Our Boat History! Speed boats and RIBs
Discussion
Hello,
Just going back through a few old photos and thought I'd post some up! No yachts or expensive motor cruisers, just a few old speed boats and a couple of recent RIBs, but thought someone might be interested in looking at them!
Early 1990's Fletcher Arrowflyte 14, Mercury 60hp. Went like the clappers! Our first boat in year 2000 IIRC. Who knows why the interior was the wrong colour! Also, some numpty spelled Fletcher wrong! No idea what had happened earlier in it's life!!
Then an immaculate 1991Fletcher Arrowstreak Bravo 16 with a Mercury 80hp. This was in pristine condition and nearly in as new condition. A stunning boat! Garaged from new and cherished.
After that a slightly earlier 1988 Fletcher Arrowstreak Bravo 16 which was bought for me and my brother to tidy up. The name was removed! By comparison, this one was nowhere near as tidy. Needed a lot of polish and attention.
My dad then bought a 1997 Fletcher Arrowsteak 17 GTS with a Mercruiser sterndrive. Bit more space, more modern and a nicer place to be. Much heavier though.
Then my dad decided it would be fun to get something we could weekend on. So he bought an early 1990's Fletcher Sportscruiser with a Mercury 115hp. A nice boat, a little tired around the edges, but my brother and I enjoyed staying out on it overnight!
A few years passed and I landed a job at a marine retailer. Shortly after my dad and I went halves on a 2005 Avon Adventure 560 with a Mercury 115hp Optimax. It was in good order but needed a lot of cleaning. A lot of elbow grease later and it was in as new condition. Tubes polished and UV protected, hull polished and waxed and upholstery cleaned, it was stunning! A lovely RIB, very quick and great fun.
Then my dad and I decided to build a new RIB. We bought a bare hull, an Avon Adventure 580, an engine, had an A-frame made, bought seating and a console and bolted it all together. Big job, but I work in the right place! Kitted it out with loads of goodies. Big electronics/nav/stereo spec, flo-mat decking, big A-frame etc.
Me and my brother!
And that's it! I'm happy to provide more information if anyone's interested. Got hundreds of photos!
Thanks for looking.
Dan
Just going back through a few old photos and thought I'd post some up! No yachts or expensive motor cruisers, just a few old speed boats and a couple of recent RIBs, but thought someone might be interested in looking at them!
Early 1990's Fletcher Arrowflyte 14, Mercury 60hp. Went like the clappers! Our first boat in year 2000 IIRC. Who knows why the interior was the wrong colour! Also, some numpty spelled Fletcher wrong! No idea what had happened earlier in it's life!!
Then an immaculate 1991Fletcher Arrowstreak Bravo 16 with a Mercury 80hp. This was in pristine condition and nearly in as new condition. A stunning boat! Garaged from new and cherished.
After that a slightly earlier 1988 Fletcher Arrowstreak Bravo 16 which was bought for me and my brother to tidy up. The name was removed! By comparison, this one was nowhere near as tidy. Needed a lot of polish and attention.
My dad then bought a 1997 Fletcher Arrowsteak 17 GTS with a Mercruiser sterndrive. Bit more space, more modern and a nicer place to be. Much heavier though.
Then my dad decided it would be fun to get something we could weekend on. So he bought an early 1990's Fletcher Sportscruiser with a Mercury 115hp. A nice boat, a little tired around the edges, but my brother and I enjoyed staying out on it overnight!
A few years passed and I landed a job at a marine retailer. Shortly after my dad and I went halves on a 2005 Avon Adventure 560 with a Mercury 115hp Optimax. It was in good order but needed a lot of cleaning. A lot of elbow grease later and it was in as new condition. Tubes polished and UV protected, hull polished and waxed and upholstery cleaned, it was stunning! A lovely RIB, very quick and great fun.
Then my dad and I decided to build a new RIB. We bought a bare hull, an Avon Adventure 580, an engine, had an A-frame made, bought seating and a console and bolted it all together. Big job, but I work in the right place! Kitted it out with loads of goodies. Big electronics/nav/stereo spec, flo-mat decking, big A-frame etc.
Me and my brother!
And that's it! I'm happy to provide more information if anyone's interested. Got hundreds of photos!
Thanks for looking.
Dan
You like Flectchers then?
My history
Mirror dinghy built from scratch. Proper boat building with ply and copper wire.
Avon Searider 50 merc mainly sail racing photography
Club rescue / workboat (not mine obviously but regarded as such) Loads of crewing of all sorts really.
Plancraft Stingray 55 Chrysler I was young and thin then so all that was needed for skiing.
