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Sundowner / Charles lightoller..


andy brown

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As there seems to be a little disparity between what constitutes Naval and military I thought I better ask permission to speak or write ,don't want to get my writs slapped again..

Seeing reference to the little ships might start me off on another marathon as this is something I have been involved with for more than a few years ,

For the greater part my son and I have repaired remade rejuvenated the fixtures and fittings on more small boats in the last sixteen year than one can wave a burnt sick at and we are still doing it ,my son even casts the association brass plates as would be under licence.. strictly metal fitting remade to match the original when ever one can establish original as many of these boats had led a very checkered life long before ww2  and had under gone many adaptations during that time plus a few bullet holes .

Back to lightoller the most senior officer to escape the Titanic alive it was he that at the point of his gun that the male passengers and crew should give way to women and children before clambering into the life boats, his life is well documented on line along with his boat the Sundowner so I will leave that to you apart from saying he was one of those irrepressible soldiers of fortune that the Victorians had a knack of turning out just to punctuate Britishness  incase some hadn't got the message...

The Sundowner is in a yard completely gutted and I mean compleat just the keel and hull but still in one piece. , However I do have at my disposal the engine and gearbox a monolith of engineering a Gardner six cyl complete with gearbox marine version ,runner ,,  !! Well it pushed this boat some fifty miles up the thames not long before covid ,it's not the ww2 engine I believe it's just post war ,will post some pics if there is any interest.......

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1 hour ago, john1950 said:

If you have an engine number, Gardner Engine forum on facebook will give you chapter and verse on the engine.

Hi John..thanks for the reply, yes I had checked the. engine no; and deduced that it was 45 ish but no more than that , as most of my info gets ripped to pieces I thought I best to put a pic on of the number so that those that wish can check it out rather than take my word for it ...thanks anyway .  

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37 minutes ago, radiomike7 said:

It is most likely an 8.4l 6LW with 2 rocker covers or an 18l 6L3B with 6 individual rocker covers.

Is it still at Dennet's Shipbuilding? 

Yep still there and will be for the next few years ,as I said not much to see just the hull which is for the greater part complete...

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9 minutes ago, ruxy said:

Does your son by any chance cast Churchill tank brass plates  ?  possibly with a stash of miscast  LoL

 

Hi ruxy 

Hi can cast almost anything In brass,iron,Ali ,stainless,bronze , if you can supply a pattern , if the order warrants the cost or, the initial cost is for one as would be for ten due to set up time and calcs for  wastage ie slag loss and spurges , also does machining  polishing ,chroming , engraving....etc.albiet he is based in solo city java Indonesia , not to say it isn't cost effective..although shipping is currently a bug bear until biden sorts his mess out.....

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Ref. Wiki - the Sundowner had quite a history of engine changes ,  it was certainly a fine looking craft and yet Lightoller had the hull extended by 8'-0" , also masts fitted for sails - that would probably give an ungainly appearance.  Seems it now needs  £ lottery funding if the timber hull can be salvaged.

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