captain flint

Yep, I know the prep is the thing, and as I said in the OP, it will be fairly extensive, although not as bad as some boats I've seen. I have yet to receive the full estimate with the breakdown of what will be done, but I'm sure all windows etc will be removed, and pretty damn sure it paint will not be sprayed on. I imagine it will be solid by brush but I have to wait for the incoming quote with all the details. This is for above the waterline only. Below the waterline was shot blasted not so very long ago and has a 2 pack epoxy coating that is not currently in need of any attention. In terms of the top sides, I've only recently come across the idea that epoxy can be applied to metal that hasn't been shot blasted (in the past, I've only heard tell of how it's a really bad idea to apply it to metal that hasn't been shot blasted). I'll ask the painter about it and go with what he suggests as he's definitely recommended and an accredited 'master craftsman'. To be honest, as I tried to say in the OP, it's not so much a question of whether the price is reasonable for the work, more a question of the practical value of getting the work done so well/the drawbacks of getting it done not quite so well. I am planning on going ahead with it but I just wondered if there was anything I was missing re how important it is to get this job done so well. Then again, I look at the existing listing job, flaking off, and I guess I have my answer!

I have a quote for the long overdue renewal of the external paintwork on my 50x10 boat. It's for a real pro to do a premium job in a covered dock, and the job will require a fair old bit of prep - so unsurprisingly it has a premium price attached. £10k more or less. I knew it would be a lot, although I had hoped it might be a bit less than that! That said, I'm not interested in whether anyone thinks the price is wrong or anything, I trust the guy and the quality of his work and I doubt I could get a similar quality job done in the area for a wildly different price. That said, I'm sure I could get the boat painted worse for less, so I 'm just trying to get my head around exactly what a premium job gets you, beyond being shiny, which honestly I'm not that bothered about. Tidy, yes, shiny, meh. I might even ask him to give it a matte finish. My assumption has been that if I can stump up for it, it will be good for the boat in the longer term, and be more durable, requiring less maintenance. Does that sound right? In general, I feel with craftsmen/engineers etc you get what you pay for, but I'm certainly not averse to saving money if it's just for shininess. I think this is may be a stupid question but hey, it won't be the first (or last) I ask, and I just wanted to ask on here before committing to such a huge expenditure.

Oh I dunno. The chit chat threads descend into is part of the charm! Sometimes it's even relevant to the original question

You're probably right, I should probably have said something more like don't take stuff personally.

Yes the dirt thing is an issue. Especially round the chimney area. Sometimes I think maybe I should just have done with it and paint the whole bloody thing a kind of dirty orangey-brown 😂

Really? I had no idea. I'm going to enquire about this. Thanks No, not really. But I might now. I do know what you mean - I've seen the vinyl decals for names etc, so I get that it's just a, er, full body version. Interesting thought. Durable stuff. Might look into it. Thanks! Some hot places use white. Some black. I think some use blue, too, down Mali way. But I might be wrong. Black dissipates heat better but absorbs more. White reflects it better, but dissipates less. I think the jury is out when it comes to sunshine clothing. When it comes to boats I'd probably lean (but not very confidently) towards white/pale colours, as the boat is not a hot blooded creature. If you see what I mean. But it's a good point and really it's probably guesswork. There's a great old gent who lives upstairs from my mum who used to be a nasa heat engineer. And had a boat, back in the day. A good excuse to have a chat with him, perhaps. He's always fascinating.

Fair enough. I think I'll definitely have them if I go for an overall predominantly dark colour scheme like that. I'm not sure they would be missed quite so much if i went for the pale blue/teal option, though. Maybe...! But I do respect the choice to go black all the way to the top of the hull. I keep dithering over whether or not I think a coloured strip down to the top stake is a modern abberation 😂

Don't sweat it. You'll get all kinds of responses on this site. Some of them will be very useful. Those that don't feel helpful - just ignore em! Good luck

Unlucky! Nice!

