"GYPSEY"

Model                       :                   Norman  20

Cockpit                    :                   Rear

Year                          :                   1978

Engine & Fuel        :                   Mariner Outboard petrol

Capacity                  :                   30 hp

Toilet                        :                   Portapotti

COMMENTS

When I purchased my Norman 20 "Gypsey" last November as a renovation  project (and first ever boat!), I tentatively registered with your Norman Boats Appreciation Society and submitted the basic details of  Gypsey to you. I see that details are now posted on the "Norman Register" link on the  left-hand side of your main page. This is the same boat that features in 1st position in "Your Normans", when it was pictured (many years ago) on the River Severn and showed the new hard cabin. I have now attached two photos, one from last November, before the  rotten and deteriorated hard cabin, etc., was stripped off. The other  shows Gypsey as she currently is, with a new canopy and polycarbonate  windscreen now done. The windscreen was made by me, using trial and error, by designing  templates in cardboard/gaffer tape to fit the cabintop groove and sides as in the original Norman 20's. Having made a satisfactory template, I  then had the pattern cut out in 10mm polycarbonate supplied by a local Canterbury specialist, which I then connected with polycarbonate strips,  bent to the correct angles and screwed together.  The cost of this new  windscreen was under £300 and gives a totally rigid base for the  attachment of the canopy. A substantial savings on the Norman 20 pattern  screens available through the manufacturers who still offer that service from the old Norman patterns.

The new canopy was constructed and fitted made to measure by Lawrence  Newing, Newing Engineering of Minster, Thanet. I still have remedial work to complete on the top front outside, and the  interior locations (cockpit and cabin) but things are coming together. One of the enhancements was brought about by the fact that the white  plastic inserts around the outer edge rubber trim had cracked through  age and was mainly missing. I found that a continuous length of 14mm  nylon rope, purchased from "The Ropeloft",   www.ropeloft.co.uk/contact.htm , hammered into the groove with the aid  of a glue bead, has resulted in an effective, and attractive, finish.