"No one will give you a boat, mate" Part 2
This blog was originally published in July 2023 - there is an update at the end, so you can see exactly how far we've come!
Earlier in the week we shared how our founder, Andrew Flint was told no one would ever give him a boat. This week we collected our 6th donation! NB Atalanta is a 38 footer, beautifully cared for, clean and dry on the inside and in need of a coat of paint on the outside - we hope to do this as soon as the weather and man-power allows.
NB Atalanta is something of an exception as she's in such good condition, most of the boats we are given has some kind of issue, because most people with a perfectly sound boat they no longer need, will sell it, even the most tired of boats, if the hull is sound, is worth probably more than 10k. So we are particularly grateful to Terry and Cath for the donation of Atalanta, and to Glyn and Barbara for NB Daisy.
Daisy needs a bit more work, as she is a grand old lady and lived a long and varied life. She is 102 years old - having been built in 1921, as a coal butty or barge. She was commissioned by TSR Elliotts, working out of Birmingham and Wolverhampton, and was originally 72 feet long. Pulled by a horse, she worked the canal system until 1966. She's principally a wooden boat but had a steel base put on somewhere in the 1980's. Her windows came out of old trams and have the most wonderful wind down action - they date from 1870! For a number of years she moored in Gas Street Basin in Birmingham - which was then a far cry from the tourist centre in is now! In 1985 she was sold privately, to Glyn and Barbara and another couple, and became a holiday boat. She travelled up and down the canal network, from a home mooring in Market Harborough, a name which still forms part of her livery. Shortly before Covid, there was a nasty bang from the engine room and she limped back to her home moorings, in Market Harbourough and there she sat, like the rest of the world during lockdown. Imagine how Andy Flint felt when Glyn and Barbara contacted him saying the wanted to donate Daisy. They were very honest and admitted they thought the engine might have had it, but she was too good to turn down!
We knew Daisy would need work - her bathroom needs replacing, and her wiring still uses round pin plugs! The wonderful windows need removing and resealing, and there are some parts of her wooden roof which need replacing. The area in the stern, where she was shortened, need attention from a welder and she's currently out of the water, in Droitwich Spa marina, for this to happen.
At 70 ft she is about as long as narrowboats get, finding a home mooring for boats that length is challenging, and for a novice, she can be a bit of a daunting thing to handle. For these reasons we decided that Daisy wasn't suitable to house a veteran long-term. Instead it's our intention that she should remain our flagship, being used as a floating office, accommodation for any of our trustees who need to be at our Sawley HQ over night, and be an assessment boat for any veterans who are being considered for one of our boats.
Narrowboat life isn't for everyone and some won't take to it. Hopefully, as Daisy is a heritage boat, we may be able to take her to some narrowboat rallies, to show her off and raise awareness for the Trust.
So now we are approaching the stage of refurbishing Daisy - already we have been donated a sofa bed, thanks Sofabed Barn! And have previously had mattresses donated too. What we need now is funds or the offer of expert help to re-wire her and fit a bathroom. This isn't likely to be needed until well in to the summer and most likely be in Sawley in Nottingham. Any offers of help would be gratefully received - Daisy has plenty to give and be a huge asset to the Trust.
UPDATE November 2024
As I write this, it seems all the more incredible, that so much has changed.
We now have 8 boats.
We thought we had lucked-out with NB Atalanta, because she was such a good boat for someone to generously give away. Then along came Judy... and Judy gave us NB Sammy B - a bigger boat and in stunning condition. Sammy B is currently housing a veteran. Judy - thanks from the bottom of our hearts.
We won't get anything else as good as that - we thought. We're delighted to have been proved wrong! Our 41ft, centre cockpit, Sea Otter - NB Stingray came along. Also in excellent condition. New flooring, a new canopy, some hatch re-sealing and assorted maintenance jobs later, on 8th November 2024, NB Stingray left our Sawley base, for 12 months (at least) as a CCer. She's the 1st of our boats to go out as a CCer - we're a bit like nervous parents, sending the 1st born off to Uni! But we have to let the apron strings or mooring ropes, go sometime - narrowboats were designed to travel.
And what of FVA it's self?
Well - you will have noticed a few slight changes of name!
We started out as The Forces Vets Afloat project. Our aim was to do up one boat, give it away and that would be it.
We found boats being given to us with surprising regularity - and in varying degrees of dilapidation! We realised we needed formal things like a Bank account, and some degree of official organisation. So we drew up a constitution and became an unregistered Charitable Trust. But we've grown too big for that - and have become Forces Veterans Afloat for our next chapter.
We need to have a Charity Commission number, to able to apply for grant money, to help with restoration of the boats and the many other things they need. We now have fleet insurance to cover the better, occupied boats. That alone cost £1200 - money FVA doesn't currently have and was put on one of the committee's credit card. And having tried to manage the Charity Commission bid ourselves, we soon realised we needed professional help - someone who knew how to word things, exactly what things we needed to put in place to satisfy the Charity Commission, and who would carry on until they got us that converted number. This again is going to cost money - step forward another committee member, to loan FVA the money to get the job done.
When we started this, we had no idea how big it would get, how much money it would cost us personally, how much time it would take in our lives. None of us regret it. Yes, it's stressful, frustrating, full of paperwork and rules and regulations we never knew existed - but OMG, it is SO worth it! To hear the delight and relief in a veteran's voice, when we can tell them we have a boat for them. To see the smile on their faces when they step on the boat, and the beautiful condition they keep the boats in (there'll be a few untidy ones - we realise!) - it all makes it so worth while.
And there's the businesses helping us out. BSS examiners knocking the price of inspections down - they don't make much on them any way. The canopy companies, 3Elements and Crazy Monkey, who have covered boats for free or at a huge discount. The brand new Lockotter Floating Windlass company - who are donating a percentage of every one they sell to us and branding the windlass with our logo. Insurance company Haven Knox Johnson Commercial, who battled on our behalf, to convince nervous underwriters to insure us. The Narrowboat Skills Centre, who are going to give our veterans training - we'll name check the others who have also offered, as we take them up on the offer. And there's YOU - yes, you - who like our Facebook posts, share them, spread the word, come to work parties, offer your skills, talents, sets of windows you've replaced or outboard motors you no longer need. Thank you, all of you, from the FVA committee, and most importantly, the veterans who you enable us to help.
Lizzie Lane
Co-Chair - Forces Veterans Afloat
November 2024