Rant And Rave

Rant and Rave = spit it out = get it of your chest = say it like you mean it ANYTHING Stick to boating please!

Totally F-ck-d up this country, a old mate of mine has just told me that steel in South Africa will probably cost around ZAR 21 000.00 per ton (= approx $us 2625.00 per ton) by September / October 2008, this is so expensive that steel boat building will be virtually impossible. Should this happen the folks that started at the beginning of this year can thank their lucky stars. That steel hull you see in the pics will cost DOUBLE in less than a year.

This is after Mittal Steel from India!!! took over our national steelworks. To all the boys building and repairing boats in steel in RSA my heart goes out to you.

Geez and this after i actually spent a lot of time looking at the origami sites and thinking maybe they have got a point there (Yahoo is slow and **** btw)

I better get off my OLD arse and go and look at Stranded Mariner work of art, it might be the last time that i will be able to lay my hands on steel / gold?

 

Manie,

Wow, and we think we have problems here in the US. Not nearly as bad as your situation, although we seem to be heading into some rough water for the near future.

I see ugly FRP/GRP production barges that look more like running shoes than boats selling for 10 x what I paid for the only cruiser I purchased new. I do what I can to help those who come to the forums asking for help restoring beautiful boats from the 70's and 80's. They will spend more than they think, but will finish with a boat that is better built, better looking, and better performing for 1/3 - 1/2 the cost of a new one. Custom builds are the only way to get a beautiful boat built, but costs are making this affordable for fewer and fewer people.

Don't know if it helps your mood any, but one of yours, Trevor Immelman, did a fine job of winning the Masters golf championship last week. Many of those who were chasing him wished they had small boats, as the high winds Sunday blew many balls into the creek that winds through the course.

Cheers and best wishes, Manie.

 

How is Stranded Mariner's boat going? Hope he gets it finished and away!!!

 

Wynand ordered the main bulk of steel (about 10 tons) in January. By now steel prices are up already by 25 - 30%.
The worst is the lead for the keel (4000 kg),which costs more than the steel!!!
I am glad I made the decision to build last year, because in 5 years from now I don't think I would be able to afford it anymore.

All in all, despite power cuts and late deliveries from suppliers, the progress is good. Hull and deck are more or less ready, and Wynand is working on the cutouts for windows, hatches, etc., to prepare the hull for blasting.
Most of the deck equipment has arrived, and yesterday the Yanmar engine and Balmar alternator arrived.

I am looking at going to South Africa again in the second half of May.

 

Pick up on Manie He and his family may be available as crew He he he... Good to hear things going so well for you...

 

Thanks masalai!

Wynand and I will keep you updated on the progress.