Hello From A Newbie Boater :)

[Ben Dockrell 22]

Hello

I just bought my first boat,it is a project presently berthed in the Southdown Marina.

Is there anyone in the forums who liveaboard at the Southdown Marina ?

Would i be expected to bring some id to the Marina to get in and out ie going offsite shopping ?

From what i have read i hope the ferries are ok or its a long ride around ?

I have read a little on the boating forums so i think it would become quite hot inside the boat. Would i be ok suspending a large sheet over the cabin area generally to block the sun out?

I have bought two lifejackets, just in case i go overboard, (second one is spare in case the first one does not work!).

I cant wait to get down there and take a better look.

I have read about being able to get a good look at the boat before you buy it and yes i would usually absolutely agree with that. The circumstaces are it only cost me two hundred pounds odd as a project. The guy who sold it to me had 4000 plus pos feedback and placing his name in the browser showed me he gave £100 to one of his local charities. He plays a contributing role in his community so i risked the two hundred.

I am complete sailing / cruising newbie so new friends and advice are very welcome indeed

 

[misterg]

Welcome to the world of boat ownership

Please tell me it's not this one:

Dockrell 22 on ebay

That'll break somebody's heart....

(Read the description)

Andy

 

[Ben Dockrell 22]

No its not that one


*starts tearing lumps of hair out with worry and biting nails down passed the skin*

 

[robmcg]

Hi Ben

If your new boat is called 'Fawn', then I walked past her this weekend in Southdown (we store our boat there over winter). Plenty of people live aboard in Southdown, generally you can come and go at will, although the main gate is locked at about 9pm. If you aren't in a car, then it's a bit of a walk to the nearest village (Millbrook) and a loooong way from the Torpoint ferry which is your link back into Plymouth.
Probably not warm enough yet for needing a tarp over the cockpit, might be useful for deflecting the rain if it comes!!!!!!! Bit of hard work and sourcing a few bits second hand and you should get her back into commission - mind you it will be a tight squeeze as the boat isn't 'big'. Plenty of other boats being worked on in Southdown so you'll never be stuck for advice!!

Rob

 

[Ben Dockrell 22]

Hello Rob

Im only 5'6 and 9 stone its big enough ta

 

[Ben Dockrell 22]

Rob may i say thank-you for the information and im really pleased to be coming down in a day or two

May i add surely it cant be that hard a job to get to southdown ? i just get on the ferry and cross ?

Id be surprised if it was really that hard when Plymouth is a major city ?

It would be a small gold mine for anyone willing to provide a smaller personal ferry service ?

Or simply to have an agreement between friends who have the qualifications to take turns when neccessary to provide and pilot the means to get across the water?

Just a thought ?

I have a few books now so im going to be in the boat bobbing around looking out my portholes (well windows) and reading a bit before i start drilling or cutting.

*makes note not to sleepwalk*

 

[Ben Dockrell 22]

Hello Rob may i thank-you for your replies.

Im still checking the ferry routes available so im not too worried at the moment as there are three i have found so far

The Boatman was happy enough to bring it over and put it into the berth for me so it cant be too bad, if it was a danger they would not have touched it, at this point im going to reserve my judgement until i see it with my own eyes

*Wonders if dockrell 22,s have stringers and if so what condition their in*

 

[davidej]

Hello

I have bought two lifejackets, just in case i go overboard, (second one is spare in case the first one does not work!).

QUOTE]

Interesting concept.

Fall overboard - woops, l/j doesn't work - shout to someone else (within hearing range) to go on your boat, find the spare lifejacket and chuck it to you.

Difficult if you are in a marina - impossible if you are at sea!

 

[Ben Dockrell 22]

Thank-you for your reply davidej

If we overlook the jest for a moment thats a valid point of course

I wont be trying to alter the established safety procedures at anytime soon or at all because that would be rather silly.

I will be learning as much as possible along these lines and i look forward to learning from the qualified professionals in the localilty.

