How much to you

powerskipper

powerskipper

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personalize your boat, I don't just mean cushions and bedding but other stuff, places for boats hook, extra storage, what bits have you found the most useful and repeat on all boats you own if it is possible to do. I have seen quite a few over the years some have been very good, some other make you think why did they do that!! pics would be great, I am away for a week but as the saying goes, "I will be back."
 
Not much really. I just open the brochure and choose the basic standard stock boat, and maybe tick a few boxes on the options list :D :D
 
lanerboy said:
John what would you say was the 1 best mod you did on match which you believe is better or benefits you more than the rest
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Unquestionably the stabilisers. On Match 1 (2010) this was a big deal - Fairline hadn't done it before and they were not common on 24m boats. It was a full engineering exercise. On Match 2, it had become a tick box option of course because of the 22 boats built between Match 1 and 2 something like a dozen of them had fin stabs

After that it is the 3rd fuel tank, the internal stairs and the remoulded dashboards on both boats. The underwater lights are quite important, as is the special tender (4.3m and 70hp) on Match 2. The new black tank system on Match 2 is a big deal too for me, and the extra hull windows. But now I'm starting to list everything...!

I'm doing some major rework on Match 2 next January/February - have signed a £120k contract. More later; I'm busy doing drawings and choosing paint colours :-) and there are no photos of course yet because nothing has started
 
powerskipper said:
personalize your boat, I don't just mean cushions and bedding but other stuff, places for boats hook, extra storage, what bits have you found the most useful and repeat on all boats you own if it is possible to do. I have seen quite a few over the years some have been very good, some other make you think why did they do that!! pics would be great, I am away for a week but as the saying goes, "I will be back."
Click to expand...

Quite a lot! We're still on our first boat, but we don't plan on changing it because after all the personalised modifications it's now getting quite close to our ideal boat.
We intend to keep it some considerable time and get value out of all those customisations, amongst which are:-

  • Removable navigator's seat
  • Removable chart table (in front of navigator) - disappears completely when not in use
  • Additional locker to keep files like ships log and manuals in, beneath the helm so easily accessible
  • Cupboard lights in all lockers with doors
  • Instrument console, to replace the "random instrument forest" fitted when we first bought it.
  • Additional overhead binnacle for more instruments & VHF
  • Sliding basin, countertop and splashback unit in the heads to enable face washing, shaving and toothbrushing etc without banging my head on the side of the gunwhale (probably the single most useful mod).
  • Engine powered heater matrix (8kw) to provide free heat when going along and supplement the diesel fired heater
  • Additional & upgraded gauges & instruments including engine room cctv x3 and gsm alarm
  • Additional calorifier (in series) added to double the qty of hot water available. Never have to worry about running out now. Extra storage shelves fitted next to it in the engine room
  • Additional battery, in new box, and rewired battery & charging system. Now have 3x domestic, not 1.

All of the modifications have been done in such a way as to either be invisible or look like original fitment, so they don't look like add-on DIY afterthought efforts. At first glance 90% of them aren't visible apart from the instrument binnacles and consoles.

Crikey, now I've listed all that I begin to realise just how much I've done.
We did notice in the last couple of years that when living aboard for our 2 week main holiday the boat is so much more comfortable to be aboard than it was when we first had it.
We are able to do everything we want to without worrying about lack of battery power or hot water.
It's as convenient as being at home, and in some ways even more so, and with all the benefits of being on a boat.
Not a bad achievement for a 1988 33 footer, we love it.:)
 
jfm said:
After that it is the 3rd fuel tank,
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during this season I have seriously been considering to add extra fuel volume in the boat,
I have 5500l but would like have at least 1000l more
I have space under the bed in the main cabin (like Match) but need to make several small tanks linked together,
and some more space more forward in the bilges, but again several small tanks,

do you think this is doable, issue's with the linking tubes, etc...
tanks made from alum or ?

to answer OP,
all the boats I owned have been thorrowly personalised,
the mods on Blue Angel are posted on here in detail,
still have to make a post on the mods of our other boat called Aegir (28ft), tomorrow probably the last dive weekend of the season on her
 
Well worth it Bart. My boat had 6000 litres normally and my extra tank is 1400. Makes quite a difference because I can do a full cruise to bonifacio and back without buying fuel. The extra tank is too big to get through any cabin door so you would need maybe 3 or 4 x 400 or 500 litres on BA. The bottom of my extra tank is full 3m below head of main tanks so all piping is hydraulic style with swagged fittings. No jubilee clips. This of course avoids any smell.

My tank is welded aluminium. People ask whether I can hear the fuel sloshing about. I can't because 90% of time the tank is 100% full. It only gets half full at end of a cruise and within a few days it is full again.

