My new project... MFV Elizmor

Status
Not open for further replies.
Hey everybody - time for an update! I have been keeping a regular blog over at: www.elizmor.co.uk (as I know some of you are aware) but thought I'd post an update here too.

Everything has been going very well aboard the beloved Elizmor. With the help of my Dad (great with electrics & engines) and boyfriend (a carpenter!) we have blasted through the tasks which needed doing before Elizmor could go back in the water.

I had originally booked her launch for the 10th December, but some liability issues arose which meant we have pushed it back to the 7th January - everything is now sorted and we just have to hope the weather is kind to us... none of this 70mph gusts malarkey please.

In the meantime, I have been busy blogging and reaching out to some marine brands to drum up support for 'Project Elizmor'. I've been overwhelmed with everyone's help (including you all on here), and have managed to gain sponsorship from Garmin, Icom and BoatFendersDirect.co.uk.

Garmin have sent me a much needed GPS Chartplotter - Elizmor didn't have GPS when I bought her, and it will certainly be great to have one on our voyage south.

Icom are sending a DSC VHF, as again, Elizmor's equipment was pretty basic and although there is an old VHF, it doesn't have DSC, and one of the surveyor's recommendations which I have to follow is that a DSC set be added. I am looking forward to receiving & installing the Icom IC-M323! Woohoo!

BoatFendersDirect.co.uk have saved Elizmor's lovely topsides from what I'm sure will be my initially atrocious parking, by sending me the most amazing early Christmas present consisting of x6 massive black fenders. It's a good few hundred quid's worth and I am extremely grateful for their support, not to mention surprised at how excited I am about fenders.

The best news, perhaps, came in the form of a phone call from PBO's editor David at the end of last week - they have commissioned a 4-5 page (2,500-3,000 word) feature about this first stage of 'Project Elizmor'. I can't wait to start writing it in January (after the launch all goes to plan, hopefully! But maybe it will be a better article if it doesn't!!!).

Last night was the berth holder's Christmas party here at Preston Marina, I went along and had a great time meeting lots of new people. Preston is a friendly place!

I am still looking out for an elusive large anchor & chain... and a few other bits and pieces... but you can keep up to date on the blog: www.elizmor.co.uk
 
Best of luck with the lift and launch and I look forward to reading the articles.
 
Elizmor - still ashore!

Hello Eleanor

I’ve just got back from Greece and was surprised to find Elizmor still on the hard in Preston. The old saying 'everything with boats takes twice as long and cost twice as much as you expect' must be right! Still it will give me a chance to be there when you lift the old girl in.

I’ve just read through the posts and blog, interesting stuff. Lots of good advice and comments about things we discussed during my survey. Wetting the inside of the planking and testing your new bilge pumps by flooding the bilges are good ideas but I wondered if you had a sauna inside when you cranked up the Rayburn?

Let me know if the lift in date changes again I don’t want to miss it. John C
 
Ahh it's so great to hear everybody's kind words on here. @chrisbitz I will pass that one on to the editor! ;)

John! Great to hear from you too! I have just sent you an email.
 
Regarding your concerns re; Elizmore's weight, are the yard planning to use the same crane that hauled her out?...that should provide some comfort ;)

PS: Lovely little ship, great project, great adventure, very jealous!!
 
Last edited:
This is getting ridiculous. Launch cancelled for the second time. The marina have insurance issues again. I have bought a boat in a boatyard and just want to launch her!

Will keep you updated.

In the meantime, still on the hunt for a 50kg anchor :)
 
This is getting ridiculous. Launch cancelled for the second time. The marina have insurance issues again. I have bought a boat in a boatyard and just want to launch her!

Will keep you updated.

In the meantime, still on the hunt for a 50kg anchor :)

Are they not already insured for launches? Or is it a reinspection of their crane? My FIL is an engineering surveyor for a multinational insurance company and he condemned the launch crane at a local boatyard on annual insurance inspection. Darn good job he did, he said it was ready to collapse.
 
