Lengthening a 35' nb

[drunkensailor]

Hello - sorry I've been a stranger!

 

I have settled somewhere nice, and met someone nice, and it is time for me to move onto the next bit of my life.

 

My lovely narrowboat, home for the last ten years and source of countless adventures, is going to be too small.

 

It failed its 30 year insurance survey the year before last because of some pitting on the baseplate. I had decided not to worry about it, as although the surveyor told me that warranted an entire new baseplate(!) it's still 3.5mm at its thinnest, as opposed to 5mm when new. 3.5mm is a lot of steel.

 

This means, of course, that it is worth nothing. Plus I love it. So rather than sell it for scrap and buy a new one I want to get the overplating done and extend it by 12 feet or so. I'd also like to add two side hatches, and box in the front of the boat (it has a welded roof area that could also usefully become cabin space. The engine had a lot spent on it fairly recently; I'm sure it will do the job.

 

Who would do this kind of work? Streethay Wharf are close to me. But it's a massive job, and I would be happy to move the boat to do it. I want a quality job from people that have done it before.

 

Any suggestions gratefully received.

[jake_crew]

We have had Jem Bates at Puttenham (Aylesbury Arm) do our base plate overplating a couple of years ago - at the Bulbourne dry dock.

 

Cost for your length would be around £4k.

 

As for lengthening etc, I could only guess at another £5 - 10k.

[Athy]

Streethay have a reputation as boat stretchers.

I would seriously suggest going shopping for a 45 to 50 footer; it's hard to believe that your boat is worth "nothing" so you should be able partly to fund the purchase of a longer boat by selling the 35-footer.

 

Oh, welcome back and it's good that you are the bearer of glad tidings!

[OldGoat]

I've always meant to ask-

Surely with a full baseplate overplate (and similarly with a lengthening), you have to strip out most of the interior to avoid the boat catching fire?

 

(An overstatement perhaps, but anything combustible near the welding are has to be removed??: