Fitout "good ideas"

[James York]

Not really a "fitout good idea" but i always liked the idea of having a solid front bulkhead like the canaltime boats have. Its good in that you can have a nice big bed on the front cabin and its away from everyone else, its nice and quiet and peaceful up front. However you do scarafice the convience of walking out the boat. However you could put some side doors close to the front and then walk down the gunwale a little to the front. All depends on what you want from your boat.

[John Orentas]

Internal doors.

 

It is usually impossible to buy doors anywhere near the shape and size you need and you don't really want modern looking units anyway.

 

So make your own, even if you are a good woodworker making framed panel doors with mortise and tennon joints will take forever. Cut the door from 3/4 plywood, you could leave it at that with a paint finish but it would be a bit boring, instead glue onto it an imitation frame, I used some offcuts of the 8mm T & G boards left over from the deckhead, plane off the tongues and grooves and trim to the correct width.

 

Think about the make-up of a panel door, horizontal wide frame at the bottom, slightly slimmer board at the top, slimmer still mid horizontal and vertical elements. Painted in contrasting colours the finished door will look every inch a handmade original door unlike those bland things you normally see on new boats.

 

Hang it using piano hinge, brass of course, by far the best method on boats.

[ChrisPy]

Internal doors.

 

 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

save space and do without internal doors except to the you-know-where.

 

hang heavy curtains from brass rods with nice big curtain rings.

 

soft and cosy appearance, no need to plan for door swing, keeps the boat open and airy during the day, keeps the heat in and the draughts out at night.

 

my wide-beam will have just one door, to the bathroom. There will be a curtain at the end of the corridor past the bathroom where it leads into bedroom 1, and another between bedroom 1 and the rear cabin (occasional bedroom 2 also serving as utility room).

[John Orentas]

Chris.

 

My boat is an open plan layout but I still consider it neccessary to have two doors between the engine room (which is right at the back) and the cabin area to keep things a bit quiet.

[John Orentas]

Concertina doors.

 

The design for my bathroom door was limited by the common problem of insufficient space to swing a full width door. I could have gone for a sliding one but they are a bit boring, I decided on a two piece one hinged in the middle built in the same method as the full width one using two full height piano hinges.

 

Takes a bit of working out this one, the free end of the door must slide along a track in the top of the door frame, I won't detail that but you can always improvise something, look around the hardware shop for a suitable rail, it must be metal and quite strong. The middle should fold out, away from the bathroom.

 

You must design the geometry carefully, you will reallise that the two elements can't be the same size.

 

Don't try and make them fold flat, you get a jambing effect and it will place an excessive strain on the hinges, much better for them to stop 3 inches short.

 

For that reason you must devise a 'stop' and also the door apperture needs to be rather wider to accomodate a 'not fully opening' door.

[ChrisPy]

Chris.

 

My boat is an open plan layout but I still consider it neccessary to have two doors between the engine room (which is right at the back) and the cabin area to keep things a bit quiet.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

of course my engine is where it belongs - hidden away under that enormous rear deck, sharing space with no-one and nobody.

[John Orentas]

You are quite right Chris, that's the place for it. Everthing streaming with condensation to keep it nice and dank. I miss that exilerating feeling of the rain dripping down the back of my neck when doing a bit of daily maintenance and people treading on my fingers whilst I'm wrestling with the deck boards.

 

Only the other day I was bemoaning my fate whilst I was doing a little job at my workbench in the engine room, over-heated and over-lit as it is I managed it, and then went on to give my engine a polish with a dry cloth, at the same time listening to the rain pattering outside.

 

My god it was hell in there.

Edited January 14, 2005 by John Orentas

[ChrisPy]

You are quite right Chris, that's the place for it. Everthing streaming with condensation to keep it nice and dank. I miss that exilerating feeling of the rain dripping down the back of my neck when doing a bit of daily maintenance and people treading on my fingers whilst I'm wrestling with the deck boards.

 

Only the other day I was bemoaning my fate whilst I was doing a little job at my workbench in the engine room, over-heated and over-lit as it is I managed it, and then went on to give my engine a polish with a dry cloth, at the same time listening to the rain pattering outside.

 

My god it was hell in there.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

sorry, I didn't mention my plans for the stand-up engine space and extended hatches that ScouseBoat has kindly agreed to incorporate, along with the wheelhouse surround that will form the basis for the boatman's cabin and wheelhouse (and conservatory when I'm residentially disadvantaged).

 

I'm still trying to work out where to garage the car. Impressed by those Rhine barges with a 2CV parked on the cabin roof.

