vicarious Leopard23 sailing

[jfm]

Missing my fix of vicarious Leopard23 ownership/speccing. So far we've had the following episodes

leather on dash or not
white cockpit cushions or not
cables or lectronik 'gine controls
B+O or Bose Accoustimas HiFi
Nav electronics Simrad or whatever
Free captain for six months - a girl or a boy

Now Matt, we know they must fax you a spec question once a week. Even if its "Grohe or Geberit loo flushers Drr. Steadmanio?" we wanna know. So, next episode please (we expect: Seadoo or Yam jetbikes, font for 25kg metal "Diana" letters, etc etc). Also, what did you pick for HiFi and nav?

JFM

 

[Guest]

Ooh, no they don't fax me at all. The hull is in drums, and the sofa is swishing flies in a field. I only pose (questions) here so I'm ready for when it gets more serious. Apparently the designers says they will have "something to propose" in July. Note that this is the cheapiest skinflinty product in their range, so probly a bit yawn for them.

Meanwhile (talking of updates on old threads) I'm told that the chairman of F$@line has written to the publishers of MBY to complain about letters. They can blame me for writing, but of course I did not publish, and the editor only reflects the daft readers' views. So we're all in the clear there, sort of.

 

[martin]

Scuse me...

Matts

I have read some/all parts of the vacarious speccing posts and must say V enjoyable and look forward to more...but for those of us that are new..what is she again? Huge beasty of sum sort but bit lost on specifics.

 

[jfm]

Re: Mr boss of Fairline

Will await your July post on edge of seat then.....

Mr Fairline chairman struck me as misreyguts middlemanagery bloke, I recall from Oundle visit. Has head up bottom, says "world class" too much, uses powerpoint to say something when a simple yes or no would do, not very animated when he talks, yer know what I mean. Anyway what a plonker complaining to MBY about readers letters. If he wants to argue with you he is free to write to MBY or post on this BB. He can tell us how good his boats directly.

JFM

 

[jfm]

Re: Matt is too modest....

..or logged off or gone home so I'll take the liberty to post the url. You can just put leopard sport 23 into yahoo and after the bra websites (which are quite nice...SLAP THUD!) you get to the boats.

However I particulary recommend the following: http://www.cantierearno.com/leopard23msport.htm
This one has been translated by a very italian person, eg
"You will freely choice your leathers, colours, hifi device and even species of pannelling, if it is your dearest wish"

As you'll see martin, joking apart, it's a beautiful boat.

JFM

 

[martin]

Re: Matt is too modest....

Wow... speechless...

Now that is one hell of a boat!

Shame about the web site translations...or perhaps they have more of a sense of humour than we give them credit for
My favorite is "the render is sheltered behind the hydraulic back board , and will be launched through its removable footbridge"

Despite fab look of boat...Matts obviously drawn to them cos they spell same as him.

 

[Guest]

Re: Matt is too modest....

Snigger. My favourite crap English remains the Taiwanese. One new computery product boasted that their product was so good that "our competitors will be swimming in their own sweat".

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

Re: Matt is too modest....

Oh yes. Absolute wow and there's me thinking what a ponce for wanting leather in his 23 foot Bayliner alternative. Silly me!
Will he be doing guided tours for the hard of wallet?
Ref. speccing up, surely we're talking sternthrusters, Naiad stabilizers, walk-in cigar humidors, chandeliers and vibrating beds here not just upgrading the cassette player a bit?

 

[Guest]

Re: ah expert advice!

It's gonna have to be upgraded quite lot to get to walk-in humidors. I did promise an extremely wary non-boater that his wife would definitely definitely be fine on this boat. "Oh good, so it's got a proper bath then?" Erm, er [censored].

I thought it a bit girly to have sternthrusters, and not sure what naiad stabilizers actually look like. Do they apply to planing boats?

Anyway all suggestions gratefully received. The slight problem is that, unlike UK powerboats "everything's included sir". So they'll install that and that an that and top range tv etc and it's "all included sir". Hmm. I need to start asking for these mad extras just to see how far they'll go before telling me to get stuffed. Otherwise if I meet boat number x+1 and find out he's got all that stuff you suggested, I'll be a bit cheesed off. Psycholgy's an awkward thing, and difficult to spell too!

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

Re: ah expert advice!

Girlie? No. Dead impressive, I reckon.You've got to have a sternthruster; its 'all inclusive' after all. You cant have too many ways of thrusting yourself, I say.
I have'nt got a clue what naiad stabilizers are but all the posh boats in Boat International have 'em so you've got to have 'em. I'm sure they're totally useless on a planing boat but they'll make a good starting point for negotiating the spec
As to the rest of the spec, a few back copies of Boat International will give you plenty of ideas. Stick the relevant pages under the noses of the Italians, watch the collective intake of breath and rolling of eyes followed by rapid gibberish and wait for the offer of a free fishfinder which is what you wanted in the first place, of course
Proposal in July, eh? I've dealt with Italian suppliers for years and July is code for October. Nothing happens in August 'coz they're all in Rimini, as you're probably aware. July is spent planning for the shutdown and dealing with the most important customers, which never includes we Brits. September is spent doing the work they did'nt do in August and its just about back to normal in October. Your Tuscan heffers are safe for a few months yet

 

[Guest]

Re: Oh alright then, here we go

I'll ask for the sternthrusters, esp since I am a bit crap at mooring alongside tho fine at stern-to.

