Purchased dream wooden boat ...
Discussion
One of the pleasures of having a boat is not just using it, but working on it, (and as part of that, planning the work on it 
)
My brother and I have a steel boat, but with a trad timber interior, and like the Forth Road Bridge the word of the day is paint, paint, and then paint some more. With steel boats on shore power an induction transformer is important, along with carefully sized and sited anodes. But getting on board on a Friday night with good supplies of food and booze on board, and then getting up the following day for a tea, and bacon sandwich breakfast, then spending the entire day from dawn to dusk just pottering about with jobs is outstanding, and even better when those jobs deliver a reliable, fuss free boat, that does everything you ask of it.
)My brother and I have a steel boat, but with a trad timber interior, and like the Forth Road Bridge the word of the day is paint, paint, and then paint some more. With steel boats on shore power an induction transformer is important, along with carefully sized and sited anodes. But getting on board on a Friday night with good supplies of food and booze on board, and then getting up the following day for a tea, and bacon sandwich breakfast, then spending the entire day from dawn to dusk just pottering about with jobs is outstanding, and even better when those jobs deliver a reliable, fuss free boat, that does everything you ask of it.
Pan Pan Pan said:
One of the pleasures of having a boat is not just using it, but working on it, (and as part of that, planning the work on it )
My brother and I have a steel boat, but with a trad timber interior, and like the Forth Road Bridge the word of the day is paint, paint, and then paint some more. With steel boats on shore power an induction transformer is important, along with carefully sized and sited anodes. But getting on board on a Friday night with good supplies of food and booze on board, and then getting up the following day for a tea, and bacon sandwich breakfast, then spending the entire day from dawn to dusk just pottering about with jobs is outstanding, and even better when those jobs deliver a reliable, fuss free boat, that does everything you ask of it.
Lets have a few pics of the boat then!)My brother and I have a steel boat, but with a trad timber interior, and like the Forth Road Bridge the word of the day is paint, paint, and then paint some more. With steel boats on shore power an induction transformer is important, along with carefully sized and sited anodes. But getting on board on a Friday night with good supplies of food and booze on board, and then getting up the following day for a tea, and bacon sandwich breakfast, then spending the entire day from dawn to dusk just pottering about with jobs is outstanding, and even better when those jobs deliver a reliable, fuss free boat, that does everything you ask of it.
Huntsman said:
Pan Pan Pan said:
One of the pleasures of having a boat is not just using it, but working on it, (and as part of that, planning the work on it )
My brother and I have a steel boat, but with a trad timber interior, and like the Forth Road Bridge the word of the day is paint, paint, and then paint some more. With steel boats on shore power an induction transformer is important, along with carefully sized and sited anodes. But getting on board on a Friday night with good supplies of food and booze on board, and then getting up the following day for a tea, and bacon sandwich breakfast, then spending the entire day from dawn to dusk just pottering about with jobs is outstanding, and even better when those jobs deliver a reliable, fuss free boat, that does everything you ask of it.
Lets have a few pics of the boat then!)My brother and I have a steel boat, but with a trad timber interior, and like the Forth Road Bridge the word of the day is paint, paint, and then paint some more. With steel boats on shore power an induction transformer is important, along with carefully sized and sited anodes. But getting on board on a Friday night with good supplies of food and booze on board, and then getting up the following day for a tea, and bacon sandwich breakfast, then spending the entire day from dawn to dusk just pottering about with jobs is outstanding, and even better when those jobs deliver a reliable, fuss free boat, that does everything you ask of it.
I second that request, pics please.
Wonderful thread! And a very pretty boat too. Congratulations on your adventure thus far.
I holidayed at a house on Hickling broad every summer from the age of 8/9 to my late teens with a few summers since. Many many happy adventures all over there. I am booked to go back this summer too and very excited.
This summer gone I took my girlfriend and we rented a lovely boat to stay on for a week and have a good sail around: we too discovered that the engine was very much an auxiliary one when faced with head on winds. Also had a good laugh at the end of the week when sailing 'on a run' and I decided to run the engine too to go as fast as possible... At a positively gargantuan pace I checked the actual speed on an app I had.. 5.5mph!
And here was when the dog was just a pup, thought it very important to get him used to boats so drove to Norfolk and borrowed one for a day:
Love the Broads!
I holidayed at a house on Hickling broad every summer from the age of 8/9 to my late teens with a few summers since. Many many happy adventures all over there. I am booked to go back this summer too and very excited.
This summer gone I took my girlfriend and we rented a lovely boat to stay on for a week and have a good sail around: we too discovered that the engine was very much an auxiliary one when faced with head on winds. Also had a good laugh at the end of the week when sailing 'on a run' and I decided to run the engine too to go as fast as possible... At a positively gargantuan pace I checked the actual speed on an app I had.. 5.5mph!