[Big COL]

You are quite right Chris, that's the place for it. Everthing streaming with condensation to keep it nice and dank. I miss that exilerating feeling of the rain dripping down the back of my neck when doing a bit of daily maintenance and people treading on my fingers whilst I'm wrestling with the deck boards.

 

Only the other day I was bemoaning my fate whilst I was doing a little job at my workbench in the engine room, over-heated and over-lit as it is I managed it, and then went on to give my engine a polish with a dry cloth, at the same time listening to the rain pattering outside.

 

My god it was hell in there.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

John

 

How you suffer!

[John Orentas]

Have a word with Richard, they say he has got a helicopter landing pad and hangar.

[Paul Evans]

I'm sure I recall seeing (a long time ago) a boat with a long, low, tug-style fore deck fitted with a turntable arrangement onto which a Mini could be run up ramps. Not sure that I fancy driving the car on - especially on a dark, wet night but I suppose the turntable was fitted with some sort of stop plank to prevent the car and driver ending up in the cut.

[John Orentas]

Are you ordering a new shell.

 

If you are planning a new boat in a traditional or semi-traditional style, you would be advised to keep some separation between the engine room and the living accommodation areas of the boat. There is always a potential for the engine room to get swamped in some way by the ingress of water, fuel or lubricating oil.

 

Get your builder to add a partial waterproof bulkhead in the doorway leading from the engine room. A steel plate, 10 - 12 inches high continuously welded onto the bottom plate and to the full height of the bulkhead, or more accurately called a 'coaming'. As part of the fitting out a polished timber trim can be fitted on top.

 

After the floor has been installed it will be 5 or 6 inches above, you will trip over it a few times but you will soon get used to it and you will know that whatever little catastrophes many occur they will be confined to the smelly bit of the boat.

 

You will find the coaming also serves as a good psychological barrier between the distinct areas and it is also one of those few features that makes your pride and joy feel more like a 'proper' boat.

[ChrisPy]

it is also one of those few features that makes your pride and joy feel more like a 'proper' boat.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

so you need the smell of hot diesel from the engine breather to really feel alive !

[John Orentas]

Chris.

 

It is a real issue, I have been on boats that don't feel like boats at all, they may have an engine room of sorts but everyting remotely boaty is hidden away behind the latest trendy household accessories.

 

For me I like boats, that's why I have bought one, it has a woodburning stove, I don't have a kitchen I have a galley, when I am in bed it has the feel of a bunk, my engine room has equipment fixed to the walls, wiring, pipes, ropes, exposed lighting and a workbench. If this description fills anyone with horror I would suggest they have no business having a boat.

 

Others will say in a pompous sort of way "that's all very well but I like to be comfortable", then I would say they have missed the point, boats can be comfortable too.

 

You only have to read many of the contributions on this site to realise that a sizable minority go to great lengths to embrace a suburban lifestyle and create modern home counties semi.

 

There is no irony in this, but I do honestly wonder at times, "why the hell has this bloke bought a boat".

Edited January 18, 2005 by John Orentas

[Big COL]

John

 

To each his own. I know where you are coming from with this, and I can imagine you will ruffle a few feathers. On the same lines applied to motor cars we would still be driving model T fords (comes in any colour as long as it's black) It must be a individual choice as with any thing in life. You may enjoy throwing the bucket down the well for your fresh water, others prefer to turn on the tap.

Commercialism drives the advancement in all products, and the majority of us embrace all the advantages this brings.You yourself are as guilty as anybody in this as you have worked in R and D and expected the developments to be put to use or there is no point in having any R and D.

A dug out canoe is a boat if you really want a true boat, but you are willing to accept the advancements from this up to the level that you perceive to be a boat, strange thing this, a little bit of dual standards applied here methinks.

Edited January 18, 2005 by Big COL

[Gary Stacey]

Fair comment COL - what level of advancement is accepted as boaty and who draws the line? The person who owns the boat of course. I like to keep things simple but have embraced modern developments such as a cassette toilet in foavour of a bucket (used by one of my ex-working boatman friends). Should we all still have our boats pulled by horses or use bolinders instead of multi cyclinder diesels, wheres the line?!

 

Gary

[ChrisPy]

John

 

To each his own. I know where you are coming from with this, and I can imagine you will ruffle a few feathers. On the same lines applied to motor cars we would still be driving model T fords (comes in any colour as long as it's black) It must be a individual choice as with any thing in life. You may enjoy throwing the bucket down the well for your fresh water, others prefer to turn on the tap.

  Commercialism drives the advancement in all products, and the majority of us embrace all the advantages this brings.You yourself are as guilty as anybody in this as you have worked in R and D and expected the developments to be put to use or there is no point in having any R and D.

