New toys for our Excel Volante 330

[pumpkinking]

FINALLY managing to get away with the boat for the first time in 2021 - counting down the days until we return to our favourite place, the Cornish Roseland Peninsula.

Got some new toys / accessories to go away with, thought I’d share.

Biggest new toy this year is a new car - our VW T-Roc has served us very well these past years, but we’ve jumped on the rise in used car prices and swapped to a Mazda CX30… with a detachable tow bar! Slightly smaller inside than the T-Roc, so I will have to re-learn the Tetris boat pack…



…which leads me to the first boat-specific purchase, the “boat rack” (aka a Buzz Rack BuzzPro P10 platform + light kit) Excel sell these at a competitive price, though I bought ours from roofbox.co.uk purely for ease and convenience. Looking forward to using this and freeing up the back seats that were taken up in the T-Roc with the boat in its bag. I’ve seen a couple of forum members have these, seem well reviewed. Time will tell!




To wrap the bag and protect it from road grime, and to protect the boat on the ground when inflating, I’ve got a thick heavy duty tarpaulin from Amazon. Planning to parcel up the bag and ratchet strap it to the platform. I recall the horror some expressed here when I posted pictures of me inflating the boat on a gravel driveway…



Having spent too much already, I ventured onto the boatworld website…

I was instructed by certain grumpy passengers last year to buy a seat cushion, so I went for a boatworld seat bag. They seem well-priced and identical to most other brand options. Also picked up a new grapnel anchor kit.



Finally, my mum and sister have bought a Stand Up Paddle-board, so I’ve bought some transom eyes to fit and a length of floating rope - I can see them wanting a gentle tow around the corner when they get lazy, so I thought why not get something to do the job. Don’t worry, no plans on extreme speed water sports with my 6hp Suzuki!

The only thing left on my list is a handheld VHF - I’m thinking a Standard Horizon HX890E based on the other threads here.

Really looking forward to a trip away near the water, hoping the above bits and bobs will help make it all a bit easier / comfier / convenient / cleaner / fun / safe!

[Steve509926]

Like the Buzzrack PK, that should make things a bit more comfortable in your car.

Roseland peninsula, now there's a thought for next year it's been at least 12 years since I was last there and we really liked it, don't really know why I've not been back.

As it's your favourite place, you must know the good spots to launch from?

[Blankton]

The roseland is one of my favorite places too. I think the best place to launch is Percuil boatyard, as its nice and quiet, with a decent car park and toilets.

You can launch at pascos, but the parking is a bit of a pain and the shingle is a bit large for the launch wheels.

I haven't tried St Mawes (for launching), it gets a bit busy and I don't like an audience

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by Blankton

The roseland is one of my favorite places too. I think the best place to launch is Percuil boatyard, as its nice and quiet, with a decent car park and toilets.

You can launch at pascos, but the parking is a bit of a pain and the shingle is a bit large for the launch wheels.

I haven't tried St Mawes (for launching), it gets a bit busy and I don't like an audience

Currently in Padstow, heading that way next week. I’m going to tuck that one away for later, cheers[emoji106]

[pumpkinking]

Originally Posted by Steve509926

Like the Buzzrack PK, that should make things a bit more comfortable in your car.

Roseland peninsula, now there's a thought for next year it's been at least 12 years since I was last there and we really liked it, don't really know why I've not been back.

As it's your favourite place, you must know the good spots to launch from?

Thanks Steve, hope so!

You must go, it’s wonderful. We’re very lucky in that the cottage we stay in has a slip right at the bottom of the drive into the Percule river. Perfect. Otherwise, blankton has the best options covered!

[Steve509926]

Originally Posted by pumpkinking

Thanks Steve, hope so!

You must go, it’s wonderful. We’re very lucky in that the cottage we stay in has a slip right at the bottom of the drive into the Percule river. Perfect. Otherwise, blankton has the best options covered!

Have a good time PK, pics and videos always appreciated

[Brinormeg]

Originally Posted by pumpkinking

I was instructed by certain grumpy passengers last year to buy a seat cushion, so I went for a boatworld seat bag. They seem well-priced and identical to most other brand options. Also picked up a new grapnel anchor kit.

If still a bit hard for them....Homebargains have 99p garden kneeling pads that fit inside the excel seats perfectly along with the original foam.......difference is night and day

[pumpkinking]

Boat rack is a huge success, so easy to use, room for 3 of us in the car. Total win. Half way down to the Roseland, just stopped for lunch!

[Steve509926]

The boat rack looks good PK, it's satisfying when the things you think will work, actually do.

I've had a couple of great days in West Wales so far, but the conditions are a bit iffy on the water today so shanks's pony has been put to use. The weather is supposed to improve over the weekend.

Have a great time in the Roseland.

[pumpkinking]

Originally Posted by Steve509926

The boat rack looks good PK, it's satisfying when the things you think will work, actually do.

I've had a couple of great days in West Wales so far, but the conditions are a bit iffy on the water today so shanks's pony has been put to use. The weather is supposed to improve over the weekend.

Have a great time in the Roseland.

Thanks Steve! Hope you’re making the best of it, we got out on the water this afternoon in the drizzle just to tick the “launch the boat” box.


The boat world seat cushion and bag were useful for chucking stuff in, made for a much tidier boat with 3 of us - the cushion “Foam” definitely needs replacing with something thicker and squishier, as Brinormeg suggested, but my passengers seemed happier with it than without.

Will post some more photos and thoughts over the coming week.

