Future of BMPT

Message Topic Search Topic Options Post Reply Create New Topic Printable Version Translate Topic

   Have to agree with both views here. 
 It is a shame that Richard and the others havn't been able to stay in southampton as they've put untold manhours and money into their dream(and made it a reality i should add).
 It wonderful though that the BMPT is moving on to bigger and better things. The trust has along term future & the boats will be seen by more than half a million people a year who wouldn't have had the chance, wasn't that the reason for starting the trust?(ok & prob owning some serious boys toys was a bonus at the time).
  Sure i could volunteer some spare weekends crawling round bilges if theres a shower & bacon sarnies at the new site(although won't have much spare time if plans go well). Be worth the time & fuel to learn from guys who know these boats(prob put it though books as training course lol).
  Would it be worth the BMPT or the MTB102 trust running classic boat restoraton & maintenance courses or is the "elf & safety" too prohibitive??
  Stirling work so far folks!!  Hope i'm able & have warboat bilges to crawl in when i'm 70. Everyone who's rolled up their sleeves to get the BMPT this far has much to be proud of!!

Author	Message Topic Search Topic Options Post Reply Create New Topic Printable Version Translate Topic
jimmy p Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 26 September 2006 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 283	Post Options Post Reply Quote jimmy p Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 21 May 2009 at 11:19pm
	Have to agree with both views here. It is a shame that Richard and the others havn't been able to stay in southampton as they've put untold manhours and money into their dream(and made it a reality i should add). It wonderful though that the BMPT is moving on to bigger and better things. The trust has along term future & the boats will be seen by more than half a million people a year who wouldn't have had the chance, wasn't that the reason for starting the trust?(ok & prob owning some serious boys toys was a bonus at the time). Sure i could volunteer some spare weekends crawling round bilges if theres a shower & bacon sarnies at the new site(although won't have much spare time if plans go well). Be worth the time & fuel to learn from guys who know these boats(prob put it though books as training course lol). Would it be worth the BMPT or the MTB102 trust running classic boat restoraton & maintenance courses or is the "elf & safety" too prohibitive?? Stirling work so far folks!! Hope i'm able & have warboat bilges to crawl in when i'm 70. Everyone who's rolled up their sleeves to get the BMPT this far has much to be proud of!!
	A boat is a hole in the water surrounded by wood, into which one throws money

tramontana Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 06 April 2007 Status: Offline Points: 418	Post Options Post Reply Quote tramontana Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 22 May 2009 at 11:07am
	Having looked at the options there is no doubt the best option has been taken in the interest of the Trust's future wellbeing and I congratulate the decision makers on that, as one of the people who were decidedly unhappy about the previous break up within the Trust it was a concern as to what the future held bearing in mind most of the Trust leadership left are around my own age and with the health problems that old age brings (usually the knee's go first). My unhappiness with the previous break up was more to do with the reason's why it happened, not being local to the trust base it was and still is difficult to find out the exact reason's why, the only answer's I am able to get was "contact the other party" who at the time was uncontactable or it's all in the past. The breakup was a major happening within the Trust and it was rather obvious that it would have a implications on the Trust's future and yet the courtesy a full explanation was never given to the Trust membership who were not on Site at Husband's, a few days ago a contribution was made to this forum by "Phil", for some reason I could not read his contribution and it does not appear to be on this particular post, what was the reason for this please?

Pioneer Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Moderator Group Pioneer Joined: 07 December 2004 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 675	Post Options Post Reply Quote Pioneer Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 22 May 2009 at 12:19pm
	Hello 'tramontana' I moved the posting by 'Philip' from this category to the 'Coastal Forces' category. The reason being that 'Philip' was asking a general question about a craft named 'Sabrina' - a supposedly ex WW2 MTB. That in my opinion had nothing to do with the discussion then developing on the future of the Trust. Philip was informed of my reasons (by PM).
	Pioneer - Forum Moderator

richard Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 24 May 2008 Status: Offline Points: 17	Post Options Post Reply Quote richard Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 22 May 2009 at 1:49pm
	Good afternoon Tramantona. Alarming that you seem not to have received the January 2004 newsletter which gives a fulsome explanation as to what happened to the Trust at that time. If you go to the Yardarm and scroll to the bottom you will see "Newsletters" The first letter there is the Jan 2004 Letter sent to all Members. I hope this helps. Richard Hellyer

jimmy p Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 26 September 2006 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 283	Post Options Post Reply Quote jimmy p Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 24 May 2009 at 1:57am
	Well ladies & gentlemen. No offence to anybody here but this thread is the future, not the past! I won't pretend to understand past problems as i wasn't there & all involved parties are now looking to the future. All of us who love these old warboats(from dedicated restorer to modelmaker) have the same goal at heart. A better future for our history wether its buying a book on it or pulling a warboat out of the mud has to be a good thing?? Lest we forget is carved in most war memorials and our efforts on whatever scale is testament that our brothers, fathers, grandfathers or great grandfathers sacrifices will never be forgotten! The BMPT seems a salute to all those before, during & after the war who made it possible for us to express our opinions. Know for sure i wouldn't be so outspoken without thier sacrifice! Thank you British Heroes!!
	A boat is a hole in the water surrounded by wood, into which one throws money

