Designing a 50 ft narrow boat

[xyz1234]

I write to ask if you could give advice/comments on my new project a 50ft deluxe curser stern narrow boat. As you may know, there is a variety of different style & features that are available, to many to list. My overall aim to design and build a narrow boat that is unique and innovative. Also I am looking to put a new engine in but can any one recommend what size and hp, I have a budget for about around £4000 , any suggestions?

 

I am currently in negotiations with a boat builder at the moment but I have this nagging feeling that I have might have missed something out. I would really appreciate if you could anyone suggest your top 5 unique innovative features or ideas that should be included that are not normally found as standard. Something that later on you have found essential or desirable Please see below for my project ideas so far:

• 50-foot cruiser deluxe stern
  
• Lockable Steel Doors at Front
  
• Lockable Centre Sliding Hatch
  
• Seating area with a rail around stern
  
• 30-inch Side doors (duck feeder)
  
• Cherry type fender eyes
  
• Mushroom vents 4 in total
  
• Centre storm ring
  
• Pole and plank racks
  
• Lockable security strap for engine cover
  
• Lockable security strap for the front doors
  
• Lockable control box
  

Any suggestions or comments would be very much appreciated, many thanks for helping

 

Kind regards David

Edited August 15, 2007 by hardmandj

[saltysplash]

I write to ask if you could give advice/comments on my new project a 50ft deluxe curser stern narrow boat. As you may know, there is a variety of different style & features that are available, to many to list. My overall aim to design and build a narrow boat that is unique and innovative. I am currently in negotiations with a boat builder at the moment but I have this nagging feeling that I have might have missed something out. I would really appreciate if you could anyone suggest your top 5 unique innovative features or ideas that should be included that are not normally found as standard. Something that later on you have found essential or desirable Please see below for my project ideas so far:

• 50-foot cruiser deluxe stern
  
• Lockable Steel Doors at Front........Very security conscious
  
• Lockable Centre Sliding Hatch
  
• Seating area with a rail around stern.......wouldnt you get that with a semi trad stern?
  
• 30-inch Side doors (duck feeder)
  
• Cherry type fender eyes.........not sure what these are but i would like recessed fender eyes in the gunwhales
  
• Mushroom vents 4 in total.......wouldnt this depend on the area/volume thingy for adequate ventilation along with low level vents as well
  
• Centre storm ring
  
• Pole and plank racks
  
• Lockable security strap for engine cover.........ive never had me engine bay screw'd but worth a thought
  
• Lockable security strap for the front doors..........if steel doors with suitable hasp and clasp would this be needed?
  
• Lockable control box
  

Any suggestions or comments would be very much appreciated, many thanks for helping Kind regards David

Interesting ideas, would like to know why you would want a sliding hatch on the roof, talk me through it Internal wise, ive always fancid a walkin wardrobe, NB's are notorious for lack of hanging space, yet they have everything else Edited August 15, 2007 by saltysplash

[Chris J W]

Possibly just a minor thing, but deciding where your TV/Radio aerial would be situated sooner rather than later could be good idea. Get the hole drilled and sealed/gromitted properly, and then run the cable behind the cladding to a normal outlet with other outlets in the berth areas.

[Alistair]

My vote goes for a nice big canopy over the cruiser stern.

 

They really come into their own over the winter - as a semi-dry area to take off your waterproofs and boots before you enter the cabin.

 

They also provide an extra room during the summer: open as many windows as you need, or take the canopy odwn completely if it's a warm evening.

 

And you can cruise in the rain too

[charles123]

simple

 

raised tug deck

josher bow, deep drafted hull

portholed elevation

vintage engine

boatmans cabin

 

Charles

[JohnEW2912]

My vote goes for a nice big canopy over the cruiser stern.

 

They really come into their own over the winter - as a semi-dry area to take off your waterproofs and boots before you enter the cabin.

 

They also provide an extra room during the summer: open as many windows as you need, or take the canopy odwn completely if it's a warm evening.

 

And you can cruise in the rain too

 

This just goes to show how different we all are. A bit of rain hasn't stopped me cruising yet without one.

 

I personally would never countenance a canopy. One of the things I enjoy about boating is being out in the weather, good or bad. A canopy insulates you from the outside in my opinion. After all, there is no such thing as bad weather, merely inappropriate clothing. Get a good coat.

 

On the other hand we don't do a lot of winter cruising. Each to their own...

[magpie patrick]

word of warning re: your sliding centre hatch. Boat roofs are curved: making a slide over a constant curve is very difficult, over a variable one impossible: the hatch at the back slides along the boat and isn't affected by the curve. That's why most boats have a hinged hatch cover for the side.

 

Allowing room to get out of wet clothes without dripping all over the bedroom floor would have my vote, possibly because on Ripple this isn't possible!

[StephenA]

Charles - he's looking for something "unique", not a boat that looks like it popped off a production line.

