Cliveshep
Well-Known Member
These Forums seem to be mostly posted by some very professional (and often well-off) skippers, many of whom possess big or expensive boats, and some of the technical Q @ A's are remarkable and informative. There seems to be a sector of the boating fraternity ill-represented however, meaning the old relics (not necessarily the skippers) and their antics boating about in muck rather than the more exotic reverse, i.e. mucking about in boats! I do not mean owners of classic boats. For example, anyone who still has, say, a CB Boats of Tollsbury's CB15 may have an old boat but it's hardly a classic, just small and old! Just an example!
This sector might own a Dolphin 24, (assuming the ply hasn't rotted) or a Nomad, a Norman or a Nauticas, or something else, probably under 24 ft, which may be powered by an outboard. Possibly they would have a Seamaster Cub or 23, or a Mark 1 or 2 Freeman. There are loads of these older (cheaper) boats still around, still in constant use, very often off the beaten track, i.e. up the adjoining waterways to the Thames or above Osney, and enjoying their boats every bit as much as those with more expensive craft. Without Marina or Boatyard help, which they can't afford anyway, they keep these boats afloat and often in pristine condition Some of these chaps have done epic journeys around the country, sometimes trailering their boats to different systems. There just doesn't seem to be much input from them on the Forum, and I confess that with our much loved old tub we probably have more in common with them than we do with the lucky Sealine/Ocean/expensive other owners here.
Question YBW - assuming we "older relics" ARE welcome here, (we probably do forget to wipe our feet) what about a Forum for ditch-crawlers (which will probably have loads of NB's on it, that's the price one pays!) who own and run the smaller or older boats on the smaller budget?
This sector might own a Dolphin 24, (assuming the ply hasn't rotted) or a Nomad, a Norman or a Nauticas, or something else, probably under 24 ft, which may be powered by an outboard. Possibly they would have a Seamaster Cub or 23, or a Mark 1 or 2 Freeman. There are loads of these older (cheaper) boats still around, still in constant use, very often off the beaten track, i.e. up the adjoining waterways to the Thames or above Osney, and enjoying their boats every bit as much as those with more expensive craft. Without Marina or Boatyard help, which they can't afford anyway, they keep these boats afloat and often in pristine condition Some of these chaps have done epic journeys around the country, sometimes trailering their boats to different systems. There just doesn't seem to be much input from them on the Forum, and I confess that with our much loved old tub we probably have more in common with them than we do with the lucky Sealine/Ocean/expensive other owners here.
Question YBW - assuming we "older relics" ARE welcome here, (we probably do forget to wipe our feet) what about a Forum for ditch-crawlers (which will probably have loads of NB's on it, that's the price one pays!) who own and run the smaller or older boats on the smaller budget?
