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JohnH
United Kingdom
8 Posts |
Posted - 22 Feb 2017 : 13:45:45
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Hi All
I own a norman 29 widebeam, i have had it on the river behind locks for about 3 years. I bought it out of the water last year for a full refurb as the old girl looks a tad tired and upgrading he ford dorset 80hp to a 160hp Volvo Penta I was looking at moving to the estuary and coastal, but when the chap who will be doing the engine swap looked at her , he said she has the wrong hull shape for estuary and coastal
Any advise would be great, can't find any specs for her anywhere
Cheers John |
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trevork
3949 Posts |
Posted - 22 Feb 2017 : 14:40:18
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I'm no expert but, reading other 29 owners experiences and looking at the various engine combinations, I think he is talking the proverbial round things! I'd be interested in what Flinty has to say! We have owners using them on the Thames and Bristol Channel both of which can get a tad restless. There is at east one with twin 130 hp engines. Hardly a setup for cruisng the local boating lake! What is the current setup of yours? How did you come by her? Have you any pics??
Questions and questions!
Ooop's, you already have a beefy Volvo. |
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JohnH
United Kingdom
8 Posts |
Posted - 22 Feb 2017 : 14:51:23
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Thanks for the reply Trevor
Current setup is a Ford Dorset 80hp with SternPowr stern drive The drive has issues and have been told by Lancing Marine they can do a repair, but can't replace parts So rather than spend out repairing a leg that might go again i thought about replacing it, plus going estuary/coastal the extra HP would help She is currently on the hard in Essex and plan to use it on the Thames estuary and coastal waters i shall have to see if i have any photos, currently she is all tarped up after finding out the previous owner bodged the wheelhouse roof and frames with cheap ply and softwood, which has now rotted Is my first cruising boat and i got stung .. loads and loads of problems now i have started gutting her But i am a Carpenter by trade and i have a great guy at my new marina which is giving me all the advise and help on the GRP work |
Edited by - JohnH on 22 Feb 2017 14:52:48 |
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df
United Kingdom
5994 Posts |
Posted - 22 Feb 2017 : 17:11:53
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I've never seen the bottom of a 29 but it can't be much worse than my old RLM was for sea-keeping and that did plenty of coastal miles with me. I would want a bit more power for fast running as 160hp is probably not enough to get it up on the plane but will certainly push along nicely.
NBAS--The communal colostomy bag of the boating community.
Visit leomagill.co.uk |
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JohnH
United Kingdom
8 Posts |
Posted - 22 Feb 2017 : 17:51:15
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Hi df
I don't have any photos of the underneath, but did find one in.. Norman Register 3 called No Worries .. top of the page. From what i can gather she's semi displacement? i could be totally wrong as i know next to nothing about hull shape Yeah i had guessed 160hp wasn't enough to get her up on the plane, but the thought of going twin just isn't in the budget, even the current plans are probably a bit pricey When you were going coastal was you just going out on flat days? |
Edited by - JohnH on 22 Feb 2017 17:53:28 |
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trevork
3949 Posts |
Posted - 22 Feb 2017 : 22:02:51
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Have a look at these Dave.....



Any good? |
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JohnH
United Kingdom
8 Posts |
Posted - 22 Feb 2017 : 22:16:28
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Good pics Trevor, i never saw that in the register Looks like i need some ballast in my bow too, my waterline doesn't run parallel with the rubbing bars like that |
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df
United Kingdom
5994 Posts |
Posted - 23 Feb 2017 : 15:42:04
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I took Leo out in F6 before and it wasn't nice at all but it took it better than we did, I used to aim for F3-4 preferably with wind over tide as wind against tide gets much sharper and slows progress right down. Very rarely had a flat calm day and used to plod around at 7 knots everywhere, being a twin on outdrives all the weight was at the stern so very prone to doing tailstands in any chop if the water tank in the bow wasn't full, fun but gets to be hard work after a few hours. Have your fuel tank properly flushed before going coastal if the boats only been on rivers for a few years as even a minor bit of chop soon stirs up all the muck and sludge in the bottom giving you an engine failure, on rivers it'll never give you any trouble as it stays settled.
NBAS--The communal colostomy bag of the boating community.
Visit leomagill.co.uk |
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JohnH
United Kingdom
8 Posts |
Posted - 23 Feb 2017 : 16:22:16
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| Thanks for the advice df, having all new tanks throughout, she's having a complete refit, but if her hull isn't up to the job then a rethink and new boat possibly |
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df
United Kingdom
5994 Posts |
Posted - 23 Feb 2017 : 17:14:26
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The underside of Leo wasn't realy any better.




 And the bilge keels stopped water getting out of the sides when slamming down making the jolt even harder. Theres bigger piccies at www.leomagill.co.uk under the 'other pics' button. We did kings lynn to wells many times, wells to hull, wells to gt.yarmouth, down the east coast as far as maldon and all the rivers in between just as long as you don't want to get there fast, at least 160hp will help push through when it does get lumpy. I now have a much deeper vee up front and 300hp to help me punch through the nasty bits as well as having the engines and fuel tanks low down in the middle of the boat to make things ride nicer too.
NBAS--The communal colostomy bag of the boating community.
www.leomagill.co.uk" target="_blank">Visit leomagill.co.uk |
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JohnH
United Kingdom
8 Posts |
Posted - 23 Feb 2017 : 19:48:14
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She's a nice looker Dave, very similar to the 29, just not as wide? I see what you mean by the underside, very similar That's the sort of routes we were looking at, up the east coast and maybe round to dover etc we got so tired of being on the medway. same s*** different day.. too flat for me as well When you say deeper Vee.. how did you manage that? more ballast? i have been pricing up twin penta duo's and prices don't seem too bad.. just no info on what engines marry up 300 ponies? i wish haha I'll have a nose on your site
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trevork
3949 Posts |
Posted - 24 Feb 2017 : 00:23:32
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| Don't be fooled John, he bought a gin palace to replace Leo! |
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df
United Kingdom
5994 Posts |
Posted - 24 Feb 2017 : 08:15:20
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I sold it and bought a princess 30DS, much better sea keeping and can do 21 knots, Leo had a pair of pug 1.9 diesels on enfields, rated at about 60hp each in the car but I doubt they mustered much more than 45 each in the boat as they wouldn't reach the rpm. As long as you don't mind fairly long days the east coast is all doable at 7 knots and theres some nice spots, the broads is quite a good base as you get the best of both worlds and 2 sea entrance options. Leo was bought from the medway, cuxton to be precise.
NBAS--The communal colostomy bag of the boating community.
Visit leomagill.co.uk |
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JohnH
United Kingdom
8 Posts |
Posted - 24 Feb 2017 : 16:44:00
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Cheers for the advise guys, but seems like the old girl will have to be replaced was looking fwd to doing a full refit, but looking at what its going to cost, it doesn't make financial sense |
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trevork
3949 Posts |
Posted - 24 Feb 2017 : 22:42:24
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| Be a shame if she gets scrapped. There were only about 20 of these ever built so are quite rare! |
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df
United Kingdom
5994 Posts |
Posted - 25 Feb 2017 : 17:54:05
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Ssssshhhhh Trev, could be a bargain.
NBAS--The communal colostomy bag of the boating community.
Visit leomagill.co.uk |
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