01/09/2010, UK
Both the surveyor and the boat surpassed my expectations as we spent most of yesterday first out on sea trials and them inspecting the boat in the yard at Alkmaar, Holland.
I'd flown out from Southhampton to Schipol and the vendors picked me up. Early start saw us at the yard in Alkmaar before 11 am. Lots of clarification on controls and the normal passing over over of those 'little things' we've all learnt about our boats over the years.
The surveyor arrived at 1200.
At the end end of five hours and after lots banging as well as using his mix of eyes, ears with some pretty low and high tech kit, the verbal report he gave me suited us all. It will be backed up inside a week in writing for our insurers.
Engines and gearboxes, apparently as sweet as and in his view they've got lots of life left in them yet. The boat has been wintered inside just about all its life, meaning it has had oil changes maybe twice each year. In my view and remembering they are 40 years old, I'm happily budgeting for two replacements if we keep the boat for a decade or more.
The hull had two slight underwater dings. Probably caused at some point in the past when chocked incorrectly. But overall the underwater steel was recorded at 4mm - 4.5 mm thick just about all over - and very very little fairing. Meaning it must have been built right in the first place. Have to say the profile and lines of the boat when out of the water come from another age...........go look at the shot I took of her hanging in the hoist.
The surveyor told me that the original steel was typically either 5 mm or 4.5mm - and in those past days consistency of plate thickness was not as good as it is today. But he did say the quality of the steeel used by the builders - Klassens - was usually top drawer. It is why they are still seen as the 'Rolls Royce' of medium sized Durch cruisers.
He did suggest some internal preventative work can be given during this winter layup especially to the lowest points in the boats bilge. Apparently just about everything ends up at this lowest point - water, rust flakes from eslewhere etc - so giving it some TLC with a vacuum cleaner, wire brush and new paint is on my list of winter jobs.
Externally she is perfect. The venodrs have had her inside and not used at all for the past 3 years - and she was blasted back to bare metal and repainted both above and below the waterline only 3 months back.
But true to form - he did find a few things that need attention.
Some possible corrosion - or at least a build up - inside a couple of narrow 'through hull' exit pipes means it would be sensible to cut those off and replace with new bronze through hulls. As there are another five larger through hull pipes that could go at some future stage, we've decided to do them all whilst it is out at the Alkmaar yard.
The surveyor also found a minor sealant leak on the teak deck up forward, not effecting the steel deck underneath, but needing the mastic scraping out and new sealant going in. Plus there is one oil pressure guage sensor that was not working, plus some globes.
So all in all once these jobs are attended to - most at the vendors cost but the new big pipes at mine - it will be job done.
So today the balance of monies has been wired over, and we now await advice from the yard on exactly when the through hulls (plus also replacing freshwater magnesium anodes for saltwater zinc ones) can be completed so we can get back over there to start sailing Matila (nee Aquajoy) home.
With luck this might be middle / end of next week.
Fingers crossed.
Lots of offers already of help on this maiden trip. First, Sue may not be able to do it as grandchildren are getting imminent.............
But we've a couple of Dutch pals happy to help me sail her down through the Nertherlands if it can fit in with work committments. Plus we've Alex the elder son currently working in Holland also so he could also assist if it were over a weekend. Plus we've a couple of great UK buddies who have volunteered to help if needed. Plus the vendor is happy to sail with me down inside the Netherlands waterways at least to Rotterdam or Vlissinger - and on the way teach me how to manouvere our new beastie.
She is a real little ship. Clunky, old fashioned, heavy, slow, lovely.
I'm looking forward to this trip with whoever can find time to do it also, and stepping off on my motor yacht learning curve................
When I say heavy - I mean it. Matilda (nee Aquajoy) is 20,000 kgs (20 tons) but with two props, a powerful bow thruster, my limited play with her yesterday makes me think she is relatively easier to manouvre than our flightier GRP Swagman. I say 'thinks' as I've only given it one go - but by the time we get to Vlissinger I should know for sure.
As I said in a previous blog, once we get her down to the ocean I'm going to have to review the then current weather before deciding how I move onward. She is not a deep sea boat, and with her round bilges and no stabilisers she will rock and roll in any kind of seaway.
But if low winds and seas and clear viz, then I suspect we'll simply fuel up in Belgium (she holds 600 litres and one can buy diesel cheaper there) and head off across a long day trip to Ramsgate, Kent - and then port hop down the UK coast maybe over 3 days to get home.
