Shell build progress 22nd June 2018

Here are a few progress photos, week ending 22nd June. The lads have been getting on well before their week off next week.

The bow is taking shape!

Counter and rudder stock

I like the scrolls and scored 'plank' effect!

Weed hatch in place

Square gunwales in place

Gardner 3LW test run

Here is a short video of the beautiful Gardner 3LW which will be going into my boat very soon!

This test run was at Walsh's in Stretton, Mancester, where the engine has been rebuilt. It's just awaiting the last of the pipes and parts to be polished or chromed.

Then it will be transported to Ollerton for the lads at XR&D to install it into the boat.

Real progress at last!

Well it's been quite a day. Left home at 6am, called into XR&D, where they are building my shell. The lads are making great progress. The boat sides are set up, the counter is in, and the stern is set up. It's really beginning to look like a boat!

It's interesting to see the 'standard' boat being built alongside. 'Calbourne' is being built to Birmingham Square, so the sides don't taper in. This will gain me 3" at floor level, which will make a big difference when fitting out the galley in particular.

My gunwales will also be square, unlike the rolled ones on the boat beside mine. 

Leaving XR&D to crack on, I then headed on to 

to Manchester to look over an offered engine. This engine had been rebuilt by Walsh's for a customer, but it had sat in their workshop for 6 months. A few phone calls, price agreed, deal done! My boat finally has a Gardner 3LW destined for it! Walsh's are going to get the remaining pipes and parts polished or chromed. Steve started her up for me and I fell in love on the spot. 

Because this engine has no bell housing, it will need the gearbox to be mounted remotely. This will involve a bit of ingenuity by XR&D to mount the gearbox, but we will overcome. The nice thing is, the spinning flywheel will still be visible - something which is often cited as a criticism of Gardners.
(Hopefully, the engine will be delivered to XR&D in the next 4 weeks or so.)

Then it was on to Whixall Marina to check out a floating berth for the fitout. 440 miles, home at 10pm.

The engine 'ole

Well, it's been quite a weekend. Just not in a good way.

On Friday, I received some photos from the chap who was restoring the Gardner 3LW to supposedly 'show condition'. He seemed to think it was nearly ready to send to the boatyard. I thought differently, as it looked like it was only 60% complete.

Long story short, we agreed to part ways and he, to be fair, refunded all my deposit money very promptly.

So this left me with an improved bank balance but a big 'ole where the bloody engine should be in a few weeks.

Thinking cap on, I contacted a guy I'd spoken to some months ago. He had a complete, restored 3LW fitted with a 1.5:1 gearbox, the predecessor of the PRM500. He confirmed he still had it and that he was willing to sell.

Great news, problem solved in a flash! Too easily, it transpired. I drove nearly 200 miles, only to be told that he had decided not to sell it after all. Nice chap.

Back home, a flurry of phone and email enquiries followed, resulting in a few possibilities - a Lister JP2, a Russell Newbery DM2 or a Gardner 3L2. It's now going to be down to who can deliver the engine within the timeframe of the shell build.

So at the moment, I still have an engine 'ole, but hopefully will soon have a lovely piece of British engineering to fill it.

On the plus side, the S-shaped swim, counter and some side plates are already welded in place! Good progress after only a few days. The boys are really cracking on.

Some bearers down

Isn't that pretty?

Knife-edge stem

Shame it's going to be hidden underwater!

Counter welded in place