Thread: Woodturning cruise

I have not been on it, nor do I know anyone who has. (I think. If they have, they've been unusually reticent about bragging rights. )

However, I first discovered this cruise a few years ago when I saw a short doco on the ship on either ABC or SBS. The doco wasn't so much about the woodturning as such, as about the ship itself & the places and people it visited... I remember being disappointed that very little was actually shown of the woodturning facilities, the turners themselves or any finished products.

I also recall that at the final debarkation, the end of the trip, each and every person who walked off that boat had s$@t-eating grins. Lucky sods.

This trip is high on my wish-list for when my boat finally comes in. (Sadly, I suspect that now that the Titanic is deemed a historic grave site and considered sacrosanct, I might be ill-advised to keep waiting on it. )

I went on the last one. Just niticed your location Lyle, I'm up the road in Stroud. PM me if you want anything. Phil

Originally Posted by pommyphil

I went on the last one. Just niticed your location Lyle, I'm up the road in Stroud. PM me if you want anything. Phil

Hi Phil, how about filling the rest of us in too, Would love to know more.
Tim

I have done this trip but not the wood turning cruise. I would go again in a heartbeat. It may appear heresy to some here, but the trip would be a waste in some ways to spend the whole time wood turning. If it was a few hours per day, then that would be fine, there is too much to see and to lose that opportunity to do hours and hours of turning would be a waste in my view.

<script id="ncoEventScript" type="text/javascript">function DOMContentLoaded(browserID, tabId, isTop, url) { var object = document.getElementById("cosymantecnisbfw"); if(null != object) { object.DOMContentLoaded(browserID, tabId, isTop, url);} }; function Nav(BrowserID, TabID, isTop, isBool, url) { var object = document.getElementById("cosymantecnisbfw"); if(null != object) object.Nav(BrowserID, TabID, isTop, isBool, url); }; function NavigateComplete(BrowserID, TabID, isTop, url) { var object = document.getElementById("cosymantecnisbfw"); if(null != object) object.NavigateComplete(BrowserID, TabID, isTop, url); } function Submit(browserID, tabID, target, url) { var object = document.getElementById("cosymantecnisbfw"); if(null != object) object.Submit(browserID, tabID, target, url); }; </script>Not sure how you would go on rough seas though....

90% of the cruise is within the chains of islands and fjords so isn't in open water much. The exception from memory is across to the Lofoten islands, that's open water. I did the north and south round trip in February/March and it was very calm.

Well we are going!
The trip planning is going full steam ahead.
We had a chat to Phil who was very friendly and had some good info and advice.
Haven't had a break for many years and we are so looking forward to it.

Planning a self drive spin around the UK before doing the cruise, so the cruise will let me relax after the 'driving' experience.
So many places to see, so little time.

As Ray said the scenery is spectacular, but you can't stare at grey rock all day every day. I probably did 2 hrs a day watching better turners and learning, and maybe the same actually turning. Often as I worked there would be spare VL300s standing vacant.I was very pleased with the turning side of it, but tools were hard to find,the demonstrators brought their own and wood was expensive.The seas in August were flat, a lot of the steaming was in and out of Fiords with no roll at all.
The Gann is an old car ferry and no cruise ship, the cabins are small and basic but the food is good. Shes a "dry" ship so booze must be smuggled aboard and drunk in closets.Beer ashore is over AU$30 per litre if you can find a pub ! I was glad of a few days in Bangkok on the way home.
I'm happy to answer any questions. Cheers Phil

Have read about this on US w/t forums. Sounds brilliant. Good call Lyle.

Originally Posted by pommyphil

The Gann is an old car ferry and no cruise ship, the cabins are small and basic

I'm focusing on this, and trying to convince myself that this is the reason I'm not going, and that it has nothing at all to do with the fact that I can't afford it

did anyone else notice the competition nova had to win a trip on the cruise? got to be in it to win it!!!!

Sure did.
I'm looking closely at these lathes. Might be my new replacement.

Don't rush into anything Lyle, on the Gann you'll have Novas and Vicmarcs side by side, and plenty of time to compare

Strange, but the demonstrators only used the Vics Phil

Originally Posted by pommyphil

Don't rush into anything Lyle, on the Gann you'll have Novas and Vicmarcs side by side, and plenty of time to compare

Strange, but the demonstrators only used the Vics Phil

Nothing strange about that , they are the best in the world.

Richard Raffan told us one time at one of the symposiums that he went to that every demonstrator that was there wanted to use the Vicmarc lathes and chucks even though there was other well known available, even the locals wanted the aussie lathes and not their own brands.

The cruise is on our bucket list of things to do, have a great time.