New Rib - Nearly there!!

[pettal]

Can't wait!!!!

Too excited to speak......

[pettal]

Second lot.

Still needs fitting out, but at least we're looking more like a boat now!

[Louise]

Well you've been well and truly tangoed!!

Congratulations and may you have many happy hours in her.

P.S. Why have you opted to have the console so far forward? Are there more seats to go in?

[pettal]

Yeah.....your not going to miss that one!

The seats are forward because I'll be primarily using this for diving and needed as much deck space as possible. Also the colour is very useful as you'd be suprised how many boats don't look were they are going. Normally yachts!!! (ha ha)

The seats only really went in because I had mates and the misses complaining that they would have no were to sit if we island hopped for a beer or two!

So seats went in....and I sat and wondered who's money this was anyway!?

[swginn]

Ian

Will they be able to fit her inside the shop for fit out?? She's mighty big!! The first XS-700 I presume??

I see you've had your console extended to accomodate a larger fuel tank too, with that 3litre Opti you're gonna need it!! She will be a very RIB well balanced with that layout. It's a similar layout to mine and having the tank and passenger weight towards the front keeps the bow down and gives nice balanced landings off jumps.

Having seen a bright orange 7m Tornado with PU tubes in Baltimore last Summer. I was very surprised to hear it was over 3yrs old. So expect your tubes to hold that colour very well, you may need to get some oakleys though!!. I think the orange/black contrast works well as I have said before to Limeydal when he got his.

So anyway I want details, (I'm kinda excited too )

What electrics you fitting?
Upholstery Colour (i'm hoping its black!!)?
Dive Rack??

Not long to go!!

P.S. Bet that Opti looks a whole lot bigger when you see it in the metal!!

[pettal]

Hi,

Yup one of the last pictures I got was of a very deflated rib having holes cut out left right and center! So she fits in the shop.

Yeah I had the 170ltr one put in then at least I can get a reasonable cruising range or go to france and back without having to refuel in france. French fuel is a tad more expensive than I pay in Guernsey. Also having to spend your morning queing up at the fueling pontoons can be a chore, so the less I have to do the better.

One of my mates has just sold a four year old tornado and the tubes looked in top condition although I have been warned to keep the boat cover on, even if it might be a pain in butt at the end of a long days diving or else the colour does fade.

The electrics are a DSC Icom radio and a colour Garmin GPSmap 178c Sounder. I didn't want to go over the top with the plotter as I know my way round the Islands quite well and is just used mainly as point of reference for dive sites, however the colour sounder part is superb and makes the world of difference to the old B&W one I've got on the other boat.

All the upholstery is black........could it be anything else!?!

I'm forgoing the dive rack for the moment as they take up way too much space when you have 4 divers all trying to get kitted up and all the crap that they take with them! Whilst I agree that it saves tanks bouncing around a sleeping mat and a couple of decent sized weights either side seem to do the job. I reserve the right to change my mind in a few months though and have a stern rack put on!!

The opti from the picture looks bloody enormous as it is!

I'll do some more photo's when I go and pick it up, which looks likely to be this Friday. I'll spend the day zooming up and down the solent and then when the lads arrive on Saturday morning we'll head back to Guernsey. Hopefully with not too much of a hangover!

[Tim M]

I can understand why you'r talking it by sea; I got a quote for the car and (4.1m) RIB to go to Guernsey from Portsmouth with Condor - it was in the region of £800 return. Outragious!

[Rich L]

Hello Pettal (why Pettal BTW?)
Stopped by Barnet Marine and saw your boat tucked up inside tonight. Bit deflated but looking good! I see the engine's on the Transom and they're in the process of connecting it up.

[pettal]

Hi,

Yup they quoted me nearly £1500 for a car and because the trailer is over 6m I'd have had to go the slooooooooow ferry. Good old condor, they don't miss a trick do they!?

Ah the saga of pettal! Not much to it really.....I'm from Bolton originally and came to Guernsey about the same time as the John Smiths adverts of "By eck petal you smell gorgeous tonight". For some unknown reason the mix of being a northerner and this advert made it stick as a nick name!!

15 years later you'd have thought they might have got over it by now.....but no, even my work email goes to pettal, my mum has started to call me pettal and I can't remember the last time anyone called me Ian.......except when I'm in trouble!!

The reason it's two TT's in pettal is because of my original internet access username.....and I've just got used to spelling it like that now.

Now that's put everyone to sleep!

Glad to hear the boatypoo is all tucked up nice and safe and they are going great guns with the fixings!! Just got an email from LL at Barnet and they can manage my delivery of this Friday.....which is superb!!

Now all I have to do is pray that the god of wind (we'll call him farty in this instance) gets constipated over the weekend and lets me have an uneventful crossing!!

If anyone is poodling around Lymington during Friday/Saturday morning please forgive me if I'm otherwise occupied, but I'll be running the boat in and I have the concentration span of a gnat.......so it could be tricky!

