Broad beam build.

[Gary Peacock]

Your welders must have a lot of faith in those chains holding the hull up whilst working underneath - dont think I fancy that much (not that I can weld!)

 

It's not that bad really, the thing is supporting itself now with the top welds done it is actually rolled on one side with the fork lift sat on it to pin it down the chains are there just in case it does do anything spectacular, but saying that it's a bloody awful position to have to weld in.

[Gary Peacock]

Well that's all the big welds done without anyone being squashed!

 

The next step is level the bottom and chock it in place then weld on temporary legs to keep it there for the rest of the build..

[Gary Peacock]

Right, that's the bottom done so onto the sides.

 

 

These are the 8mm hull side sheets that are welded together to form the hull side 90 bends on the left will form the gunel the longer bend to the right will form the first chine.

 

 

The steel is bright pickled and oiled (Mill scale removed and oiled to prevent rusting) in this picture the steel is being degreased to remove this protective oil.

 

The steel used is EN 10025 grade S275.

[blackrose]

The steel used is EN 10025 grade S275.

 

How is that different from the regular 43A?

[Gary Peacock]

How is that different from the regular 43A?

 

43A is an old standard relating to the obsolete BS4360 standard which was superceeded in 1995 by BS EN 10025.

 

In reality the steel is much the same but the official guidance is-

 

Steel stockists may still accept orders against the old standard but it is important to understand the requirements of the current BS EN 10025 and the limitations it places on steel graded under this standard.

[Gary Peacock]

One hull side done.

 

 

A few more pictures in the customers gallery to look at too.

[blackrose]

43A is an old standard relating to the obsolete BS4360 standard which was superceeded in 1995 by BS EN 10025.

 

In reality the steel is much the same but the official guidance is-

 

Steel stockists may still accept orders against the old standard but it is important to understand the requirements of the current BS EN 10025 and the limitations it places on steel graded under this standard.

 

Oh, I see...

[Gary Peacock]

If anyone wants to ask questions feel free, boatbuilding isn't rocket science and membership of a secretive organisations isn't compulsory!

 

Doing these things I tend to forget that not everyone is seeing it for umpteenth time.

[Barry]

I've just gone back to the link and the timings on the slideshow are slightly bizarre - anybody else suffering or is it my pooter

[Jason Wilson and Family]

Yeah slideshow doesn't like me much either. I've been pausing and clicking through but even that can be a bit buggy. Gary, you may want ot have a look at Lightbox http://www.huddletogether.com/projects/lightbox2/

[Gary Peacock]

The flash slide show bit seemed to have decided to go a bit weird but it should be OK now.

 

I have turned off the auto start feature that seemed to be causing it so you can now click the play button for a slide show or navigate it manually.

 

Click HERE to test it.

 

 

We now have one side in place and the other coming along, I wont post any pictures of the other side until that is also in place and then we can pick up the build again from there.

 

In schedule times we are maybe a couple of days ahead but of course in boatbuilding time that means nothing!

[Gary Peacock]

Well its got two sides now.

 

 

 

So there will now be a bit more welding and positioning to do before works starts on the pointy end.

[Liam]

Hi Gary,

 

Do you always start with the bows once you've got the main bit of skeleton together, or do you just decide on the day about which end you're going to be starting with?

 

Edited to correct my speeling mistakes

Edited August 22, 2007 by Liam

[Gary Peacock]

Hi Gary,

 

Do you always start with the bows once you've got the main bit of skeleton together, or do you just decide on the day about which end you're going to be starting with?

 

Edited to correct my speeling mistakes

 

It doesn't make that much difference really, but since the bow plates are under stress when they are pulled in a bit of flexibility in the full structure is an advantage if you need to tweak things a bit where the stern is more of a fabrication job with pre rolled plate.

[Gary Peacock]

Well we are now pulling the bow in.

 

 

 

After this there will be a good deal of fairly complex fabricating to build the lower bow etc.

 

And now we have our first delay E.P. Baruss who were supposed to supply the engine in mid September now say because of problems with John Deere in the US the engine might not be here until November!

 

At the moment because of the hydraulic drive system used this should not be a major problem we will just have to fit the engine later in the build, but this is usually how the delays come about it probably wont be the last.

[Gary Peacock]

This is what it should end up like.

 

[DHutch]

Have you not finshed it yet....!

[Gary Peacock]

Well today will be another day spent on forming the bow.

 

 

This picture shows the upper bow plates being jacked out to achieve the correct profile.

 

The plating on the bow should be finished today and then work will start on the watertight/collision bulkhead and gas locker.

 

There are plenty more new pics in the owners gallery HERE

[Gary Peacock]

Well we now have a bow and a swim so it is begining to look a bit more like a boat.

 

 

Edited August 31, 2007 by Gary Peacock

[Gary Peacock]

 

 

Well the're now stick welding for England again all around the baseplate weld inside then outside so there isn't anything much interesting to look at at the moment.

 

We got another order for a barge with the same hull on Sunday but this one will not have the rear cabin, yet again this one will also be going to France.

 

It might be getting near to the time to forget about building narrowboats and concentrate on this market.

Edited September 4, 2007 by Gary Peacock

[Gary Peacock]

Well there's a delay on the bow thruster tube so we can't start on the forward bulkhead or locker so we have started on the hull framing instead with the floor bearers.

 

 

 

I think you can see these are not quick boats to build, LB would have completed a fat narrowboat hull probably in the time it as taken us to get this far.

 

But that is what you pay for.

 

There are more pictures in the owners gallery HERE

[ChrisPy]

LB would have completed a fat narrowboat hull probably in the time it as taken us to get this far.

Oi !! mind your langwidge !!

[John Orentas]

I think you can see these are not quick boats to build, LB would have completed a fat narrowboat hull probably in the time it as taken us to get this far.

 

But that is what you pay for.

 

 

 

 

Gary.

 

I do know that there is an element of humour in your remarks regarding Liverpool Boats but I have an uncomfortable feeling that if they were reciprocated in some way you would very soon be seen running screaming to your solicitors office.

 

I think LB should be complemented on their restraint in these matters and upon their elegant boat designs.

Edited September 5, 2007 by John Orentas

[ChrisPy]

I s'pose all references to widebeams on this forum will now use Gary's famous words FAT-NARROWBOATS

[John Orentas]

I s'pose all references to widebeams on this forum will now use Gary's famous words FAT-NARROWBOATS

 

 

Yes the remark is hysterically funny but the point is that Gary's remarks were aimed at and actually named another builder. The fact that Gary's somewhat agricultural, geometrical designs readily lend themselves to a bit of satire is a testament to the good nature of his competitors.