[Blankton]

Originally Posted by pumpkinking

Thanks Steve! Hope you’re making the best of it, we got out on the water this afternoon in the drizzle just to tick the “launch the boat” box.


The boat world seat cushion and bag were useful for chucking stuff in, made for a much tidier boat with 3 of us - the cushion “Foam” definitely needs replacing with something thicker and squishier, as Brinormeg suggested, but my passengers seemed happier with it than without.

Will post some more photos and thoughts over the coming week.

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Looks like a day to get in The Victory and see out that weather.

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by Pikey Dave

Currently in Padstow, heading that way next week. I’m going to tuck that one away for later, cheers[emoji106]

Launched at Percuil today. The weather & fish gods had a day off, but we had fun anyhow. Thanks for the heads up.

[pumpkinking]

Originally Posted by Pikey Dave

Launched at Percuil today. The weather & fish gods had a day off, but we had fun anyhow. Thanks for the heads up.
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PD! I must have missed you by minutes, or perhaps we even motored past each other without knowing (though I think I’d have clocked the red excel!). I’ve been ferrying swimmers (read: family) to the beach in the cove opposite St Mawes all afternoon, went back in for a cup of tea, then when the sun came out I did a few sight seeing trips to St Anthony’s lighthouse.

Wish this weather would make its mind up, but hope you’re having as much fun as we are!

[pumpkinking]

It was wonderfully calm this afternoon, I managed to get out on my own with the camera to take a few photos and spend some time just floating enjoying the wildlife. Then took my sister for a trip to the lighthouse and back up the estuary towards St Just and Mylor.



This is the rocky, slightly run-down slipway at Place; there really is no water on a spring low, but this was 3-3.5 hours before high tide you can launch easily. The foot ferry used to pick up passengers from here at high tide years ago, but they’ve now got an all-states-of-tide pontoon around the corner so this slip is neglected by the council. Still good enough for people to trailer launch at high tide, though.


I feel I’ve perfected my “family holiday setup” now; 2 seats in, with the boat world seat cushion and bag on the front seat, offset to the port side to allow the fuel tank to sit to starboard. Rear bench seat for me to sit on and to stow the transom wheels under. This leaves a nice amount of leg room for my passenger at the front, along with the painter and some rope grab-lines for them to cling onto if they wish.


My fuel line isn’t long enough to strap the tank down in the intended place in the bow and not have it flailing about on the floor, so I can see a new fuel line purchase coming soon… but it works well sat under the front bench, and actually helps with balance.

I also installed some short mooring lines on both tubes at the stern, so that I can throw them onto a cleat and focus on getting my less sure-footed family onboard at the Place foot ferry pontoon (its bit naughty really, but we keep out of his way and just use it when the ferry is on the other side of the river…)


I’ve spent the last year wondering if I should have splashed out on a larger motor, but this trip has confirmed for me that my Suzuki DF6AS is perfect for my needs. The motor and boat are totally manageable, and because the boat is small, I enjoy just taking one person at a time for longer sight seeing trips. The motor pushes two of us onto the plane at 10knots, and is happy to chug 3 or 4 of us across the bay to get fish and chips.

The family seem keen on the idea of an upgrade in the future, which gives me hope that trailer storage might be permitted at my folks’ place… one for down the line!

Anyway, today might have been the last trip out, depends if I can face doing a full deflate and pack down late tomorrow evening rather than during the day… but either way, it’s been a lovely relaxing week away from the big smoke [emoji106]

Oh, and my sister managed to take a short video, perhaps I’ll upload it and share here.

[TmMorris]

Looks like a great day out. As blokes we always want more power but in reality it's about making it as easy as possible. There will always be times that you're pottering along with that thought that a 20 would be cool at that moment in time but the truth is that the easier the set up the more times you go out. I think that the sweat spot is being able to get on the plane but with as small an engine as possible most of the time.

[Steve509926]

Good write up PK and good pictures.
Pleased you had a good holiday and your SD330 and 6hp Suzi is working well for you.

How do you imbed pictures midway through your post?

[pumpkinking]

Originally Posted by Steve509926

Good write up PK and good pictures.
Pleased you had a good holiday and your SD330 and 6hp Suzi is working well for you.

How do you imbed pictures midway through your post?

Cheers Steve.

I use the iPhone app; I type a post, put the cursor where I want the image to be, upload the image from my phone using the paperclip at the bottom, and hey presto - the photo is where my cursor was.

[pumpkinking]

Originally Posted by TmMorris

Looks like a great day out. As blokes we always want more power but in reality it's about making it as easy as possible. There will always be times that you're pottering along with that thought that a 20 would be cool at that moment in time but the truth is that the easier the set up the more times you go out. I think that the sweat spot is being able to get on the plane but with as small an engine as possible most of the time.

Thanks Tim, yes totally agree with you. Perfect balance for me right now, I just want Steve’s set up really (including his truck, as he knows!)

[pumpkinking]

Some more photos and the video my sister took:


Rising tide at Place, just about launchable at this point.


St Antony lighthouse


A view to the east along the south coast of the Rosland peninsula.


Waiting for our fish and chips, boat tied up at the free short stay tender mooring in St Mawes harbour.


Hello RIBnet!

https://youtu.be/_8gRsrJzbpY

[Steve509926]

Originally Posted by pumpkinking

Thanks Tim, yes totally agree with you. Perfect balance for me right now, I just want Steve’s set up really (including his truck, as he knows!)

Trucks to big for London PK!