A small job for a Skipper - Can anyone help?

Discussion in 'All Things Boats & Boating' started by smokeonthewater, Mar 10, 2007.

  1. smokeonthewater
    Joined: Sep 2006
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    Location: UK

    smokeonthewater ED

    Hi
    I’m not sure if I am in the right place but...
    I’m looking for someone to assist me moving an Ex Navy Pinnace from Portsmouth to the Humber Estuary.
    I have little experience sailing boats of its size especially at sea.
    I’m looking for someone with experience and who is available in the near future.

    A few details about the boat, its 52’ long with a 14’ beam.
    It is a tired and well-used condition but is still sea worthy.
    The engine is a Gardner 6 cylinder and was serviced about 3 months along with the gearbox.
    I have changed all the filters in the fuel system and have spares.
    I also drained all the fuel and scrubbed the tanks clean inside.
    Please ask for more info if required.
    Any help or suggestions would be much appreciated.

    Many thanks

    Ed
     
  2. safewalrus
    Joined: Feb 2005
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    Location: Cornwall, England

    safewalrus Ancient Marriner

    Smokey

    guess you mean a HLD - Harbour Launch Diesel? with a funny little wheelhouse in the middle? Plenty of ex matelots or dockyardies around Pompey will be willing todo that trip (stick to the ex matelots the Yardies will be scared of going past the forts!) the only dodgy bits are off the Thames estury and off Yarmouth and up past the wash, but it's well signposted! If you use a matelot (RN sailor) make sure he's from the old seamans branch and getting on a bit the modern kids ain't up to that kind of boat, unfortunately I ain't available otherwise I'd love too!
     
  3. smokeonthewater
    Joined: Sep 2006
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    smokeonthewater ED

    Hi Safewalrus
    Yes it is a HLD, I didn’t know what it stood for so thanks. Do you know anything else about them? I’m struggling to find anything out about them - seen another one about though.

    Yes I was looking for someone who perhaps had a knowledge of the older boats but don’t know where to find them.

    Thanks all the same.

    Ed
     
  4. safewalrus
    Joined: Feb 2005
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    Location: Cornwall, England

    safewalrus Ancient Marriner

    Smokey

    Sad ain't it used to be the mainstay of the Royal dockyard's did the old HLD, big heavy ***** with not a lot of room onboard, but ideal for the job it did carrying matelots and stores between warships and the dockyard! Used to be hundreds of the buggers around the world! Couldn't do much damage to them but could do a lot with them, not very fast but would run for ever! If your still in Pompey nip down to the Royal Naval museum in the Yard, close by the Victory Ask in there for info and they'll give you a ton of it! best of luck with the search!
     
  5. smokeonthewater
    Joined: Sep 2006
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    smokeonthewater ED

    Walrus
    Why do you refer to Pompey? (Sorry to show my ignorance)
    Ill have a look in the Navy Museum next time I'm down there.
    It looks like I will probably have to crane her out and take her by road because of my time constraints. It seems a shame as I was looking forward to the trip. I only hope she doesn’t snap in half or something when we crane her out!

    Cheers
    Ed
     
  6. safewalrus
    Joined: Feb 2005
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    Location: Cornwall, England

    safewalrus Ancient Marriner

    because that's where she is, isn't she? probably painted black and stone/yellow! Hope you got a big crane because she's bloody heavy - planks are one and a half inch thick for a start! will cost a fortune to shift that by road, heavy load, police escort etc cheaper to buy a new boat! That one was never designed for sea work either - low freeboard means summer run port to port! Beats me where in the Humber estury you'd use her? not below Kingston (upon Hull) anyway!
     
  7. smokeonthewater
    Joined: Sep 2006
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    Location: UK

    smokeonthewater ED

    Yeah it is yellow & black how'd you know? I found a pic of it on the net a few years ago and it was green but I guess yellow was its original colour?

    I am hoping to get her to Nottingham

    yep it is going to cost a fortune to move by road but Ive got to move it soon

    There must be a crane somewhere down in portsmouth big enough to lift it (I hope) I took the wheel house and funnel down on sat!

    Ed
     

  8. safewalrus
    Joined: Feb 2005
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    Location: Cornwall, England

    safewalrus Ancient Marriner

    The main reason I know is that the those are victorian livery colours for the Royal Navy, still in use by a lot of small vessels in the Royal Dockyards today (Same colour scheme as the Victory no doubt - amazing that) the Navy (and more so it's dockyards) used several of those boats for a few years to keep it running You have a real piece of history there! Don't go messing with it until you know more about it please - you may regret it!
     
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