I feel a name change coming up....

[No Regrets]

In hindsight, it may have been a little foolish to register under the name of the Boat, as I have just flogged Shamby and replaced her with a lovely old Birchwood 25, far more suited to cruising on the upper Thames.

I may be spending more time in the Classic boat forum too /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

The Birchwood is called 'No Regrets' by the way, what should I do? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[teddington_lock]

I would keep the name 'Shamby' if you like it ....

 

[byron]

No Regrets, she's been on the Thames forever and ever. Personally I think the name is too well known to lose but if you like the name Shamby then that must be the obvious choice.
Anyway, may good fortune follow your new boat and I hope you have many happy hours with her.

 

[NealB]

Are you thinking of changing your new boat's name from 'No Regrets' to 'Shamby', or of changing your YBW user name from 'Shamby' to 'No Regrets'?

Assuming you like your YBW name, and you're happy with the boat being 'No Regrets', then why change anything at all?

 

[Chris_d]

Changing names always seems to cause problems, No Regrets is indeed a familiar sight on the upper Thames.
As for your YBW name, in my minds eye it seemed to suggest, a casualy dressed slightly scruffy but very friendly character, sorry if thats not the case, its probably just my warped mind /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Brayman]

I saw Shamby once last summer coming out of Shiplake lock, your description fits him very well - also deaf to the shouts of other forumites!

 

[Ramage]

Birchwood 25? Good choice! I am not sure they count as Classic Boats though..

What spec is No Regets? Shaft drive or outdrive?

Sea Tiger petrol? or rarer diesel?

My Carli is Sea Panther diesel on shaft. Fellow forumite NickCred has a Nanni diesel driving an outdrive. His original Sea Tiger petrol suffered a mishap!

Feel free to ask any Birchwood 25 questions and I will try to help. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[No Regrets]

LOL

Slightly scruffy, but smartening up recently, so more likely to see me in reasonable smart trousers and a shirt these days, gone are the Jeans and T's of last year. Funnily enough, it's boating that did that to me too...

I should have made it cleaer about the name, so apologies there: The boat name is just perfect, and will stay as long as I'm breathing. The forum (And sold boat) name 'Shamby' was never one I felt happy with per se (Second hand boats eh?) so probably will be changed, and judging by the historic quality of posts, maybe not a bad idea /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

No regrets is a Shaft drive with the X-Flow Sea Tiger, as fitted to my very first car, so maintenance should be a doddle, and most nostalgic too. My ambition is to make her as lovely as NickCreds one, which is gorgeous.

I plan to restore her to her former glory, mind you there's not much to do other than a good spit and polish, and join a local cruiser club now I have a proper River boat to helm. Shamby was a lovely boat but should have been exported to the Coast where she could frolic in the waves at 25 knots and more.

Ironically, we just got back from Jamaica, where I would lay on a sunlounger looking out to the still ocean, hankering to see Shamby achored just off shore with the hood and bathing ladder down, but thats life eh?

I chose the Birchy because I love the classic shape, the brilliant accomodation for a 25 footer, and she is in excellent condition where it matters (No cracking around the deck fittings, cockpit and cabin wood very presentable, and has been serviced twice a year by the same owner for ten years)

Quite a snip compared to Shamby too!

Thanks for the responses so far chaps!

 

[nickcred]

Hi All

A belated Happy New Year from me just entering post Norovirus day I hope /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

What a great name and IMHO what an absolutely superb choice of boat (not that I am biased at all you understand) and thanks for the compliment to to the old girl Tristan (still not got round to changing or thinkinbg of a new name and kinda got attached to it in a weird way).

Agree absolutely that for a 30 year old boat they are a classic shape but then I still think the 1979 GTI was the prettiest Golf ever built. We cruised for 9/10 days in one stretch last year with four of us living on board and a lovely stop to visit my good friend Byron last year and he will confirm that by day 8 we were not suffering from too much Cabin fever. Not to say that an extra 6ft would go amiss but for her size there is plenty enough room and we find her very comfortable and reasonable to run if you don't blow up your engine /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif Although I have a lot of fun lifting the engine hatch and saying to SWMBO look there is your new kitchen down there /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

Look forward to seeing you guys on the river again (always feels like it is in sight after New Year is out the way).

 

[No Regrets]

We were very tempted by a Princess 32 (Mini B) which offered a load more space in the cockpit and cabin, but there are only two of us ever going to be sleeping on board, and the greatly reduced ownership costs swayed me, in addition to the simplicity of the shaft drive, single simple engine, and we loved the sunroof.

The '25 is very much a big boat in a compact package don't you think? She certainly has more space-per-foot than anything else we saw, a very 'grown up' looking helm and lacks nothing, except perhaps the open plan layout which looks a little low-caste compared to the two-room layouts such as the fairline Mirage, although I accept this offers a more spacious feel.

