Suppliers
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Suppliers
Any holiday or trip takes a lot of planning. When you are looking to prepare a yacht for years away from home, the greater the preparation you put in before you leave will reap benefits over the years. Prevention rather than cure is particularly apt when preparing a sailing yacht. There are lots of different systems including electrics, plumbing, refrigeration, mechanics, electronics and computers all needing to work in an integrated and reliable way. Some systems you use all the time, others you only realize their existence when they pack up.
To get all these services running properly you need a range of quality suppliers with helpful and knowledgeable staff. Listed below are the suppliers whom we most relied upon in our search for a reliable and safe trip. There were others, but mostly for smaller specific tasks, but our thanks go out to all of them. You will see that we mostly had a lot of fun with all these people, and it is a credit to their passion and professionalism that we are happy to link to them. There were a couple whom rather than mention their products or service negatively, have simply omitted them.
Jeckells Sails www.jeckells.co.uk
Chris Jeckells has been a huge help with advice on more than just new sails. He helped improve our deck layout with new winches and boom brake, supplied an in boom reefing system, suggested a twistle rig setup and supplied most of the kit. He naturally supplied the new mainsail, genoa, storm jib as well as snuffers for the existing cruising chute and spinnaker. Chris's knowledge built on generations of sailmaking really shows when asking his advice. All the advice was free and Jeckells sails have proved excellent both in performance and price. Unlike many sailmakers today, you can see the sails being designed, laser cut, stitched and finished in the loft at lovely Wroxham in Norfolk, aside from the 5 year guarantee which no one else could match. Just watch out for his very dry and sarcastic sense of humour. A great guy with a great team behind him, (especially Sue, Chris's long suffering wife!!!)
Dover Yacht Company www.doveryacht.co.uk
We first met Simon when passing Dover with engine problems in our previous boat. Despite being at lunch he dropped the sandwiches and came to our aid. Two hours later the problems were all sorted and a very reasonable price. So inevitably we chose to go back for work on Nadine as we passed Dover again. The engine got a thorough service and some precautionary work to last us for the duration. In addition DYC removed and reconditioned the windlass motor and arranged to manufacture the stainless steel part of the bimini which was being made by Simon Northrop in Ramsgate. We jointly installed the new alternator and Adverc smart charging system. We were getting anxious as three weeks went by waiting for the elusive stainless steel, but Simon had told us that whilst on his berth there would be no marina fees payable, and was true to his word. This makes DYC a credible financial alternative to a local supplier, particularly for us, as we had lost all confidence in our local Volvo dealer.
Transworld Yachts www.transworld-yachts.co.uk
Well, what can we say about the UK and Irelands Hallberg Rassy importer? What a great bunch of people! We first met them when we bought our last boat (an HR312) and developed a great relationship with most of the staff there. Whilst we didn't buy Nadine from them, they have continued to help and encourage us throughout our search for a 38 and since. Stephen (the negotiator – you cant call him a salesman, he's too laid back) has his finger on the pulse of the global market in used Hallberg Rassys, and it was great fun to try and find a boat or a website he didn't know about! Pauline (the sassy receptionist), she's lovely, but you've just got to meet her to experience why, and ask to see her Miss October pictures,(she only does it for charity and in the best possible taste) she's a wow! And Rob, the jewel in the Transworld crown. Rob deals with all the spares and commissioning of new UK Rassys. He has supplied Nadine with a freezer, water pumps and odd Rassy bits and pieces. His knowledge of what to use when bluewater cruising should not be underestimated. Rob is always happy to help us find solutions even when there is no benefit to Transworld. That is the mark of a wise supplier.
We were delighted that the threesome should come and join us for a few bevvys when we called in to Hamble Point after hours (truth is they'll drink with anyone whose paying). They are definitely three of our fondest friends. Jeremy and Willy should also get a mention for their choice of staff, and of course, hosting the annual ‘Transworld Rally'.
Cactus Marine electronics www.cactusnav.co.uk
New radar bought via Ebay, who were efficient and helpful throughout.
