Popular Post Timbo Posted February 13, 2017 Popular Post Report Share Posted February 13, 2017 Hello from Lincolnshire and The Norfolk Broads in the UK. My school woodwork report stated 'God alone knows how this boy survived the year with his appendages intact!'. I've always loved the idea of woodwork, but I was just no good at it. A number of strokes in 2001 when I was thirty five left me somewhat worse for wear. Some would say 'disabled' but I think of it more as 'windswept and interesting'. Around three years ago after yet another stroke I was advised to take up a hobby. Now I like a bit of a challenge so I decided upon woodwork of course. So impatient to make a start on my new hobby I immediately went out and purchased a classic thirtyfive foot, five berth, wooden cruiser in desperate need of restoration, registered with the National Maritime Museum as being of 'significant historical importance to the nation', and set about restoration and learning woodwork as I went. Now I know what you are thinking...and no I didn't tell the Mrs until after I'd bought the boat... besides which the noise was quite easy to block out as I'm fortunate that my better half lives next door and not in the same house. We were next door neighbours when we met, we just never got around to moving in together. It worked for Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracey! I spend my time between my home in Lincolnshire and The Broads in Norfolk where I keep my boat Royal Tudor. Over the past three years progress has been understandably slow with Royal Tudor's restoration. I've fitted new bulkheads, put about 200 feet of planking into her hull. I'm currently replacing her deck and letting new sections of mahogany into her cabin sides, before starting the final varnishing of the cabin sides and painting of her hull. At the end of this month I move onto the final straight of servicing her engine, fitting diesel heating, new electric flush heads and new cooker and fridge when I refurb the galley. Launch date when she finally gets back into the water will be June or July...fingers crossed...this year 2017. Royal Tudor in 1960. Royal Tudor was the last proper wooden boat built in Norwich for the Norfolk Broads hire fleets. After spending over thirty years in the hire fleet she was subject to quite a few bumps and bashes. Like all hire boats her varnished hull was eventually painted white. The first shower was fitted to a Broads boat in 1960 so Royal Tudor was retro fitted with the latest 'mod-cons' 1965-1970 including a 'soft top' cockpit roof. Starting the many layers of undercoat sanding back in between each one. Undercoat finished and ready to move onto the cabin sides. Her saloon...I have most of this to remove and replace. Boat restoration is mostly sanding...and scarf joints...or so I'm finding. The saloon carcases will all be made from hardwood as there is no softwoods on Royal Tudor. I do have some considerable help with this though. My good friend Doug was apprenticed as a boat builder and is showing me how to do jobs as he helps me manage the project. It could have been Doug who put the sign up in the boatshed which reads "If Tim's waving at you he's not being friendly, he's just nailed his other hand to the deck". I started woodwork 'proper' last year in my 7'x8' shed back home in Lincolnshire. Here I like to make small projects, due to the space, to practise techniques for when I get back down to the boat shed. I like to prompt the occasional 'when did you learn how to do that then' from the 'little old boys' in the boatshed. I really, really enjoy making small boxes. My last project was a box jointed cantilevered sewing box for my better half made from oak, sapele and black walnut. With the box making my goal is to make something similar to the French or English vanity boxes, but that I feel is a long way off. I'm very much looking forward to joining in with the forum. With curved roof beams for the boat cockpit looming, expect more than the odd daft question about laminations and building galley carcasses on sloping floors with sloping walls! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhighlander Posted February 13, 2017 Report Share Posted February 13, 2017 Welcome to the party, Timbo! I know nothing about boats, but those boxes are quite lovely. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardA Posted February 13, 2017 Report Share Posted February 13, 2017 You'll like it here, a bunch of good fellows with tons of knowledge. Welcome! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gee-dub Posted February 13, 2017 Report Share Posted February 13, 2017 Welcome. I know nothing about boats either but, I know something beautiful when I see it and the Royal Tudor is a beauty. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerryMcK Posted February 13, 2017 Report Share Posted February 13, 2017 Welcome on board the forum. Somebody had to say it. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post RichardA Posted February 13, 2017 Popular Post Report Share Posted February 13, 2017 1 hour ago, TerryMcK said: Welcome on board the forum. Somebody had to say it. Is that moat speak? 