if nothing else,except my boat doesn't have one...yet.
After my ordeal at the weekend last, with a broadside gusto
of wind,a BOWTHRUSTER has got to be a must.There are plenty available,and a complete set
up can cost between £1500 and £3000,my choice is a Vetus,which is middle of the row,and although it has a sheer pin and a
plastic prop,is a good system for the boat.I have been advised by GARY PEACOCK that
a steel prop would cause more damage should any 'missiles' get into the tube,unlike a plastic prop which would sheer.All this
to be avoided by the fitting of a mesh to the outside of the tube ends.
So this is my new addition to be,and for anyone reading this
your emails would be appreciated,be it that you have a Bowthruster or are considering it.
A final word on this matter.prices quoted above include the
switches,tube thruster,and cabling,all that is required is to fit it all,plus a battery,and a good charging system on
your boat. nb_iteldoo4me@msn.com
29/04/06
ALMOST FINISHED THE FITOUT NOW,TIGHING UP THE FEW LOOSE ENDS.ITS A
GOOD SIGN WHEN TOOLS AND TIMBER COME OUT THE BOAT!5 WEEKS TO GO TILL BOAT COMES OUT OF WATER FOR RECTIFICATION WORK,THEN HEATER
COMPLETION.IT WILL BE A YEAR OLD SOON,SO WILL HAVE TO GET THE CERTIFICATE ON HER.I SEE NO PROBLEMS.
10/05/06
Today was court day,when the build up of the last 7 months came to
fruition!Rightfully I won the case against Hixon Boats,although it could of gone the other way had I not
prepared well.A good set of photos of the faults ,together with estimates,boat survey and quotations brought the right verdict.Now I
can enjoy the boat without any fears of it sinking!I take her to the repairers at the end of the month,and look forward to
several months of good cruising.
16/06/06
At last the boat is almost completed with the rectification
work,with a 10 day estimation for completion by Steve Mills Boat Yard of Trent Lock in Nottinghamshire.it has been a real difficult
journey getting Hixon Boats to court and great news that they had to compensate me for their bodge job on my boat.it pays to persevere.Now I
will be able to complete the fitout,and get away in August for a cruise.Also good news that Waterways World are doing a piece
in the august edition about this situation,whether they name names or not I await in anticipation to see.
They did name and shame,absolutely brilliant,justice
has been done!
***There are lots chandleries
about,but I mention with the highest regard MILLAR MARINE of Shardlow,Norman
and Chris have been superb,without whome I would not of been able to complete my boat,not only do they have an
extensive chandlery,but they know their business,and I would personally
reccomend them to anyone who wants to deal with a company that puts the customer first,and will endeavour to put you on the
right track if there is a problem.01332 793358***
6/07/06
Today the calorifier pipework has been removed,as the plumber,so he
called himself,who fitted the pipes last year prior to my court case,made such a mess that all the joints he had soldered
leaked,when the system was put under pressure.(I will be visiting him in due course!)So now my good friend Richard is going
to do the job again,this time no copper,all HEP2O,which will be a lot neater.THESE COWBOYS...... When I
find his surname I will put it here!
7/07/06
I filled the fresh water tank up today for the first
time,and this had an adverse knock on effect to my ballast,with the extra weight to the bow end,(150 gallons!)the stern became
uneven,and 50 blue bricks were laid to the starboard side to rectify this,I put them ontop of the swim,and hope that this
will suffice,I dont think there is any set rule for weight,sometimes a lot of ther problems arise well after fitout,when the
weight of bathrooms,kitchens etc add to the balance.Mine were all on one side.However all hoping that this has been now resolved.
