This site is meant to be a place for exchanging Moonraker related matters, - problems or pleasures you are dealing with regarding your vessel, - may be you have the solution to something, which may be of common interest, bring it up!
Anyone can comment on the articles already written, - if you want to bring up new subjects, you need a password, which you’ll get by sending your name in a mail to@moonraker.dk applying for one.
Our web site you'll find at this address http://www.moonraker.dk/eng_index.htm
Can anybody do me a big favour by telling me , if there is anything in paticular one should be looking out for when going to buy their first moonraker....?
All things good and bad please.Your honesty is much appreciated....!
Ray
A war is going on regarding the rights to the Moonraker moulds, - a battle taking place in the court.
The whole thing started early 2007, when Dave Lancashire and Gill Algor announced, that they had established a company, Moonrakerboats, and set up a web site www.moonrakerboats.net, and intended to produce the same Moonraker model, as Vic Bell had made for himself in 1991, - Moonraker Super de Luxe, and the first vessel would be ready late 2007.
However some problems seemed to have arisen during 2007, as the web site partly was shut down and the company didn’t respond E-mails. It was said, that a dispute was caused due to a person, who was claiming part rights to the purchased moulds.
Recently I received a mail from a guy, Nick Warner, who writes: “I currently run a number of businesses in the UK including a marine manufacturing, I have been interested in the resurrecting the Moonraker brand since I was offered the moulds recently following the uncompleted sale by I assume the two people mentioned on your website?
It is my intention to re-launched the Moonraker brand with inland and ocean versions. Styling and interior layouts will change to bring up to modern day requirements along with eu classification for ocean going vessels”.
I have also received a mail from David Tyacke who comments the affair writing that Moonrakerboats.net's Dave Lancashire og Gill Algor have several companies in various stages of bankruptcy proceedings. "We are currently in dispute with them over my widebeam narrowboat".
Will the Moonraker ever be produced again, and if, by whom?
In the old days, fifteen, twenty, thirty years ago, the Moonraker was known by anybody, looking for a motorboat. The fact that it isn’t just like that any more, might in principle be indifferent to us, if it wasn’t because it influences on the value of our boats.
The fact that it is a beautiful boat, which makes people wish to possess such one when they see it, is great, but we aren’t that many to be seen!
Therefore it is of great importance, that we are doing something extra to preserve the knowledge of it. By through our Society being intermediary in bringing about information, for example in our web site on the Internet and other out-turned activities as well, - rallies for instance.
Reprint of article 2000.03.04.
Dear Moonraker owners, how do you feel about your Moonrakers? I myself think that it is one of the most beautiful boats of its size, and I never get tired of looking at it!
However I have realized lately, how long I actually have had my vessel. It has over the years been an "integrated" part of me, and takes up almost as much space as my family (my wife might say that it takes up a lot more!).
I have used plenty of time on maintenance and improvements and have all the time felt, that it was one of the best kept specimen, and therefore of course must be in the top when it come to market price. And this might well be the case, - yet! Because I have also been aware of, that I don't spend as much efforts on maintenance that I used to do, which naturally has to happen when you grow older. So the issue here is - that I (one) don't get blind for the run-down going on, and that I (one) am/is realistic when it comes to the price one can get for "the old tub" the day one is in a selling position. I intend of course to keep my Moonraker for many years to come!
(Reprint of Article 2004.10.25)
If you surf around the net at e.g. http://www.ybw.com/ you’ll very easily find the comment, ”Moonraker is very difficult to handle in a following sea”. The comment is mostly used, when talking about Moonraker is in a negative context.
Yachtsmen in all kinds of boats know, that having a following sea is not the easiest circumstance to steer in; the problem is however, that it is stated, as if only the Moonraker, has the problem!
I have never read a test, where other boats together with Moonraker, have been tested, and it from this has appeared, that Moonraker is worse than other boats of same size and type! Exists such a test? Or is it just so, that people who doesn’t like Moonraker, have spread the theory, and at that, the majority of those who claims it, never have been sailing a Moonraker and just are followers, who “have heard someone mention it!”
A test in Motor Boat and Yachting dated September 14, 1973, where 6 different vessels (Apollo 32, Fairey Fantome, Fairey Super Swordsman, King Falcon, Moonraker and Laguna 11.5m) participated in a 4 days test under various weather conditions, doesn’t mention a thing about, that especially Moonraker should have such a problem!
The test is to be found at our web site Library / Others about Moonraker / Motor Boat and Yachting 1973, September 14 / Group Report.
I have been sailing Moonraker for more than 25 years and have of course many times had following seas, and should such a test show up, proving that Moonraker is handling considerably poorer than other vessels, I’ll find a way surviving it!
I am really sorry, that Morvyn Phillips has decided to stop the English based Moonraker Owners Club, and that no one else has wanted to take over the leadership, as Danish Moonraker Owners have had great help of MOC as a sparring partner.
I find it a bit hard to believe, that there shouldn't be someone somewhere, who could and would take on the task running a Moonraker Club based in the UK. My hope is, that this someone will show up, and if he / she / they do, I promise that they will get all the help, they may want from us.
Danish Moonraker Society / Terje Dehn