And here was when the dog was just a pup, thought it very important to get him used to boats so drove to Norfolk and borrowed one for a day:
Love the Broads!
Edited by MrMoonyMan on Saturday 4th February 18:15
Happy and sad update!
After a full sand, varnish, paint and antifoul, launched end March and enjoyed since.
Lots of nights away, good sailing and, apart from a new battery, no issues at all!
However, a new life in New Zealand beckons later this year, so sadly she's to carry a "For Sale" sign from this week ... hopefully someone will offer a good new home!
Thank you for all the positive comments and shared memories.
Will update with overall ownership/use costs once sold.
A final few photos of friends enjoying her last week ...
After a full sand, varnish, paint and antifoul, launched end March and enjoyed since.
Lots of nights away, good sailing and, apart from a new battery, no issues at all!
However, a new life in New Zealand beckons later this year, so sadly she's to carry a "For Sale" sign from this week ... hopefully someone will offer a good new home!
Thank you for all the positive comments and shared memories.
Will update with overall ownership/use costs once sold.
A final few photos of friends enjoying her last week ...
Bonefish Blues said:
I think that you should perhaps answer the "how much" question forming in some thread participants' minds - you never know
No idea! I purchased her for £3,500 and did a fair amount of work since to bring her up to an excellent standard, the previous owner spent over £12,000 in past few years, seems like every single person loves her upon sight ... Also the cachet of since discovering she's an unknown Arthur C. Robb design.
There's a magic about old wooden boats that money can't purchase ... I really do feel like a privileged custodian ... if someone read this thread, loved the idea of a proper red sailed wooden 1950s boat, with a 1940s reconditioned Stuart Turner petrol engine, teak and mahogany build, with that beautiful canoe stern ... offered a fine bottle of single malt and the price I paid of £3,500 as a simple quick friendly transaction, I'd be happy. She's worth a lot more, but it'd nice to see this thread continued in PH fashion by a new owner!
A friend may be able to trailer her to the new owner, the mooring is paid until the end of the year (not sure if transferable), the boat yard couldn't be friendlier with help on site. I'd, of course, spend time during handover wiffling on about all the little details and practical lessons learnt.
Just writing the ebay advert ...
"A beautiful example of the two berth Meteor class estuary cruiser, built by Easticks of Acle in 1957. Estelle enjoyed a thorough and very expensive re-fit in 2013-2015 during which her hull planking and many frames were replaced. She's now in very good strong condition, and is in commission and afloat in Martham. Her Stuart Turner engine starts easily, runs well, and charges her battery. She has a chemical toilet and a spirit stove. Her mainsail has been converted to slab reefing and her genoa has Wyckham Martin type roller furling gear. There's a smaller jib that hanks on to the forestay. Her mast can be easily lowered and raised using the combined safety rail 'A' frame. She has a broads yacht style cockpit tent and also a large awning that covers the entire boat including deck to keep the sun and weather from deteriorating her brightwork. This lovely double ended classic yacht is a real head turner and attracts attention everywhere she goes."
Thanks for the thread. I've sailed out of Martham many times over the years and most recently from Upton. I'm too far away to own a boat down there, so will keep on hiring for the time being. Hickling and Horsey are two of the best kept secrets in the country. The bridge at Potter Heigham does a wonderful job of keeping the peace up there.
I'm sure I've seen her over the years, but will keep a close eye out now and post pictures on this thread if you wish to see her again...
I'm sure I've seen her over the years, but will keep a close eye out now and post pictures on this thread if you wish to see her again...
sanguinary said:
Thanks for the thread. I've sailed out of Martham many times over the years and most recently from Upton. I'm too far away to own a boat down there, so will keep on hiring for the time being. Hickling and Horsey are two of the best kept secrets in the country. The bridge at Potter Heigham does a wonderful job of keeping the peace up there.
I'm sure I've seen her over the years, but will keep a close eye out now and post pictures on this thread if you wish to see her again...
Cheers, you are completely correct about the low PH bridge, it's indeed a secret place past it. I'm sure I've seen her over the years, but will keep a close eye out now and post pictures on this thread if you wish to see her again...
Thank you, that'd be nice!
snobetter said:
Where's your sense of adventure!? AA map of the world, stockpile of beans and biscuits and a nice sail to NZ, what could go wrong?
Great idea, but already booked AirNZ "cuddle class" seats!I'll sadly swap her for £3500 plus a bottle ... better to have owned, enjoyed and parted.
snobetter said:
Where's your sense of adventure!? AA map of the world, stockpile of beans and biscuits and a nice sail to NZ, what could go wrong?
I worked in a yacht marina/yard in Singapore many years again, and a Dutch guy and his girl arrived on a tiny wooden boat, little bigger than this one, and had sailed all the way from South Africa! It was a piece of junk though, scruffy, leaking, no through hull valves, just hoses on pipe stubs! Very little by way of comfort or amenities.