9/07/06
Well I am pleased to say that the boat is now
finished,despite all the grief on the way I have at last reached the point of completion,although there will always be
those odd jobs to do.So anyone who is reading this I do hope you have initially had a good insight into my boat build
and fit out,initially it is ideal,in a perfect world to have got a good boat builder in the first place,and shop around is
the best advice,although that in its self is no guarantee of a good boat.Anyone wanting any advice I am only too pleased
to answer your questions,in the meantime thanks for being here and good luck in your search,hope to see you on the cut,you
are welcome aboard 'Iteldoo4me'
Added some more photos showing more 'finishing off' its going to be that way for ever i think!.The
bathrooms new improved look has made a lot of differance to the functionability of the running water,it actually flows away
now,unlike its previous method,which was a moment of madness on my side,it doesnt pay to attempt fitting household sinks and
taps to a boat,it proves very unreliable,especially when it comes to water waste,as household sinks for example are too low
down,and as a boat needs a fairly high exit point,pumps and the like dont do the job very well.The taps on the sink are a
mixer set,£20 from Millar marine in Shardlow,should of done that first time around!!!!
The bath was turned around to make it easier for the plumbing,also more headroom when perched
in the 4' x 2' plastic utensil.
15/01/07
The new year brings on the requirements of keeping the boat well maintained,and have also noticed that it
gets very dirty.This must be due to having the stove on these cold nights,so is a major job in itself just keeping the boat
clean.
I have begun fitting white 12volt lights to the underside of the gunwhale,partly to cover a unsightly view(can
only be seen if you stand on your head)on the under side of the area in question.i am doing this from lights purchased from
my local JTF wholesalers(what a nightmare getting a card from them)and timber sections screwed to the underside of the gunwhale.Holes
pre drilled to take the neat and small downlights,and having 12 on either side,controlled by one switch.The system electrics
will be running to and from the control panel,via a trip switch in the unlikely event of a trip switch.I have found the electrics
on the boat to have been very successfull,both on the 230voltage,and also 12volt,with no adverse problems to date,although
its not too keen on accepting my 230 volt kettle,so it now resides in the cupboard whilst I use the hob to heat water
in my tin kettle!..or until the marina get better electrics.
Photos will be appearing here of the completed project when its all done.
Some very small amounts of water have found their way into the bilges,but this is from an external source,ie
rain seeping through the stern hatch,of which I cannot complain about.
10/04/07
First time out this easter since 5 months past,this being
due to the high water levels that boaters have had to endure.However got the best of the eater 4 days weather,thoughts for
the day,...it was hotter here than it was in Spain.We (Mick from marina & I)took boat to Willington,and added a few more
battle scars,and a slight problem with the engingine header tank cap that sprung a leak,but other than that it was a
very uneventfull time.Was somewhat dissapointed at the lack of canal maintainance to locks and poorly maintained waterways,might
be due to all our subscription monies now being spent or real estates and plush new BW offices!.Even the lock keepers houses
are owned privately now!!!!!
Looking forward to most weekends out on the cut,and a big cruise planned
in June with another boater when we plan Birmingham as our destination.This does however mean going over previous cruised
waterways.
Second weekend for cruising,last week it was WILLINGTON on the trent & mersey canal.thisweek
it was ASHBY,with amazing weather in allcruisers favour.
3/12/07
Update as not been here to that some time.its been a busy year what with work,that the boat
has been put on the back burner,but living aboard has been bliss.Just done the annual checkover,spring clean and all that,but
got few probs with the central heating,sems the batteries arent producing enough power to get the burners to work,and webasto
tell me this is a common fault,think the batteries need replacing,they are the originals,and think they were cheap ones that
came with boat,so looks like going to have to buy some more leasure batts to solve the prob.
Looks like its going to be a cold winter,so buckle down fellow boaters and keep warm.
18/05/08
Well winter came,and stayed,but ii moved off in februrary and took to residing in bricks and
mortar due to my job,and needing space,then came the crunch,not enough hours socially to go out in her,so have decided to
sell her,its a difficult decision,but better that it goes to someone who can use her.
LORRETA HARDY is acting as my agent to sell her for me,Colin came 18/05/08 and seems
to be very interested,a trip next week on the beaut will really be a deciding factor for him,a new boater to be,with intentions
of living aboard.he has the right attitude,and know he will find peace and fullfilllment in this boat,that has been a home,a
leasure means and lots of comfort to me.Not to mention a year of blood sweat and tears!!!!!!!!!!!!
*** NEW RCD CARRIED OUT MARCH 2008***
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TRASNQUIL PICTURE (at redhill marina)....
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nb_iteldoo4me@msn.com
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