After a little port/starboard issue at the windward mark my pride and joy now has a few unsightly scars along the port side of its pristine foredeck. I am assuming the insurance company of the person who apparently didnt see me, is going to foot the bill. 

I have been recommended a company called All Good Fun in Sevenoaks and wondered if anyone has used them or has any alternative recommendations for boat yards in the South East who may be able to do the nessecary repairwork.

I have an NSM IV called Bucephelus which is deck stepped with a completely wooden hull and what were lovely varnished decks. A beatiful boat which never fails to have people stop to admire her and i am hoping to get her restored to her former glory.

If anyone has any advice or experience of similar circumstances i would greatefully recieve them

Hi Brian,

You could try Laurie Smart in Haywards Heath 07976 536922 an absolute wizard with Wood, building and repairing boats, or there is Ashdown Marine (Richard Lovering)07971 922884 , Synthesize Yacht Repairs - Southampton  01794 519990

Can't say I have ever heard of All Good Fun. There website doesn't mention anything about boat repairs.

they are quite local to me and I know they do grp repairs but I don't think their main area of expertise includes wood. Richard's recomendations are best.

Or you can try Phil Scott 07973720732 He is just East of Birmingham and easy to get to. He will make it look as new again.

You don't say where you are in the South East, but I would recommend Stanlay and Thomas in Windsor, if they are anywhere close to you. Excellent work. Try www.stanleyandthomas.co.uk

Nick

Am based at Hastings and launch off the beach here. Great sailing and a wonderful club.

Have spoken to Laurie this morning and am in the process of trying to get the boat over to him for a quote.

Still waiting for the insurance company to call back so am somewhat limited in the meantime.

Cant comment about anybody else but Laurie did an amazing job on my boat

Unfortunately insurance won't cover the cost of repair, seems my beautiful boat is destined to be written off.
Words can't express how gutted myself and the wife are about losing a wonderful boat that has given us so much pleasure :(

Brian, tell us more about the damage before you write it off. There are plenty of part time restores out here who could save it rather than just bin it. See the 'Panatella Project' thread for my latest one, it can't be worse than that? Email me a picture if you can.

Brian why not see how much you could buy the written off boat back for, then you would have the balance of the pay out to spend on the repair, I did this with 3190 a number of years ago and paid £50 for the wreck it only cost me a couple of hubdred quid of my own money on top to get her sorted.

Jez have sent you piccys.

Damage is mainly restricted to foredecking and Laurie spotted that the spar under the jib tack has come loose but would be easy enough to relocate with foredeck removed.

The work involved though is far beyond my meager skills :(

jez can you fwd the pics,we might be able to help brian out.

If the damage was caused by a.n.other and you are claiming off their insurance surely it doesn't matter what the cost is as long as their insurers cough up to have it repaired!? Or were you at fault? Either way DO NOT write it off someone will be able to help.

ATB

Richard

richard,insurance companys will only pay out for market value,hence they do a breakdown on your policy, some boats cost £60 new boats £300  to insure ,you get what you pay for.......

If it's a third party claim do you not keep the boat anyway?

Not automatically, no.

Insurance have valued the boat but the settlement offer is quite a chunk below that and they are off-setting the fittings/foils/spars/sails/trolley etc. 

Am still in negotiations with them but as it stands they will recover the hull.

Who is the insurer?

Bishop Skinner Marine

Thats odd, they are exactley the same company who sold me 3190 for £50, broken mast, foredeck gunwahles and coamings all damaged they paid out £1050 against an insured value of £1100 (£50 excess).
I learnt my lesson there about under valuing for insurance purposes.
I dealt with a chap named Dean Hunt who I have always found very helpful.

If you click on the link below I have posted the pictures on my Facebook profile so you can all see what the damage is. I hope you don't mind Brian, but in the interest of getting it sorted for you......

It does not look too bad and it is repairable, but I can see why they want to write it off. If it is to be put back to how it was it will cost but to make it sound and look ok would not be too expensive. Hence you need the pay out and the boat!!

Brian, I originally owned 3424 in 1987.  I bought the decked hull from Spud Roswell (it was built by Nick Turner) and I painted and varnished it.   I also leant it to dear old Martin Warren (crewed by Zeb Elliot) who finished in the 10 ten in the 1988 champs in Weymouth.

I also had a bit of a crash in it and smashed in a few planks on the forward starboard side when launching from Hamble.  I took it to Lawrie Smart who fixed it and did an amazing job.  I bet you never know it had such a prang.  However he was helped by Spud who sent some of the original timber and ply boards it was built from so there was a perfect match.

Good luck with your on going saga.  

Ian Nicholson

Sorry, Bishop Skinner are our insurers, third party's insurance company is Noble Marine.

And yes Ian, i would never have guessed. But from seeing Laurie's current projects and the level of work he is currently undertaking i had all faith in his abilities, its just a shame the insurance won't stretch that far.

 Ref. wooden hull repair.
Have been underestimating tide current in the Thames and a pontoon has damaged nice wooden hull of 3489. Does anyone know a company as close as possible from London in order to have damage repaired ?
 

Hi Henri,
Try Ben Dingwall.  He's done repairs and varnishimg jobs for Tamesis Club Merlin Rocket members and is based in St Albans.

Address:
Waterside,
Drop Lane,
Bricket Wood,
St. Albans,
Hertfordshire
AL2 3TX

Tel:  01923 854670

I am keen to take on projects if anyone wants a quote...

Niane pretty much finished and scared of getting bored.

Is there a lesson to be learnt here with the insurance? I think we are somtimes guilty of undevaluing the older boats as are the insurance companies it seems? Is this a case for an a agreed value perhaps (as for classic cars).? Perhaps a marine insurance specialist could comment?

When I insured Niane I spoke to our mates at craft insure who have great advice.

I told them how I bought the boat as a wreck and have restored and modernised her back to original glory.

They valued her at nearly the price of a brand new boat.

I know having quoted recently on building a new version of Niane that it would cost near thirty grand to build one from scratch at this level of craftsmanship, plus the quality of fitting out. Finding the wood would be the toughest thing.

I had extensive repairs done to Heaven Sent after the Tenby champs and was delighted with the service from Bishop Skinner marine.  Dean Hunt is the man I have dealt with for claims over the years.  I have the boat insured at a value of £5,000 (now over 20 years old but still in good condition) and there was no quibble about paying out something in the region of £2000 - I paid a few hundred as well & the work was done by Laurie Smart to his usual standard.

Andrew

Interesting, we are insured with Bishop Skinner too, so maybe I'm in the right place already! Having recently bought a nearly new carbon mast and just orderd some brand new sails the rig alone must be appraching £3k,replacement worth, add a recently refurbished Soverign combi and we are already way over what I have insured the boat for!