The "Your Normans" page has so much on it that it takes many an hour to get to the bottom!!
So this is "Your Normans 2"
This is about "Molegrip", previously "Kingfisher". So named to recognise John's skills with said tool !
John and Jane are completely refurbishing the boat and what follows are John's contributions and pictures.
Only moved the boat once and that was
from Castle Marina in Nottingham to Derby Motor Boat Club next to Sawley. Trip
was good but boat ran a little warm. Already had raw water pump changed but will
be checking to see if engine ports are blocked.
The engine is a Petrol Ford Anglia 1300cc. I do not know what type of drive
system its got - may be informed on surveyors report.
I have met a marine mechanic who was very helpful so I will Quiz him to find out
more. The Boat is currently named Kingfisher but will be changed to Molegrip
which is my nickname since my profession is a plumber/heating/gas engineer and I
collect Moles ( not Real Ones only figurines). We have in the past purchased and
refitted caravans so hopefully with careful planning and help from people like
yourself will do the same with the boat.
Molegrip not moved forward much.
Completely striped interior and found a leak on sender unit to depth sounder.
Gutted wiring from boat and have started replacing it - together with new fuse
board.
Going to boat Saturday afternoon & Sunday to find a second leak.
I can now supply some pictures of the works we have carried out so far. It was
in a bit of a state when we had it so we have gutted the inside of the cabin and
cockpit. Re-wired completely and fitted new fuse board. Removed unused petrol
tank, scraped and sanded old anti-fouling back to GRP and just completed priming
and anti-fouling as the pictures show.
Since our last
report we decided to re-paint the complete hull (both undercoat and top coat
applied). Removed wooden rubbing strakes and replaced with new hardwood
version. Removed all existing screws from previous plastic rubbing strake and
filled ready for fitting a new one (now completed). Sanded Z drive, undercoated
and top coated. Removed steel front protection strip and replaced with
aluminium. Finally last weekend we renamed the boat "Molegrip". This weekend
some more coats of varnish to wooden rubbing strake (weather permitting), last
coat of Z drive together with some general cleaning and an application of Mer
polish along with finishing touches of new ventilation grills.
After this weekend the hull will be completely finished and ready to go back
into the water next weekend to start on the interior and upper exterior.
I will forward some more pictures of current interior and the progression
These detailed interior pictures are of Chris's "Silver Stream. Good resource for those of you curious about general and typical layouts. Mine seems to be different to most in that my toilet compartment is between the dinette and front cabin but otherwise very similar.
Hoping to get some exterior shots of "Silver Stream" too. Cracking looking canopy too !
This is Barry's Norman 20. Unnamed as yet and a bit to do ! Lets hope we get some more as the work progresses.
Latest from Barry -
"Still a long way to go - but it floats. Now on it's mooring at Maldon Essex
It's now called "Jester"
Dave Flint has sent these in response to my pleas for inside pictures. Not sure if its a genuine "marine" bottle of ale !
These are from Dave's previous boat, "Pingu The Haddock Slayer" !!
Thirsty wee craft Pingu was !!
Here we have Ray and Sandy's Norman 23, "Freya". The "before & after" pictures just show what a transformation work on the hull can make.
"Just an update on my Norman 23. this
has been one of those projects which seems to have no end in sight, then all at
once everything just comes together, and last weekend we took Freya for our
first cruise up the Thames through Reading.
It was well worth the 2 1/2 years work, blood, sweat, tears and swearing. One of
those rare moments. Thanks to your website she has a new Coverit canopy.
The only original parts not replaced are the rear bulkhead wall and door,
Everything else I made. ( Never done woodwork before.) Still more work to do to
the exterior though. I will send more pics when done. ( I know, a boat is never
finished.)"
This is really impressive, The first photo is a three stage combination and is, therefore, a biggish file but worth a look at. The transformation is amazing and should serve as encouragement for those that are a tad intimidated by the look of the job in hand !!
Marilyn has taken the hint and sent some pictures of the interior nature of "Foxy Lady". If there appears to be a slope, its down to "Mums" sand in the bows!!!
Marilyn has sent these of "Foxy Lady" wearing a new frock!! Very tasty with a shapely stern to boot!!
Paul and Julie have sent a couple of pictures of Honey Pie with more to follow
We have finally found some photo's of Honey Pie to include on the Norman Web site. The first photo was taken approx 2 weeks after purchase, when we took her out of the water to check and antifoul the hull. I was also given a good wash down !!!!! The second photo was approx 2 weeks after the first as she was returned to her mooring in slightly better shape. We then used her as she was for a couple of months, in an attempt to feel like we owned a boat and that it really had been a good idea to buy her in such poor condition !!!! The current situation is that she is out of the water again and undergoing a total refit from a bare hull upwards. If all goes well, she will go back on to the Monmouth & Brecon canal sometime in July to join the other 2 Norman Swallow's that reside at Goytre Wharf.
Mac2's "Happy Wanderer" is having a lovely inside job!
I've fitted T&G on ceiling and seat backs/floor well and done an oak floor anyhow pics show it to date just little more to do in cabin I.E. paint /varnish etc then onto cockpit.....
And here we see a little Mac2 or should this be Mac3??
The boat is now at 3rd stage primer after flatting and filling, its all grey and I'm sure if i fitted a 12 inch downspout pipe either side it would pass for a miniature Motor Torpedo Boat [:)]anyhow its starting to come together now and i just need a few days to let the primer harden off properly and "cure" then i can move on to the undercoat stages, weather permitting ........Mac2
And now, at last, we have a photo of "Happy Wanderer" back in the water and looking superb!
Phil has sent me these two pictures of "Chantmarle", a Norman 23 which looks to still be in mint condition.
