Ship Happens

clyst

Well-known member
Joined
18 Aug 2002
Messages
3,224
Visit site
Since there seems to be considerable interest in " Ship Happens "" maybe they deserve a thread on their own rather than hijacking " sailing Yaba . Maybe they will read it and be guided by people who know and understand wooden boats rather than the "yea you can do it no problem " brigade .
 

Keith 66

Well-known member
Joined
21 Jun 2007
Messages
1,679
Location
Benfleet Essex
Visit site
Perhaps you are right, trouble is that people that buy these types of boats rarely listen & you can only watch as the disaster unfolds.
The couple that have bought Surinda have enthusiasm & he is obviously a fairly practical guy but they have no concept of what they are getting into. look at that boat with a critical eye, Its a 1940's ex navy boat thats had a hard life, At some point its been converted into a motor yacht by the addition of considerable top hamper & raised decks / cabins, all made of plywood with teak overlaid deck. The deck is so bad big holes have appeared through rot, Its gotten into the beamshelf & beams & will be everywhere.
The guy is talking about sistering frames & doubling other bits with plywood, ie bodging it. It can only end one way & thats in tears.
 

Aardee

Well-known member
Joined
22 Jan 2004
Messages
2,982
Location
Portsmouth
Visit site
There seems to be a lot of activity ( a cynic might say "a lot of YouTube content being generated"), but no overall plan...
 

V1701

Well-known member
Joined
1 Oct 2009
Messages
4,561
Location
South Coast UK
Visit site
I only know enough about boats in general and wooden ones in particular to know that what they have let themselves in for would defeat just about any DIYer. Somebody with more money than sense paying others to restore it for them might "succeed". They are a likeable lot though, I hope for them that they get to the stage where they maybe can do a few local trips in relative safety and I will be watching their progress...
 

Caer Urfa

Well-known member
Joined
28 Aug 2006
Messages
1,825
Location
Shropshire
groups.yahoo.com
Yes I also been watching the series so far and yes a nice family full of optimism and due to their camper van business have some skills.
But Oh dear they really have not a clue when it comes to this sized boat, so far week after week more money spent or someones give it to them but we all know sooner rather than later sadly they will realize they own a huge money pit as just painting things do not solve total restoration projects of this scale.

I have to say however I was amazed when the engines were started but I have to wonder for how long when under load and the stern gear will be interesting when tested properly

However I wish them well
 

clyst

Well-known member
Joined
18 Aug 2002
Messages
3,224
Visit site
They have what appears to be a successful van conversion business so you would think they would have a bit of business sense but I wonder if they have . In an early episode they said money was scarce so it beggars belief how they thought they could even start to restore such a wreck. They remind me of a coule of kids just post war playing in a bombed out house with grand ideas of rebuilding it by a den in it ?. As I see it now the owners have convinced their subscribers that they are in it for the long haul and are receiving donations from private subbers and businesses alike . I think they realise that they are now in it too deep to back out .......... It will all end in tears
 

penfold

Well-known member
Joined
25 Aug 2003
Messages
7,733
Location
On the Clyde
Visit site
There's only one way to eat an elephant, one bite at a time. They do seem to have a clue deficit though, the gate valve throughhulls in particular are a timebomb waiting to fill their boat with oggin when the tide comes in.
 

Rappey

Well-known member
Joined
13 Dec 2019
Messages
4,257
Visit site
Here is the media article for those that are interested.. Inside the World War II boat being given new lease of life by North Wales couple
They keep saying its a ww2 ship, but the only thing that is ww2 is the hull, everything else is much more modern.
Medusa is based in haslar marina, Gosport and underwent a major restoration by the maritme workshop , a yard that specialises in historic boats and ships.. It took them 5 years to complete Medusa and costs around 20K a year to keep her in good shape.
Ship happens has some great entertainment value and good luck to them, but i cant see how they would ever replace beam shelves or any other large structure whilst sat in a creek.
 

Attachments

  • medusa.jpg
    medusa.jpg
    49.5 KB · Views: 69

PCUK

Well-known member
Joined
29 Jun 2005
Messages
7,916
Location
Westleigh, Nr Tiverton, Devon.
Visit site
This is a money making exercise using the boat as the basis for a family adventure story and it is succeeding but there is no possiblity of the boat being restored. Look at it as "Little Boat on the Estuary" Waltons style.
 

clyst

Well-known member
Joined
18 Aug 2002
Messages
3,224
Visit site
The woman is obviously in charge of the operation and is clever at clawing gifts and getting subscribers to feed them with their hard earned cash ........ check it out they have spent very little of their own money on the so called project . I saw on her FB page she was crying about the cost of copper nails ...... worded in such a manner as to convey a poor us what are we going to do now message . I tell you what you will do and that is to sit back and wait for someone to donate either money or nails. .........
 

PCUK

Well-known member
Joined
29 Jun 2005
Messages
7,916
Location
Westleigh, Nr Tiverton, Devon.
Visit site
Donations are benefits in kind and the sale of merchandise is part of the business so they are obviously keeping proper accounts maybe to bolster the campervan business. If they can get mugs to buy mugs then good luck to them but it's not a restoration project.
 

Rappey

Well-known member
Joined
13 Dec 2019
Messages
4,257
Visit site
The next step appears to be replacing some ribs.. That will tell all as i cant see how they will use copper rivets to join new ribs while the boat is afloat..
 

Wansworth

Well-known member
Joined
8 May 2003
Messages
29,955
Location
SPAIN,Galicia
Visit site
Presumably the ribs were fastened to the shell then the stringers laid over the ribs,quite a battle to feed new ribs behind the stringers even steaming.As it is it’s a pleasant enough weekend retreat.
 

Wansworth

Well-known member
Joined
8 May 2003
Messages
29,955
Location
SPAIN,Galicia
Visit site
That is just crazy. It's harder to rebuild than to build new?
It's very interesting comparing the approach by the skilled yaba builders versus the tallyho build.
Two different styles .But Yaba seems to havebeen a victim of lack of preservation of hidden surfaces in its build and possibly bad quality materials due to maybe cost,no lack of wood in Brazil but the climate and nasty wood nibling beasties have to be kept at bay.
 

clyst

Well-known member
Joined
18 Aug 2002
Messages
3,224
Visit site
Oh dear just had a quick scan of ship happens FB page .... looks like there is some unrest in the camp regarding the ballast. It appears that the lady in charge is finding it difficult to cope even at this early stage of the "restoration " .
 

clyst

Well-known member
Joined
18 Aug 2002
Messages
3,224
Visit site
I can't watch these guys anymore, same with yaba, I find them depressing. So much work to do..at least the yaba guys are seeing some progress.
Absolutely . Yaba are serious about their restoration where as the others are absolutely out of their depth both knowledge and cash wise . They have been at it for 5 months now and haven't even tried to make the superstructure watertight . All they seem to do each episode is giggle and bugger about and making a big deal about their amazon gifts ........ very expertly marketed to draw more freebies. If they were serious about their project they would spend a bit of their cash on some decent temporary covers and atleast have a refit plan .........however loose .
 

Other threads that may be of interest

Top