Wouldn't it be nice to be able to order directly from this!!!!!

http://www.theclassicboathouse.com/nautalloycat1.html

(convinced now Rod?)

Well, I never thought of using the bow lamp as a cleat...

I don't doubt that these were sold under the Nautalloy brand, and presumably made by them - but mine definitely came in an AquaMarine box!

I guess Peter Allen could shed more light on this, he used to sell the damn things. Pity he doesn't have any more - mine was the last one a few years ago. What we need is the moulds...

rod

All of these could be reproduced easily....BUT it's the cost, the technology/suppliers are out there! If you need just the odd one, make a timber pattern and get the local(?) foundry to cast one in brass (used to cost 10 Woodbines) then con the platers into a polished chrome finish...another 10 Woodbines!

If anyone interested I have a CR556 and CR554 for sale, both NOS, they cost a lot so looking for £35 for the pair. PM me if interested.

I'm duty bound to remind readers that the CR554 cleat was used on the bow of the Delta and was officially known to all associated with Ray W as ..... the Flying F*rt.

The CR552 look like the original type of Delta grab handles , wish i could find some , had mine re chromed but with poor results as the bases had previously been attacked by sea water , would love to get some re cast , but i now need to find a better example than those i have , anyone got any ??

Why the flying f**t ..Rod ? is there a story their ?


regards rob

If there's a story I don't know it - but Ray and Neville always called the bow cleats that, I reckon it had something to do with the stance of the cleat!

Dick Batters had a bunch of them a while back...at a price though.

rnb wrote:The CR552 look like the original type of Delta grab handles , wish i could find some , had mine re chromed but with poor results as the bases had previously been attacked by sea water , would love to get some re cast , but i now need to find a better example than those i have , anyone got any ??

Why the flying f**t ..Rod ? is there a story their ?


regards rob

Is the old adage, 3 days ago I chucked some that were mildly pitted. No doubt there are better around though. I found a deadringer at a jumble awhile back and it was made of ali.

They were all made in what, during my engineering apprenticeship, we used to call "monkey metal" - cheap zinc based die casting alloy (like many car parts of the time), they looked good for a few years and then went down the pan big time! You must remember that they did not expect any "lunatics" to be using them 50 years later!!

They can be restored (as has my Nautalloy lamp) by expert platers such as Derby Plating (£200!!!) by simply repeatedly piling on the copper and polishing it off untill all the pits are out before nickeling then chroming.

Flying F** i see the analogy , I'm sure i did ask Dick a few years ago if he had any of the grab handles and the answer was no .

Also looks like i was out of luck Nick when you had a recent tidy up , i have been keeping a lookout on ebay UK and U.S for quite a while but without success.

I can vouch for the monkey metal metallurgy , My originals have had quite a nice reaction with sea water.