Well, that is a glorious way for a paint job to be ruined at least - pecked to death by a peacocks! But I certainly wasn't thinking of black, anyway. There's a boat that's all black on the River Lee, with the name picked out in gloss black across the stern: Obsidian. I think it looks quite silly. Apologies to the owners if reading (each to their own!) Oddly enough I quite like the look of knackered old paint jobs, sanded to show the various layers! But I won't be aiming for that look 😂

No it won't. I'd love that but it's going to eat a hole in my wallet as it is without shot blasting etc! But yes, although I tried out a red just to see what I thought it looked like, I have heard about red fading badly, so I won't go for that. But thanks for reminding me

Ok so this is just a time-wasting thread to comment on if you are bored or just feel like it. Feel free to stop reading now! Plus, I'm not feeling in need of help exactly (partly as I don't honestly give a flying one about the external colour scheme - within reason). But if you feel like chipping in, then go ahead. And of course maybe something more important to consider than aesthetics will be brought to my attention. I am attaching some files of colours I'm considering. Well, I'm considering some of them, anyway. I was just trying all kinds of things out, really. Some are kind of out there, but it's fun playing around (if you're easily entertained). I think the last paint job was sprayed on and it really does rather need a whole new paint job now. I have identified and am in touch with a good boat painter and we're discussing slots. And costs. Oh, the costs. Anyway we'll leave that aside. I want a pale/white roof, to keep the boat cool. I want the cabin ends to match the roof so it doesn't look so isolated. I will probably go with one colour for the deck and top of the hull down to the first strake (although I sometimes think about painting the top strip of the hull to match the rest of the hull. I swear when I was a youngster, canal boats had a black hull and deck with maybe a little decoration fore and aft, and colours on the cabin only, and I sometimes think the whole thing of painting the top strip of the hull is newfangled and maybe even a bit naff. But my boat is not an old working boat or anything, it's a modern 50x10 wideish beam). I don't yet know how much extra things like coach lines would cost. And I'm undecided if I even want them (I currently have them). Then there are other oh-so-unimportant decisions like, do I want to pick out the rails on the stern in a colour to match the deck, or contrast with it. One option would be just to paint it a nice (but boring) midnight blue on the deck and cabin sides, with a white roof. I guess it would show up the dirt a LOT less than anything with paler colours. Anyway, enough waffle. Feast your eyes on this load of rubbish! (The not-very-nice shade of green with the white oblong along the cabin sides is an approximation of the current scheme. Oh and ignore the red boxes, I meant to delete them)

How come you had dinner with him? I like this story. No idea if it's a good likeness, but that's a decent sketch! I was in a pub in Highbury a few years back when something vaguely amusing went on between a barman and a member of the public (who was being a bit of a plonker). Can't really remember what, exactly. Me and the fella standing next to me at the bar caught each other's eye and shared a surreptitious laugh. It was Idris Elba. We didn't talk. It's not much of a story, really. But he had a very un-precious vibe, unlike some other celebs I've seen out and about who have the air of not wanting to make eye contact with anyone (which may be understandable, I guess. I wouldn't really know!)

UPDATE (for anyone interested) I've identified the source of the smell. A massive facepalm moment. Feel free to point and laugh. It's from my dehumidifier, which is running under the steps firm into the cabin to help dry out the bilge. I feel a little foolish, and I'm going blame a lack of sleep. Sorry for taking up your time when the answer was pretty obvious and staring me in the face (or should that be 'right under my nose'). But thanks for all the pointers.

Thank you. I'll check all that out. It's when the engine is stopped My batteries don't have those heating pads (sadly)

I actually have one that's on the way out! Maybe that's it. I'm going to remove it and see if that helps. It's on the other end of the boat from where I notice it must but you never know Not the cooker, and there's no heating pad (!). The charger is new, victron, and I've often sniffed to see if its coming from there and it doesn't seem to be, to me, but you never know I guess. Thanks for the suggestions!

Good suggestion, but it's clear. I burnt my tender cover on it a few years back and now know to check! Good point I'll have a look No, not currently. A good thought, that I've also had. Just in the meantime thought I should investigate a little in case it's singing on board

Yes, good point, thanks. I have also thought it might be this. I don't smell it outside, but then again maybe smells can have a weird way of behaving, and maybe it's a smell that kind of collects/amplifies indoors?

