Bringing an old boat back to life

Deleted User said:
Andy, I've just come across this thread as I must have missed it first time round. What an interesting boating story and really pleased to see that you may be getting closer to the end of what looks like a massive refit project. Here's hoping that Dream Finder gives you many seasons of boating pleasure to pay you back for all the work you've put into her
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Thanks Mike. It's been an education. Paul has been brilliant though, those engines are like new. Everything is clipped and tidied away. It's a pleasure to see a dry bilge and a clean engine room.
 
The sofa arrived today! Everything I had imagined it would be and it fitted beautifully!

Finally Dreamfinder is coming back together. Just a little bit of trim left to finish the saloon and the rest can wait until the end of the season.

looks good yes?

0WgXoHNV

8wT8Z9Tw
 
Andydent2000 said:
The sofa arrived today! Everything I had imagined it would be and it fitted beautifully!
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Aargh, you let that mangy little mutt on to your new sofas? Our dog would be fish food if he so much as looked at any new furniture on the boat:)
 
longjohnsilver said:
Tell me Mike, how do you get your flea infested mutt out to Italy/Croatia?
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I don't allow him anywhere near Italy or Croatia. He gets parked with friends who, for reasons best known to themselves, seem to enjoy his slobbering, over friendly company
 
I know it's been a while, but I saw a fabulously rakish-looking motor-yacht ashore in a Solent marina this morning, and a few seconds online led me to this thread...

...I didn't stop to look for her name, but I wonder if this is Dreamfinder? I was amazed to read that only 14 Powles 46 were built.

2016-07-02%2017.00.16_zpsjlpgeviv.jpg


I'm also in love with the cabin layout...so much space on such an elegant hull & superstructure...

powles46dessin2.jpg


Boats seem to have got lardier and uglier since the 70s/80s. This is the sort of classy old cruiser that distracts me from my sails. :rolleyes:
 
dancrane said:
I know it's been a while, but I saw a fabulously rakish-looking motor-yacht ashore in a Solent marina this morning, and a few seconds online led me to this thread...

...I didn't stop to look for her name, but I wonder if this is Dreamfinder? I was amazed to read that only 14 Powles 46 were built.

2016-07-02%2017.00.16_zpsjlpgeviv.jpg


I'm also in love with the cabin layout...so much space on such an elegant hull & superstructure...

powles46dessin2.jpg


Boats seem to have got lardier and uglier since the 70s/80s. This is the sort of classy old cruiser that distracts me from my sails. :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

I have maintained and re engines Dream Finder in years, the last time I saw her she was out the water at Shamrock Quay Marina awaiting copper coat and osmosis treatment , the one in the pic looks like her.
 
I know this is an old thread but I just enjoyed reading it sitting on my balcony on holiday. Don't we all wish that there were more people like Volvo Paul in the world

Dennis
 
An update
It's been a while since I updated this post (4 years nearly)

Lots of stuff has happened but here's some of the highlights.

After completing the Coppercoat we started to tackle some of those lingering engine issues. Most of them were sorted by a refurbish of the heat exchangers but there was always the lingering issue of lack of power. She just was not pulling the speed at the top end we were expecting (down by over 4 knots) and not touching max RPM.

Life got in the way and a breakdown of a marriage meant that Dreamfinder became a bit of a pontoon queen for a while.

I moved further north to Manchester which made getting down for the weekend a non starter so at the beginning of 2020, with a heavy heart I decided to put her up for sale.

There was a little interest but sadly the leaking rear deck had done a lot of damage to the rear cabin. The rest of the boat is perfect, if a little dated but buyers could not see past this and then the dreaded COVID hit.

Out of contract with the Marina I was faced with a choice - reduce the price to something ridiculous or move her closer and do the work myself.

I chose the latter and I am very glad I did.

I will detail just what we did and the journey in a separate post. I am also setting up a youtube channel to document the restoration if anyone is interested I will place a link in the updated post.

Look out for "Dream Finder - bringing an old boat back to life - part 2" very soon.
 
Good to have you back, and I look forward to the updates and youtube link (y) .
As previously mentioned, I remember Dreamfinder when she was on the Severn and Bristol Channel, so it's great to hear she's still being looked after and going strong.
 
Andydent2000 said:
An update
It's been a while since I updated this post (4 years nearly)

Lots of stuff has happened but here's some of the highlights.

After completing the Coppercoat we started to tackle some of those lingering engine issues. Most of them were sorted by a refurbish of the heat exchangers but there was always the lingering issue of lack of power. She just was not pulling the speed at the top end we were expecting (down by over 4 knots) and not touching max RPM.

Life got in the way and a breakdown of a marriage meant that Dreamfinder became a bit of a pontoon queen for a while.

I moved further north to Manchester which made getting down for the weekend a non starter so at the beginning of 2020, with a heavy heart I decided to put her up for sale.

There was a little interest but sadly the leaking rear deck had done a lot of damage to the rear cabin. The rest of the boat is perfect, if a little dated but buyers could not see past this and then the dreaded COVID hit.

Out of contract with the Marina I was faced with a choice - reduce the price to something ridiculous or move her closer and do the work myself.

I chose the latter and I am very glad I did.

I will detail just what we did and the journey in a separate post. I am also setting up a youtube channel to document the restoration if anyone is interested I will place a link in the updated post.

Look out for "Dream Finder - bringing an old boat back to life - part 2" very soon.
Click to expand...
Please provide the YouTube link to your channel, I would love to see the boat and what you have done to her.
thanks
 
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