Fr J Hackett
Well-known member
Well we don't know but surely there must be some forumites that are around where the hulk is ashore. You never know it might be in the water by now.
Bought a Never splashed Colvic Countess 33 on eBay, Looking for infos
- Thread starter GregOddity
- Start date
Well we don't know but surely there must be some forumites that are around where the hulk is ashore. You never know it might be in the water by now.
pvb
Well-known member
Well we don't know but surely there must be some forumites that are around where the hulk is ashore. You never know it might be in the water by now.
Dream on...
Teko
Member
You never know it might be in the water by now.
It's not...
Fr J Hackett
Well-known member
pvb
Well-known member
Though not any piccies
Here's a pic posted about 2 months ago - looks almost ready!
https://www.facebook.com/174799493176363/photos/a.318406392149005/370763950246582/?type=3&theater
XDC
Well-known member
Well it’s cleaner and appears to have less windows installed
https://m.facebook.com/SV-Oddity-174799493176363/
[3889]
...
The Facebook comment on the 98% of boats that never leave the marina is perhaps the most ironic ever.
Fr J Hackett
Well-known member
Doesn't look as though it has moved on at all still open to the elements. I did have some time for Greg but his dreaming has got the better of him.
Kurrawong_Kid
Well-known member
E
Not necessarily so. A former member of our Yacht Club bought mouldings for a Rival 34(?} and finally launched her about 30 years later! You just don’t dream every night.
anoccasionalyachtsman
Well-known member
I checked the Bramblemet archive to see how much of a storm he exposed his good lady to. About 15kts generally with a max gust just over 20, albeit sur la nez for Gosport. Great seamanship to get it home.
Last edited:
Mr Cassandra
Well-known member
He didn't seem a bloke that ran away from adversary, quite the opposite. Shame as it would have been achievement if he had succeeded .
GregOddity
Well-known member
Ahoy fellow Sailors,
I’m sorry I have not posted any updates but it’s been a busy time. My mother had breast cancer when I was 8 years old and although it was treated and she was given the all clear, it came back with a vengeance in her later years and she got very sick, very fast, until she passed away peacefully.
Having said that, a lot of things got put on hold and I found myself struggling for motivation and it has taken me a while to come back to the land of the living.
But fear not, Oddity is still very much in the plans.
We’ve been doing the work that needed doing namely deciding the changes we want to do.
As in all things the plan has changed somewhat from the initial idea.
She’s going to have a marinized Volkswagen engine. The reasoning for that, is to convert the engine at a later stage to use Hydrogen stored in metal hydrate tanks. The engine will be converted to a generator to power an electric engine.
The general idea in broad terms is to use solar to produce hydrogen by hydrolysis on board so as to be able to use the electric engine at all times. Metal Hydrate tanks will be filled at normal pressure, store the hydrogen chemically and release it by applying a moderate temperature to the tank.
There will be some battery capacity which will not be the main power source for the motor as we do intend to use the Gen unit to power the motor.
Having said that this will be done in stages with the first being having Oddity in the water with only a marinized engine with no other alterations.
The interior is going to receive some alterations to the original Colvic design to bring it more in line with the use we intend to do. We’ve been doing a lot of measuring recently.
We are going with cables and quadrant for the steering system. I did look at hydraulic but decided on cables.
Tankage is going to be stainless as I can build the tanks myself.
There’s going to be a small bowsprit which will be in line with the pulpit since we’re paying for the air under the pulpit. The Furler will be moved there and a second Furler added.
A bow thruster will be installed at some stage but not now as funds are limited.
The First job as soon as the weather stabilises is to repair the hairline cracks around the windows, there’s not many but there’s a few. Then put back the windows with the new seals and make Oddity weather proof.
Second comes the stringers. Acting upon the advice of our surveyor, a new stringer will be built above the old ones. The old stringers will be removed, not just opened, and the fibreglass reinforced with at least 2 new layers of weave to make sure that no damaged fibre remains.