I have a (new) mysterious smell on board. I'm trying to locate the source of it. It smells (to me) like hot or burning plastic. It's been going on 6 weeks or so. My multifuel stove is out of action, and has been for around the same period that the smell has been around, during which time I've used my erbespacher central heating system (radiators). I usually haven't used it nearly as much until now. But it looks and feels fine. The pipework feeding the radiators is plastic, so, though it seems a bit unlikely, I guess that could be connected. Then again, I smell it even when the heating is off and has been for a while. And I don't recall smelling it in the post on those occasions I used the central heating (though that was really only for the odd, single hour now and then, unlike now when it's sometimes been running for hours at a time). If its not that, I thought maybe electrics? I've inspected all the visible wiring, it all looks fine and none of it feels hot. I've an RCD fuse box. I changed from 12V lead acid batteries to a c.14 V LiPo4 setup. But that was back in September and the smell didn't crop up then (at that point, when I needed heat, it was mostly coming from my stove which was working until about six weeks ago). I don't suppose that's connected. I've also been on shore power (unusual for me) for the period in question. So perhaps that's something to do with it? All the wiring on board was fine by professionals (though of course that doesn't mean they did everything right!). I'm scratching my head! Any suggestions?

Thanks. Yes something I'd read on another thread on here on roughly that topic had raised that possibility. I'm adding in a desk fan at the aft end where the dehumidifier is, to help ensure a good through breeze

Indeed. And when it warm air holding more moisture comes into contact with cold surfaces, some of the water condenses. Tbh I'm just puzzling over it for the hell of it really, at the end of the day I think the main things will be air flow, and time, the finer details probably aren't that important. I can see even after 1 day of my original set up that it's having the desired effect, there are some fully dry patches in the bilge already. Obviously, I'm talking about the base plate rather than the substrate, which I'm sure will take longer to dry out, but it's definitely all going in the right direction Good points. There will surely be *some* but it could well be negligible. Um, for all I know

That's why I'm using the dehumidifier but I was wondering about the effects of extra heat

So, the hole I drilled in the fore section of the substrate was a good fit for a hoover hose. I attached the hose and left the hoover itself out on the front deck. I put my dehumidifier under the steps entering the galley at the aft end, which is right where the inspection hatch is. It made a nice pocket of warm, dry air. Assuming (!) the inspection hatch is the only other major ingress/egress from beneath the substrate, I figured the fan blowing in is a bit redundant. The air is being sucked out so more will have to enter. That said, I can't be sure the inspection hatch is the only ventilation point. I've never seen any others, and I expect it is, but I can't be sure. Apart from possibly adding in a fan, the thing I'm trying to work out is whether using an electric fan heater placed in the bilge will be better (as I think it would be hotter), or does the fact that there's cold metal which is in contact with the water mesh that condensation will increase in some areas. Will I be better off with cold air? If it wasn't for the cold metal with river water on the other side of it, I'm pretty confident more heat will be good. As it is, I'm scratching my head!

Ha! Funnily enough I have had the exact same thought. Oddly, my GP thinks it's unlikely they're psychosomatic. But also thinks it's unlikely that the mould is the culprit. Go figure. But anyway, this is not a medical forum! When it comes to the mould, the only thing that bugs me is that if I get the bilge and substrate dried out, the mould will be inactive, in a dormant state, as opposed to actually dying*. That's how it works. If it were to get damp again, it would 'wake up'. And what with it being OSB board that's a slight worry. Then again, probably one I can live with, especially as I'll have previously proved it possible to dry out the offending area * I think the only way to eradicate it it would be to remove the affected areas completely. Maybe I'll do that if I find a spare £20k(?) to rip out and replace an otherwise very serviceable fit out. I'm joking. It was a horrible read! Stern glands can let water in, of course. But you knew that. I'm not sure about pouring in. I guess it could come in quite quickly under the right circumstances, but I imagine it would have been deteriorating to the extent that it should have been noticed for quite time before it got that bad...? I certainly hope so! My cousin's narrow boat sank after his failed. It had recently been (negligently) repacked. But I don't think it failed suddenly. I think he'd been away, had no automated bilge pump, and I suspect he didn't keep an eye on things. It's a long time ago though, I don't really remember all the details. I've always assumed that with my automated bilge pump, and keeping a general eye on my engine hole, that I'd get ample warning of stern gland problems, as opposed to one minute everything's fine and the next your stern gland has failed and the boat's sunk. But that's all basically guesswork on my part, and I'm no expert. I certainly hope it's right!

Thanks. No I'm not ignoring it! And am in consultation with my GP about it. That said, they're not at all convinced the mould is the culprit, and they may well be right. But I'm keeping an open mind as - as you say - it can be a menace.