May i ask the type of hat you would choose to wear in the most common emergency situation on water ?

no worries if not.

 

[clyst]

No its not that one


*starts tearing lumps of hair out with worry and biting nails down passed the skin*

Not that one ?? The boat on e-bay is called "Fawn" now "Fawn" is now Southdown .

Coincidence ??

 

[White Horse]

Hope he got a good rate at the Marina as the visitor rate is £100 a week. Going to cost £25 - 30 a week to keep it. Without and engine and sails it would be cheaper to get it lifted out but thats going to cost about 1/2 what he paid for it. Hope the OP knows what he has let himself in for Its going to cost more to keep and will probably never be sailed again Makes you wonder if the Marina had an interest in it ....

 

[misterg]

No its not that one


*starts tearing lumps of hair out with worry and biting nails down passed the skin*

Your replies have only just showed up (forum rules for newbies - honest!)- I wasn't ignoring you

Well, all I can do is wish you the very best of luck in finding all the missing parts without spending a fortune!

(Well, actually, I could tell you to let the seller keep the boat and the money and run away as fast as you can, but that comes across as so negative...)

Andy

 

[Judders]

Well it's an ambitious way to start sailing, I must say. But why the hell not? (Apart from the blood, sweat, tears and oodles of cash I mean).

It's in a beautiful spot. What a great way to spend the summer.

First thing to do is to get it water tight, so post a picture on here of the missing window and of it's reciprocal on the other side and someone will identify it and, more helpfully, be able to give some pointers about where you might get a replacement.

Next you are going to need some propulsion. You can either go and buy a Yanmar and get it installed. We looked at converting a Hunter Impala to an inboard (before we found a better one with it already done) and we figured this would cost us about £3k, but then we were going to get it fitted for free. I would suggest that your more cost effective method is to glass over the stern gland, buy a second hand outboard bracket and a second hand outboard. How much does a Dockerell weight?

Post a picture here of the mast step and plenty of forumites will be able to identify which second hand rigs will fit.

In the meantime, give it a bloody good clean as that will make a world of difference.

If I'd known when I bought my first (and last) project all those years ago that seeking out and learning the following skills was easy enough to do if only I got stuck in, then I'd have been a whole lot more successful.

Learn the joys and the skills of using epoxy. Learn all about marine paints and how to apply them. Most of all; learn to sail properly!

Do keep us all updated as to your progress wont you?

 

[Ben Dockrell 22]

robmcg
Clyst
Judders
misterg
BJ4U
davidej

Thank-you one and all for such a lovely warm and helpful welcome

I just thought about Wellies for the Marina ?

I woke up in the early hours and came online to check my emails, and yes my
posts are up after sometime and i do understand thats because im newbie so no worries

I have seen the photographs of the guy being rescued from the sediment after getting almost waist deep in it, that is scary was that the sand near southdown ?

Can the sand be walked across from cremyll to southdown once you reach an appropiate place to cross or is it just that much safer to use the tamar bridge ?

One thing does come to mind about the sediment is snow shoes might be useful

 

[Tranona]

Can't see the details of the boat as it is now withdrawn, but from the comments I sort of get the picture. The advice to tell the previous owner to keep it and run away as fast as you can would probably in retrospect have been the right advice!

Boats in poor condition with bits missing are valueless as working boats as all they do is consume the owner's money just to exist.

To help get an idea of what is involved you might read the series of articles in PBO the last few months where they are stripping and renovating a somewhat similar boat. However, their boat is at least complete, but expect they will come to the conclusion that the project as a whole is just not viable. The value to the magazine is in providing a vehicle to illustrate how you can tackle certain jobs.

The world is full of cheap working boats that can be used almost immediately and improved as you use them. Better way to get into boat ownership than buying an abandoned boat shape heap.

 

[Judders]

To help get an idea of what is involved you might read the series of articles in PBO the last few months where they are stripping and renovating a somewhat similar boat. However, their boat is at least complete, but expect they will come to the conclusion that the project as a whole is just not viable.

