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Fitout "good ideas"


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A few ideas...

 

Install a single led light in the ceiling.outside the Loo. The power consumption is almost nil, but in the middle of the night trying to find the loo without waking everbody on the boat is far easier.

 

Install a couple of cigar lighter sockets. Allows mobile phone charging.

 

Install a computer fan (12V), (fed from the ignition switch and hence running whenever the engine is running), to circulate air around the water tank to reduce condensation.

 

Install a holding tank pumpout point on both sides of the boat. (Whenever it rains the pumpout os always on the other side!)

 

Use an inverter for the washing machine. Remove (and insulate correctly) the feed to the washing machine heater. This is the main load during the wash cycle. Do the washing when the water has been heated to a suitable temperature by the engine (and hence the heater is not needed).

 

Most importantly, design the water pipe layout such that there is the facility to easily pumpout the system (hot and cold)from its lowest point for winterising.

 

I await other ideas with interest....

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I have kids so safety is paramount.

 

Smoke alarms are essential I have one near my stove to detect for smoke leaking from the stove. One in the Kitchen and One in the Engine Room. (all the places we are likely to have fires!).

 

Hooks Hooks Hooks..... I put hooks all over. Especially the kitchen, Hanging things (not the kids) is a fantastic way to save space.

 

Also buidling cupboards UNDER things is great. Esepcially the bilge.

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If doing a fit out, always add a few extra "spare" cable runs down the length of the boat. Useful if you need to replace a wire or have a new gadget to wire up. Just tuck them up into the conduit/panels out the way.

  • Greenie 1
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Surely that £50 is for one luminaire fitted with 10 LED's. I did see one on the site @ £23

 

About the largest LED available is one watt, so they must be used in an array to give a useable output. I have noticed some modern cars are using such arrays in the rear lights.

 

They are theoretically more efficient than Tungsten Halogen or Fuoresecent lamps and will give out very little heat. You may find the colours are a bit odd so may not be too good for main lighting.

 

Has anyone seen low votage units yet, the led's do run on low voltage d/c so a 12 volt fitting is relatively easy to produce.

 

John Squeers

Edited by John Orentas
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Hi Richard,

 

They are quite bright enough for night/safety lighting or mood lighting and are also IP 44 rated for use outdoors plus they can even be walked on!

 

You can take a look here-

 

http://www.diy.com/

 

Then search for LED

Cheers

 

Gary

 

Just brought one of these white led lights. 12 leds in a steel round case - surface or recess fitting. Only £9.50 from B&Q. Runs directly of 12v and supplied with cable etc.

 

Trying this out on a 12v battery and the light is fairly strong, enough to highlight parts of the room but not for reading etc. According to the multimeter, only use 90mA current (@ 12v) as well.

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Clevitt (and everyone else!) - get a CO (Carbon Monoxide) alarm too.

You were lucky that the smoke from your fire set your smoke alarm off, but once the fuel is burning well and hot, the smoke disappears.

Any leaks that let the smoke into the cabin might well be letting gases out too.

No smoke of course, but you find yourself slowly getting drowsy!

With luck you identify the reason as being other than tiredness and open a window!

 

Otherwise you snuff it - literally!

 

Mine has gone off twice in about two years.

The £25 spent on it could have saved two lives - once because the wind was blowing the wrong way and the stove was not drawing; the other because I didn't get round to cleaning the chimney, flues and airways in the stove.

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For anyone fitting their own floor in the boat I would recommend that you take extra effort in getting the floor a level as you can. Unfortunately I didn't and although the base plate and bearers looked pretty flat taken over the 40ft cabin length they ain't.

 

Although I am experienced in fitting kitchens etc. in old cottages where the floors are way out of true there is no problem that can't be solved with a spirit level. On a boat on the water things are somewhat different, spirit levels aren't much use.

 

If ever I fitted out another, and walking on the surface of Mars is more likely, I would spend that bit more time on the floor.

 

Richard

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On the subject of floors, and just out of interest, how many of you have inspection hatches at the rear of your boat that enables you to periodically check for water in the dry bilge?.

If you haven't one then here is a little tip on a quick and easy installation.Select a suitable point between the bearers at the rear of the boat as close as you can to the steel bulkhead that divides the wet and dry bilges. Using a brass pumpout deck fitting drill the appropriate sized hole, clear as much ballast as you can, this may require you to hammer and chisel through a paving slab or a brick depending on what has been used for ballast (this doesn't mean a 14lb sledge hammer or kangos because if you do you won't need an inspection hatch to see if there's any water - you'll be standing in it). If it's steel ingots then you won't be able to remove any but don't worry, ideally its better if you can get down to the base plate. All you need to do now is hacksaw off the hosetail on the back of the pumpout fitting position it in place and screw it to the floor. For future inspections all you need to do is to unscrew the centre bung and with a torch you can see the base plate and any water present. Those who have steel ballast and couldn't remove any to see the base plate can feed a dry taper through as far as you can to see if there is water present. Should there be then you can pump it out from here until you find the cause. Before someone says it could just be condensation I am only providing the means for you to be able to see any water and not probable causes, that can be for another thread.

