Month: December 2007

Don’t lose your metalwork to thieves this winter says Navigators & General

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Insurer Navigators & General is urging boat owners to take precautions over the winter months to try to avoid becoming a victim of metal theft.

A huge increase in metal thefts is being reported following a doubling of copper prices over the last two years. In October the BBC obtained figures in showing a 170 per cent metal theft increase in Cambridgeshire, 120 per cent in West Mercia, 112 per cent in the West Midlands, and 100 per cent in Warwickshire and Sussex.

Copper and bronze items such as bells and plaques are obvious targets, but boats with bronze or alloy propellers, or copper sheathing are said to be at particular risk over the dark winter months when many boats are are laid up ashore.

N&G is advising customers to check on the level of security offered by their chosen yard, and only use established boatyards or secure compounds to store their boats. For complete peace of mind owners might consider removing props altogether over the lay-up period, as the cost of replacing propellers can run to hundreds of pounds.

The company also strongly advises boat owners to check the wording of their insurance policies and endorsements to ensure that they cover ‘theft of equipment following forcible and violent removal from the exterior of the vessel’ – some policies only cover ‘theft of equipment following forcible entry’, which may exclude a claim where a prop has been stolen from an external shaft.

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1930 sailing yawl, 1940 motor yacht and an early 60s wooden river cruiser on Ebay

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Run over to our boating bargains page to see these boats:

•1930 27′ carvel 4 berth yawl Peggoty at Woodbridge

•1940 38ft wooden motor yacht at Lymington

•1963-ish Windboats 33 wooden river cruiser at Windsor

Penryn stocks at Falmouth’s Old Curiosity Shop

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Penryn stocks outside Falmouth’s Old Curiosity Shop

Two interesting characters pose for in Penryn Stocks outside Falmouth’s Old Curiosity shop. I feel sure the one on the right is my old mate Bill Crawford. You out there Bill?

I wrote about a Falmouth quay punt for sale a few days ago, and thinking of Falmouth reminded me of a National Maritime Museum Cornwall’s small exhibitions earlier this year.

It was held to celebrate the centenary of the death of John Burton, 19th century owner of the legendary Old Curiosity Shop in Falmouth, and a great local character. Burton claimed he could sell ‘anything from a monkey to a pulpit’, and his shop contained an amazingly diverse collection of objects reflecting the sailors and passengers who passed through Falmouth at the time. Click on the photo above and take a close look at the larger image, and you’ll see what I mean.

One of Burton’s great dealing successes was acquiring the Penryn borough stocks bearing the date 1673, bought from the Mayor of Penryn who had been instructed to sell some council possessions.

No sooner was the purchase complete than there was a howl of indignation from Penryn Council. A heated discussion followed, and to allay ill-feeling Burton wrote to the press to making the following offer: ‘If three of those grumbling Penryn Town Councillors will consent to be placed in the stocks outsid my show next Monday to get their photos taken in the stocks, I will present the said stocks to the Borough of Penryn to prevent further grumbling.’

The offer was not accepted, and the stocks were sold to an antique dealer, and today, the stocks can be seen at Penryn Museum.