derekbland
Well-Known Member
Ok and so have finally completed on my boat. I wasn't sure whether to give the nuts and bolts but it seems people enjoy reading others experiences and I know I do too.
Had a second sea trial on Monday in Portland and steering had been fixed but a few other bits still outstanding and being worked on. I was on board Tuesday morning having stayed in Dorchester the night before. It was a bit touch and go as to whether the bits that needed sorting would be completed but they were, albeit very last minute. Toby at JD Yacht confirmed that all monies had gone through and so I was able to stay aboard that night. I started sifting through the paperwork and managed to fill a black bin liner full of old paperwork and receipts from marina stops going back to 2004 along with a pot plant found in a cupboard which was not going to be revived except by anything less that the hand of God or Harry Potter. I did a bit more sorting, cleaning and getting familiar with my big new toy. I had an awful nights sleep mainly because I was on the fuel pontoon and little wavelets were slapping noisily against the hull right underneath the cabin.
PEJ from the forum volunteered to help move the boat. I picked him up from Weymouth on Wednesday just after 10am after having got some provisions for the day. We put some fuel in but only enough for the journey and some reserve as Dean and Reddyhoff charged me the top price - bleeding expensive. We headed off towards the Solent. She ran beautifully and although we were against the wind and tide, we were cruising at around 22 knots. The engines hummed, the sun shone and the wind whistled over be bald patches and all was good with the world. At one point, I was standing at the helm on the flybridge and a massive beam came across my face and couldn't believe that after around 8 months of raising money and searching, I had finally got my boat. I know many of you must have/had that same elated feeling. All was right with the world or at least until the next refuel.
At Peters suggestion, we headed off to Yarmouth but couldn't get in as they were full. We then went to a fuel barge in Cowes as we had heard that it was cheaper but it must have been the wrong one as it wasn't that cheap. The tide changed around Yarmouth to Cowes and we achieved around 25kt SOG for the same revs. Having found the fuel at the fuel berth in Cowes to be the "expensive one", we decided to head for her new home in Gosport Marina. At Peter's suggestion we refuled and topped her right up. It took an age to do and I would have thought the pumps would have been faster.
We headed off soon after berthing and got the ferry to the train station in Portmouth and I accompanied Peter as fas as Southampton way and then on to Weymouth, taxi to Portland to pick the car up and then drove back to Gosport - I was exhausted. I headed home this morning, Thursday, after a slightly better sleep and having tidied her up a little.
A massive thank you to Peter who I felt very confident in and who said that if I ever wanted a day out and didn't have crew that he would happily come along and I will deffo be in touch.
Hopefully not too boring and sorry, I don't have any picks but a few seconds of video. If I can work out how to get it on here without too much emotion I will add later.
Oh and, Navioincs was bril.
Had a second sea trial on Monday in Portland and steering had been fixed but a few other bits still outstanding and being worked on. I was on board Tuesday morning having stayed in Dorchester the night before. It was a bit touch and go as to whether the bits that needed sorting would be completed but they were, albeit very last minute. Toby at JD Yacht confirmed that all monies had gone through and so I was able to stay aboard that night. I started sifting through the paperwork and managed to fill a black bin liner full of old paperwork and receipts from marina stops going back to 2004 along with a pot plant found in a cupboard which was not going to be revived except by anything less that the hand of God or Harry Potter. I did a bit more sorting, cleaning and getting familiar with my big new toy. I had an awful nights sleep mainly because I was on the fuel pontoon and little wavelets were slapping noisily against the hull right underneath the cabin.
PEJ from the forum volunteered to help move the boat. I picked him up from Weymouth on Wednesday just after 10am after having got some provisions for the day. We put some fuel in but only enough for the journey and some reserve as Dean and Reddyhoff charged me the top price - bleeding expensive. We headed off towards the Solent. She ran beautifully and although we were against the wind and tide, we were cruising at around 22 knots. The engines hummed, the sun shone and the wind whistled over be bald patches and all was good with the world. At one point, I was standing at the helm on the flybridge and a massive beam came across my face and couldn't believe that after around 8 months of raising money and searching, I had finally got my boat. I know many of you must have/had that same elated feeling. All was right with the world or at least until the next refuel.
At Peters suggestion, we headed off to Yarmouth but couldn't get in as they were full. We then went to a fuel barge in Cowes as we had heard that it was cheaper but it must have been the wrong one as it wasn't that cheap. The tide changed around Yarmouth to Cowes and we achieved around 25kt SOG for the same revs. Having found the fuel at the fuel berth in Cowes to be the "expensive one", we decided to head for her new home in Gosport Marina. At Peter's suggestion we refuled and topped her right up. It took an age to do and I would have thought the pumps would have been faster.
We headed off soon after berthing and got the ferry to the train station in Portmouth and I accompanied Peter as fas as Southampton way and then on to Weymouth, taxi to Portland to pick the car up and then drove back to Gosport - I was exhausted. I headed home this morning, Thursday, after a slightly better sleep and having tidied her up a little.
A massive thank you to Peter who I felt very confident in and who said that if I ever wanted a day out and didn't have crew that he would happily come along and I will deffo be in touch.
Hopefully not too boring and sorry, I don't have any picks but a few seconds of video. If I can work out how to get it on here without too much emotion I will add later.
Oh and, Navioincs was bril.
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