Hi all, been to see the progress of my new boat again today and got some more photo's of her being moulded. She is a lot further along now and looking good, with the hull virtually complete and the superstructure taking shape separately. The hull is due to be released from the mould at the end of this week and then joined with the superstructure. The wheelhouse height has been raised by 100mm with an addition to the mould to enable this.....i am quite tall! Completion of the mouldings is due middle of next week and then she will be loaded onto a lorry for delivery to Plymouth to be fitted out. I have to say i am very pleased with everything so far, the quality is certainly very good as you would expect from a Lochin i guess! Hopefully i have uploaded some more pics! Hope the weather improves soon too!!! Regards all, Dave.
Hi Dave, Starts to look like a real boat now. Can't wait to see when she is all joined together. Also, be interesting to see how they raise the wheelhouse 100mm. Is the fit out place at Plymouth near to you? Are you going to be able to watch the process as it happens still? Wish I could see it myself! Good luck next week! Keep the photos coming please... Cheers
Hi Harold, thanks for the good luck bit........ it looks like it may be another week or two yet before moulding is finally finished! She is starting to come together and I understand the hull has now been released from the mould. The deck moulding was due to be released today (monday) and will probably be fitted tomorrow, then the wheelhouse. The raising of the wheelhouse has been done by the moulders, CML, adding a 100mm wooden extension onto the mould where the deck would meet it, they have done a good job on what i have seen so far, so i am very pleased! Yes the building work is going to be in Plymouth and i will probably 'pester' them with my frequent visits, but i have become quite friendly with Gary and Graham and i know they won't mind me taking lots of photo's of the building work so i will certainly keep the photo's coming! How are things with you down under? Have you managed to get out on your boat much? We had two days of 'summer' then back to normal her in UK! Best wishes, Dave.
I'll also be interested to see your wheelhouse hieght extension when she's out of the mould. I reckon that will not only look good but give improved vision.
Hi Chas, although the mouldings are almost completed now it still seems like the final bit is taking forever, but i know it isn't really and will be worth the wait! Hull is finished and deck was bonded on today (friday). The wheelhouse should be going on next week and i shall be going to see her again on wednesday to get some more photo's, then transporting her to Plymouth early the following week for fit out. I opted for the increased wheelhouse height after banging my head a few times on my previous boat and didn't want more of the same......it never knocked any sense into me before! Cheers for now. Dave.
Hi Chas, had another look at the new boat today (wednesday). She is still coming along and i have some more photo's to post shortly, but i think it will be a couple more weeks yet before she is ready to be transported to Blue water boats in Plymouth for fit-out.....i guess the wait will eventually be worth it though! Regards, Dave.
Hi Chas, sorry for delay in posting photo's but i have been away to Portugal on holiday.....didn't see any Lochins but did see a large pod of dolphins. Might try and upload a short movie clip sometime. Anyway, as promised some more build photo's although nearly two weeks have passed since they were taken and i understand the mouldings are just about finished now. Cheers. Dave.
Your increased height wheelhouse works well - beautifully proportioned.
One thought: remember a while ago we talked about windscreen wipers. Would your increased height allow you to mount the motors below the windscreens rather than above? Mine are mounted above the screens as there is no space below but this does mean that the wiper blades are only close to the tops of the screens at the edges of the sweep and there is quite a large arc at the tops of the screens that doesn't get wiped. Not as mega problem but if I was starting from scratch I would try to mount the motors below the screens to improve the swept area. It would probably just mean that the underside of the screens started about 6" above the coach roof, you could probably then "loose" the motors internally in the dash board top.
Hi Dave, Really looks fantastic Dave, cant wait to see some more photo's as the build continues. Will be quite rare in white ,are you going to have the flash on the hull in Blue? or something totally different. Geoff
Thanks Chas. We are running a bit late with the mouldings, but my fit-out yard is having an extension built so no rush for a couple more weeks.....she isn't due for completion until early next year anyway. I get what you mean about the wipers but i'm not sure i can 'lose' the motors under the dash as i think the reach from wiper to motor would have to be too great. The dash top will probably be conventional height and the windows will be the standard type that are normally fitted close to the top of the wheelhouse. This would mean a fair distance from top of console dash to bottom edge of window, although i think its a good idea and certainly worth looking at when we get there, thanks for that. In the photo of the port side the black console can be seen leaning against the trailer. Fancy your other idea from a while back about the wiper linking! Cheers mate, Dave.
Hi Geoff, yes, thanks for that, I don't think I have seen a harbour pilot in white before but I expect Simon could tell us??? I do know of other Lochins in white though! I keep trying to decide on a design or flash for the side and bow, in different colours, so I keep messing around on the computer paint shop program, but so far to no avail......any designers out there? Although i like the normal stripe with the vessel name in, it might be nice to come up with something else. Will keep the photo's coming, but they might be a little slower now as the build progresses! Cheers, Dave.
I would have thought that if the dash top was raised and was the normal distance from the undersides of the windows the motors would go in OK below the dash top. You would just need to be careful that you didn't decapitate your self on the middle one when you went downstairs.