Monitor Windvane www.selfsteer.com
Hans and his team in California build the fantastic 'Monitor' windvane. We cheated and removed the one off our HR312 and had new parts supplied to make it fit our HR38. We also purchased an Mrud, emergency rudder system, which we hope we'll never have to use in anger! Hans gave us good advice at the London Boat Show, and Ron provided a drawing as well as supply all the bits .
Sunshine Maritime
Supplied our water maker, purchased at the Southampton Boat Show, and arrived as promised. we haven't had it running yet, so a little winter job.
Fox's Chandlery
A well stocked chandlery that was an invaluable resource for all sorts of chandlery., both small and large. As berthholders we came to know them very well and always recieved friendly & knowleable service. Special mention must be made of Vic & Simon.
Vic is such a jovial fellow who always asked how we were progressing. A weekend cruising to Titchmarsh was made all the more enjoyable by his company.
Simon, has huge knowledge and experience of the chandlery business. He can tell who makes just about anything and often could recommend and better or cheaper alternative, sometimes he just knew where to look for the item we couldn't find on the shelves. A good exmple was a spare bearing found on board and we couldn't imagine where it might fit. We showed it to Simon, who instantly knew it was for our electric windlass.
Gadwall Marine Engineering
The family Cheetham, friends primarily but mention should be made of the help William and Anthony gave helping us preparing the boat. The 20mm HDPE sheet they supplied was used in all sorts of places, and some is still lurking waiting to be used! They introduced us to 'Ray the Rat' (carpenter extraordinare) who cut and fabricated the HDPE sheet into floor supports and a new floor in the anchor locker. His skill with a plane on the loo door will long (and gratefully) be remembered.
Adverc www.adverc.co.uk
Nadine is the third boat to which I have fitted an Adverc alternator controller. They are simply fantastic. You fit it and forget it, they have all been totally reliable. This time we also bought solar panels and an extra large alternator from them. They really know their stuff when it comes to battery management systems. A good example of bits of kit quietly doing their thing in the back ground so you can enjoy life. A hugely informative website for anyone needing DC battery management advice.
Jetview
Supplied all the cctv equipment we use for security and more importantly video footage, which we record directly onto pc.
Suffolk Sailing www.suffolk-sailing.co.uk
Graham and his team are long time experts in liferaft repair, servicing and all things inflatable. His real strength is the sea survival lectures he gives. We 'enjoyed' a one day seminar with practical experience gained in a warm London swimming pool. The thought of having to enter a liferaft for real is a scary prospect. They are the most uncomfortable and claustrophobic experience you can imagine, far worse than you think before you try one. Graham certainly prompted us to review some of our safety procedures, as what seems simple in a classroom is another matter in the water, and we had no swell, waves, dark, cold temperatures or casualties to cope with. Do the course, everyone who goes to sea should have to in my opinion.
AST Connections
The most helpful telecoms supplier I have come across. They had our iridium phone connected within a few days and supplied a missing antenna cable.
Ultraleds www.ultraleds.co.uk
We have replaced most of the 12v bulbs on board with LEDs. These are used for the navigation lights, internal reading lamps and general lighting. Each LED uses approx 5% of the ampage of conventional incandescant bulbs.
We would normally have to run the engine for up to 90mins to replace the current consumed by the nav lights during a 12 hour period. Using LEDS this is reduced to a few minutes. Conventional lights can use up to a third of our daily electricity consumption.
Ultraleds worked hard to match the unusual fittings used in some marine lights. They delivered as promised and every lamp is still working. Highly recommended.
Seamark Nunn www.seamarknunn.com
Another great chandler, an excellent web site and very competitive prices as well as good service, and we were lucky enough to have them on our doorstep.
Northrop Sails www.northropsail.com
Simon Northrop based in Ramsgate harbour makes sails and covers. He made the sprayhood for our Oyster 26 nearly 15 years earlier. When asked to make a Bimini cover at short notice, he and Sandra (apparently the closest thing he has to a wife!) came up with the goods exactly as promised, and at a reasonable price. He is also very competitive in Tornado catamarans so knows his racing sails too.
Colchester Fuel Injection
Dear Ray Humm came out to service our Eberspacher diesel heater and made a great job of it. When we called him back a few days later because it stopped working (through an unrelated electric problem elsewhere) he fixed our problem and then didnt charge us. Hard working man and an expert in his field.