[The Jackeens]

Originally Posted by pettal

Now all I have to do is pray that the god of wind (we'll call him farty in this instance) gets constipated over the weekend and lets me have an uneventful crossing!!

If anyone is poodling around Lymington during Friday/Saturday morning please forgive me if I'm otherwise occupied, but I'll be running the boat in and I have the concentration span of a gnat.......so it could be tricky!

Excellent tale...especially about your unusual name Pettal

If we're out we'll look out for you/keep out of your way/wave etc.

Safe journey & hope the great god farty behaves.

missus

[pettal]

Originally Posted by The Jackeens

Excellent tale...especially about your unusual name Pettal

If we're out we'll look out for you/keep out of your way/wave etc.

Safe journey & hope the great god farty behaves.

missus

Thankyou!

If anyone has any recommendations for restaurants, bars etc in Lymington then please feel free to let me know as by 5 when it's gone dark I'll be kicking my heels a bit! (There's only so much time I can spend stroking my new toy...if you'll pardon the expression!)

[Scary Des]

Originally Posted by pettal

Thankyou!

If anyone has any recommendations for restaurants, bars etc in Lymington then please feel free to let me know as by 5 when it's gone dark I'll be kicking my heels a bit! (There's only so much time I can spend stroking my new toy...if you'll pardon the expression!)

Kings Head at the top of quay Hill (bottom of the High Street) is good for people and beer. Mayflower is right beside Bath road where you might be launching your boat (?) and is good for quick food but get v busy. There is an ASK and Café Uno in the High Street if want something more than pub food and Stanwells if you want to really splash out.
Of all of them Kings head is favourite at the moment and walking distance from marinas etc.
Or you could slip across to Yarmouth in your new toy

Des

[philip]

From this list:
http://www.beerintheevening.com/pubs...n%3BHampshire/

I would probably choose the Kings Head - It shuts in the afternoon not sure what time it opens.
The Angel is good for a Pint of 6X and its open all day.
Chequers is a bit of a walk good but can be a bit “Yachty / Lovey “ at times.

For a short Taxi trip I would recommend:

Fleur De Lys at Pilley - Very good pub fare 01590 672158

Or

Hobbler on the Brokenhurst road out of Lymington
http://www.beerintheevening.com/pubs...how_comments=5

Probably just as well to book at the Weekends to avoid disappointment.

Edit - Just seen previous reply - Agree with Des about the Kings Head

[pettal]

Thanks for that!

I'm staying in the Mayflower Inn as it was recommended as only being a short walk to the marina and being inherently lazy seemed ideal!

I'll give the Kings Head a try and see what it like.....

I can see this turning into a one man pub crawl by the end of Friday night!!

[limeydal]

Nice boat Pettal!! Although I am a little biased
I love the color and had nothing but favorable comments on mine so far.
Must admit I have gone a little over the top when adding accessories.
I went for some paddles and the chandlers only had yellow in the syle I wanted.They were quite amused when I turned them down as I said they would "clash" with my color scheme.
Even sprayed my bait tank discharge pipe and fuel filter black to match!
Have to change the boats name I think though as "orangeaid" makes the locals think I am some sort of vessel assist!
My kids wanted "Tigga" as its black and orange and "bouncy,bouncy,bouncy'
and over here its certainly "the only one" as the song goes.
(Saw a tigger on ribnet site though and didnt want to offend.)Maybe they wont mind as its unlikely we are ever going to run into each other

Love that extra deck space though;have you thought of what sort of boarding ladder you are going to use?.I dive and had seen some transom mounted ones that look interesting.just not sure how much space it would leave when climbing with all the gear on.
cheers Dal

[Andy]

Yep, we saw your lovely boat at Barnet ... very nice

[pettal]

Hi,

Thankyou all for the comments and only 24hrs to go now!!!

Regarding the boarding ladder, we just tend to hand weights, tanks and fins over to the boat handler then it's more of a lift and flop over the side. I had considered a ladder but I quite like making my mates look stupid (some of them need to get fitter and have at least two attempts at getting in) and it's highly entertaining!!!

I've seen a couple though that just hang over the tubes that I might invest in for the future, but we'll have to wait and see!

[ashbypower]

Look here http://www.boat-finder.com/17858/info.php Barnet do a ladder which attaches to the "A" Frame. Don't know if I would climb them fully kitted tho. Prbably hand kit in and then climb up, beats finning like hell!!


Brian

[pettal]

Crossing my fingers at the moment that the wind will disappear for Saturday's trip!

Looking ok at the moment but not sure what the wind will do to the swell etc. I'm hoping that because this is a 24hour windy patch it won't affect the sea state a huge amount.......otherwise it'll be a bit lumpy on the way back.

The channel bouy weather outlook says 2-3ft swell which would be nice! Lets just hope it's right!

[Richard B]

I've just come back from a very choppy Solent - spent the afternoon having excellent fun in the waves with Timboli. But looking at the forecast, looks like you're going to sneak between the gales... http://www.ecmwf.int/products/foreca...!2004111712!!/ and the forecast for tomorrow looks good too.