A restoration tale (with pics)

blindsider · 06-10-2011 11:08am

Ah crap! This is such a shame.

I appreciate how you must be feeling, but we're all disappointed for you.

You put such effort and time into this.

Whilst completely respecting your decision, I wonder is now the wrong time of year to be selling a boat? (A bit like trying to sell a convertible in winter.)

If you don't sell it, might it be worth a re-appraisal in spring?

Best of luck!

PS Boards will be a poorer place without this thread!

tin79 · 06-10-2011 11:10am

DNME I can understand the sentiments and your reasons for giving up at this point. Its been a long road and it seems nothing has gone easily for you. I have faced similar burnout myself with previous boats I have owned and have reached the end of my patience/energy/ability and sold them(and been happy when i did). As they say the two happiest days you have with your boat are the day you buy it and the day you sell it.

Thanks for taking the time to post all this.

My thumbs up in your post above are a general thanks for this rather than a reaction to the post itself.

good luck

harry21 · 06-10-2011 2:05pm

Dmne...... can't have been and easy decision, sorry to see it end.

Wouldn't it be great if a boardsie bought it, hijacked your thread and finished it.

Anyway, hope it's not the last we hear from you... best of luck

Harry

Tabnabs · 06-10-2011 2:53pm

It's such a shame to see the thread end this way, but I'm going to make it a sticky for a few months to keep information available and hopefully inspire others to take up this or a similar challenge.

Slig · 06-10-2011 2:57pm

Completely understand the decision, ya gotta know when to cut your losses and its better the boat goes than your sanity. That said its good to see it for sale as a boat and not "various sized fiberglass panels, roughly cut to various patterns"

If your not happy with the prices your getting offered drag the boat and trailer over to a corner of the garden, put the trailer on blocks and cover it in a tarp until next year. What you have now is a hull, it floats and its a good platform for an outboard. When the sun comes out next spring you might get a new burst of enthuasism yourself or at least someone else will be prepared to pay more for it then than now.

Dont let this put you off boats completely, nobody can dispute that you have the patience and skills to do the job right on the right boat, you just need a canvas that is a little bit more forgiving. Jesus, just look back at the photos and see all the work you have done and if all the other jobs you did to that boat were even only half as difficult and frustrating as that trailer yesterday I dont know how you coped.

If you do get her sold then now is a good time of the year to buy a boat, get back in the saddle and all that. If only amazon sold boats......:rolleyes:

PS, I thought I wasnt meant to be in those photos

oscarBravo · 06-10-2011 2:57pm

harry21 wrote: »

Wouldn't it be great if a boardsie bought it, hijacked your thread and finished it.

It should be a condition of sale that the buyer has to sign up here and continue the thread.

t1mm · 06-10-2011 3:10pm

Pity about the boat dnme, but I understand your decision - even reading this topic took a while, I can't imagine how long you spent writing the posts, nevermind carrying out he actual work itself!

Whilst completely respecting your decision, I wonder is now the wrong time of year to be selling a boat? (A bit like trying to sell a convertible in winter.)

At the moment there isn't really a good time to be selling a boat. Also, considering this is a restoration project and not a fully functioning boat (yet!), it would probably be the best time to buy one as you could hope to fix it up before spring/summer.

bovis · 06-10-2011 3:57pm

Hi dnme, just new to the thread after having come in via your online ad. If someone else was to take it on - whats left to do? Seems a shame that you are giving it up. A risk for you now is that a buyer might feel that if you're throwing in the towel that the remaining work might be lot to overcome.

mikehunts · 06-10-2011 5:41pm

Dnme stick me down as well for, sorry this is finishing, you gave it a good battle. The women had the soaps to watch each evening, i could read this soap and your lean to thread which was 100 times better than any rovers return. Hope she finds a good home.;);)

locum-motion · 06-10-2011 7:15pm

Dnme,
I'm sorry to hear that.
I would echo what others have said about hoping that whoever buys it will continue here.
Thanks for many (too many?!) hours of great reading here.
Locum-motion.

red sean · 06-10-2011 8:06pm

dnme, please have my thanks as well for the many hours of "cyber living" with you and the boat! It must have been a tough decision at the end but it takes an equally tough person to make these decisions. You must feel very proud of what you overcame to get this far.
Good luck with the sale and remember, at the end of the day it's only a boat!
But we'll all miss it!!!

Pete67 · 06-10-2011 9:50pm

Hi Dmne, congrats on getting this far, and thanks a million for letting us share the journey. Your posts were an ongoing delight, I think we all learned something wonderful about the strength of the human spirit watching you overcome challenge after challenge.

I never met you but I consider you a friend, as do many here I'm sure. Hope you are OK and please keep in touch.

Pete.

