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Stretching a boat


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Noted a thread on the other place about stretching your boat, its something that i had thought about, the reason for wanting to do this is my bedroom is at the bow, then the bathroom behind, because i have a pump out tank running under the bed, i cant actually move the bathroom back towards the stern to make the bedroom bigger without moving the tank, which would mean a lot of work..

So my thought is to stretch the boat in the bedroom, say 4ft, seen prices of around £600/per foot which seems ok if i can get a decent size bedroom.

My worries though are getting the work done, hitting something and by boat splitting!

Has anyone here had the work done, how strong is the boat after this work, can you recommend anyone.

 

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2 minutes ago, Dave Payne said:

Noted a thread on the other place about stretching your boat, its something that i had thought about, the reason for wanting to do this is my bedroom is at the bow, then the bathroom behind, because i have a pump out tank running under the bed, i cant actually move the bathroom back towards the stern to make the bedroom bigger without moving the tank, which would mean a lot of work..

So my thought is to stretch the boat in the bedroom, say 4ft, seen prices of around £600/per foot which seems ok if i can get a decent size bedroom.

My worries though are getting the work done, hitting something and by boat splitting!

Has anyone here had the work done, how strong is the boat after this work, can you recommend anyone.

 

It'll be the same strength as the rest of your boat. The process isn't really any different to how it would have been built in the first place.

Many ocean going ships are lengthened.

Not sure about GRPs though, and surely it won't be long before someone asks about widening their boat (if it hasn't already been asked!)

JP

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My dad had ours stretched over 20 years ago from 45 to 60 foot . It was only a couple of years old at the time so certainly a faff compared to having decided on 60ft at original build time but wasn't as horrendous as it sounds. We stripped the lining around the cut line (line to be cut was about 6' back from bow doors) and then fitted two temporary wooden full bulkheads either side of it, each about a foot from the cut line. Boat was then craned out, taken to engineering firm, put on roller bed, cut, the two halves moved 15' apart and then the steelwork in between completed. Put back in water and then we removed the temp bulkheads and fitted the new section in keeping with the rest of the boat. It's not obvious that it has been stretched and after all this time I wouldn't think the joints of the stretch any less substantial than the others from the original build. Can't really help on price as is was so long ago but if you like your current boat and just want more space then definitely worth investigating further. 

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13 minutes ago, BilgePump said:

My dad had ours stretched over 20 years ago from 45 to 60 foot . It was only a couple of years old at the time so certainly a faff compared to having decided on 60ft at original build time but wasn't as horrendous as it sounds. We stripped the lining around the cut line (line to be cut was about 6' back from bow doors) and then fitted two temporary wooden full bulkheads either side of it, each about a foot from the cut line. Boat was then craned out, taken to engineering firm, put on roller bed, cut, the two halves moved 15' apart and then the steelwork in between completed. Put back in water and then we removed the temp bulkheads and fitted the new section in keeping with the rest of the boat. It's not obvious that it has been stretched and after all this time I wouldn't think the joints of the stretch any less substantial than the others from the original build. Can't really help on price as is was so long ago but if you like your current boat and just want more space then definitely worth investigating further. 

Cheers for that, sounds painless....

The bedroom needs stripping anyway as the bed is the wrong place really and limits room so that bit doesnt bother me.

I know the boat, i know the engine, its paid for so rather than selling and buying another its a no brainer, just need to find someone to do it who has a yard next the canal and can pull the boat out without paying silly crane fees.

I am also due to paint the outside this summer, but if i go ahead i can always delay that a year.

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I think Streethay Wharf still do stretching. It's a major upheaval and IMHO a lot of hassle just for 4ft lengthening as there's a 'standing cost' - lifting cutting back and so on which has to be done anyway.

You may be frightened at the total cost.... 

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Our boat was lengthened by the original builders and when we had the survey done it showed that the baseplate of the inserted section was built with a 20mm baseplate compared to the original 15 so its actually the strogest part of the boat the only problem the survey found to do with the lengthening was that we seem to have a tiny pin hole in the weld causing a small leak which is aparantly not too uncommon after a while (it was done 14 years ago) so a closer inspection is needed in september when it's repainted.

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1 hour ago, Dave Payne said:

 

I know the boat, i know the engine, its paid for so rather than selling and buying another its a no brainer, just need to find someone to do it who has a yard next the canal and can pull the boat out without paying silly crane fees.

But its the total cost including crane fees that matters. Martin Kedian has contacts with local crane/truck hire businesses, and he might still be able to offer the best overall deal.

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1 hour ago, Captain Pegg said:

It'll be the same strength as the rest of your boat. The process isn't really any different to how it would have been built in the first place.

Many ocean going ships are lengthened.

Not sure about GRPs though, and surely it won't be long before someone asks about widening their boat (if it hasn't already been asked!)

JP

I know one thats been "narrowed" I think it was in Waterways World

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3 hours ago, Chewbacka said:

What is important with thick plates is to weld both faces at the butt join.  Just welding one side is inherently weak, but much easier.

You says that, but a lot of new boats are only welded one side. With suitable prep and removable backing strip (concrete floor) you should be able to get a reasonable weld.

The base is typically 10-20mm for ballast rather than strength.

 

Daniel

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On 19/07/2017 at 12:58, Dave Payne said:

Noted a thread on the other place about stretching your boat, its something that i had thought about, the reason for wanting to do this is my bedroom is at the bow, then the bathroom behind, because i have a pump out tank running under the bed, i cant actually move the bathroom back towards the stern to make the bedroom bigger without moving the tank, which would mean a lot of work..

So my thought is to stretch the boat in the bedroom, say 4ft, seen prices of around £600/per foot which seems ok if i can get a decent size bedroom.

My worries though are getting the work done, hitting something and by boat splitting!

Has anyone here had the work done, how strong is the boat after this work, can you recommend anyone.

 

 

Who is offering to do it for £600 a foot?

I ask because the fixed costs (craneage, factory space, labour etc are pretty much the same whatever extra length you have added. I wouldn't be surprised if there was a standing fee of £10k which you have overlooked, plus £600 a foot for cost of the steel!

Does this £600 a foot include windows, interior fitting, extending the electrics, plumbing and heating, and painting the newly inserted bit of shell externally to match existing?

Edited by Mike the Boilerman
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The price per foot is clearly going to be significantly higher to add 4' than to add say,18'. The tricky bits are at the two ends. The middle bit is probably done with eyes closed, one arm tied behind back, and standing on one leg.

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2 hours ago, Tony Brooks said:

If a competent stretch falls apart god help the new aircraft carriers and most other large ships - even submarines I understand are now built in sections and welded together

Monitor the project closely. You don't want aircraft landing just behind your bathroom.

  • Greenie 1
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