The spirit of adventure..... New Zealand? Pah, easy enough.
Hi Impetuous, I am the chap you were trying to contact who owns the other A C Robb Easticks Meteor on or near the Broads (well, close enough .. it has been at or near IBTC on Lake Lothing since 2011). I want to contact you too especially as I understand your Meteor is for sale. I believe only 10 were built back in the 50's so having 2 in sailing order plus mine 'nearly' rebuilt is pretty awesome. (plus rumours of a fourth surviving in Ireland). I would love to chat about your experiences actually sailing yours. A fifth Meteor, Scintilla, came up on an auction site not long ago so this is a pretty resilient little class.
She's sold.
Enthusiastic new owner, turned up to view her with a sleeping bag (!), paid up after viewing and then slept on boat, went sailing next day. Happy chap.
Sold immediately for 23% more than purchase price, which is fair given improvements made to her and higher equipment level.
Final stats!
Days owned - 400 (July 2016 - August 2017)
Total ownership cost - £2580 (£3400 as the cost of ownership (mooring, insurance, BSS, Broads licence, winter storage, in/out water, paint, varnish, new battery, instruction, bits, pieces) less difference between purchase and sale price of £821.
So that's £200 a month.
Nights aboard 35 - about £73 a night.
Lost track of days aboard/sailed! Met great people sailing. Treasure memories and photos.
Most enjoyed Broads yacht ownership ... thrill of her being there whenever the weather was good ... classic wooden boat sailing is fun!
Enthusiastic new owner, turned up to view her with a sleeping bag (!), paid up after viewing and then slept on boat, went sailing next day. Happy chap.
Sold immediately for 23% more than purchase price, which is fair given improvements made to her and higher equipment level.
Final stats!
Days owned - 400 (July 2016 - August 2017)
Total ownership cost - £2580 (£3400 as the cost of ownership (mooring, insurance, BSS, Broads licence, winter storage, in/out water, paint, varnish, new battery, instruction, bits, pieces) less difference between purchase and sale price of £821.
So that's £200 a month.
Nights aboard 35 - about £73 a night.
Lost track of days aboard/sailed! Met great people sailing. Treasure memories and photos.
Most enjoyed Broads yacht ownership ... thrill of her being there whenever the weather was good ... classic wooden boat sailing is fun!
Mrtibbs2017 said:
Hi Impetuous, I am the chap you were trying to contact who owns the other A C Robb Easticks Meteor on or near the Broads (well, close enough .. it has been at or near IBTC on Lake Lothing since 2011). I want to contact you too especially as I understand your Meteor is for sale. I believe only 10 were built back in the 50's so having 2 in sailing order plus mine 'nearly' rebuilt is pretty awesome. (plus rumours of a fourth surviving in Ireland). I would love to chat about your experiences actually sailing yours. A fifth Meteor, Scintilla, came up on an auction site not long ago so this is a pretty resilient little class.
Hello Mr Tibbs - good to hear from you. I'll try and PM you, to chat and pass your details to new owner. impetuous said:
She's sold.
Enthusiastic new owner, turned up to view her with a sleeping bag (!), paid up after viewing and then slept on boat, went sailing next day. Happy chap.
Sold immediately for 23% more than purchase price, which is fair given improvements made to her and higher equipment level.
Final stats!
Days owned - 400 (July 2016 - August 2017)
Total ownership cost - £2580 (£3400 as the cost of ownership (mooring, insurance, BSS, Broads licence, winter storage, in/out water, paint, varnish, new battery, instruction, bits, pieces) less difference between purchase and sale price of £821.
So that's £200 a month.
Nights aboard 35 - about £73 a night.
Lost track of days aboard/sailed! Met great people sailing. Treasure memories and photos.
Most enjoyed Broads yacht ownership ... thrill of her being there whenever the weather was good ... classic wooden boat sailing is fun!
That is a fantastic closing post to this thread. A brilliant example that boating is great value for money if you use it.Enthusiastic new owner, turned up to view her with a sleeping bag (!), paid up after viewing and then slept on boat, went sailing next day. Happy chap.
Sold immediately for 23% more than purchase price, which is fair given improvements made to her and higher equipment level.
Final stats!
Days owned - 400 (July 2016 - August 2017)
Total ownership cost - £2580 (£3400 as the cost of ownership (mooring, insurance, BSS, Broads licence, winter storage, in/out water, paint, varnish, new battery, instruction, bits, pieces) less difference between purchase and sale price of £821.
So that's £200 a month.
Nights aboard 35 - about £73 a night.
Lost track of days aboard/sailed! Met great people sailing. Treasure memories and photos.
Most enjoyed Broads yacht ownership ... thrill of her being there whenever the weather was good ... classic wooden boat sailing is fun!
All those naysayers with there snide 'first and last day' crap can bugger off!
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