Boat restoration

[cunlifferesearch]

This summer Discovery Home & Leisure are producing a new television series about boat restoration. The ten part series will follow five renovation projects and capture the imagination of the nation by combining the hunt for a rusty old shell of a boat;- (what is it, how did it get there and just how bad is the condition its in) and the journey of how it is lovingly restored to its former splendour, ready to set sail by the end of each episode.

The producers are looking for possible contributors for the series who already own an old boat they want to restore or people who have aspirations to buy an old boat that needs doing up. The final projects chosen must be completed within 4 months from the start of filming which is due to commence in May 2005. The restorations must be based in southern England, regrettably we will not be able to cover the north.

The series will show boats of all sizes and type, from any era, and made from any material which require work of various levels to get them on the water again. The series will be presented by Tom Cunliffe who is one of Britain's most respected writers on sailing and the sea.

Each project will be allotted two 30 minute episodes of film time. Unfortunately, the film company cannot offer any financial aid for the restoration but hope that being filmed for the television series may provide an added incentive to complete the project and give it the publicity it deserves.

If anyone is interested in this opportunity and has a suitable restoration project, then please email me for more details or look at my website www.researchthepast.com.

 

[Porthandbuoy]

Great idea . . . .but.
Have the producers talked to anyone who's restored an elderly boat? 4 months is wildly optimistic.

 

[LittleShip]

"The final projects chosen must be completed within 4 months from the start of filming"

Ha! Ha!............. are the making a comedy cos they have a great sence of humour. Somebody needs to tell them that this is not like changing rooms, you cant fix a boat with a staple gun?? /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Mirelle]

Have an ideal candidate...

1937 teak built 12 ton gaff cutter, lying in Robertsons yard, Woodbridge.

In need of routine fitting out.

At the rate at which Alex and I were working this afternoon, due to a chilly and clammy haar brought in by the sea breeze (since when did we get them in mid-March?) four months should be about right! ;-)

 

[graham]

Re: Boat restoration in 4 months?

Bit of emulsion and knock up the interior in MDF with a bit of fabric stapled on. 4 months no problem.

 

[Kristal]

Re: Have an ideal candidate...

I fear Woodbridge may possibly be considered "the North" to many "southern" sailors...

I must admit, much as I'd enjoy a programme like this one sounds, I can't imagine many projects being completed within a four-month shooting schedule. Wasn't there a programme some time ago that used questionably quick "short-cuts" (bodges is a very nasty word) to "restore" a houseboat?

And have I used enough "quotation marks" in this post yet?

I fear Crystal's former family would never speak to me again if I volunteered her for the programme - is there perhaps a maritime version of that programme where they tidied up the homes of intrinsically untidy people? There I would be well in the running...

 

[cunlifferesearch]

Re: Boat Restoration

I do take onboard your comments about the length of time we have allowed for the restoration to take place. I know that four months sounds very optimistic...

However, the restorations we will film will be those which can realistically fit into this timescale. For example, a dinghy restoration or small craft, or on a larger vessel we will use a major re-fit or restoration of one aspect of the vessel rather than a complete re-build.

Hope this has clarified matters!

 

[Mirelle]

OK, now I will be serious...

There are two people who post here occasionally using their boat's names as pseudonyms, as many of us do, who have completed really outstanding complete rebuilds, from "near-dereliction" to "concours":

They are:

"Transcur"

and

"Kestrel"

 

[Kristal]

My apologies...

...for being flippant. I'll have a nose around the marina and spread the word.

 

[Transcur]

Re: My apologies...

Already done thing Discovery thing a couple of years ago. Last year refitted a Walton and Frinton One Design, decks odd planks etc. Having a year off --------------maybe!!!!!!!!!!

 

[aztec]

agreed, spoke to i2i this earlier.

with the knock on effects of compressing timescale in terms of budget, they're not offering any incentive except the "cudos" of having your boat on the telly.

i could probably live without that.

now... if they made a donation towards funding... that would be a different matter.

steve.

 

[Forbsie]

What about a 1934 Gaff-rigged Sharpie in Twickenham, probably about the 13th oldest and the original builder lives next door to the boathouse. Although I could provide loads of manhours, I'm not knowledgeable about classic yachts and would need lots of guidance. I reckon it could be done in the timescale.

 

[kestrel1891]

Re: OK, now I will be serious...

For information, Kestrel took 4 1/2 years to get afloat averaging around 20 hours a week. She is only 27 ft long and the accomodation for the first year was only a pipe cot and a deck chair. Don't even ask about the cost.

The next project is much smaller and new build. Like Transcur I need a break, unless........

 

[Fire99]

Hi There,

I have a 1968 Freeman 30 (30ft motor cruiser) with Wooden Topsides and Plastic Hull..

Funnily enough she has started a complete renovation and the sides and part of the front (above deck level) have been replaced and the wheelshelter has been partially completed.

Her engines (twin diesel) are only 40 or so hours old.

The Cabin has been virtually completely stripped..

I think she is a prime candidate since her hull being GRP is sound and some of the larger panels have already been fitted rough. (Window holes roughly cut etc)

But there is sufficient work to fill the 4 months.

regards,

Nick

 

[Mirelle]

Re: OK, now I will be serious...

The deck chair was very stylish, though!

 

[Lakesailor]

Re: OK, now I will be serious...

I'm just putting the deck back on a 50year old Heron dinghy after repairing some frames, replacing some, replacing a bottom panel and repairing various knees and stringers. It's not perfect, just sound and useable. That's taken 6 months so far.
You'd have to work full time to do a proper restoration in 4 months, unless you were just revarnishing.
And as we all know, your estimate of the work required escalates as you strip of more layers of paint and varnish to discover the delights beneath.

I'll be interested to see the programme, except I don't have Discovery Home & Leisure and I'll be out sailing anyway.

 

[rich]

Re: OK, now I will be serious...

I worked allmost every day ( in my own time ) for allmost 6 months last winter 03/04 on Hermees's engines out overhaul,and still got bits to do now /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif ps I finished just in time for her indoors not to pack her bags. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

 

[PeterWillis]

Re: OK, now I will be serious...

Two people I'd suggest as consultants or resident experts would be Brian Kennell and Ashley Butler, but I suspect both would jib, if not lol at the 4-month limit.
Best advice I can offer the producers is similar to that offered to would-be asparagus growers: 'First, dig a trench three years ago."

(and nothing much seems to be happening at www.researchthepast.com)

 

[Santana379]

Re: OK, now I will be serious...

Contributing Editor

One is reminded of the story about the American tourist who enviously admired the lawns at a Cambridge college.

Eager to get the same effect back home, he asked the passing gardener how it was achieved.

"You just cut it and roll it", said the gardener, "and then keep repeating the routine".

"Gee, that's great" said the American, "I can't wait 'till my lawn looks just like this. How long does it take?"

"About three hundred years" was the answer. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[PeterWillis]

Re: OK, now I will be serious...

OK this is getting wildly off topic but that reminds me, as they say, of another story...
... of the notice posted in the Junior Common Room of an American University:
"It is a tradition of this University that the door in the north-east corner of the quadrangle is for the exclusivce use of senior academic staff. This tradition will take effect from next Monday"