Bye bye boat

Bio Mech

You might have read in this thread

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=95018530

That I had just put a new floor and seats in my speed boat. Well I wish I hadn't bothered!

About a month back it was sitting parked in my parents driveway and some delightful soul decided to put a light to the cover at 3am on a Friday night. By the time a passing Garda on her way home from a night shift spotted her it was too late the whole boat was up in flames.

The battery wasn't in her so it could only have been arson.

The boat and engine were a total write off. Boat just ashes and melt. The engine, above the trim pump, was totalled too. The tyres burst due to the heat and all the trailer plastics melted. Sadly my fathers car parked alongside was also written off as one side completely scorched and melted.

Luckily both were insured but it was a lot of a mess. The boat insurance didn't want what was left and just wrote a cheque and told me to keep the boat. So disposing of the fibreglass, as a carcinogen, was tricky. A few "certain elements" knocked at the door and offered to take it off our hands for a few bob but I couldn't risk the shell ending up dumped. So I arranged for Mike Clinton to take it to salvage what he could and he agreed to then dispose of the shell properly. Thanks Mike!

Some pictures attached.

So that's that! This time last year I had two boats (sold our fishing boat in the summer) and now I have none!

I shall take a time out and maybe look to pick up a cruiser in the autumn!

No enemies locally and no idea who did it. No CCTV close by. Gardaí felt it was probably just some mischievous scumbag or drunk. The fire brigade attended and put it out. Thanks to them and the Garda who stopped and called them. It prevented further damage to the house (which got away unscathed).

Bye bye boat. You were good fun while it lasted!

Glenalla

Saw this over at Mike Clintons, a total mess.
Terrible to think some asshole was just walking by and did this for a kick.

fergal.b

Sad sight at least no-one was hurt and you had insurance, all the best in the hunt for the new boat.




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Bio Mech

Glenalla wrote: »

Saw this over at Mike Clintons, a total mess.
Terrible to think some asshole was just walking by and did this for a kick.

Yeah some real idiots out there! Such a waste. I felt bad for my father as he was doing me a favour letting me park it there. I put some of the boat settlement towards his new car so he wouldn't be out of pocket as he is retired and it would have been a big hit to him.

Have had boat of one sort or another parked in that spot for ten years. No issues until now. Still, you cant legislate for human idiocy.

Was Mike making any progress on it? I reckoned the majority of the trailer and the engine trim pump and gearbox should be salvageable so hopefully its worth his while. Kildare CoCo told me they wouldn't accept it as waste and that I should order a skip and cut up the boat and chuck it in there! So I was glad that Mike took it off my hands.

Bio Mech

fergal.b wrote: »

Sad sight at least no-one was hurt and you had insurance, all the best in the hunt for the new boat.

Cheers Fergal. I may be hounding you for cruiser advice with what you have learned on your own search.

I would be looking at a petrol powered one I think. I mentioned a diesel powered cruiser to my wife but she thought something that can only go at jogging speed was pointless and wanted something that would shift if needed . She didn't even mind the fuel bills!

That works for me so I just kept my mouth shut and nodded along to her wise position.

fergal.b

My last cruiser was a Bayliner 2655 they are not the top end of the market boats but they are towable and with a 5.7 V8 plenty of get up and go They might be worth looking at.

Bio Mech

fergal.b wrote: »

My last cruiser was a Bayliner 2655 they are not the top end of the market boats but they are towable and with a 5.7 V8 plenty of get up and go They might be worth looking at.

Thanks Fergal, that's exactly the kind of thing I was looking at! Any of the Bayliners over the 22 foot size would probably fit the bill. I don't have an EB licence so wouldn't be towing much anyway.

What kind of comsumption do they do at the lower revs for slow cruising.

At the higher end I guess, what, 30-40 litres an hour? bit more maybe (note I know that if you need to worry about the fuel then don't worry about getting a boat ) but just out of interest.

Bio Mech

Budget probably 12-15K BTW with mooring etc not included. Just the main purchase. Probably will wait until after this season as I don't have the time at the moment (4 month old baby!). Might pick one up after someone has had their last season in it and wants to shift before the winter.