Home page
Suppliers
Any holiday or trip takes a lot of planning. When you are looking to prepare a yacht for years away from home, the greater the preparation you put in before you leave will reap benefits over the years. Prevention rather than cure is particularly apt when preparing a sailing yacht. There are lots of different systems including electrics, plumbing, refrigeration, mechanics, electronics and computers all needing to work in an integrated and reliable way. Some systems you use all the time, others you only realize their existence when they pack up.
To get all these services running properly you need a range of quality suppliers with helpful and knowledgeable staff. Listed below are the suppliers whom we most relied upon in our search for a reliable and safe trip. There were others, but mostly for smaller specific tasks, but our thanks go out to all of them. You will see that we mostly had a lot of fun with all these people, and it is a credit to their passion and professionalism that we are happy to link to them. There were a couple whom rather than mention their products or service negatively, have simply omitted them.
Jeckells Sails www.jeckells.co.uk
Chris Jeckells has been a huge help with advice on more than just new sails. He helped improve our deck layout with new winches and boom brake, supplied an in boom reefing system, suggested a twistle rig setup and supplied most of the kit. He naturally supplied the new mainsail, genoa, storm jib as well as snuffers for the existing cruising chute and spinnaker. Chris's knowledge built on generations of sailmaking really shows when asking his advice. All the advice was free and Jeckells sails have proved excellent both in performance and price. Unlike many sailmakers today, you can see the sails being designed, laser cut, stitched and finished in the loft at lovely Wroxham in Norfolk, aside from the 5 year guarantee which no one else could match. Just watch out for his very dry and sarcastic sense of humour. A great guy with a great team behind him, (especially Sue, Chris's long suffering wife!!!)
Dover Yacht Company www.doveryacht.co.uk
We first met Simon when passing Dover with engine problems in our previous boat. Despite being at lunch he dropped the sandwiches and came to our aid. Two hours later the problems were all sorted and a very reasonable price. So inevitably we chose to go back for work on Nadine as we passed Dover again. The engine got a thorough service and some precautionary work to last us for the duration. In addition DYC removed and reconditioned the windlass motor and arranged to manufacture the stainless steel part of the bimini which was being made by Simon Northrop in Ramsgate. We jointly installed the new alternator and Adverc smart charging system. We were getting anxious as three weeks went by waiting for the elusive stainless steel, but Simon had told us that whilst on his berth there would be no marina fees payable, and was true to his word. This makes DYC a credible financial alternative to a local supplier, particularly for us, as we had lost all confidence in our local Volvo dealer.
Transworld Yachts www.transworld-yachts.co.uk
Well, what can we say about the UK and Irelands Hallberg Rassy importer? What a great bunch of people! We first met them when we bought our last boat (an HR312) and developed a great relationship with most of the staff there. Whilst we didn't buy Nadine from them, they have continued to help and encourage us throughout our search for a 38 and since. Stephen (the negotiator – you cant call him a salesman, he's too laid back) has his finger on the pulse of the global market in used Hallberg Rassys, and it was great fun to try and find a boat or a website he didn't know about! Pauline (the sassy receptionist), she's lovely, but you've just got to meet her to experience why, and ask to see her Miss October pictures,(she only does it for charity and in the best possible taste) she's a wow! And Rob, the jewel in the Transworld crown. Rob deals with all the spares and commissioning of new UK Rassys. He has supplied Nadine with a freezer, water pumps and odd Rassy bits and pieces. His knowledge of what to use when bluewater cruising should not be underestimated. Rob is always happy to help us find solutions even when there is no benefit to Transworld. That is the mark of a wise supplier.
We were delighted that the threesome should come and join us for a few bevvys when we called in to Hamble Point after hours (truth is they'll drink with anyone whose paying). They are definitely three of our fondest friends. Jeremy and Willy should also get a mention for their choice of staff, and of course, hosting the annual ‘Transworld Rally'.
Cactus Marine electronics www.cactusnav.co.uk
New radar bought via Ebay, who were efficient and helpful throughout.
Monitor Windvane www.selfsteer.com
Hans and his team in California build the fantastic 'Monitor' windvane. We cheated and removed the one off our HR312 and had new parts supplied to make it fit our HR38. We also purchased an Mrud, emergency rudder system, which we hope we'll never have to use in anger! Hans gave us good advice at the London Boat Show, and Ron provided a drawing as well as supply all the bits .