The area will be vacuum and heat treated to remove any moisture from the hull and finally the stringers will be rebuilt in the original placement.
The mast originally is 12.192m (40”) but we’re extending that to 13.192 m as the Colvics were designed with a very conservative sail plan and we have the weight to take that extra metre. It’s not much and most other Countess 33 have a taller mast. I have checked.
The chain and the anchor locker doors on deck are going to be altered. The anchor locker will be removed and the chain locker door moved forward to allow for the bulkhead to be straight instead of at an angle.
The windlass will be replaced with a new one on a different placement. The cleats on the bow will also be changed.
The fairleads will be built by me as soon as I have a bit of time as I already have the materials. They will be stainless with rollers on the side.
There will be a water maker being built after Oddity is on the water as it’s an essential part of the Hydrogen set up we’re going with.
We already have inverter, an old Furuno Radar, AIS class B Transponder and Splitter and a Bottle of Talisker Scotch Whiskey to open when she finally goes in the water. But hey, it ages well!
There you have it Gentleman, take it apart.
For the so many of you that have come to meet us I must say I’m humbled by your kind words and attention and for that I deeply thank you all as sometimes we find ourselves in those gloomy “places” and a kind word goes a long way as a bridge to a sunnier place of the soul.
Oddity Is very much alive and kicking. Weather allowing.
There have been some developments but I will post pictures as we’re doing the project.
Greg.
The Unbroken Dreamer !
I’m sorry I have not posted any updates but it’s been a busy time. My mother had breast cancer when I was 8 years old and although it was treated and she was given the all clear, it came back with a vengeance in her later years and she got very sick, very fast, until she passed away peacefully.
Having said that, a lot of things got put on hold and I found myself struggling for motivation and it has taken me a while to come back to the land of the living.
But fear not, Oddity is still very much in the plans.
We’ve been doing the work that needed doing namely deciding the changes we want to do.
As in all things the plan has changed somewhat from the initial idea.
She’s going to have a marinized Volkswagen engine. The reasoning for that, is to convert the engine at a later stage to use Hydrogen stored in metal hydrate tanks. The engine will be converted to a generator to power an electric engine.
The general idea in broad terms is to use solar to produce hydrogen by hydrolysis on board so as to be able to use the electric engine at all times. Metal Hydrate tanks will be filled at normal pressure, store the hydrogen chemically and release it by applying a moderate temperature to the tank.
There will be some battery capacity which will not be the main power source for the motor as we do intend to use the Gen unit to power the motor.
Having said that this will be done in stages with the first being having Oddity in the water with only a marinized engine with no other alterations.
The interior is going to receive some alterations to the original Colvic design to bring it more in line with the use we intend to do. We’ve been doing a lot of measuring recently.
We are going with cables and quadrant for the steering system. I did look at hydraulic but decided on cables.
Tankage is going to be stainless as I can build the tanks myself.
There’s going to be a small bowsprit which will be in line with the pulpit since we’re paying for the air under the pulpit. The Furler will be moved there and a second Furler added.
A bow thruster will be installed at some stage but not now as funds are limited.
The First job as soon as the weather stabilises is to repair the hairline cracks around the windows, there’s not many but there’s a few. Then put back the windows with the new seals and make Oddity weather proof.
Second comes the stringers. Acting upon the advice of our surveyor, a new stringer will be built above the old ones. The old stringers will be removed, not just opened, and the fibreglass reinforced with at least 2 new layers of weave to make sure that no damaged fibre remains.
The area will be vacuum and heat treated to remove any moisture from the hull and finally the stringers will be rebuilt in the original placement.
The mast originally is 12.192m (40”) but we’re extending that to 13.192 m as the Colvics were designed with a very conservative sail plan and we have the weight to take that extra metre. It’s not much and most other Countess 33 have a taller mast. I have checked.
The chain and the anchor locker doors on deck are going to be altered. The anchor locker will be removed and the chain locker door moved forward to allow for the bulkhead to be straight instead of at an angle.