 

I don't know what you mean by Deluxe cruiser stern, however Mintball's cruiser stern back is about 6 foot (with an almost square stern) which gives a large deck area with space for 4-5 people which makes boating so much more sociable. We've even held picnics on it

 

If you are going for a big open stern then don't skimp on the size of the covers over the engine. The centre section of Mintball's back deck is two deck boards which lift out and a removable cross bar too. This means the entire engine and gear box is easily accessible (One engineer described it a few years ago as the "best engine well" he'd ever worked in) and the engine and gear box can simply be winched straight up out of the well without snagging on anything.

[Alistair]

Allowing room to get out of wet clothes without dripping all over the bedroom floor would have my vote, possibly because on Ripple this isn't possible!

 

Precisely. Get all your wet gear off under the canopy in a self-draining cruiser-stern cockpit, hang it all up under the canopy to drip dry, and life is sweet.

 

Oh also make sure you can get ventilation from your windows without rain getting in. Those windows that slide open across their full height look good but let in the wet Drop-down vents on the top few inches of a window 'ole work well and are (relatively) secure.

[Barry]

I've seen cruiser sterns where the seats around the rail have storage underneath - thought it was really great idea

[Gary Peacock]

I've seen cruiser sterns where the seats around the rail have storage underneath - thought it was really great idea

 

Here's one I made earlier:-

 

 

[StephenA]

we have two seats at the back, one on each side. Each seat has a 13Kg Calor cylinder in it

[Big John]

Possibly just a minor thing, but deciding where your TV/Radio aerial would be situated sooner rather than later could be good idea. Get the hole drilled and sealed/gromitted properly, and then run the cable behind the cladding to a normal outlet with other outlets in the berth areas.

Agreed! But not a minor thing. TV AND Radio AerialS, also mobile phone aerial, and Satellite dish wiring and pole fixing (wind can even blow over one with a mag mount.) Make sure it ALL works OK BEFORE the cladding is fitted. You won't want to strip off the cladding once its fitted.

[xyz1234]

Hi, thank you all for your lovely suggestions, its fantastic; this is stuff that the magazines don’t pick up! Especially about the canopy, storage under the seats, the easy access to the engine area and the TV aerial. My aspiration for the project is to develop a boat with a traditional look but bring in new and innovative design to make most of the space inside and out including the design of the shell.

 

Thank you again all for your positive comments it’s really appreciated. I did remark about the lockable centre-sliding hatch, this is actually the entrance similar to the picture by Gary (cheers). My mistake never had my coffee this morning. Any more comments or suggestions will be grateful received.

 

Thanks for helping , David

[Jason Wilson and Family]

Charles - he's looking for something "unique", not a boat that looks like it popped off a production line.

 

simple

 

raised tug deck with twin howitzers housed in a rotating turret

josher bow, deep drafted hull with a Winston Churchill figurehead and properly fortified to support roman style ram

portholed elevation with gold and silver scrolling

vintage engine with a welshmanwithahandcrank genset

boatmans cabin without a rose in sight

 

Charles and me

 

There, that better?

Edited August 16, 2007 by Jason Wilson and Family

[AllanW]

I write to ask if you could give advice/comments on my new project a 50ft deluxe curser stern narrow boat. As you may know, there is a variety of different style & features that are available, to many to list. My overall aim to design and build a narrow boat that is unique and innovative. Also I am looking to put a new engine in but can any one recommend what size and hp, I have a budget for about around £4000 , any suggestions?

 

I am currently in negotiations with a boat builder at the moment but I have this nagging feeling that I have might have missed something out. I would really appreciate if you could anyone suggest your top 5 unique innovative features or ideas that should be included that are not normally found as standard. Something that later on you have found essential or desirable Please see below for my project ideas so far:

• 50-foot cruiser deluxe stern
  
• Lockable Steel Doors at Front
  
• Lockable Centre Sliding Hatch
  
• Seating area with a rail around stern
  
• 30-inch Side doors (duck feeder)
  
• Cherry type fender eyes
  
• Mushroom vents 4 in total
  
• Centre storm ring
  
• Pole and plank racks
  
• Lockable security strap for engine cover
  
• Lockable security strap for the front doors
  
• Lockable control box
  

Any suggestions or comments would be very much appreciated, many thanks for helping

 

Kind regards David

 

Hi David

 

A few suggestions...

 

Consider how you might get back aboard in case of an accidental swim - it's easy to have the builder leave the bottom plate a couple of inches proud to provide a step.

 

I'd also consider having a small step to allow you to get onto the roof easily in case you need to (for example) get to a lock ladder in a hurry. It's not so easy getting on the roor of cruiser stern compared with a semi-trad with seats!

 

Again speaking personally, I'd be inclined to put the stern tube greaser just inside one of those under rail lockers... I know you should always take a quick peek in the engine 'ole when stopping, but clambering down to reach the greaser can be a pain - especially when it's wet and you're in a hurry

 

Also, for what it costs to put in at the build stage, I'd make sure there's a watertight bulkhead forward of the weed hatch - accidents do happen

 

Internally - as you seem very security concious - how about getting one of the internal cupboards made from steel, lockable, and wooden clad, as a secure locker for your valuables

 

And finally - if you are considering river cruising - have you considered a stern anchor point? Some builders provide a very neat 'bike rack' type of anchor storage just behind the tiller (I'll find a picture if you don't know what I mean)

 

You might also find THIS thread interesting

 

Allan