Pathfinder Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Admin Group Pathfinder Joined: 06 December 2004 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 91	Post Options Post Reply Quote Pathfinder Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 27 May 2009 at 9:15am
	JimmyP and Norteaster, I have pm from you both but cannot open the messages..please use my email pathfinder@safemariner.co.uk and send there Richard
	Pathfinder - Forum Moderator

tramontana Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 06 April 2007 Status: Offline Points: 418	Post Options Post Reply Quote tramontana Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 27 May 2009 at 8:04pm
	Good Evening Richard, I did indeed receive the newsletter and was aware of the "problems" regarding the lease, however that is not the matter I had requested info on in the past it was more to do with the "division" with Phil Clabburn and the reasons why he "sailed" away from the Trust ( and for Jimmy P benefit) which was specifically set up to support him and his team in the preservation "initially" of HSL 102. The whole purpose of the Trust was to raise funding for this team of re-builders (both paid and voluntary) to carry out a professional re-build of of HSL102 and other future vessel's, indeed a fair amount of money was raised by the ex RAF Marine Branch Member's to aid this cause in regards to HSL 102, as far as I was aware he was the Trusts desgnated rebuilder and without wanting to upset Richard MTB 102 (which I have yet to see) the quality of the workmanship on HSL 102 is truly superb and a credit to him and his Team. The question remains( in my view and others judging by the reduced membership) is still, why did a Trust specifically set up to support this Team of Professonal Rebuilders of ex Military Craft manage to "lose" the very purpose it was set up for?. Sometimes you have to "revisit" the past Jimmy p (and as you say you were not a Member at the time) to hopefully learn lesson's for the future Thank You Pioneer for your answer, I just wondered why I could not "open" his contribution for the period of time it was sat in the "Trust" section.

Pathfinder Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Admin Group Pathfinder Joined: 06 December 2004 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 91	Post Options Post Reply Quote Pathfinder Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 27 May 2009 at 9:01pm
	It is 5 yeras on and we still fight the battle to survive, which was the battle we had to fight at that time. HSL 102 came to the Husbands Shipyard fully restored, as you say a beautifull boat indeed.You have to remember that HSL102, MGB81 and ST206 were, and still are in the private ownership of Powerboat Restoration, a firm which at that time was managed by PC. They were in no other way connected with BMPT other than they "lived" in the Husbands sheds or on the water close by. However that was not the problem at all. The problem was quite simply that the BMPT management had assumed, incorrectly, that the 125 year pepercorn rental lease on the Husbands Shipyard sheds was a done deal. After much proding, the landlord advised us that the sheds were to be sold, and that we had ONE MONTH to move out. As you can imagine, this left the immediate future of both the BMPT as well as Powerboat Restorations very much in serious trouble. At the same time Powerboat Restorations had taken on the job of bringing S130 to at Husbands, where they planned to restore her. During this period the owner of S130 ran out of finance, and the boat was abandoned on Trust property. Also, the Trust had taken on the restoration of FMB43957, and thanks to Robin Clabburn achieved a Heritage Lottery Grant. However, the HLF will not toleerate a trust which has received a grant, having a business run for profit operating from its property. You will I hope now realise the situation, which was critical for the survival of both the BMPT as well as Powerboat Restorations. It was due to the sterling efforts of our then BMPT Chairman Charles du Cane, that we managed to extend BMPT notice to 2 years. We had to start immediarely with the homing of the boats as well as looking for another home for the Trust. PBR continued to keep their boats at Husbands for about a year, and for obvious reasons the progress with restoration had to be accelerated on our own boats, whilst we and PBR looked for alternative accomodation. Re the membership, we were told that the trust would only survive about 6 months, and that members would all vanish. We have, des[pite this forecast, maintained a high memembership level, and the fantastic membership support given to those of us who dared to take on the odds for so many years, is beyond belief. The only lesson to be learnt from that time, is that you should not count your chickens until they have all hatched, and if it involves a contract DO NOT assume anything until the signed deed is on your desk with a set of keys. I would with the greatest respect, now rather leave this subject as is where is. There is too much which needs to be done to secure the future of our boats and membership,without the contiued return to the past. Whilst on the membership front, it is amazing how many members, despite being asked to cease their membership direct debits, have phioned up and asked how they can continue to donate to whatever we join our boats up to..incredible. I hope this helps.
	Pathfinder - Forum Moderator

tramontana Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 06 April 2007 Status: Offline Points: 418	Post Options Post Reply Quote tramontana Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 20 June 2009 at 6:12pm
	Many thanks for the explanation Richard I think possibly the confusion arose regarding the ownership of certainly one of the vessel's (the MGB) which occured possibly due to an afternote in Powerboat 1 (Sarah Selman's) and then an article in M.B&Y (written by Nick Hall of an interview with P.C.) which gave the impression that the Trust owned the M.G.B. and P.C. was working on it on the Trust's behalf , it appears the Trust has never owned the M.G.B. and therefore funding from sources like the Lottery would be a non -starter as the Lottery does not as far as I am aware fund privatley owned vessel's. One can understand now why P.C. sailed away if he had funded the complete restoration out of his own pocket.

Pathfinder Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Admin Group Pathfinder Joined: 06 December 2004 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 91	Post Options Post Reply Quote Pathfinder Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 04 August 2009 at 10:06am
	At last the Trust and its boats and Membership have a home. On the 25th July, at the final BMPT AGM, the Portsmouth Naval Base Property Trust took over responsibility for the BMPT assets and Membership. The minutes of the AGM will soon be on the Home Page. We are in the process of finalising the dissolution of BMPT and the mony remaining will be handed to the PNBPT when this is finalised. The money will be put toward the continued upkeep of the ex BMPT boats as well as the existing PNBPT boats. BMPT Members will shortly receive a letter with the AGM minutes, the letter will advise of the plans made for the Membership, in order that they may continue to follow the fortunes of the expanding collection of boats at Portsmouth. Please keep using the Trust website, and we will see what the future holds for this. There is a possibility that we may try and merge it with the PNBPT website. More anon and many thanks the supprot you have given in the past.
	Pathfinder - Forum Moderator