We've already asked for fishfinder, pop-up stern cleats, radio and coolbox at the bow, satellite tv watsit, plus another dummy satellite dome to balance it up, stainles everything outside inc the little lights for the steps but not the passarelle(sp)

We're already on to a chessboard marquetry in the downstairs saloon table (they just nodded to that one) , pull-down (Pullman) extra bunk in 3rd cabin (another nod) Corian not stainless galley sinks, proper wood floor not crap carpet in saloon, teak companionway stairs.

Dang, I forgot the water softener.

Anyway, the July meeting is just as a "first pass". The boat doesn't turn up until June (11th, or was it 10th,they say) 2002.

Thanks also for jfm's question re typeface for rear lettering.

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

Re: Oh alright then, here we go

Blimey, I hope it's worth the wait. Dont forget a decent sized icemaker, central vacuum system, heating ducted to the loos and cockpit and a personal crusade of mine, domestic sized toilet seats

 

[Guest]

Re: You really *are* an expert

I have seen the loos already, and altho I don't know the size they seem ok. The sunseeker ones are rubbish - in a pred 75 I sneakily had a sit down on sevral of the fou on board and you bash you knees, which is no good, especially if one became a bit of a fat git which is quite likely.

I've already asked about central vacuum but only last week mind, so you're catching up fast. My favourite thing with these is to shout "help, I'm stuck" from the central unit and everyone (kids anyway) gets worried about the voice coming out of the room outlets.

As far as the wait is concerned, it ain't too bad - I don't have to hand in the p-ex till end aug so no cleaning for me, just tip it off and await sunny weather next year. Spect I'll go mad so have booked charters greece Oct and carib New year, altho made sure they are in crap 40 foot sailboats ensuring that it's all ooh aah next year.

Icemaker and sepret deck dedicated bottle fridge and galley fridge and freezer all incl. The bogs are especially silencieuse, it says -press a button pre-dump, then another post dump and it sound like a real bog with flushing! praps I shld have waded in with "well I'm not so sure lets try it for real with a proper dump" but didn't.

So far we're only short of a bath. But any other consumer durables/machinery ostensibly aimed at comfort but in fact complete pain and nobody cares much if doesn't work, please mention becos we simply must have it.

 

[jfm]

Gotcha...!!!

So you're going to the Carib, well you can figgin buy my Guadeloupe to Trinidad C-Map chip then, £500 quid post and pack becuase I had to ask.

Which Carib and Greece locations, and is it Sunsail, Moorings or summat else (don't tell me, C&N Int'l)?

JFM

 

[Guest]

Re: Garmin escape clause

ah but unfort the c-map doesn't work in the handheld. Anyway bit pointless dragging chunky 175 over there when everything is sailing by sight.

Sunsail for us, Ionian then BVI Xmas. Any idea what a 2 cabin Jeanneau sun odyssey 40 looks like, apart from having a lot of writing on the side?

But I have just rememebered that Rodriguez have bought C&N, who have a base in Port Canto, Cannes so praps with some wild changes of spec we can yet wangle our way onto a large charter boat, hopefully as crew with our large pockets, cash belt and securicor van all ready for colossal gratuity frenzy.




<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by kimhollamby on Wed Jan 30 21:56:30 2002 (server time).</FONT></P>

 

[ArthurWood]

Re: Matt is too modest....

Beautiful boat, Matt, but I hope you have a good interpreter or you might end up with a marlin tower on it (as well as Naids)

 

[petem]

Matt,

Curious to know what class it's being built to, MCA, ABS SOLAS? Haven't got a clue what they mean but Boat Int is always baniging on about them and they appear to be important.

Seriously, I think they're to do with chartering and some kind of classification may be useful for when I want to charter it or you're bankrupt and have to sell it!

Pete

P.S. I trust the generators made by 'Northern LIghts'. Again haven't got a clue what this means but all the superyachts have them!

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

Useless domestic equipment

A trawl through a Searay brochure usually provides a whole host of must-have domestic goodies without which no self respecting gin palace pilot would ever leave their marina berth. Built-in coffee percolator, waste compactor, electric can opener and chilled water dispenser sound like essentials to me

 

[Guest]

Re: Useless domestic equipment

I have'nt seen any mention of a lift between owners suite, lounge and flybridge - maybe you have an escalator instead! I take it bidets are de rigeur - you can't be too careful with your privates. My boat's got a little doodad at the lower helm which tells you the outside temperature ( at least it would if I replaced the batteries). And you have to have fold away drinks holders all over the vessel.

Nick

 

[peterg]

Useless domestic equipment

bit tricky about the lift as it hasn't got a flybridge....how about a dishwasher?