It probably is viable if you are doing it as your job, as Ben is, rather than having to earn the money to do it elsewhere!

 

[Tranona]

It probably is viable if you are doing it as your job, as Ben is, rather than having to earn the money to do it elsewhere!

Thought that was the point I was making - PBO are paying the bills. Guess they are not going to get much change out of £5k, even ignoring the fact that they have free storage, which would be £100 a month in Poole. That kind of money buys a nice 22 footer ready to go with no cost to knuckles or lungs (from breathing all that ground up GRP). Perhaps not so much fun if you like messing with boats rather than sailing, as some do.

 

[Judders]

Indeed. It would buy this for example (no connection, just the first boat that came up in a quick search).

http://cornwall.apolloduck.co.uk/display.phtml?aid=237749

Great sea boat by reputation.

Or how about this, which a friend of mine has on his books at the moment.

http://www.yachtworld.co.uk/boats/1968/Contest-25-2424482/United-Kingdom

Almost makes me wish I was a cruiser and not a racer because my life would be so much easier and cheaper!

 

[misterg]

Can't see the details of the boat as it is now withdrawn

The link I posted still works

Relisted due to a dreamer not expecting to win it for his low bid was - whatever it sells for you will be expected to complete at, so please dont waste your time or ours bidding for fun or to make up the numbers las legal action will be taken to recover our costs for timewasters

DOCKRELL 22 MOTOR YACHT PROJECT

BROKERAGE SALE

Dockrell 22, Bilge (Tri) Keel, GRP fibreglass Motor cruiser. Unknown year but had to put something! Currently lying on a deep water mooring within Plymouth. No trailer. Can have it lifted onto your transport at additional cost. Please ask for more details.

From what I know "Fawn" has experienced some exciting trips around the south west including trips to the Scilly Isles.

Was powered by a Yanmar 1GM10 inboard engine which has been removed and is NOT INCLUDED IN THIS AUCTION

The boat has also had its rigging removed (mast, all sails etc). Since then its been broken into and had some fittings stolen such as 2 small windows, nav lights, sink, cushions, prop. Its now been moved to a deep water mooring.

The first picture is of it when it was fully rigged up and in use to give you an idea of how it can be again. The remaining pictures show it both with and without some of its fittings both whilst on its previous tidal mooring, and now as it is on its current deep water mooring. These are the most up to date pictures taken this week!

Items still remaining are Cooker (untested), Toilet (all plumbed in), some cushions, built in fuel tank, water tank, Stainless rails, rudder etc.

Overall this is a good project for somebody with the inclination. Sailing is not something I get involved with or know anything about im only selling this on behalf of the owner. There is a Dockrell Owners Association on the Web which has more details on these boats. Theres quite a community of Dockrell Owners out there!

Its ready for an engine to be re-fitted and my understanding is if you have a Yanmar 1GM10 inboard engine (or something known to be compatible) it will plumb right in ane be operational without too much fuss. Could then be converted to a motor boat or the rigging sourced to restore its former glory. By all accounts these are quite a popular and sought after model. There is no structural work to required.

Viewings highly recommended by appointment only

If paid in full it can remain on the current mooring for a week/10 days to permit your collection arrangements. The mooring is NOT INCLUDED or available for any longer term.

Under 'Rigging' the header for the listing has: "NONE INCLUDED".

It's a shame, because she looked a nice, tidy boat

Like I said: Good luck

Andy

(Then and now pictures from ebay listing)

 

[Reptile Smile]

OP, determination is the answer. So many people will tell you it can't be done on a budget. It can, but it's a lot easier with knowledge and experience. One of the key parts of this is to get it out and on a mate's drive while you're working on it. Join a sailing club so that you can meet someone with a trailer who'll help you out. A lot cheaper than a crane-out...

As one person has already said, don't underestimate the difference a really good wash and clean will make.

You also may not need to go to the lengths as the PBO project, in which they've taken it back to bare hull, including chopping fittings, etc. I advise realism and a vision of and endpoint. Good luck!