NEW MEMBER, NOVICE BOATER.

Hello to all you Norman Appreciationists, I think your site is brilliant. I’ve not been able to get on the net for ages and I’m so happy I can access it again.  My partner Gerry and I bought an old Norman 20 around March time this year and it needs completely re fitting.  At the moment it is called Sloop John B and I found it on your Norman register (the comment with it read “I’m going to look for another hole to sink money into” – hmm not very encouraging). We are total novices and find it very scary, especially as we are trying to do it on a shoestring, but Gerry is doing a great job on the outside woodwork at the moment.  I mostly clean up after him (he is very messy) and do the painting and varnishing.

I’m not all that internet wise (and my photography skills leave a lot to be desired) but I'm going to try and take some photos and post them on your site – don’t hold your breath.

There is so much to do, we (that’s the Royal we as Gerry has to do most of it) have to put in the electrics, fit the steering cable, get an accelerator (or whatever boaty people call them) and fit it – the one the seller gave us with the boat doesn’t seem to fit on the same side as the steering wheel (or whatever boaty people call it) tricky huh. We have no petrol tank, no water tank, no cooker, no form of heating and no canopy (but I did buy a neat little fridge that works off a car battery and some of those solar powered garden lights that I couldn’t resist in Wilco’s the other day). Women! Don’t you just love em. The whole of the outside bit (ditto boaty people) has been stripped out and replaced.  The whole of the inside bit (ditto boaty people) needs to be stripped out and replaced. We need new foam cushions inside and out and that’s not cheap is it? It will be one of my jobs to make the covers and yes you’ve guessed it my sewing skills aren’t too hot either. Then the outside needs a good rub down and repaint. We might get on the water in a few years time – see you then.

PS if anyone has read this far we would really like to have a look round a proper Norman 20 and get a few ideas, is there anyone in the Derby area has one and doesn’t mind showing a couple of boating idiots round it? I’ll probably post an SOS on the forum about that it I don’t hear from anyone.

Josie