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A restoration tale (with pics)

dnme · 2011-03-23 19:29:40

I have been posting on here and getting amazing help from fergal and others. I thought I might make a thread outlining my attempt at a boat restoration. The boat is a 16' fibreglass day cabin. It is in horrendous condition but I think the fibreglass itself is pretty good. Shopping for a while and looking at various boats.…

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#782 11-10-2011 1:23pm

Slig

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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......................

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#783 14-10-2011 8:17pm

wotzgoingon

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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.

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#784 12-11-2011 10:47am

fergal.b

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

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#785 12-11-2011 11:24am

johnr1

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

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#786 12-11-2011 11:36am

fergal.b

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No just wishful thinking.:)

Looks like someone else gave up on their Norman project.

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

.

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#787 12-11-2011 12:56pm

Jack_regan

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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".

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#788 12-11-2011 2:49pm

forsaleireland

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

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#789 13-03-2012 9:45pm

fergal.b

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

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#790 13-03-2012 11:37pm

Jack_regan

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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!

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#791 13-03-2012 11:44pm

fergal.b

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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

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#792 14-03-2012 12:00am

alexlyons

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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

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#793 27-03-2012 1:09pm

bovis

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

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#794 27-03-2012 2:29pm

fergal.b

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

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#795 27-03-2012 8:28pm

moonshadow

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

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#796 27-03-2012 10:06pm

dnme

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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.

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#797 27-03-2012 10:26pm

fergal.b

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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"

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#798 22-05-2012 10:21pm

Odelay

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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!

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#799 22-05-2012 11:06pm

vicwatson

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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 !

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#800 27-07-2012 9:48pm

seahogger

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

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#801 27-07-2012 10:00pm

fergal.b

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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.:)

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#802 27-07-2012 10:05pm

seahogger

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fergal.b wrote: »

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

Having followed the thread for awhile and listening to how rare the boat was it wasnt to hard to spot! Didnt see it put the back of Irelands Eye so may have been only on a test run..

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#803 21-08-2012 8:07pm

sogood

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Hi DNME. As a regular contributor over in Motors, I am a recent arrival here on Boating and came across your thread about two weeks ago. It was a real page turner and I logged on nightly, staying up much too late to see what was coming next. Your whole attitude to life, not to mention boat restoration, is to be commended and I want to thank you, most sincerely, for the knowledge, joys, highs and lows that you shared with us. For me, this made the whole adventure a great success, even if you never got to actually "finish" the darned thing! Who ever said that a great story needs a great ending just to make it complete?

Many of us have embarked on adventures of one sort or another, only to find ourselves bogged down before we reach the end of the lane! Some get to go a bit further, others disappear over the horizon. I personally have gotten sidetracked, diverted, distracted, lost and stuck in many cul de sacs with no room to manouver, but still managed to extract myself. And if my own personal voyage will be regarded by most as a failure, then so be it, but the lessons learned, for all to employ, will have been a great success.

I take my hat off to you, salute you, envy you even. You are an inspiration. Thank you for taking the enormous time and effort, under already difficult circumstances, to share your adventure with us. My life is certainly fuller and richer for it.

I wish you, and Honey all the best and every possible sucess, happiness and contentment in whatever you do in life. If you're ever coming to Tipperary, do let me know, it would be a pleasure to share a lamb shank with you!

Thanks again.

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#804 21-08-2012 9:41pm

dnme

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Many thanks sogood, I am from Tipperary as it goes, well I say Tipperary, the homestead is actually about 500m inside the Offaly border, and that 500m is very VERY important

Yea the boat was a great adventure for me. A summer I will always remember with fondness. This thread kinda happened all by itself and grew into something that I loved. I bought the boat purely as a device to keep me occupied during a spell of unemployment. Ironically it cost me every cent I had but it was money well spent cos it was a blast. I still sometimes read snippets of this thread myself and can't believe elements of it.

Once winter came, the purse was empty and I was sick of it, it really was time for it to go. So I guess I used it in a way and I hate to say that but hey, it now has a history for whoever owns it these days, and that was my contribution to it.

Me....I'm back at work now, living in Co. Galway with the Honmeister and all the better for my summer sanding fibreglass. I learned so much about boats. For my next boating endeavor, I'll know what to look for and what to avoid. In the meantime I'm always looking for some project to make life fun or at least interesting. Who knows what's next. Ive been seriously considering a big (and I mean big) cycle somewhere in the world and keeping an online travelog. Who knows.....lookout out for a thread called "A cycle tale"

d

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#805 22-08-2012 7:43pm

ToxicPaddy

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dnme wrote: »

Many thanks sogood, I am from Tipperary as it goes, well I say Tipperary, the homestead is actually about 500m inside the Offaly border, and that 500m is very VERY important

Yea the boat was a great adventure for me. A summer I will always remember with fondness. This thread kinda happened all by itself and grew into something that I loved. I bought the boat purely as a device to keep me occupied during a spell of unemployment. Ironically it cost me every cent I had but it was money well spent cos it was a blast. I still sometimes read snippets of this thread myself and can't believe elements of it.

Once winter came, the purse was empty and I was sick of it, it really was time for it to go. So I guess I used it in a way and I hate to say that but hey, it now has a history for whoever owns it these days, and that was my contribution to it.

Me....I'm back at work now, living in Co. Galway with the Honmeister and all the better for my summer sanding fibreglass. I learned so much about boats. For my next boating endeavor, I'll know what to look for and what to avoid. In the meantime I'm always looking for some project to make life fun or at least interesting. Who knows what's next. Ive been seriously considering a big (and I mean big) cycle somewhere in the world and keeping an online travelog. Who knows.....lookout out for a thread called "A cycle tale"

d

Hey dnme,

Like many others here, I was an avid reader of this thread from the very start and was sad to see the boat go but an amazing journey it was.

Funny that you mention the big cycle thing, I'm currently following the adventures of a lad from Wexford who is cycling from Prudhoe Bay in Alaska to Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego in Southern Argentina.. If you're interested in something like that, its worth looking into as its something I would love to do, but I think I'd be doing it on a moped as my knees wouldn't be up to cycling 17500 miles in a year

I don't know the chap personally, but saw a post from him on the South East Thread telling about it and have been following it for a while now.

Here are the links I follow.

Facebook
Twitter
Website
Flickr

Tox

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#806 29-08-2012 9:11pm

Jack_regan

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dnme wrote: »

I learned so much about boats. For my next boating endeavor, I'll know what to look for and what to avoid.

Another Norman perhaps? Good value here, I wonder what's lurking beneath the surface?

http://www.donedeal.ie/for-sale/boats/3826931

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#807 20-09-2012 1:18pm

dnme

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This day last year :eek:
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=74509862&postcount=146

My god where has the time gone ???

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#808 20-09-2012 2:45pm

fergal.b

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You must be getting project withdrawal symptoms

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#809 20-09-2012 8:22pm

Enkay

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Hi dnme... a truly inspirational story. It reads like an adventure novel so well done.

Are you interested in getting involved in another (albeit smaller) adventure in Galway. I have a brother who has a working boat but it is tired looking and used very little.

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#810 21-09-2012 11:02am

dnme

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Enkay wrote: »

Hi dnme... a truly inspirational story. It reads like an adventure novel so well done.

Are you interested in getting involved in another (albeit smaller) adventure in Galway. I have a brother who has a working boat but it is tired looking and used very little.

eh don't think so, best of luck!:D

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#811 30-09-2012 10:04pm

Hifive

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Looks pretty good actually.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/norman-17ft-cruiser-/150913844061?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item23232a835d

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