A PAGE FROM GERMANY

This page is devoted to Fred's Norman 32 "Rock-n-Roll".

For those of you really interested in the Norman 32, this file is an original catalogue page from Norman describing the boat. Be warned though, it is a very big file!

"Bought as seen"

The first part is a detailed dimensional specification of Rock-n-Roll.

Type of boat; Cabin Cruiser

Make of Boat ; Norman 32’

Makers Name ; Norman Cruisers Ltd

    Grains Rd, Shaw,

      Lancs. , England.

   Tel Shaw 7100.

Building Material; G R P

Makers Number; unknown.

Length; 32’ ( 9.75mtr )

Width; 6’ 10” (2.05 mtr)

Draft ; 1’ 10” ( 0.55 mtr )

Year of Manufacturer; Approx 1975

Weight; 2229 kgm ( 2.230 ton )

MOTOR

Maker; V.W.

Type; 1600 Diesel

Motor Number; CR 300329

Power; 54 ps ( Horse power )

Hi .

   My name is Frederick Klaus Neumann and this is the story (so far) of my boat, a 32’ Norman cruiser called ROCK-N-ROLL.

In the September of the year 2000, I was on my friends 42’ Dawn craft enjoying a cruise on the canal in the Leicester area of the Grand Union, this was one of those thing’s that I had always wanted to “do” but never “got” around to doing through one thing or another. I’d been talking to my friend “Doc” Upton about boats canals and things, and at the time we were passing through Foxton Locks basin, I looked to the right and said to my friend now there’s a nice boat…………later on the way back we stopped to have a look. Strange how one little sentence can give you so much work!

She had no engine or out drive, covered in green growing stuff (never did find out what it was) and generally a derelict. A sensible person would have walked( well more like ran!) away at this point as there wasn’t much left to save, like I said ……..A sensible person. So after a few problems the owner was found and a deal was made. I then had two days to dry her out (two inches of stagnant water through out the hull) and seal her up before my ferry back to Germany.

When I did get back to Germany, it hit me what I’d let myself in for, also all the problems of having a boat in bad condition about 1000 km away. I started to do the things that could be done in Germany before the boat was brought over (which was not the original idea), like the engine and the “leg”. I wanted an engine that I had no problems getting spears for no matter where I was and, as I couldn’t afford a marrinized one. I had to do all the work my self so I had to choose between a Ford and a VW 1600 diesel and finally opted for the VW as it came free which is always a deciding factor.

All the copper pipe plumbing was self-made as were the engine mounting “feet” and brackets, if they work and hold up to the job only time will tell. An engineering firm close by turned out a weight to fit on the fly wheel instead of the original clutch, this was done so I can turn the “idle” down to about 500 rpm instead of the 800 rpm that this engine normally idles at. The Bowman manifold was bought of the Internet for £100 and the whole lot was put together. Next came the “leg”, this was given to me by “Doc” but was in need of repair, the Y swivel on the Enfield leg was broken, again internet and the rest was bought from Bob Knowles of Leicester who deals in Enfield legs.

Right next thing was…How do I get her over here?????? I had quotes from transport firms and boat movers for £2500-3500 one way with out craning, another couple of hundred, no way!  PLAN 2; buy a trailer (first idea was to make a trailer) buy a Range Rover and pick it up myself. Trailer I found by chance after a couple of months looking, in my home town of Bielefeld and it could carry an all up weight of 4.2 tons a specially built one as I later found out from the makers, this cost me 4500-DM (£1364). Next the Range Rover, 1200-DM (£363) this was found in a barn and had been standing for 8 years and the inertia came in boxes (some were missing, of cause). This was put together and I was finally ready for September 2001, a ferry ticket was bought 2500-DM (£758) and off I went. Three weeks hols in England, put the boat on the trailer (thanks Foxton boats) grab my woman and of back to Germany.

At this point I must thank my Girlfriend Linda who while she was here for three weeks re-covered all the cushions while I was at work, IT MUST BE LOVE.

First thing to do was take out the old engine which had been in “Doc’s” boat and ended in mine.????????????? Well it evened out the weight for towing.

Next job was to take her of the trailer (my boat not my woman) and get her onto hard standing where I could work on her safely.

Next came three very cold months every day about 4 hours of rubbing down the hull, filling holes, getting rid of some osmosis, rubbing down and filling again!

And finally paint beneath the water line with two-pack paint. This was done, as I didn’t know how long the power would be left on for the overhead crane that I was using

At this stage I realised that the old diesel tank could not be saved, as it was more like sieve than a tank. Had to bite the built and have another tank made, a copy of the old one but in stainless steel 500-DM (£151), it’ll probably last longer than the boat itself

The stern was then painted and the Leg fitted

I was now well into the year 2002 but the rest of the hull was painted.

Next was a bit of inertia work. This entailed cleaning out all the rubbish from the inside hull and painting it with grey bilge paint, took about a week and about 4 pints of blood from all the cuts I received…but I lived!

It was time to see if the engine would fit………..no was the answer! Another week of re-working the engine mounts and it was in, only took five attempts but who’s counting?

Now it was time to start on the top deck. First job was to repair the window frames at the front. The iner and outer cabin had come apart which I have heard from others is a standard thing on the older boats, this was why the front window had “sprung” out. I cured this by drilling and screwing and gluing the two sections together and left them to dry for a week.

It was then filled and rubbed down. The rest of the top deck rubbing down took another couple of weeks (very boring) to complete………

Before the top deck could be painted

It’s now Sept 2002 and she’s just about finished out side, just a few fitments to fit (when they arrive) and an alteration on the fixed roof to be finished off. The anti slip deck paint has been added and she’s starting to look decent at last.

I have now started to rub down the inside front cabin, I thought rubbing down the hull was bad enough but this is worse! The dust get literally everywhere and its back breaking work, but then its getting winter again, and like last winter it’s preparation time. I take it in turns rubbing down paintwork; woodwork and replacing rotten wood new.

That is how far I have got to at the moment, I have found out that renovating a boat is like the James Bond films IT’S NEVER ENDING. As I do more to the Inertia I’ll be taking pic’s and adding to this ……..Till then!