I'll be polishing for a few days methinks /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[nickcred]

Hi John

after the nice comments about Tristan I will be polishing in a freezing cold boat yard again for a week I bet to keep her up to scratch. Agree with you entirely as we also looked at a princes 32 and for the same reasons went with a Birchy. Also the condition she was in compared to anything else we saw at the price was superb. I also wondered about the open plan layout at first but quickly realised how much more spacious she felt. I have seen one or two with the forebunks doored off and it feels much smaller. We do have some curtains which pull across for the faint hearted who object to me in my boxers lol.

Are you at Thames and Kennet? we often have an overnight there when we are heading up that way on one of our mini breaks. Nice people I have found. Infact we sheltered from a couple of rainy days there end of last season. Strange light though always makes Tristan look an odd yellow colour there for some reason.

Was your last boat a shaft drive? I have only ever (in adult life) driven stern drive boats and the old girl turns on a sixpence although keeping her steady when waiting mid stream for locks takes some practice.

Hope you have great times in No Regrets I am sure you will and look forward to nosing around your boat when we get a chance to meet up /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Nick

 

[No Regrets]

Hi Nick!

Shamby was a sport cruiser, with single Volvo D3 on a stern drive, so quick and very manoevrable, but no sense of direction, and not great for helming at low speed.

The main bone of contention was the weather, as the curved plexiglass windscreen had no wipers, so it was a case of morring up or getting very wet if it rained while underway.

The Birchy is truly made for the UK, with a nice airy wheelhouse, sunroof, yet twin wipers. I have yet to see a more Thames friendly setup in fact!

Strangely, both the '25's at T&K have yellow-looking hulls despite being in original Gel. Yours looks white out of the water! Hmmm....perhaps the Gel they used reacts with the Reading pondlife (mainly found on the towpath walking Staffordshire terriers mind, LOL) and glows yellow??

I'm looking forward to mastering a Rudder and Stern, even though Shamby could be placed to within a foot, or spun around in her own length with a little wheel spinning and throttle blipping, and can't wait to enjoy the directional stability which comes as standard too!

In fairness, Shamby was a dream on a summers day, she would seat 7 in the open air cockpit, and used tiny amounts of Diesel, but I just fancy something more traditional and boaty now, which we can sleep on in greater comfort, and use in a greater variety of weather.

But you know that already as a B25 owner I'm sure! /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

Thanks for the welcome! We look forward to seeing you at T&K, although we may be moving to Bray or P.Hook in June/July as it's closer to home.....

 

[Ramage]

I took Carli out for a little run yesterday afternoon. The wind was pushing her about quite a bit when she was moored, but she ran straight as a die once underway.

I topped up the fuel tank, although getting the cap off was a real struggle! Last time it was off was the infamous running out of fuel incident in the summer. She is very frugal though...there was only room for 31 litres!

If you are considering a move to Bray, speak to Mike Gates and consider coming for a look around. Bray moorings tend to go quickly in the spring! You get free use of Penton Hook at any time anyway. We looked at both, but decided Bray was prettier and less impersonal.

And you know about the club......


However, you do not have to be moored at Bray to join BCC.

I agree with Nick about the classic styling and also about MK1 Golfs! Mind you, you could say the same for Italian Scooters /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Brayman]

[ QUOTE ]

I agree with Nick about the classic styling and also about MK1 Golfs! Mind you, you could say the same for Italian Scooters /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

Hey, off to the Lounge if you are going to talk dirty /forums/images/graemlins/ooo.gif

 

[Ramage]

Looking through my pictures I found these of our first trip on Carli from Thames Boat Sales at Thames & Kennet Marina down to Windsor.

Leaving T & K

What no wake?

Thats better

How far to the Lock?

Shiplake Lock

Longridge Scout Boating Centre, Marlow.

Windsor Racecourse

Is The Queen in?

Plenty of trip boats!

And a wake shot to finish!

 

[nickcred]

Ramage that post is almost pornography to a Birchy owner with their boat on the hard lol. Great pics

John she looks cream/white everywhere bar Thames and Kennet lol weird

Bray is pretty and just a couple of locks up from where we are based just below Romney Lock.

Can wait to get back out there

 

[apollo]

Goes well when you put fuel in it doesnt it? /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[No Regrets]

Funny thing is Paul, we did the opposite journey when we bought Shamby!

Collected from PH at 5:30pm, got to Windsor Racecourse ant 8:30, then up in the morning and on to T&K for late afternoon the following day!

Your pics are a bit like ours:

And finally home!

 

[No Regrets]

Makes me quite misty eyed looking at the pics, she is a beautiful little thing, ever such fun, but a bit 'caged' on the Thames.

I would love to see her bouncing atop the surf on the coast. She has only ever been up on the plane once...

 

[Ramage]

/forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

Smiths fuel gauge, mutter mutter......