It BeeMee · 06-10-2011 11:47pm

Dnme

Here's a little reminder of what you accomplished:

From this:

to this:

1fc1c1c2db5852e08ffc380475e263368c8a4425db3a35048d09016ce5279148.jpg

From this:

to this:

1fc1c1c2db5852e08ffc380475e26336fc27e445c74c30fcddb1e6e12a2bba45.jpg

From this:

To this:

1fc1c1c2db5852e08ffc380475e2633628d28a2012d3f7cdba2335f7729a7349.jpg

Well done lad, you achieved a lot.

wush06 · 06-10-2011 11:58pm

dmne hope you and honey are ok. This has been one of the best reads on boards.ie for me and many others. I'm sure something good will come your way, you take care and hope we will hear from you soon.

OldPeculier · 07-10-2011 10:17am

oscarBravo wrote: »

It should be a condition of sale that the buyer has to sign up here and continue the thread.

I totally disagree. The Boat was only part of the story. It was so much more than that. It was more about the boat builder for me. It was an epic journey and a fantastic read. A lot of people following this thread had a level of emotional involvement. I know I did. Thank you dnme for the journey. I respect your decision and thank you for sharing your journey, experiences, trials and tribulations with the rest of us.

So no, I don't believe the thread should be continued, it just wouldn't be right without dnme at the helm.

Tabnabs · 07-10-2011 11:21am

I'll just leave this and say no more

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ruwRykY6dNs

quietsailor · 07-10-2011 12:23pm

Hi dnme,

I just came home from Germany and a weeks absence from reading the threads, I'd just like to add my thanks and regrets to all the others that posted before me.

That was 2 fantastic threads, besides being some of the most well explained work I've ever seen (any chance you'd come lecture in UCC, we might understand a few of the subjects with you at the helm) it was interesting to read about you and Honey as well.

I hope everything works out for you both, if your ever stuck for something in Cork give me a shout, i feel like I know you already.

Shane

ScabbyLeg · 07-10-2011 4:58pm

Jasus I got some shock - I couldn't find the thread for a minute as it's now been stickied!

Just to echo the other comments, really enjoyed the time catching up on the progress throughout the summer, best wishes for your next project.

07-10-2011 6:33pm

really sorry to see you make this decision but understandable given what you have been through.

All the best in your future endevours

dnme · 08-10-2011 9:25pm

Thanks everyone for the posts. "Runt" is gone!!!! Thanks be to god. It was towed out of my life about 5 minutes ago in the wet and the dark. I hope to god they (new owners) make it back to Dublin alright with her and I wish them the best of luck.

"and as the boat's reflector board beamed its red triangles back at me, I waved her off and took one final glance at the paddock where she stood and battled me for one summer of my life. The same paddock now dark, wet and cold with the promise of an oncoming winter. Pallets and chocs sodden and rotting, suggesting that something once stood there.

..................a Restoration Tale..............The End"

alexlyons · 08-10-2011 9:40pm

Congratulations on the sale and hard work.
Can't wait for your first project for the lean to. Post here so we're all aware of it

some of us are boat people and follow it to help and for interesting boat tales as well as following your amazing writing and others were never boaty people, either way I think we all want to know about the next project

All the best

Chuck Stone · 08-10-2011 10:30pm

Thanks for the thread Sir.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3ueYxrA-Zs

Tabnabs · 09-10-2011 10:10am

dnme wrote: »

I hope to god they (new owners) make it back to Dublin alright with her and I wish them the best of luck.

Who's the one member that's been suspiciously quiet the last while, hey Fergal, got anything to confess?!

fergal.b · 09-10-2011 10:58am

No not me I have enough on my plate with 3 boats on the go

PS. I love that "Good run" video I post it on my facebook every year on my Dads anniversary and I'm sure it's the same story for a lot of us boaters,The circle of life through boats.

forsaleireland · 09-10-2011 11:25am

So who is the mysterious buyer??

Anyone wanna own up!!!

LLU · 09-10-2011 11:46am

Well done! It was a great project and in addition to the hard work on the boat itself, the effort you put into writing it up and photographing it is much appreciated. Not only did you bring a wreck very far along the road to a new life, you educated and entertained a lot of people. Looking forward to the next project!

sailordog13 · 09-10-2011 8:31pm

I'm sorry you couldn't finish the project. I have no doubt you had the skills to do it, but I appreciate everything else was against you.

Thank you for taking us on a most enjoyable journey, and showing all of us a thing or too.

SD13

ado100 · 10-10-2011 10:06am

It's well known in boating circles that the two happiest days of your life are:

1. The day you buy your first boat.

and

2. The day you sell it.

Congratulations DNME and thanks for a wonderful story.

Gerard93 · 10-10-2011 11:26am

Best of luck dnme for the future, who knows you might take on another project, we'de love to follow it!

Yawlboy · 11-10-2011 8:35am

Thank you for all the entertainment and as my grandfather (a traditional wooden boat builder) used to say "If you don't like someone, buy him a boat":)

Slig · 11-10-2011 1:23pm

Tabnabs wrote: »

I'll just leave this and say no more

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ruwRykY6dNs

wow, that really made me sad and depressed, and I have a boat!!! the ads at the end made me feel abit better though.