This is Chris and Meg's Norman 23 recently christened "Bee-Lay-Zee". Its clear from the pictures how much work you two are doing !!
Ken's "Pikachu" is a Norman 24 is near Lancaster. Ken reckons there is some work to do but it looks quite good as it is to me !
This is JW's Norman 23 "Moet", says its "bog standard" ! Looks a bit better than that to me !
Dave paid £2900 for "Rose Robellen", a Norman 20 which, from looking at the photos, looks a very good buy.
Moored on the Thames near Windsor, Dave only had a few "cosmetic" bits to sort out to have her looking pristine again.
Here we have a point of debate and discussion ! Gerard has registered "Alwiso2" as a Norman 30. He has owned the boat for three years. I reckon its likely a 29 if it is indeed a Norman. If you look at "Silver Link" you will see she is a Norman 266 ! With a beam of 9' 3". So Norman did actually make other wide beams apart from the 22 mentioned in the "Thirty Years of Motor Cruisers" book. Also "Current Liability" looks to be a wide beam too.
Whatever, I'm pleased that someone like Gerard in France is looking at our site and contributing despite a language barrier. Have to say its a good looking engine !!
This is John's 23 called "Nicea ll", still waiting for a clue on the name !
The only history I have is that she spent most of her life on the Thames but the last five or six years she's been down on the River Stour in Sandwich Kent. She is now at Twyford Bridge Marina and now has a 4 stroke 15HP Mariner outboard. There is the usual fittings (head with Portapotti, sink with pump action cold water, twin burner grill & oven etc). The Console which the steering wheel is fitted to has been modified at some stage since there is the shadow of a ‘Norman’ badge under where a fuse panel is now fitted (fuses for navigation and anchor lights, horn, and windscreen wipers which are non existent). No other info other than I think she's a 23 not 24! I don’t think she’ll be boat of the week but the engine might!!
Here we see Dave's Norman 22 "Pearl", which I am sure is a 23 !
And here we are peering out the back of "pearl on the Medway.
Colin and Christine were one of the first to register their Norman 20 "Jigsaw" with the site. They were good to their word and have now sent me some pics. They have had "Jigsaw" for seven years moored on the Erewash.
Nigel and Kath have just bought "Wonderful Wednesday", a Norman 32 which they say "is not in very good condition"!
Now I know pictures only tell you so much but, considering age, she looks not half bad to me and what a project to work on. I'm envious.
Leif has sent this from Norway. Normans certainly get about !
I bought my Norman a couple a years
ago here in Oslo, Norway and am enjoying the boat in the Oslo fjord. However I
do not know anything about the boat, and would appreciate if anybody could give
me some information. The previous owner called the boat Norman Viking, and
claimed that it is app. 21 feet. I am now in the process of buying a new motor,
is there any certificate on the boat saying max .or recommended Hp ? I have
enclosed a rather poor picture, but your knowledgeable members will probably be
able to recognise the make.
Best regards,
Leif
David has just bought his Norman 23 "Comfort". He sent these two pictures asking us to identify the year and model. I suggested it was a Mark l and was likely built between 1972 and 1975.
Some interior shots of Dominics wide beam 266 "Crio An Loca"
When is a Norman not a Norman?? Who's to say. This is Kevin's "Blue Dolphin" and a fine looking craft it indeed is.
This is what Kevin says -
"I wonder if you could shed a bit more light on the
make of my boat! When I bought it, it was advertised as a Norman 266 wide beam
aft cockpit cruiser.
After some research I found it was a Bates Astral built on a Norman hull. The
length is 27ft with a 10ft beam, 1.8 BMC diesel shaft drive, built around
1979.
Great boat, my pride and joy,"
Gordon contacted me about his Conquest, "After You" asking how to get rainwater out of the hull!! Look at these pictures and you'll get the idea!
Having said that, I reckon she'll scrub up well.
And here is the addition of a new canopy !!
"Osprey", a Norman 20 belonging to John and Helen. The photo's are quite large on this page just to show what a pleasant mooring Osprey was inhabiting.
This is Adi and Cheryl's "Guinevere", a Norman 22 looking in remarkably good nick. More pics to follow we hope??
And this is inside!!
"Jester" is Jims Norman 20 which is in for a bit of work. More pics to follow as work progresses
First picture is obviously from an earlier life !!
After the Easter meet the bug bit me again and I have made a start on the Wheelhouse. I used the original pattern that I cut last year just changed the radii in the window cut outs as suggested in the forum. This gives me full standing head room (6'4" +)I can say that I am more than happy with the look of it now the plan for the rest of it is :- MAKE IT UP AS I GO ALONG... Well its worked so far so why change it. Have attached some pics of the sides in place. The wood I am using is beech ply 3/4 inch and this has 14 plys will be interesting to see the boat back in the water again with the extra weight I may have to rethink the water line
Now Bob's "Dancer" may not be a Norman but, if Normans had never been made then, neither would have Atlanta. Atlanta and Shetland have used the Norman moulds for their range including the 32 of which "Dancer" is a fine example.
It seems no matter how new your boat is there is always some work!!
"I'm quite pleased with the interior now as I've had to re-upholster the roof of both cabins and fit new lights, vents, etc."
Garry has trailored his 23 down to the Norfolk Broads of which I am envious. Some good pics from Garry including a windscreen he made himself.
Here's dedication for you ! Kevin was chest deep in water taking some of these pictures of "Red Mist", his Norman 18.
This is Stewart's Norman 23 "Mrs C"
Good looking interior Stewart, thanks!!
Stewart's recent foray onto the Broads has yielded these snaps....
Not sure where on the Broads you are allowed to do this???