Rum Runner in Lymington

[The Baron]

Here's an interesting picture.

You mighty a James Bond movie (Russia with Love?) where Bond is being chased by the baddies. He is driving a revolutionary British powerboat with a hull designed by an American, Ray Hunt, and built by Fairey Marine (part of the Fairey Aviation Group - Swordfish, Gannet etc) called a Fairey Huntsman 28. These boats were revolutionary in respect of their hull build which was hot moulded vacuum formed multiple layers of Gaboon ply and, it was the first high speed pleasure launch in the world to be delivered with a turbo-charged diesel engine.

They were only in production for 10 years after which their giant autoclaves were destroyed in a disastrous flood.

They were built so strongly, that 90% of the large production run are still in use today 52 years later.

The photo depicts a "recreation" of the Classic Fairey Swordsman, hull design by Alan Burnard who sadly passed away last month.

A more beautiful classic powerboat you will never see, and an eye watering recreation.

[Mark]

If someone would photoshop a bond girl on the deck, I think I would have a breakdown!

[Jim Rosenthal]

That does resemble a Ray Hunt hull design, actually. Looks a bit like a Bertram.

Nice boat you've got there, Keith.

[Pete McCluskey.]

Lovely boat Keith, congratulations time to splice the main brace.

[David Morton]

Keefy
can I borrow the keys to the boat again tomorrow? I thought I'd ask this time. Are the fuel tanks full?
Dave

[The Baron]

Sorry Dave, just got back from a little trip. Of course you can. You will need at least 100 litres to be on the safe side.

Couple of points. I charged the 24v side of the starboard battery bank and seem to have blown the log. So, no depth or speed. But, you can get SOG from the GPS and that's good enough. Stick to main channels on rising (spring) tides and even if you do kiss the bank, you'll float off easy. Tip: If you are unsure of depth out of channel, go slow & keep an eye on the wake. If blue turns to black stop immediately. If throb throb goes to crunch grind wallop stop immediately, do not engage reverse, glide gently to a halt on the shingle bank you have just landed on.

If you do get high and dry in an embarrassing place, just nip over the side with a scrubber (!!) and bucket and make it look like you intended to do just that, just to clean off the barnacles.

If you go on at the top of this high spring tide, call me in a month.

Otherwise, I will meet you there at 1030 tomorrow morning.

You know the place....

[The Baron]

Just an update, David & I piloted the boat back to it's nest yesterday, via Cowes as usual - nice trip but we ran into a foul tide with wind against going East of Portsmouth so it was quite lively. It appeared as if we had a little problem with the port stern gland which was leaking quite profusely again. Thanks to David's engineering skills he cranked up the bearing gland and the leaking stopped (one or drops of water through the gland is not only normal - it's desirable)

Unfortunately, on further examination after our return it is leaking quite badly again and it appears the the stuffing has all but gone as the gland surfaces almost butt up against each other now. Another possibility is that the shaft has worn a groove. It appears that the rubber bellows on the port side is 4" longer than the starboard - a sure indication that the stuffing box has already been moved on the shaft to avoid a previous groove. (The stuffing is made of Flax, and after time, will create a wear groove in the toughest stainless steel).

So, boat coming out of water tomorrow as cannot be fixed whilst in. Worst case scenario - new prop shaft

Best case scenario repack both stern glands and reassemble.

David, do you know of an engineer who could make a stainless shaft from a pattern? Fairly straight forward - flange at one end and threaded tapered end with hole for split pin at the other. Prop is held on the taper by castellated nut. Shaft is about 4' long by about 1" dia.

Mates rates?

W.H.Y.?

[Mark]

If David doesn't know someone (I'm sure he does), I do. Let me know.

Sounds like you both had a fun day out.

[The Baron]

Peekford mon ami, merci beaucoup!

[Mr. Fechter]

A little boy saw a pirate with a peg leg, hook replacing his right hand, and a patch over his left eye by the warf one day, and ran up to him saying, "Oh Mr. Pirate, you're so cool! Can I ask you some stuff?"