The windlass will be replaced with a new one on a different placement. The cleats on the bow will also be changed.
The fairleads will be built by me as soon as I have a bit of time as I already have the materials. They will be stainless with rollers on the side.
There will be a water maker being built after Oddity is on the water as it’s an essential part of the Hydrogen set up we’re going with.
We already have inverter, an old Furuno Radar, AIS class B Transponder and Splitter and a Bottle of Talisker Scotch Whiskey to open when she finally goes in the water. But hey, it ages well!
There you have it Gentleman, take it apart.
For the so many of you that have come to meet us I must say I’m humbled by your kind words and attention and for that I deeply thank you all as sometimes we find ourselves in those gloomy “places” and a kind word goes a long way as a bridge to a sunnier place of the soul.
Oddity Is very much alive and kicking. Weather allowing.
There have been some developments but I will post pictures as we’re doing the project.
Greg.
The Unbroken Dreamer !
NealB
Well-known member
What a great, uplifting, positive, return.
Much needed in the current world: keep dreaming!!
Much needed in the current world: keep dreaming!!
Graham_Wright
Well-known member
Welcome back! You were remembered at the COA meeting.
Sticky Fingers
Well-known member
+1. Great to see GregOddity still around!
38mess
Well-known member
Great to see you back, sorry about your mum?
GregOddity
Well-known member
Thank you. I will never stop.
Thank you, I was very sad I could not make it. I was looking forward to it for and had a thousand questions for you all.
Thank you, I just needed some time out to regroup.
Thank you. It comes when you least expect it. But we soldier on.
anoccasionalyachtsman
Well-known member
I've taken the mickey in the past Greg, but good to see you back - with a far more sensible plan.
GregOddity
Well-known member
We’re doing a lot of work that I will try to detail properly as we are doing it. Some of it more interesting than other, but as with everything there is the grind you cannot avoid.
Right now, we’re measuring (believe it or not) for the head liner and windows. This has to do with the work needed to prepare a floating surface to hide the curtains and allow the insulation and cabling. We’re going modern, no foam backed headliner will make its way into the boat as that’s a horrible thing. I have some friends with a company that does interesting stuff and together we’re going to do some “magic”.
I leave you with a pic we just made as we were measuring. This is how she’s looking inside still. But not for long.
As with everything there is something that has been chronically forgotten and that is the whippers for the front windows. If I have windows I may wanna see out of them in bad weather. Long live the auto pilot. (we’re naming it Trevor)
As the situation has changed and our plans have evolved, we’re now going to use European Phenolic Ply to build the bulkheads. This will be reinforced further but we will detail that at a later stage as we’re doing it. I will build a list of suppliers and links for the materials we’re going to use.
The Compression post will be made of Stainless pipe with welded plates above and bottom. (unsure if polished or covered)
This is more at less where we are with the project at the moment. With daily visits to measure and check surfaces and measurements. For the effect we’re using a 3-beam green laser to achieve the vertical and horizontal plains to make sure everything is where it should be in accordance to the inclination of the boat at this moment. It is on the hard, vertical...ish.
The Joinery! well I know for a fact that some here are going to scream bloody murder so I leave that for a later stage.
On the image you can see the line of Blisters on the outside of the upper stringer. The ply on the chain locker and anchor locker doors turned into mush and clogged the drain with filled the all chain locker with water and it found its way into the stringers.
On this image where we took a core from the stringer, the water made a little water feature on the boat. This being the reason the stringers need replaced and treated.
I will be making a separate post on our voyage to Hydrogen. How we got there, what made us think that way and the pros and cons plus price and availability of materials and technicians and tech expertise. To this effect quite a few miles have been made and quite a few discussions had. We’ve viewed a few boats powered by fuel cells and electrical batteries before we set on this path.
No solution is perfect, some more elegant than others but all have costs and drawbacks including Diesel with a lump of iron costing over 8 K for a boat as heavy as Oddity. 8K better used looking forward to the time where Diesel and petrol engines are phased out and will no longer be sold. As government’s jump to phase out a carbon economy the time is nigh for new solutions.