Oh dear. Are you first boat in from the harbour wall or do they have to lift you 'over' another boat perhaps?

Are the - outside- crane contractors not insured to work in the yard and have their own liability paperwork for their equipment? Presumably in the course of their day to day jobs they get to swing stuff up over houses and building sites worth oodles of 000s.

Or are you using both an outside and the yard crane?

Anyway best of luck. Mild innit!
 
The yard she is in doesn't have a crane big enough to lift her so I need to get a 200t crane in. I'm literally right next to the quay wall, nothing in the way, she needs picking up and swinging 90 degrees so she's alongside the quay in the water.

First time round the marina told me to sort it out myself externally, so I arranged to hire a crane under a contract lift, booked a date etc. Then the marina advised I postpone the launch as they had some issues with it and wanted full indemnity which neither I nor the crane company could provide because somebody had to take responsibility for the ground suitability which I can't do. So that was cancelled.

Second time round, the marina organised it themselves, hiring the crane from the company and acting as the customer. Then it transpired their existing business insurance doesn't cover them for the full value of the crane - as they are hiring it themselves, not under a contract lift, they need hired-in plant insurance. They asked me to pay for them to increase their own insurance and didn't send a final revised quote until the evening before the lift was originally supposed to happen, which then went into £ double figures (!), so it was cancelled again.

Now I'm back to sorting it out myself and a bit stuck. I have found a good contact at another lifting company who is trying to sort it out through his insurance, with some better proof of ground suitability. Other than that I think I'll launch a competition and offer £3,000 to whoever can successfully launch her and accept all liability!

The real kick in the teeth was helping a friend launch his very similar 52ft, 35t wooden converted tug boat today, at a different yard, for just a few hundred quid and with no fuss at all.

Who would have thought trying to launch a boat from a boatyard would be so difficult? Maybe that's why she's been sitting on the hard for 10 years - because of paperwork!
 
Oh I am sorry to hear that. Sounds like a people problem tbh

Clearly at one time the ground was tough enough to lift her out eh?

Sheet Steel spreader plates under the crane come to mind.. Ask em what they use to guarantee stability on a buildi g site? A tame soil sampler? This forum has at least two civil engineers who may shine a light ....at least now 'we' know what's what at this stage to address ...

Or mebbe there's an army camp nearby? £3000 of beer buys a lorra muscle, enthusiasm and some heave-ho.

.Nelsons navy used to slide em in sideways on their bilge along a series of stout greased timbers if they had to...

Stonehenge got built without insurance ( as far as we know)....

All best,
 
Oh I am sorry to hear that. Sounds like a people problem tbh

Clearly at one time the ground was tough enough to lift her out eh?

Sheet Steel spreader plates under the crane come to mind.. Ask em what they use to guarantee stability on a buildi g site? A tame soil sampler? This forum has at least two civil engineers who may shine a light ....at least now 'we' know what's what at this stage to address ...

Or mebbe there's an army camp nearby? £3000 of beer buys a lorra muscle, enthusiasm and some heave-ho.

.Nelsons navy used to slide em in sideways on their bilge along a series of stout greased timbers if they had to...

Stonehenge got built without insurance ( as far as we know)....

All best,

JellyEllie,

I agree with BlueBoatman, and £3,000 sounds absurd !

The jobs for spreading load on the ground are widely used by the RAF and Army, known as PSP - Pierced Steel Planking.

It may well be worth contacting the Army at Thorney Island, I bet they'd do it as a PR exercise if possible.

Good Luck !
 
Hi both, the £3,000 is actually a figure much below anything I have been quoted so far.

We are happy that the ground is suitable now, got some data about a previous heavy lift that took place there.

I like the idea about the Army doing it with their steel sheets as a PR exercise! Elizmor is already attracting a lot of attention online so maybe they would go for it. Who would I contact?!
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top