On the other hand if the weather from Vlissinger does not suit on the day, especially as we've no autopilot or radar, then we might slide down the other side of the Channel and aim to fetch up a few days later in Calais ready for the much shorter Calais to Dover dash when the weather turns right for us. I'm not worried either way.
In fact, that second route has the added advantage of allowing us to easily stock up with low cost wine at one of other of the Calais grog shops...............but sod it - what ever we have to do it is going to be fun, provided we do not sink her!
My goal is to have her back and tied up in Lymington before month end. In the meantime, I've still a lot to do. Today using the web one can apply for new UK small ships registration, boat radio license, EPIRB allocation etc and that is now all done. But winter berthing, planning a new full boat cover allowing me to work under it for this winter, picking and installing autopilot and maybe even radar quotes, possible new DSC fixed VHF radio......new floor covering........new upholstery.............new retro instrumentpanel removing all the ugly '60's plastic control faces for gas alarms, generator, switches etc....................wow, the list is growing 'before me eyes'.
All good. And she will be 'Matilda' - the name will be scribbled onto a bit of masking tape on the transom the moment we leave Vlissinger - and done properly when we get to Lymington.
Cheers
JOHN
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21/08/2010, UK
We spent three days, criss crossed Holland north to south and east to west and climbed over five Super Van Crafts - before we found what we wanted all along. So price agreed and deposit paid, it is now down to a successful survey - and we've got her.
She is a lovely sweet lined 1350 model, built 1965, with 2 x DAF 105 hp engines. The later models had flat decks - this on has the raised foredeck which really appeals to me.
Some others also had the cabintop coachroof carried forward to give more headroom and light below to the forecabin. This one has a wide and long open foredeck - ideal for those hot summer afternoons........
With a cruising speed of 6/7 knots and a maximum of 12knots she is not going anyhwere fast. But her engines are economical and old enough to still require a spanner (as opposed to a computer) to work on. I'll enjooy learning more.
She's only had two owners since being built and the family we are buying her from have obviously loved her for the past 20 years. She is in pretty good cosmetic condition (she's been stored indoors each winter and hardly used for these past four years) but with some added TLC we think she can look even lovelier that she does today.
So.......... we've the survey being organised for some time next week....... and I'll go back over for that. Hopefully they will not find too many issues to address, but once we've resolved them I aim to enter a contract to keep her for this winter under cover somewhere to allow me to do the few added things I already know I want done as part of her restoration.
Like re-chrome all the shiny stuff.
Fair and repaint paint chips.
Remove and replace the windows (the way they are done they clearly have leaked).
Replace some teak deck plugs.
Have a boarding ladder built for the stern.
Fit a lifting arm to unload a scooter or motorbike.
Build a wooden sail dinghy to double up as a tender.
Plus some moderns stuff - like maybe a new radio, a radar / plotter and other safety kit for coastal cruising. Good job she was a good price!
I know all the above might make you think she is not ready to go now which is not true as she is still being used on a daily basis in the Dutch waterways. But the planned work will not only lift her into a real head turner calss - but also give me the confidence to take family and friends offshore on her in complete safety. Being steel and heavy it might be easy to forget she was built as a river boat and not for the oceans.
If we cannot find a undercover storage for the winter in the UK (at a reasonable cost) then we may well opt for a standard facility in Holland. Fingers crossed the UK would suit me so much more. But then trips away each week to Holland every few weeks is no bad thing either.............
So that's the outline. What else?
New name?
Yes - and we've decided it can't be Swagman. That really fitted with our past boats but it doesn't with this one.
The jury is still out, but with her ladylike lines and what will be retro finished interior, I suspect it might be an extension to the 'Once a Jolly Swagman' - and we'll call her 'Matilda'. We'll leave the 'Waltzing' off.
So whaddaya think?
I've done a lot of reading this past week on these boats and whilst the Klassens Yard went out of business years ago - they are still seen as the 'Rolls Royces' of medium sized Dutch power yachts. There is a very active market for 'Super Van Craft' bits, even things like instruments and light switches, so I am quite confident we can get what we want and improvise when we cannot - and bring her back to her former glory by next spring.
Ahhhhhhhhh.
It all sounds so great - but guess we've got the survey to contend with first. So fingers crossed.