As with every project quite a few decisions still need to be made and priced, I would say that about 80% are final but the others still float around. Antifoul being one of them. Copper coat or … whatever else? There's a University in Southampton and a certain company that are testing a silicone based antifoul, it looks very promising and I have been followying the state of the tests. Drawback ? maybe it needs to be applied under closed roof, price? We’ll see where it leads. I will have a propper conversation at a later stage with them.
At the moment because of all the delay we just want it in the water YESTERDAY! So provided the world does not end tomorrow we go on having fun with all of this.
Now off to the soupkitchen if the local Tesco has been plundered again.
Right now, we’re measuring (believe it or not) for the head liner and windows. This has to do with the work needed to prepare a floating surface to hide the curtains and allow the insulation and cabling. We’re going modern, no foam backed headliner will make its way into the boat as that’s a horrible thing. I have some friends with a company that does interesting stuff and together we’re going to do some “magic”.
I leave you with a pic we just made as we were measuring. This is how she’s looking inside still. But not for long.
As with everything there is something that has been chronically forgotten and that is the whippers for the front windows. If I have windows I may wanna see out of them in bad weather. Long live the auto pilot. (we’re naming it Trevor)
As the situation has changed and our plans have evolved, we’re now going to use European Phenolic Ply to build the bulkheads. This will be reinforced further but we will detail that at a later stage as we’re doing it. I will build a list of suppliers and links for the materials we’re going to use.
The Compression post will be made of Stainless pipe with welded plates above and bottom. (unsure if polished or covered)
This is more at less where we are with the project at the moment. With daily visits to measure and check surfaces and measurements. For the effect we’re using a 3-beam green laser to achieve the vertical and horizontal plains to make sure everything is where it should be in accordance to the inclination of the boat at this moment. It is on the hard, vertical...ish.
The Joinery! well I know for a fact that some here are going to scream bloody murder so I leave that for a later stage.
On the image you can see the line of Blisters on the outside of the upper stringer. The ply on the chain locker and anchor locker doors turned into mush and clogged the drain with filled the all chain locker with water and it found its way into the stringers.
On this image where we took a core from the stringer, the water made a little water feature on the boat. This being the reason the stringers need replaced and treated.
I will be making a separate post on our voyage to Hydrogen. How we got there, what made us think that way and the pros and cons plus price and availability of materials and technicians and tech expertise. To this effect quite a few miles have been made and quite a few discussions had. We’ve viewed a few boats powered by fuel cells and electrical batteries before we set on this path.
No solution is perfect, some more elegant than others but all have costs and drawbacks including Diesel with a lump of iron costing over 8 K for a boat as heavy as Oddity. 8K better used looking forward to the time where Diesel and petrol engines are phased out and will no longer be sold. As government’s jump to phase out a carbon economy the time is nigh for new solutions.
As with every project quite a few decisions still need to be made and priced, I would say that about 80% are final but the others still float around. Antifoul being one of them. Copper coat or … whatever else? There's a University in Southampton and a certain company that are testing a silicone based antifoul, it looks very promising and I have been followying the state of the tests. Drawback ? maybe it needs to be applied under closed roof, price? We’ll see where it leads. I will have a propper conversation at a later stage with them.
At the moment because of all the delay we just want it in the water YESTERDAY! So provided the world does not end tomorrow we go on having fun with all of this.
Now off to the soupkitchen if the local Tesco has been plundered again.
Concerto
Well-known member
Good to see you back Greg and sorry to hear about your mum.
I believe your plans are more realistic and likely to get Oddity in the water in less time than your earlier plans. You still have lots of work to do, even to just get it in a sailable condition, not fully finished. Best of luck and keep posting.
I believe your plans are more realistic and likely to get Oddity in the water in less time than your earlier plans. You still have lots of work to do, even to just get it in a sailable condition, not fully finished. Best of luck and keep posting.
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