    A dug out canoe is a boat if you really want a true boat, but you are willing to accept the advancements from this up to the level that you perceive to be a boat, strange thing this, a little bit of dual standards applied here methinks.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

a better comparison might be between a horse-drawn gipsy caravan, an old VW Transporter with the engine under the floor and covered in knick-knacks nicely painted to look like a gipsy caravan, and a chromium plated motorhome with the engine neatly stowed out of the way.

 

If I'm going to live on board I want some boaty character along with most of the mod cons. And that's what I intend to get. It doesn't include a smelly diesel in the next room, gimballed cookers or swinging hurricane lamps. It does include polished wood & brass and some nice round portholes.

[John Orentas]

Hi Chaps.

 

Well that's pretty much the reaction I anticipated, I don't know where to draw the line either, but I would not be at a point where we have have central heating boilers the need to be serviced every year at £300 a time, or where we are meant to be aping the fashion of the day with laminated floors and this year's west end colours.

 

I can only repeat that it is possible to have a comfortable boat that looks and feels like a boat with some level of originality. Does a cassette toilet really represent progress. Twenty years ago pump-outs were the norm, a man sucks it out with a pipe, I would say that is the 21st century method of disposal.

 

Commercialism does not only drive advancement, it often drive profits at the expense of advancement. Sea boat design has for many years been driven by 'The Trade' all that is available now are white plastic and stainless steel absurdities that look like 1950's duke boxes, with prices that start at half a million pounds. Canal boats are heading that way.

 

Anyway what's wrong a Bollinder, I would rather have one of those gently throbbing away in my engine room that a whizzy Japanese thingy screaming away even if it is buried under a Laura Ashley bedroom.

Edited January 18, 2005 by John Orentas

[Big COL]

Hi Chaps.

 

 

Commercialism does not only drive advancement, it often drive profits at the expense of advancement.  Sea boat design has for many years been driven by 'The Trade' all that is available now are white plastic and stainless steel absurdities that look like 1950's duke boxes, with prices that start at half a million pounds.  Canal boats are heading that way.

 

]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I hope this isn't the end of this thread I at least expected to read some comment from Richard.

Commercialism does not only drive advancement. True. Wars, the space race,etc, really drive on development, but is not commercialism preferable to war?

[dor]

You only have to read many of the contributions on this site to realise that a sizable minority go to great lengths to embrace a suburban lifestyle and create modern home counties semi.

 

There is no irony in this, but I do honestly wonder at times, "why the hell has this bloke bought a boat".

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

John: You're really going to like this one...........

 

http://www.missconduct.co.uk/narative.htm

[John Orentas]

Dor.

 

Am I missing something here, the site is a sort of tourists guide to the Massi Mara ?

[rustyduck]

Dor,

 

There's a few nice ideas on that one, I'd hate to see the price tag though!

 

Some random thoughts, to keep things going for BigC:

 

How long do we have to wait for the current floating plastic and stainless boats and/or their fittings to be traditional? Or do we have to wait until they have been superseded by several generations of kit?

 

If the owner recognises that their 'floating cottage' is actually free to move around on the floaty stuff, then that must be the basis of it being a boat, even if I would find it akin to being in a branch of Habitat/B&Q/Dorothy Perkins.

 

I've had a lot grief from 'boaty' types who think that narrow boats aren't proper boats as they can't handle waves!

[Oliver]

Interesting discussion this but a bit off the topic 'Fit-out Good Ideas', Still that won't stop me putting my two pennorth in.

 

Was at the Boat Show at the weekend and went on board the New Boat Co's Aqualine show boat. The interior was beautiful, inlaid ash, etched glass doors, fantastic shower , granite worktops, really fancy lighting BUT it just didn't feel like a narrowboat, it felt like a narrow loft apartment.

 

If you'd showed me the spec on paper, I would have said that sounds just the sort of thing we want (sorree to all the tradionalists out there) but it just went too far in reality. Not really explaining this very well, did anybody else see the boat and have the same sort of feeling?

[dor]

Dor.

 

Am I missing something here, the site is a sort of tourists guide to the Massi Mara ?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I think you must be John - there's no sweeping plains of majestic wildebeest when I click the link ( and presumably not rustyduck either judging from his response.

 

Try the link again or type it in directly.

[John Orentas]

Very interesting. Young graduates are encouraged to do such exercises these days, perhaps he should get out more, find himself a girlfriend. Anyone who has built a boat will know such a project is an impossibility and is riddled with silly errors.

 

Anyone notice the hull spec. 15 : 8 ; 6 : 4. Six mm cabin sides I don't think so. These universities should teach these chaps not to try to re-invent the wheel.