Gus94

Apparently Dennis Cooper of CTS

Yes exactly, no gap at all! Thanks very much for this! Sounds like a good plan, although unfortunately not certain I can touch up the polystyrene panels on the hull as it would mean ripping out the thin tongue and groove panelling that is nailed on. Yes, I have come to realise this through the medium of mould… I am ventilating more now (although it already had air vents) but the problem is that with this level of insulation one room heats up while the fire is going, but the heat never really reaches 2/3 of the boat. Before that I wore several layers of clothes and never bothered heating even when 0 degrees, which meant roughly the same temperature indoors as outside, but meant not much pf a condensation problem.

That’s interesting, could have been that. It was all swollen and decaying, replaced it 6 years ago. So people just lived with that stuff and then the tongue and groove planking, and no other insulation?! I suppose not intended as a live-aboard.

Here’s an artistically profound drawing. I just wonder how effective piecemeal insulation is going to be, I know everyone always says every nook and cranny has to be filled, which I can’t do without ripping out the inside, and probably covering the interior planking.

Sorry, yes, it’s a steel hulled narrowboat with a wooden top. I couldn’t say but would be interested to find out! Has been in the family since about the 1970s/80s, my father lived in it before and now I am. The wooden cabin is lovely, so I am loath to start insulating from the inside, which is partly why I’m wondering whether I can insulate between the outer layer of board and the planks of the inside. I am guessing the damp problem inside since changing MDF for buffalo board is that the MDF was somehow breathable. Honestly I’m not that keen on all the plastic and foamy insulation for making an airtight boat with no breathability, but perhaps I now have to go that way… Thanks very much to all for the insulation recommendations.

Hello, I’ve read everything I can find about different options for insulating, but would really appreciate it if anyone has any ideas particular to my situation. I have a narrowboat with a wooden beam frame to which is attached planks of wood. Originally the outside was MDF which rotted away, and I replaced with buffalo board. Now I have a condensation problem, which may be because the buffalo board doesn’t breathe and may also act as a cold bridge (not really sure). I’m thinking maybe I could take off the buffalo board and put something insulating between the boards and the wooden plank interior, does anyone have any ideas for something thin that would be good? my gunnels are also uninsulated and exposed on the inside, so need something to insulate those as huge amounts of condensation form on them. Hull is uninsulated at the bottom - just wooden plank flooring, but sides of the hull have polystyrene and then thin wood panelling. Some areas not insulated (a section in middle of boat is just bare steel, and also the front which is where the water tank is - plenty of condensation there)… Hoping to leave the lower half of the sides as they are with the crappy polystyrene boards because I can’t afford to rip everything out. Very, very grateful for anyone’s thoughts.