Sunshine Maritime
Supplied our water maker, purchased at the Southampton Boat Show, and arrived as promised. we haven't had it running yet, so a little winter job.
Fox's Chandlery
A well stocked chandlery that was an invaluable resource for all sorts of chandlery., both small and large. As berthholders we came to know them very well and always recieved friendly & knowleable service. Special mention must be made of Vic & Simon.
Vic is such a jovial fellow who always asked how we were progressing. A weekend cruising to Titchmarsh was made all the more enjoyable by his company.
Simon, has huge knowledge and experience of the chandlery business. He can tell who makes just about anything and often could recommend and better or cheaper alternative, sometimes he just knew where to look for the item we couldn't find on the shelves. A good exmple was a spare bearing found on board and we couldn't imagine where it might fit. We showed it to Simon, who instantly knew it was for our electric windlass.
Gadwall Marine Engineering
The family Cheetham, friends primarily but mention should be made of the help William and Anthony gave helping us preparing the boat. The 20mm HDPE sheet they supplied was used in all sorts of places, and some is still lurking waiting to be used! They introduced us to 'Ray the Rat' (carpenter extraordinare) who cut and fabricated the HDPE sheet into floor supports and a new floor in the anchor locker. His skill with a plane on the loo door will long (and gratefully) be remembered.
Adverc www.adverc.co.uk
Nadine is the third boat to which I have fitted an Adverc alternator controller. They are simply fantastic. You fit it and forget it, they have all been totally reliable. This time we also bought solar panels and an extra large alternator from them. They really know their stuff when it comes to battery management systems. A good example of bits of kit quietly doing their thing in the back ground so you can enjoy life. A hugely informative website for anyone needing DC battery management advice.
Jetview
Supplied all the cctv equipment we use for security and more importantly video footage, which we record directly onto pc.
Suffolk Sailing www.suffolk-sailing.co.uk
Graham and his team are long time experts in liferaft repair, servicing and all things inflatable. His real strength is the sea survival lectures he gives. We 'enjoyed' a one day seminar with practical experience gained in a warm London swimming pool. The thought of having to enter a liferaft for real is a scary prospect. They are the most uncomfortable and claustrophobic experience you can imagine, far worse than you think before you try one. Graham certainly prompted us to review some of our safety procedures, as what seems simple in a classroom is another matter in the water, and we had no swell, waves, dark, cold temperatures or casualties to cope with. Do the course, everyone who goes to sea should have to in my opinion.
AST Connections
The most helpful telecoms supplier I have come across. They had our iridium phone connected within a few days and supplied a missing antenna cable.
Ultraleds www.ultraleds.co.uk
We have replaced most of the 12v bulbs on board with LEDs. These are used for the navigation lights, internal reading lamps and general lighting. Each LED uses approx 5% of the ampage of conventional incandescant bulbs.
We would normally have to run the engine for up to 90mins to replace the current consumed by the nav lights during a 12 hour period. Using LEDS this is reduced to a few minutes. Conventional lights can use up to a third of our daily electricity consumption.
Ultraleds worked hard to match the unusual fittings used in some marine lights. They delivered as promised and every lamp is still working. Highly recommended.
Seamark Nunn www.seamarknunn.com
Another great chandler, an excellent web site and very competitive prices as well as good service, and we were lucky enough to have them on our doorstep.
Northrop Sails www.northropsail.com
Simon Northrop based in Ramsgate harbour makes sails and covers. He made the sprayhood for our Oyster 26 nearly 15 years earlier. When asked to make a Bimini cover at short notice, he and Sandra (apparently the closest thing he has to a wife!) came up with the goods exactly as promised, and at a reasonable price. He is also very competitive in Tornado catamarans so knows his racing sails too.
Colchester Fuel Injection
Dear Ray Humm came out to service our Eberspacher diesel heater and made a great job of it. When we called him back a few days later because it stopped working (through an unrelated electric problem elsewhere) he fixed our problem and then didnt charge us. Hard working man and an expert in his field.
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posted by Kevin and Sara at 7:23 AM
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