Fletcher something or other 17' volvo inboard, looked like the first one Norman ever built and I felt it needed the addition of twin webbers etc. So did. Blew it up big stylee.
Snapdragon - Dads
Phantom 16 115 Suzuki - my race boat. Blew it up, Rebuilt it, Blew it up, ad nauseum, It was like triggers broom when I finished with it, sold it to a lorry driver mate who'd never been in a boat in his life let alone a race boat and he sunk it first time out.
Seadog - Dads - I sold it a year or two after he died but I know where it is and one day.
Tinker Dinghy with all the bits and bobs to row/sail/motor whatever. Wish we'd never got rid to be honest.
Phantom 18 200 merc - Rigged myself to race standards just because I liked going quick but to short to race, had it for 11 years and put over 2500 hours on the engine, Gave it to my brother who gave to a mate who gave it to another mate and then we had it back rebuilt it and sold it another five years later. A testimony to Steve Baker that the hull was still in good order.
Sunseeker XPS34 - I have a hankering for fast boats that cope with offshore conditions. Sold two years ago
Lost count of windsurfers, parachutes, donuts, bananas, etc, etc.
Revenger San Marino 27 8.2 litre Mercruiser because I like going fast in comfort. Don Shead design. Fully rebuilt over 2000 hours in my possession and in need of yet another engine refresh, still got it as it is the only one of it's kind to my knowledge and I can't bear to part with it.
Glastron SX195 4'3 litre Volvo - Brothers - rare hull with towers and sounds, still got it.
Air Nautique 6 litre - Brothers - fully loaded because we still believe we look good on skiis/boards/feet even at our age, still got it.
Sunseeker Camargue 46 twin 550 Detroits - Current toy, because the girls in my family want their own space etc. Didn't bother telling them it is another Don Shead design and very capable as they are more interested in the workings of the toilets and showers.
Oh and of course the Quicksilver with merc 5hp which has no other purpose than weighing down the passerelle and retrieving the bloody labrador from her latest stunt in the essex mud.
40+ years and never been without a boat, would post pics of it all but we used to use super 8, reversal film and a man with crayons back in them days.
My history
Mirror dinghy built from scratch. Proper boat building with ply and copper wire.
Avon Searider 50 merc mainly sail racing photography
Club rescue / workboat (not mine obviously but regarded as such) Loads of crewing of all sorts really.
Plancraft Stingray 55 Chrysler I was young and thin then so all that was needed for skiing.
Fletcher something or other 17' volvo inboard, looked like the first one Norman ever built and I felt it needed the addition of twin webbers etc. So did. Blew it up big stylee.
Snapdragon - Dads
Phantom 16 115 Suzuki - my race boat. Blew it up, Rebuilt it, Blew it up, ad nauseum, It was like triggers broom when I finished with it, sold it to a lorry driver mate who'd never been in a boat in his life let alone a race boat and he sunk it first time out.
Seadog - Dads - I sold it a year or two after he died but I know where it is and one day.
Tinker Dinghy with all the bits and bobs to row/sail/motor whatever. Wish we'd never got rid to be honest.
Phantom 18 200 merc - Rigged myself to race standards just because I liked going quick but to short to race, had it for 11 years and put over 2500 hours on the engine, Gave it to my brother who gave to a mate who gave it to another mate and then we had it back rebuilt it and sold it another five years later. A testimony to Steve Baker that the hull was still in good order.
Sunseeker XPS34 - I have a hankering for fast boats that cope with offshore conditions. Sold two years ago
Lost count of windsurfers, parachutes, donuts, bananas, etc, etc.
Revenger San Marino 27 8.2 litre Mercruiser because I like going fast in comfort. Don Shead design. Fully rebuilt over 2000 hours in my possession and in need of yet another engine refresh, still got it as it is the only one of it's kind to my knowledge and I can't bear to part with it.
Glastron SX195 4'3 litre Volvo - Brothers - rare hull with towers and sounds, still got it.
Air Nautique 6 litre - Brothers - fully loaded because we still believe we look good on skiis/boards/feet even at our age, still got it.
Sunseeker Camargue 46 twin 550 Detroits - Current toy, because the girls in my family want their own space etc. Didn't bother telling them it is another Don Shead design and very capable as they are more interested in the workings of the toilets and showers.
Oh and of course the Quicksilver with merc 5hp which has no other purpose than weighing down the passerelle and retrieving the bloody labrador from her latest stunt in the essex mud.
40+ years and never been without a boat, would post pics of it all but we used to use super 8, reversal film and a man with crayons back in them days.
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