The story is beautiful but the cinic in me has to think his demise may have had something to do with:
1/ A lifetime of inhaling anti-foul and fibreglass dust,
2/ pneumonia from getting stuck out in the middle of a lake in his sailing boat as the wind dies down and the rain enivetably starts
3/ forgetting to put the bung into the boat as he launches for a days cruising
4/ the list goes on......................

wotzgoingon · 14-10-2011 8:17pm

I only found this thread a few days ago. Took me a few days at my own pace to read it. Sorry to hear you sold the boat. Also sorry i wasn't there to give support throughout the restoration.

fergal.b · 12-11-2011 10:47am

I wonder has dnme and the boat moved to RTE in Dublin to do a bit of work

johnr1 · 12-11-2011 11:24am

Now why would you think that Fergal? Is there something you know that suggests this.............?

fergal.b · 12-11-2011 11:36am

No just wishful thinking.:)

Looks like someone else gave up on their Norman project.

http://www.donedeal.ie/for-sale/boats/2711988

.

Jack_regan · 12-11-2011 12:56pm

fergal.b wrote: »

No just wishful thinking.:)

Looks like someone else gave up on their Norman project.

http://www.donedeal.ie/for-sale/boats/2711988

.

Looks like someone had the same problem with the front windows as dnme and went for the squared off look; doesn't look too bad in my opinion (the front windows that is), as far as the boat goes well it will be a brave soul that takes that one on after reading "a restoration tale".

forsaleireland · 12-11-2011 2:49pm

well for 350 quid it's not bad just buying her at all,any one wanna start a new restoration tale lol

:D:eek:

fergal.b · 13-03-2012 9:45pm

I think I spotted your boat. http://www.donedeal.ie/donedeal/classifieds/viewFullPhoto.jsp?cid=10530292&ad=3123676&s3=true

Jack_regan · 13-03-2012 11:37pm

That looks like it all right. Well spotted there Fergal, top marks for observation. The guy who runs that yard had an ad on donedeal a few weeks ago with the business up for sale, I can't find it now to link to it so maybe he's changed his mind.

I'm curious as to whether he bought it direct from dnme or through an intermediary. I guess we'll never know. I wonder has it got wet yet (apart from the stuff that falls out of the sky of course!) I'd say if we keep an eye on donedeal it may come up for sale in the next few weeks/months.

Just reminiscing there of the hours I spent reading dnme's posts about his restoration. Those were the days!

fergal.b · 13-03-2012 11:44pm

It looks clean has a johnson on the back and the steering hooked up so looks like it's ready to go, I would love to see how the front windows turned out

alexlyons · 14-03-2012 12:00am

and to be fair to dnme it wouldn't be in half as good a state that quickly with out the days and weeks he spent working a sweat over it. as said before, great work by him

bovis · 27-03-2012 1:09pm

Think I spotted your boat - Samual Beckett bridge yesterday afternoon. Looking good in the sunshine. Great story on your restoration.

fergal.b · 27-03-2012 2:29pm

Well spotted, She must be heading for the water with this weather

moonshadow · 27-03-2012 8:28pm

Thats incredible,well done on the spotting,WHO will see it next and WHERE

dnme · 27-03-2012 10:06pm

Wow

Just checked in on the thread. I can't believe the bpoat has re-surfaced (pun intended). It's with mixed emotions that I view the photos above. It's like being informed of sighting s of some criminal who has done me harm in one way, and sightings of an old friend in another.

It's definately "runt" right? Trailer gives it away I guess.

fergal.b · 27-03-2012 10:26pm

dnme wrote: »

Wow

Just checked in on the thread. I can't believe the bpoat has re-surfaced (pun intended). It's with mixed emotions that I view the photos above. It's like being informed of sighting s of some criminal who has done me harm in one way, and sightings of an old friend in another.

It's definately "runt" right? Trailer gives it away I guess.

Hi dnme at least you can take comfort in the fact that you gave this boat a new life "your it's heart donor"

Odelay · 22-05-2012 10:21pm

Glad to see it has a new home. Well done dnme, this thread had made me emotional at times.....always struck a cord with me. Well done on one of the most entertaining and educational threads of all time. I have a similar project on now (only on four wheels) and am also at the stage where i may have to cut my losses. Just taking it one (siezed) bolt at a time and waiting for what disapointment hides behind it......but I think of you and how far you got one step at a time. Hey i even have a black lab to help me too! i can't loose! Thank you!

vicwatson · 22-05-2012 11:06pm

fergal.b wrote: »

Hi dnme at least you can take comfort in the fact that you gave this boat a new life "your it's heart donor"

And there was me thinking the project was dead (out of) in the water

All on the the Northside of Dublin keep an eye out for her !

seahogger · 27-07-2012 9:48pm

Spotted in Howth last night as I was coming in myself...couldnt get any better photos but same mercedes towing it too!

fergal.b · 27-07-2012 10:00pm

seahogger wrote: »

Spotted in Howth last night as I was coming in myself...couldnt get any better photos but same mercedes towing it too!

Well spotted, good to see her on the water.:)

A restoration tale (with pics)

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