If bottom of new tank is lower than old tanks you need to decide how to draw fuel from it. I have 4x pick ups at bottom of lowest tank but that is hard to do retrofit. Maybe just have a transfer pump to the main tanks

If you a tank under a bed you might want to add fuel coolers, else the bed gets hot. I have return line sea water fuel coolers as standard spec on cat C32. DougH on here retrofitted then to his sunseeker manhattan 66 and I think he said it was straightforward.
 
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BartW said:
during this season I have seriously been considering to add extra fuel volume in the boat,
I have 5500l but would like have at least 1000l more
I have space under the bed in the main cabin (like Match) but need to make several small tanks linked together,
and some more space more forward in the bilges, but again several small tanks,

do you think this is doable, issue's with the linking tubes, etc...
tanks made from alum or ?

to answer OP,
all the boats I owned have been thorrowly personalised,
the mods on Blue Angel are posted on here in detail,
still have to make a post on the mods of our other boat called Aegir (28ft), tomorrow probably the last dive weekend of the season on her
Click to expand...

Not sure about the engineering aspect, but you need to be aware that operating in a hot climate the temp of the fuel (due to returned fuel from engines) could be a factor… I'm sure at present your bed in the master cabin is hot;) but not with fuel !!
 
Added a few toys to OB, but no. 1 most used the most toy ...

The Autohelm remote control (wired) made by Angus Macdoon on the PBO forum - used extensively for driving up and down the river.

No.2 the Noland engine data convertor allowing me to see the engine data without leaving the flybridge.

Most useless mod / extra - the fishing rod - there are no fish in the sea !
 
Actually, fuel coolers are a good idea regardless of where the tanks are.
In fact, they are standard in several marine engines, and available as an option in most.

But TBH, I can't see why to fit a return line in the extra tank at all. Why not just leave the return lines as they are?
I mean, the only possible drawback is the restriction to NOT use the extra tank first while the main tanks are full, to avoid overfilling the main tanks.
But that's no big deal, I reckon....
 
jfm said:
Well worth it Bart. My boat had 6000 litres normally and my extra tank is 1400. Makes quite a difference because I can do a full cruise to bonifacio and back without buying fuel. The extra tank is too big to get through any cabin door so you would need maybe 3 or 4 x 400 or 500 litres on BA. The bottom of my extra tank is full 3m below head of main tanks so all piping is hydraulic style with swagged fittings. No jubilee clips. This of course avoids any smell.

My tank is welded aluminium. People ask whether I can hear the fuel sloshing about. I can't because 90% of time the tank is 100% full. It only gets half full at end of a cruise and within a few days it is full again.

If bottom of new tank is lower than old tanks you need to decide how to draw fuel from it. I have 4x pick ups at bottom of lowest tank but that is hard to do retrofit. Maybe just have a transfer pump to the main tanks

If you a tank under a bed you might want to add fuel coolers, else the bed gets hot. I have return line sea water fuel coolers as standard spec on cat C32. DougH on here retrofitted then to his sunseeker manhattan 66 and I think he said it was straightforward.
Click to expand...

SORRY for the "fred drift" but JFM, could I ask how you "use" your fuel tanks??... do you draw from 1 at a time or all at once etc etc ....just interested as how you maintain boat balance .... also, I know your tanks are baffled but that still seems a lot of "slopping" space when your, say, half empty......
 
I have done a number of essential marine engineering modifications
modded the flybridge fridge (I believe the technical term is Fun Box?) - added a plastic grill in the base of the fridge so that tins of beer are not sitting in a puddle of condensation and creating brown rust rings in the base of the fridge.
added two extra tinnie holders to avoid spilling beer
re-arranged the space under the master cabin bed to keep extra beer in as it is nice and cool down there.

and probably the most important modification has been to move the depth/log and auto pilot controls on the flybridge so I don't have to lean forward and risk spilling the beer

overall a very successful series of advanced engineering improvements.
 
kashurst said:
I have done a number of essential marine engineering modifications
modded the flybridge fridge (I believe the technical term is Fun Box?) - added a plastic grill in the base of the fridge so that tins of beer are not sitting in a puddle of condensation and creating brown rust rings in the base of the fridge.
added two extra tinnie holders to avoid spilling beer
re-arranged the space under the master cabin bed to keep extra beer in as it is nice and cool down there.

and probably the most important modification has been to move the depth/log and auto pilot controls on the flybridge so I don't have to lean forward and risk spilling the beer

overall a very successful series of advanced engineering improvements.
Click to expand...

Only a suggestion ...... why not drink beer quicker so as to avoid open containers "wasting" such important fluids !!!
 
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