Finishing touches

[Ex- Member]

Well all the major jobs are now done. I've started work on finishing the interior and It's surprising how much there is to do. The biggest interior jobs left were the 3 proposed doors 2 of which are now finished and working. The door to the utility room at the stern is 19mm ply high quality stuff Oak faced. Now it's fitted much less heat is escaping to the rear making the boat much warmer. Toilet door has also been fitted with the same, so some privacy for guests now. All of the Oak work panelling is now finished as is all flooring. We've made a large step box to get in and out of the cratch, this will also store boots shoes brollies etc.We had a thermal curtain made to cover the steel cratch doors, it weighs 5 kilos and works a treat, being heavy (triple thermal barrier) I made a thin single length SS curtain rail supported by eye bolts either side to tighten the rail as we wanted a single sweep of the curtain rather than a fitting in the middle support and curtain opening either side.The metal hand holds either side of the curtain are actually adjuster handles for the boat headlights, they also act as a good thing to hold on to whilst entering/exiting through the cratch doors. We've also added shelves here and there. The one under the TV was needed what with the Sky box being the size it is. Using off cuts of 9mm ply these cost nothing but my time. The one here in the bathroom is a box section shelf, a hole drilled in the top section acts as a soap holder, other holes can be drilled for specific items, as well as things you can slide in the gap.We've also been hanging some pictures purchased years ago, making the boat look a bit more homely now.

The central heating pipework that runs through the cratch had never been insulated, so this was another job to get done. So all pipe work has now been insulated with 25mm thick pipe insulation, I also used some stuff for bends & corners that is in reatily nothing more than bubble wrap in silver foil, anyway It did the job, so all pipe work now insulated. I was also worried that the SS water tank condensating over time might have caused rust anywhere, I was really surprised to find none anywhere in the cratch, even directly under the tank. Now we're living aboard I decided to empty a couple of tins of spray foam under it anyway, the tank lies on 18mm ply and is secured by welded square tube which only has some very slight surface rust on, so these will be painted with bitumen as will the rest of the cratch internally.

The tank will also be insulated in Correx before we go on the water.Still loads to do though, where do all these odd jobs come from

Edited November 20, 2012 by Julynian

[bargemast]

Hi Julian,

 

your boat is looking really nice and comfortable, I always enjoy seeing the photos of your progress.

 

Cheers,

 

Peter.