New Toy!

Razorbill RIBs · 29 June 2011, 21:07

Will be asking a fair few questions on here over the next few months....as we're about to embark on a new project!

Have been in Southampton today collecting our new RIB.....

She's an ex Met Police Halmatic Pac 26 (at least thats what the paperwork says....was a new one on me tbh).....she used to belong to forum member Dunc who ran her for wildlife trips in Penzance after she left the Met....

She is coded for 12 plus 2 with a 1996 Hull, 2006 Yanmar 440 and Castoldi Jet.....She sits pretty well on the Indespension Super Roller Coaster 10, but the 250 miles trip towing her with the Grand Cherokee was a tedious one.....

The plan is to give her a full makeover ahead of a project we've got lined up for her in January (by which time I hope to be a proficient Jet helm....

) with a view to her giving us years of good service.....In short, the plan is (in order):

- Remove Jet unit and send off (somewhere....see previous post re recommendations....any suggestions??) for a full overhaul /recon.
- Comprehensive engine service and steam clean the bilge
- Remove Sponsons (airtight, but wear strips etc are tired) and send off to Henshaws for a refurb
- Remove all deck equipment and treat the console, engine cover, a frame etc etc to a coat of miltary grey paint (proff job...again, suggestions /experience of what products works well appreciated)
- Reupholster seats in black and make front pods removeable....
- Full rewire
- Do something with the deck....all seems sound on first inspection so poss just flowcoat....yet to decide....

Sure there will be more, but very excited at the prospect! Here are some pics from today....

Nasher · 29 June 2011, 21:28

Proper RIB that

Well Done

Nasher

Razorbill RIBs · 29 June 2011, 21:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nasher

Proper RIB that

Well Done

Nasher

Cheers Nasher

I love it and I'm sure will grow to love it more, but am currently feeling a bit disloyal to the Ocean...Razorbill was /is still my baby

willk · 29 June 2011, 21:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by Razorbill RIBs

Cheers Nasher

I love it .... but am currently feeling a bit disloyal to the Ocean...Razorbill was /is still my baby

Indeed - another rooster in the henhouse.

Best of luck with, um, it. I always think of Halmatics as "him" - dunno why...

martini · 29 June 2011, 21:42

You're a very lucky git Dan, I don't think it's going to take much to make a nice boat out of that

Might now be worth starting a Halmatic Owners Association

akirk · 29 June 2011, 22:07

I like

Having just bought my first rib and picked it up yesterday I know the exciting feeling - however perhaps my SR4 was a bit easier to tow!

look forward to seeing what happens as you work on it...

Alasdair

Razorbill RIBs · 29 June 2011, 22:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by martini

Might now be worth starting a Halmatic Owners Association

Only if we can all dress up as SBS and do covert ops cruises

martini · 29 June 2011, 22:21

Oh alright then

Razorbill RIBs · 29 June 2011, 22:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by akirk

I like

Having just bought my first rib and picked it up yesterday I know the exciting feeling - however perhaps my SR4 was a bit easier to tow!

look forward to seeing what happens as you work on it...

Alasdair

Cheers Alasdair....ditto! I shall mostly be spending tomorrow on my new boat pretending to drive it (with noises, but don't tell anyone)....Try it (if you haven't already

)

Searider · 29 June 2011, 23:19

Spotted that there last week and wondered exactly what it was.

I think you've got a few evenings work there :-)

Razorbill RIBs · 30 June 2011, 21:34

Okay, so after lots of digging with the Met (surprisingly helpful!) have found that she was built as a Pac 24 (not 26)......but she measures 8.5m ish across the sponons (????) and a damn site more (near enough 10m) with the jet unit and frame to cover.....presume the measurement is made on hull alone?????

Not that it matters, just pleased to know what she is

Henshaws have been really helpful (fellow Welshman Kevin is a star

)....just waiting for a response on estimate for Tube renovations....

martini · 30 June 2011, 22:51

Interesting re the length, I don't think I've actually measured mine, will do when I get it back just out of interest

Razorbill RIBs · 08 November 2011, 22:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by martini

Interesting re the length, I don't think I've actually measured mine, will do when I get it back just out of interest

Hey Mat, did you ever measure your Arctic.....?

The sponsons overall length on our Pac (which is where I had believed Hamlatic measured them??) are actually 8.2 metres......this is backed up by the original Met Police survey measurements /CAD drawings......having dug out the paperwork.

