RLM Marine Ltd. Info/history help

[sue mako]

The Sweeney episode is called Bad Apple , if my memory serves me well!

Yes that's right, Bad Apple. I am Clives eldest daughter. Remember Summer of 1976 a holiday along the Thames with my family on a ??32ft RLM. One of the best holidays ever.

 

[Kersh100]

Hello Ecquitee, are you familiar with the boat White Lynx, another RLM 32 at the same marina?

 

[AllanRM]

Hi there - I'm thinking of buying a boat but don't have much sense about it. Got a good offer on this boat - it was supposed to be a RLM 33 Riviera from 1978. It will be checked by a mechanic before possible purchase.
Can someone tell me and what to expect that uses fuel with the 2 Layland diesel 115 horsepower 6 cylinders at cruising speed?

 

[oldgit]

Sorry but seriously, without bring too horrid, that needs to be dirt cheap or free.
The amount of work which looks obvious could make that simply uneconomic to repair, especially the stuff you or your mechanic cannot see but will discover as you go on !
A club member recently had trouble giving away a very similar boat probably needing less work than that (not much tho .)
Boatyard are clogged with abandoned wreck s "fixer uppers" that yard owners just want to see the back of having given up trying to find/ get any rent from vanished owners.
Locally ,naughty boat yards are towing boats under cover of darkness and simply putting them ashore somewhere, for the port authorities to dispose of at public expence.
Shed loads of cheap floating and far more usable boats around at the moment.
Check if you can even get bits for those 60 year old engines,especially heat exchangers and exhaust manifolds.

Marine Engine, Engine Marinisation and parts specialists

 

[MapisM]

I'm thinking of buying a boat but don't have much sense about it.

I hate to be drastically negative with a new forum member - apropos, welcome to the asylum!
But trust me, by the time you'll be done bringing back that boat to half decent conditions, you will look at any fuel cost as small change...!

 

[PCUK]

About 12 gallons an hour flat out. Maybe 9 at cruising speed or 5 on the river. Depending on the interior condition the cost of a basic refurb' won't be huge. Once repainted it will be transformed. Say around 5k for a basic DIY job.

 

[AllanRM]

Declined to buy this boat after a quick review - thanks for the advice.

 

[oldgit]

Declined to buy this boat after a quick review - thanks for the advice.

Do not lose hope.
Covid has resulted in a wholesale reajustment of lifes aims for most folks and not just the sudden urge to finally buy that boat/motor home/caravan one has always wanted.
It has also prodded a earlier generation of boat owners to finally sell off old boats, that quietly have been going green on the pontoons.
A few left it a bit late with relatives having to do the job.
OK for the marina/boatyard owners charging rent but not for surrounding craft owners wondering if that boat has any anodes left and if their boats stern gear is going pink as a result.
Most of these boats are at the budget end of the market and if you know where to look some good opportunities to purchase a half decent boat, ( not a fixer upper wreck best dealt with a grinder and awaiting to bite the unwary).
A few of the better ones will find there way on to brokers lists and down here in the basement this really is the world of any boat is only being worth what somebody will pay for it.
Offering 50% of the asking price seems to upset some, especially on this forum , in this case it may buy you a boat.
For the really adventurous a wander round any boatyard ( not marina) and you might find a yard owner trying to recover some long lost rent.
Never been better time to buy a cheap boat..... for the canny .

Personal tip , avoid the upper Thames marinas, to much money around and too many other possible buyers, also anything in the " Honey Pot" Solent.
A lonely East Coast boatyard would be a good starting point.

 

[Bonjour Matelot]

Just read all the posts here as I’m a proud RLM 32 Entice owner, currently on the hard standing at Penton Hook not 25m away from where she was built in the old hanger.
I tried to start up a RLM owners club back in 2002 but no interest – I’ve learned loads about the boat since and I’ve upgraded her a number of time since I’ve owned her – she’s going through another upgrade now.

Original built as the John William in 1976, she was after a time sold to a Company that made electric motors and her name changed to Electro Mare. The latter had her moored in Poole Harbour for some time and then sold her to me in July 1999 – I changed her name to Ecquitee because I took money from the house to buy it and the original Equity was already Pt1.

