Andiamo - Let's Go!

[Prima]

Just how bothered are you about having a permanently fitted TV, Pete? Perhaps it might be an idea to consider a larger screen laptop that would comfortably sit on either the table and/or the kitchen work surface

You can get a 17 inch one cheap enough with a built in TV tuner, which if it's on the table in front of you can seem surprisingly large - plus you can pack it full of movies and TV series thus eliminating the need for the DVD or even an external hard drive or even firestick.

It also has the added advantage that you can use it outside in the cockpit area and not have wires trailing everywhere (sunshine permitting)

Just an idea to consider

You can get larger ones now of course, but you do need money to burn for them still

 

[Bigplumbs]

Just how bothered are you about having a permanently fitted TV, Pete? Perhaps it might be an idea to consider a larger screen laptop that would comfortably sit on either the table and/or the kitchen work surface

You can get a 17 inch one cheap enough with a built in TV tuner, which if it's on the table in front of you can seem surprisingly large - plus you can pack it full of movies and TV series thus eliminating the need for the DVD or even an external hard drive or even firestick.

It also has the added advantage that you can use it outside in the cockpit area and not have wires trailing everywhere (sunshine permitting)

Just an idea to consider

You can get larger ones now of course, but you do need money to burn for them still

Best Idea ever

 

[Prima]

Best Idea ever

You make me blush

 

[Prima]

Just expanding on the idea of the laptop, you could also hook it up via bluetooth into the boats speakers for a full on media centre for music and radio as well as playing the TV sound through them, and it needn't cost an arm and a leg. If you're anything like me, then you're quite likely to be lugging a laptop around with you anyway

 

[petem]

Having been in between boats for more years than I care to remember and also having lost all of my certificates, I thought some training would be in order. Jez recommended Mendez Marine to give me a refresher and assess me for my ICC, so today SWMBO and I spent the day with Kieran going through all the theory plus a good couple of hours of pontoon bashing round Hythe (fortunately not hitting anything)! Then it was a whizz down Southampton Water, a stop for lunch and MOB drills.

Kieran was great, I learned a load and despite the odds, I passed!

 

[rafiki_]

Having been in between boats for more years than I care to remember and also having lost all of my certificates, I thought some training would be in order. Jez recommended Mendez Marine to give me a refresher and assess me for my ICC, so today SWMBO and I spent the day with Kieran going through all the theory plus a good couple of hours of pontoon bashing round Hythe (fortunately not hitting anything)! Then it was a whizz down Southampton Water, a stop for lunch and MOB drills.

Kieran was great, I learned a load and despite the odds, I passed!

Well done Pete. It is actually quite a challenge. I did my raggie ICC last Friday with Bacchus, mainly in Portsmouth Harbour. I was shattered at the end!

 

[petem]

Well done Pete. It is actually quite a challenge. I did my raggie ICC last Friday with Bacchus, mainly in Portsmouth Harbour. I was shattered at the end!

Yep, it was pretty intensive but I can't recommend own boat tuition enough and it was £275 very well spent. My wife got some good skills out of it too like how to use the radio and how to recover a MOB.

 

[rafiki_]

Yep, it was pretty intensive but I can't recommend own boat tuition enough and it was £275 very well spent. My wife got some good skills out of it too like how to use the radio and how to recover a MOB.

Sounds like you need a keep a close eye on your lady wife Pete. She may be after the insurance

 

[petem]

Just realised I've made the ultimate school boy error. Left my hose fitting and gun on the marina hose. What's the chances of it still being attached in a week's time!?

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

Just realised I've made the ultimate school boy error. Left my hose fitting and gun on the marina hose. What's the chances of it still being attached in a week's time!?

Call the marina. Maybe they'll remove it and put it on your boat

 

[petem]

It's was only a cheapo b and q one, a couple of quid iirc.

 

[tico]

If you want a replacement there's about 5 under my boat where they have 'popped off' the end of the hose. I regard them as consumable items

 

[petem]

Ok, here we have a question for the style police...

The cabinet under the fridge has suffered some water damage over the years. I can understand how this can happen and it was a common issue on a few of the boats that I looked at.

Here's the problem...

The galley is otherwise pretty perfect.

I'm considering covering the bottom and forward edge of the cabinet with either the pre-formed crinkly tin stuff that you get from B&Q etc or having a piece of stainless cut and formed to sit in the same place. I think this would prevent further damage and would improve the cosmetic appearance. What do you think?