And we could be parked up in Paris for next summer!
Cheers
JOHN
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Because she is BEAUTIFUL and she is going to break some hearts when you finish restoring HER.
16/08/2010, UK
We're off later this week to look over several classic style power boats - all build by a company called Super Van Craft based from Klassen, in Holland.
As our expected cruising area for the next five years are to be rivers, seas and canals of Europe, and we prefer the looks of older styled power lauches than newer plastic fantastics - we've decided to go for a steel hulled power boat. And probably the country with the best build reputation in steel is Holland!
It still feels like I am moving to the dark side, but we both agree we could not own a boat that did not turn heads - it must have nice lines.
Steel and nice lines do not always go together - but with the Super Van Craft boats - we think we've found the best of both.
They do several models - 1260, 1320, 1380 - all of which look attractive and spacious. Most of these tend to be fitted with 2 x around 100hp engines - so they are not fast. But they are exconomical and being self aspirated, able to run for a day at little more than tickover. Ideal for river work.
Anyway - we've a pretty full four days ahead of us crawling over what might be 14 different boats - varying in age and layout.
It would be unbelievable to find what we want this first trip, get an offer accepted and a survey completed after so we can get quotes to add some seagoing kit - and get it back to the UK before the autumn arrives.
On on and excited.
Lovely new challenge..........
JOHN
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19/07/2010, Lagos, Portugal
Blow me down. Subject to a test sail Wednesday (which I hardly think will fail) Swagman is sold!
Mixed emotions.................
JOHN
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Thansk for the thanks. Nice to see the support from antipodian cousins. Shame you play rugby so well.
JOHN
18/07/2010, Lagos, Portugal
Todays the day we've got a visitor flying in from Germany just to look Swagman over as a possible new owner. But even if he isn't at least his visit has resulted in us sitting a sparkling new looking boat!
Since the broker advised of the arrival time we've been sorting out the boat so that she presents as well as possible. Tidying up and throwing gear we've stored but never used. Cleaning and polishing Swagman like dervishes. Even scrubbed the decks!
Today she is sitting in the sun waiting his arrival - IMHO looking just as good as she did when we sailed away from the UK for the Med way back in 2005.
The weather down here in Lagos is so good we've had to spread the polishing chores over the last few days. With hot hot sun and a coooling breeze not arriving until midday, we've settled into a pretty relaxed routine waiting for our visitor. The moment he has visited, we can then either move off or fly out.
Our current routine is up early, breakfast, polish, lunch, chill somewhere in the shade until shower, G&T's, eat out, bottle of red ned and music in the cockpit and back to bed. A routine one could easily slip into for more than a week so it is good we've got plans to stick with..........
But if our buyer lets the broker down then we'll aim to slip out of Lagos and head north in three legs to get to the UK's Scilly Islands for the rest of the summer.
Leg one will be from here to Cascais - probably beating against light to medium n'ly trades. Leg two to Bayona should be the same, but if we can make Finisterre in four days we hope to pick up on the tail of an Azores high and reach across Biscay before a medium to light sw'ly. Let us hope the pattern that exists today does not change too much or that we get delayed in our departure.
But fingers crossed for our possible buyer...........
Cheers
JOHN
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Whatever happens - enjoy and take care........
Enjoy the rest of the summer. Cheers XX
12/07/2010, Southern UK
Sue and I jump a local flight tomorrow for Lagos and Swagman. We've a possible purchaser interested in seeing over the boat and I guess as he is flying in also especially to view Swagman - we must be in with a chance.
Swagman is ready to head north is she does not sell, and we'd not aim to hang around as we do want to enjoy some of August along the UK's SW coastline.
If she does sell? Well guess then we'll put a week into packing things up and find a flight home so we can go buy that old gentlemans launch I've been hankering over for some months now...........
If she does not sell then we're prepped for a mixture of beating / motoring that is sure to be required to battle the summer Portuguese Trades.
I am sure we'll enjoy the trip as Swagman is such a powerful yacht I cannot fail to enjoy windward work. But living / cooking / sleeping on an angle for a few weeks is not something Sue will enjoy at all..........
Let's see how we go up to N Spain and if Sue wants to jump ship then, I might rustle up some crew to bash our way across Biscay in a blokey blokes cruise.
I'll keep you posted on what happens just as soon as it does.........in the mean time take care.
JOHN
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