Once my wife is back to work and things settle I will have more time. My oldest is three and a half so I am looking to have it all sorted to bring him out for his first trip in 2017. No real rush so. Give me a while to swell the coffers anyway

Glenalla

Bio Mech wrote: »

Yeah some real idiots out there! Such a waste. I felt bad for my father as he was doing me a favour letting me park it there. I put some of the boat settlement towards his new car so he wouldn't be out of pocket as he is retired and it would have been a big hit to him.

Have had boat of one sort or another parked in that spot for ten years. No issues until now. Still, you cant legislate for human idiocy.

Was Mike making any progress on it? I reckoned the majority of the trailer and the engine trim pump and gearbox should be salvageable so hopefully its worth his while. Kildare CoCo told me they wouldn't accept it as waste and that I should order a skip and cut up the boat and chuck it in there! So I was glad that Mike took it off my hands.

Mike had the engine off it and stored inside. I am sure with his knowledge he could get it going again. Most of the damage seemed to be to the cowling and some plastic internal parts. The trailer certainly looks fine.
Getting rid of old fibreglass boats is becoming a problem now.

fergal.b

Bio Mech wrote: »

Thanks Fergal, that's exactly the kind of thing I was looking at! Any of the Bayliners over the 22 foot size would probably fit the bill. I don't have an EB licence so wouldn't be towing much anyway.

What kind of comsumption do they do at the lower revs for slow cruising.

At the higher end I guess, what, 30-40 litres an hour? bit more maybe (note I know that if you need to worry about the fuel then don't worry about getting a boat ) but just out of interest.

Yea about 40-45 litres per hour at full throttle but I'm sure after a bit of time flying around you will tend to slow down and take in the scenery



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Bio Mech

Glenalla wrote: »

Mike had the engine off it and stored inside. I am sure with his knowledge he could get it going again. Most of the damage seemed to be to the cowling and some plastic internal parts. The trailer certainly looks fine.
Getting rid of old fibreglass boats is becoming a problem now.

yeah that's probably why Fergal found so many wrecks on the bottom of Ree! easy graveyard there for the unethical.

Yeah the cowl was badly burnt and the different layers were separating. The flywheel cover was melted, 2 stroke tank was melted, water tubes, wires and spark leads melted. Head/block might have been ok. Hopefully he can save something.

The only problem with the trailer was that the molten boatcover melted down through the mudguards and the tyres burst either due to that or the heat in general. It was amazing how much disappeared down into the mess. There is a bimini cover, pedestals, grab rails etc etc all down there entombed in melted glass and resin.

snowwolf

Sad Sad Story . I Feel so sorry for you . Hopefully you will pick up a nice cruiser soon .

Bio Mech

snowwolf wrote: »

Sad Sad Story . I Feel so sorry for you . Hopefully you will pick up a nice cruiser soon .

Thanks man I appreciate it. Ah it could have been worse if the house had been damaged or if someone got injured. I have tried not to let it get to me. Will never know who did it or why so why overthink it I guess.

I have no boat but a tale to tell and money in the bank. It was insured for a grand more than it cost me due to the additions I made.

Moral of the story is have insurance I guess!

snowwolf

No point having money in the bank and having no boat i'd rather have a boat and no money in the bank . that's just me .

Bio Mech

snowwolf wrote: »

No point having money in the bank and having no boat i'd rather have a boat and no money in the bank . that's just me .

Fortunately money can be exchanged for goods and services

What I meant was at least it was insured and so not a total loss. I will pick up another boat with that cash.

snowwolf

thanks be to god she was insured at least you have the funds to purchase another boat . best of luck in the future and hopefully it never happens again it's such a shame when things like that happen to people .

sogood

Saw your post on the refurb you did on the floor etc. and I feel your pain. As you say, you can't legislate for ignorance. I've been the victim of wanton vandalism over the years and it's something that really make my otherwise very cool blood, boil!

I hope you get sorted and back on the water before too long.

snowwolf

sogood wrote: »

Saw your post on the refurb you did on the floor etc. and I feel your pain. As you say, you can't legislate for ignorance. I've been the victim of wanton vandalism over the years and it's something that really make my otherwise very cool blood, boil!

I hope you get sorted and back on the water before too long.

i second that