 

[petem]

Having owned the boat for a few weeks now I thought I’d give you an update of where we’ve got to with various jobs.

---------------

Cleaning

I was resigned to having the slightly grubby interior professionally cleaned to bring it up to scratch but ended up taking the over-carpets home where I had them professionally cleaned. They’re not perfect but now look clean and will be perfectly fine for a couple of years. The sofa has come up like new as has the wall and ceiling linings.

I realised how dirty the exterior covers are when cleaning the boat last week so these will be steam cleaned in the next week or so.

Aircon

I’ve sourced a new / old stock 16k BTU chiller. It’s a low-profile unit but there’s no way it will fit under the saloon sofa so it will be fitted under the forward cabin berth. We lose some storage space but this compartment is not terribly accessible so no big deal. The guys reckon we can have outlets to the saloon and mid cabin which is a bonus. We’re hoping to get away without another lift if existing seacocks can be used.

Servicing

The legs have had a proper service under our ownership and the engines will have a full service in September. This will include valve clearances, injector tests, etc. In addition, there are some repairs that will be carried out at the same time (weeping oil cooler, timing cover and pulley corrosion and a hot tensioner). One of my partners has a precision engineering company so he can sand blast the corroded bits and re-spray them properly.

Bathing platform

A new teak platform has been ordered from Wattsons and will be fitted next month.

Electronics

I’ve not got any plans to upgrade what’s there but we have invested in a portable plotter and portable VHF for backups. I would however like to get the DSC VHF to pick up a GPS signal.

Registration

We have all previous Bills of Sale so have decided to Part 1 Register the boat. The benefit of this is that our shareholdings are formally recorded. The previous Part 1 Registration only expired 18 months ago but the MCA are insisting that we have a fresh tonnage survey which is rather annoying.

Transport

I'm now starting to make the arrangements for transporting the boat to the Med. Jez has kindly (bravely / foolishly?) offered to crew for both legs (S'hampton to Le Havre and Marseilles to Palma). This will hopefully happen early October so we can enjoy the boat in Palma over Autumn and Winter. Hoping to get a berth in Club de Mar if they have one available.

Cooker

I'd like to rip out the existing gas oven and hob and replace with a microwave / oven combo. I haven't given this any thought yet so would be interested to know what it would cost. I'm not convinced we'd ever use a hob so could just blank this off.

Bits and pieces

In addition to the above there’s lots of little jobs to be sorted; re-furbishing the outboard bracket, fixing switches, repain hour counter, cleaning bilges, new boat name, fender socks, etc. I’m gradually working my way through these.

TV

Having sat watching the existing (huge) TV, we’ve actually realised that the current position is perfect for us. The inverter that seems to power it even when on shore power does make a racket and I suspect will knacker our batteries. So I’m erring towards a Cello 22 inch TV plus a bracket that will lock and secure the TV tight to the wall or allow removal.

Sound proofing

Engine bay hatch soundproofing to be replaced. Stelican had reminded me to consider covering the other flat surfaces in the engine bay too.

Tender and Outboard

Still undecided about this. Might see how we get on without one.

Pasarelle

Ditto.

---------------

I've been surprised how much time it takes to organize all of this but I'm quite happy never the less (like a pig in sh1t some may say)!h

 

[jimmy_the_builder]

What existing seacocks are you proposing to use for your aircon unit?

 

[petem]

To be investigated. Must say I was a little surprised.

 

[stelican]

What existing seacocks are you proposing to use for your aircon unit?

Must be the toilet ones as they are close to fwd cabin

 

[julians]

Pete, if youre keeping and using the boat solely in mallorca /balearics you definitely wont need a passarelle

 

[rafiki_]

Pete, we have a Kenwood K23CM13 Micro/Grill/Oven on board Rafiki. For us it is perfect. Currently on special offer at Curry's, £90 ish, down from about £180. We are buying another for home as we are so pleased with it on board. We have used the hob, maybe 1 or 2 times in 4 years. Having said that we don't cook a roast lunch or anything of that ilk on board. Why would you? Boat is for chilling.

 

[petem]

Pete, if youre keeping and using the boat solely in mallorca /balearics you definitely wont need a passarelle

Thanks, how come?