I make that as near as damn it 27 foot.....

The BAE systems website says that the Pac 24 is actually 7.8m or 25.6 foot.....

In fact, the platform over the Jet unit and unit itself adds another metre and half, but I think I'll be happy to measure it as 24 foot when it comes to berthing fees etc

Maximus · 09 November 2011, 12:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nasher

Proper RIB that

Well Done

Nasher

Right on! Serious bit of Kit. All the Best with Her! (or Him)

Razorbill RIBs · 31 December 2011, 18:57

Remembered to take a couple of (cameraphone) pics of progress with the Pac today......and dug out a few taken 'as we went'.....

The Sponsons are back from Henshaws who have done a grand job with them (pic below of them being worked on in the factory) and all of the metalwork (of which there is a lot) is all back from the powder coaters and is also looking great.....

Inspired by Martinis build thread we decided to 'go for it' with the work and stripped her back completely......main work completed so far is as follows:

- Service and respray the engine so it looks fresh.....am pretty pleased with result - looks good (Yr 2006 Yanmar 6LY2a STP)
- Steam clean bilges and paint out with Grey Danboline
- Replace entire deck (went with some top quality 9mm marine ply - expensive stuff, but def worth it, no voids at all - unlike lots of the cheaper the 'marine ply' we saw).
- Epoxy resin on underside of deck, Fibreglass (2x 450gsm and tissue) on top of deck....Black flowcoat inside sponson fixing strips (also new) and epoxy oustide /beneath the sponsons.....
- Screwed in a couple of thousand stainless screws
- Cleaned out diesel tanks, replaced ali lids then pressure tested (all okay

)
- Re tapped (had been filled) rubbing strake threads and fixed new strake all round
- We have made two large removeable sections of deck with 4.5mm ali chequer plate.....one above the fuel tanks and one aft atop the Jet drive and prop shaft etc......these are fitted down using counter sunk hex head bolts screwed into stainless threaded sleeves resin bonded into the deck.....seems to work well but will be loaded with silicon grease to avoid the stainless binding....

Whole load of other stuff besides, but those are the main bits....

We will be re attaching the sponsons on Monday and then deck fittings......

I think I am now decided to repaint the engine box, control console, seat pods etc in black as per the existing gelcoat, unless anyone has any suggestions on a way to cut /polish Gel coat back to 'as new'

.......If not, by using sprayed two pack I hope it should be tough enough to take the knocks (have the console on 'Razorbill painted same way and it is still holding up very well) and being same colour as the underlying Gel i hope it shouldn't matter too much if it should get scratched.......any thoughts /suggestions appreciated.

We then need to fit all the aluminium, Rewire /install new electronics and auxiliary stuff, have impellor retipped and inspect /replace the silicon carbide ring in the Castoldi Jet......reupholster seats in grey.....and a whole load of other bits and pieces I'm sure

although sounds simple when put like that

To date we've been doing the work when time allows /when not on charter (and have been really enjoying it), but she needs to be completed by mid Feb so will be buring the candle at both ends for a while......

Will post up some more pics as we go....

Happy New Year / Blwyddyn Newydd Dda

Maximus · 31 December 2011, 19:21

Looking GOOOD! That Deck and the Tubes look in Great nick!

Dr Doof · 31 December 2011, 19:23

Wow..... looks fantastic

willk · 31 December 2011, 20:04

Nice job! She'll be the business when you're done.

I see the Brigadier Pearson in the Henshaw's pic. Some scroat slashed her tubes on Loch Lomond

Razorbill RIBs · 31 December 2011, 20:32

Thanks Doc, Maximus, Willk

Had a bit of a nosey around the Brigadier Pearson.....nice bit of kit......and 'scrote' is right!

Always something of interest in Henshaws.....first time I went down they were working on some properly mahoosive sponsons....which I assume must have been for Mr. Priddy? Fun place to have a poke about....plus with all that Bostik on the go I always leave a lot happier than I arrived

martini · 31 December 2011, 22:00

Coming along nicely Dan

My tip for the day:
re the csk screws holding down your ali plate, assuming they're s/s screws then you should smear some Tefgel on the threads and in the countersink. It's designed for dissimilar joints in salt water, doesn't wash out easily either.

TEF-GEL - Ultra safety systems

I think Force 4 sell iirc, not cheap but you don't need much

Keep up the good work, looking forward to some go pro footage of your close quarter manoeuvring skills