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdwerker Posted February 13, 2017 Report Share Posted February 13, 2017 Welcome to the Forum ! I had to fit a couple of cabinets into a small airplane once. The floor and wall curved and tapered due to the cabinets going in the tail end of the cabin. So I have great sympathy for your tasks in fitting out the galley. I scribed templates for each side of both cabinets. Several trips back and forth to the small airfield were required just to get the templates right. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ClassAct Posted February 13, 2017 Report Share Posted February 13, 2017 Welcome aboard, Tim! Glad you can join us during your breaks from all your projects. I'm impressed with your restoration work. I managed a charter sailboat fleet for two years, hulls were made of dried snot instead of dead trees, but all the interior work and retrofitting is very, very familiar to me. Sometimes restoration solutions have to be wildly creative, with all kinds of compromises along the way. That boat interiors end up looking decent (for the most part) is a small miracle. As I'm sure you're finding out, previous owner modifications leave you scratching your head and going, "What were they thinking, and why did they do it that way?" There's lots of well-intentioned but totally clueless boat owners out there, and undoing what's been done is nearly half the job. And congrats on continuing to move forward in spite of the strokes. You could have picked an easy hobby like watching TV and yelling at the evening news, but I think this one will be better for your blood pressure in the long run. When you need a break you can sit back and dream of how cool the boat will look floating lazily down a canal. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Timbo Posted February 16, 2017 Author Popular Post Report Share Posted February 16, 2017 Thanks for the very warm welcome guys. On 13/02/2017 at 6:27 PM, ClassAct said: previous owner modifications leave you scratching your head and going, "What were they thinking, and why did they do it that way? Oh indeed they do! Royal Tudor's previous owner had allowed a section below the waterline to rot. Instead of removing the planks and replacing them they decided to treat the 2' area with wood hardener and fill the hole with water based filler. I introduced my Mrs to my 'other woman' before Christmas. In the years that I've owned Royal Tudor my better half has never been to see her...referring to Royal Tudor as 'that ****** boat you spend all of your time and money on'. Well, after the hour my other half spent up a set of a ladders stroking the timber of Royal Tudor a miraculous change occurred. Royal Tudor is now a 'she' and on the journey home my other half declared 'when it comes to the interior WE will be in charge. WE don't want to be a museum piece. WE don't mind a nod to tradition but WE want to look fresh and light'. I'm wondering if something a bit 'metaphysical' occurred up those ladders? Had some good news with regard to the specifications and design of Royal Tudor. Whilst helping someone with a report to the the Royal Geographical Society I discovered they were good friends with the son of the chap that built Royal Tudor and maintained her throughout her working life. A meeting over dinner has been planned and there is talk of blueprints! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ClassAct Posted February 16, 2017 Report Share Posted February 16, 2017 Oh god, that wood filler "fix." It's enough to make a grown man weep. Wow, that connection will be invaluable! Getting history from the horse's mouth, as it were, is so cool. Hope to see more pics as you and your Mrs. bring her back to Bristol condition. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Midlife Posted March 27, 2018 Report Share Posted March 27, 2018 I know I'm a bit late ,but welcome to the forum. The boat & box's look great, how's the boat coming along? Smiffy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdwerker Posted March 27, 2018 Report Share Posted March 27, 2018 I remember this post. Timbo hasn't been active on the board since last May. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Midlife Posted March 28, 2018 Report Share Posted March 28, 2018 Thanks Steve , I was hoping he might get an email notification that someone had replied to his thread, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerryMcK Posted March 28, 2018 Report Share Posted March 28, 2018 Some people come in and make a couple of posts and are never seen again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coop Posted March 30, 2018 Report Share Posted March 30, 2018 I didn’t see this, the first go around but he impressed me, given his hard knocks. When he jumped in with a hobby, he did so with both feet. Hope he’s out dodging the swells. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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