She has Kemp, fully planning V hull used for the around Britain Powerboat Races in the 60’s. RLM originally fitted 2.5 BMC’s with Enfield drives, I changed the engines in 2001 to Peugeot 1.7 Turbo diesels still on Enfield’s. The Enfield‘s were very ‘brittle’ when it came to the steering arms, OK for rivers and canals but not reliable enough for Estuary or indeed, coastal work with a nearly 8T boat. In 2004 I bought a pair of Volvo 290’s complete and married these to the Peugeot’s – a good and very reliable match until in 2011 I found a pair of Volvo AD41’s c/w 290 DP drives. Just like the Peugeot’s they were completely stripped, assessed and re-assembled with new parts fitted where required. WOW! I’ve never powered up her beyond 30 knots – but there’s lots left.

I’ve upgraded and re-configured the Saloon over time, refurbished (removed) the wooden wheelhouse, complete rewire and now I’ve just replaced some of the Eroko handrails and I’m TekDek-ing the walkways and bathing platform.


I’ve had this boat in all weathers and I must say it’s kept us safe – We’ve stayed faithful to her as she’s been to us. What a great boat.

Hey Ecquitee like you I was looking for info on RLMs I stumbled across this Facebook group - Bei Facebook anmelden I was looking for old photos of my Father's RLM 33 as I'm told they only made three. The last one we had I sailed from Ibiza back to Penton Hook to do a light refresh to prepare for sale. I spent about a month on the summer of 96 (I think) at Penton Hook and had more than my fair share of stumbling back from the Yacht Club there back to the boat lol.

 

[ARCTIC FOX RLM ENTICE]

Hi all you RLM fans. I might be able to shed some light regarding Old Boat Builder. My father, who sadly passed away recently, was one of the craftsman mentioned earlier, who worked for many years in the White Hanger at P. Hook. If I could be of any help regarding history etc of RLM, I would be honoured to pass on in memory of my dad. RIP Clive B

Hello there, I hope you are still active on this forum! I have only just read your post regarding "Old Boat Builder" ! I am Steve with the RLM Entice "ARCTIC FOX" I am sorry to hear about the passing of your father.
It was such a special post to read his comments about actually working for RLM at Penton Hook. There is so little history available. I know the guys at the Trim Shop at Penton Hook and they knew quite a lot about RLM and its history, unfortunately Geoff has since passed away a few years ago after a long fight with cancer. If you have more information about the history of RLM and especially any photographs of production etc I would be most interested. I hope you read this post and look forward to hearing from you. I still have ARCTIC FOX and am currently in the middle of a second restoration after 20 years of ownership!

 

[ARCTIC FOX RLM ENTICE]

Hello there, I hope you are still active on this forum! I have only just read your post regarding "Old Boat Builder" ! I am Steve with the RLM Entice "ARCTIC FOX" I am sorry to hear about the passing of your father.
It was such a special post to read his comments about actually working for RLM at Penton Hook. There is so little history available. I know the guys at the Trim Shop at Penton Hook and they knew quite a lot about RLM and its history, unfortunately Geoff has since passed away a few years ago after a long fight with cancer. If you have more information about the history of RLM and especially any photographs of production etc I would be most interested. I hope you read this post and look forward to hearing from you. I still have ARCTIC FOX and am currently in the middle of a second restoration after 20 years of ownership!

By the way, for anyone interested, the owner of Ecquitee still owns the boat and is now based in Malta. I have recently tried to get in touch but no luck so far.

 

[ARCTIC FOX RLM ENTICE]

Yes that's right, Bad Apple. I am Clives eldest daughter. Remember Summer of 1976 a holiday along the Thames with my family on a ??32ft RLM. One of the best holidays ever.

Hi Sue,
I hope you are still active on this site or at least will receive this message. I just messaged your Brother too. Sorry to hear about your father Clive. It was a pleasure to read his posts. Any info you have on RLM history would be much appreciated. Thanks Steve ARCTIC FOX

 

[macnorton]

I have researched these boats and can give definitive information, at the end is a link with considerable information on these fine boats.

Senior built the first 31 by stretching the Elysian 27 hull, all the associated boat yards and private owners fitted them out as there own boat including RLM and Marine projects (Princess), ironically they also built a 27 ft version of the same boat which RLM used.

In 1969 Princess built there own longer wider and deeper planing hull version used in the Princess 32 and Project 31(32) series two, from then on Princess only used there own home built moldings, the info below shows the different dimensions.
Senior also released a wider 32 foot version of its hull with an entirely different hull shape.
Princess also fitted out 1 Senior 26.

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