P. "Sure Ladee, ask away!"

L.B. "Oh, oh, what happened to your leg?"

P. " Well, lad, I fell into the deep brinee and a shark bit it off."

L.B. "Wow! And what happened to your hand, Sir?"

P. "Ah yes, well I got meself involved in a sword fight, and the blaggard cut it off!"

L.B. "My oh my, then how did you lose your eye?"

P. "That was a nasty one, son, a seagull pooped on it."

L.B. "Nooooooo! I never knew seagull poop could put your eye out."

p. "No, no, no. It pooped on me eye and I wasn't used to me new hook yet."

[David Morton]

Talk to Hughie Absalem in Arborfield on 01189 737973.
Great day yesterday. Muchos Grazias.

[David Morton]

Aye Aye.......

[The Baron]

Would he have time? I mean with that GT40 project and everything?

[Paul W]

There's a great machine shop up by me also, see how you get on with Hugh.

[Jim Rosenthal]

Keith, why don't you look into a PSS shaft seal? Are they available over there? It does require you haul the boat, but the worn area on the shaft becomes irrelevant once the PSS system is in place. I have had these on my 36 Hatteras for years and they are just dandy. There is a SS rotor locked to the shaft which spins against a carbon-fiber housing; they are lubricated with water from the cooling jacket discharge. They've been around a long time and are quite reliable. Most of the American boatbuilders supply them as OEM. Two of them might cost you less than one Aquamet shaft.....

You could also try Teflon/GoreTex packing when you repack the stuffing box....

[Jim Rosenthal]

Originally Posted by Keith1

Here's an interesting picture.

You mighty a James Bond movie (Russia with Love?) where Bond is being chased by the baddies. He is driving a revolutionary British powerboat with a hull designed by an American, Ray Hunt, and built by Fairey Marine (part of the Fairey Aviation Group - Swordfish, Gannet etc) called a Fairey Huntsman 28. These boats were revolutionary in respect of their hull build which was hot moulded vacuum formed multiple layers of Gaboon ply and, it was the first high speed pleasure launch in the world to be delivered with a turbo-charged diesel engine.

They were only in production for 10 years after which their giant autoclaves were destroyed in a disastrous flood.

They were built so strongly, that 90% of the large production run are still in use today 52 years later.

The photo depicts a "recreation" of the Classic Fairey Swordsman, hull design by Alan Burnard who sadly passed away last month.

A more beautiful classic powerboat you will never see, and an eye watering recreation.

Do you guys not go in for flying bridges over there? Just curious.

[The Baron]

Fly bridges? Big time. Usually hold 20 people clutching gin & tonic, munching vol au vents and trying to look regal.

I am not a fan of fly bridges personally but prefer the outside quarter deck type 2nd helm position like this Nelson:





Probably the first popular boat that featured a flybridge in the UK (circa 1972) was this one:



So, who do you think designed this one (and owned the company that made it)?

Hint: Also had something to do with cars!

[The Baron]

Originally Posted by jimbo

Keith, why don't you look into a PSS shaft seal? Are they available over there? It does require you haul the boat, but the worn area on the shaft becomes irrelevant once the PSS system is in place. I have had these on my 36 Hatteras for years and they are just dandy. There is a SS rotor locked to the shaft which spins against a carbon-fiber housing; they are lubricated with water from the cooling jacket discharge. They've been around a long time and are quite reliable. Most of the American boatbuilders supply them as OEM. Two of them might cost you less than one Aquamet shaft.....

You could also try Teflon/GoreTex packing when you repack the stuffing box....

Well, yes I've been through all of this with my engineer, but he wants to use the traditional materials. This is OK by me because the boat will not get the use that requires the more permanent (and elegant) solution.

Don't worry, somebody in the USA was going to get a call from me on this very subject!

[The Baron]

Originally Posted by PDub

There's a great machine shop up by me also, see how you get on with Hugh.

Thanks Paul...

Hows the Black Beauty?

[Mark]

Originally Posted by jimbo

Do you guys not go in for flying bridges over there? Just curious.

I do, just awaiting retirement Jim.