For those of you that are at the ballasting stage this is the time to select your spot and leave a clear area then the fitting is easier. The idea of using a brassfitting is that you can polish it if it's in view, it's also neat and unobtrusive and eliminates the need to construct carriers that would be needed if it was a removable drop-in hatch,as I have said very easy at build stage, and quite easy on existing boats. Hope this helps some of you

 

All the best

Colin

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hi All

 

 

1.Fit a outside Hot water tap at rear of boat.Great when washing windows etc

without carrying a bucket through the boat.Cold dirty water is of coarse free!

 

2.Lie!! Open as many trade accounts as possible. When fitting a boat every penny

counts!!!

 

3.Dont be afraid deviating from tradition. Boat builders are set in there ways!

 

4.Split up with your girlfriend/Wife before you start.

She will prob leave you anyway within 9 months of building since you become

a complete bore to her and you stop caring what you look like

Remember Divorce stops you ordering the more expensive items like heating boilers etc!!

 

 

A bit underhand I know!!!

 

 

Glenn

Edited by Glennbrown
  • Greenie 1
  • Haha 1
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Glenn,

Only just stopped crying with laughter at your 'split up with the girlfriend' comment!

We moved on last December and by February she had legged it!

I have now found a new woman who it a boat nut, makes life so much easier.

Regards

Andy.

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Glenn,

Only just stopped crying with laughter at your 'split up with the girlfriend' comment!

We moved on last December and by February she had legged it!

I have now found a new woman who it a boat nut, makes life so much easier.

Regards

Andy.

 

Victoria told me she wont come on the boat unless she can have a 'Barbie Pink Life Jacket'

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Have drilled a hole through the floorboards at the lowest point on my boat, its just big enough to get the nozzle of a wet and dry vacuum cleaner through.

i find this will suck up every last drop of water (not that i get water in my bilges :) )

 

On the subject of floors, and just out of interest, how many of you have inspection hatches at the rear of your boat that enables you to periodically check for water in the dry bilge?.

        If you haven't one then here is a little tip on a quick and easy installation.Select a suitable point between the bearers at the rear of the boat as close as you can to the steel bulkhead that divides the wet and dry bilges. Using a brass pumpout deck fitting drill the appropriate sized hole, clear as much ballast as you can, this may require you to hammer and chisel through a paving slab or a brick depending on what has been used for ballast (this doesn't mean a 14lb sledge hammer or kangos because if you do you won't need an inspection hatch to see if there's any water - you'll be standing in it). If it's steel ingots then you won't be able to remove any but don't worry, ideally its better if you can get down to the base plate. All you need to do now is hacksaw off the hosetail on the back of the pumpout fitting position it in place and screw it to the floor. For future inspections all you need to do is to unscrew the centre bung and with a torch you can see the base plate and any water present. Those who have steel ballast and couldn't remove any to see the base plate can feed a dry taper through as far as you can to see if there is water present. Should there be then you can pump it out from here until you find the cause. Before someone says it could just be condensation I am only providing the means for you to be able to see any water and not probable causes, that can be for another thread.

        For those of you that are at the ballasting stage this is the time to select your spot and leave a clear area then the fitting is easier. The idea of using a brassfitting is that you can polish it if it's in view, it's also neat and unobtrusive and eliminates the need to construct carriers that would be needed if it was a removable drop-in hatch,as I have said very easy at build stage, and quite easy on existing boats. Hope this helps some of you

     

                All the best

                          Colin

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A handy idea (for gadget fans).

 

The LCD TV's that you get for your car dash/headrest are perfect for a bedroom TV set and at 12v is ideal, saves alot of space over a Roadstar style one and doesnt break the bank as a Roadstar one can while using less power than a Roadstar TV.

 

IAN

 

ps Sorry Roadstar

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Having recently broke down, in the dark. I have thought a good idea would be to fit some lighting to the engine room.

 

I am going to fit lighting and provide a 12v and 240 socket in the engine compartment also for tools, lead light, etc.

 

Y

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  • 3 weeks later...

Engine Fire

 

Engine fires are very rare but we should think about what could be done if the worst happens. I have noticed a clever device used some sea boats.

 

I have a traditional style boat with the engine within a plywood enclosure though the priciple would apply equally well to other types. I keep a Co2 type fire extinguisher in the engine room*, the problem is that, to do something about a fire would require the opening of the entire top of the engine enclosure, allowing flames to come out and oxygen to get in.

 

My extinguisher is the familiar type with the 'Blunderbus' nozzle, about 2 inches diameter. Find a convenient spot and bore a hole into the engine space a little smaller than the nozzle.

 

Cut a 4 x 4 inch square of 1/2 inch plywood and bore a hole a little larger than the nozzle through the centre, this will act as a locator, paint it yellow or red and fix it with 4 screws over the orifice in the enclosure.

 

You will now be in a position to fill the engine space with Co2 gas without putting anyone at risk.

 

* Note; If the engine room serves also as a sleeping area Co2 types are not permitted, although strangely this requirement is not included in the latest guide (Jan 2002)

The system would work equally well with powder types, but very messy.

Since writting this I have noticed that such a system is reccomended by the safety scheme aurthority.

 

Perhaps one of the safety examiners would clarify the above.

Edited by John Orentas
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