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New Student Boater (Nearly)


ASupertramp

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1 minute ago, ASupertramp said:

I’m very glad that I give off this impression despite being far from the truth. Learning on the job! 
I was thinking of little rubber bungs to lift the ballast? There isn’t any ballast beyond the old bathroom to the stern, is this unusual?

Thank you! 
 

 

Dunno, I'm no expert on thee things, suspect it depends on the boat, we've got a whole load of scrap steel at the back of ours to keep us nice and deep. As you are doing a big refit the draft and trim of the boat may well change so find a way to leave access to remove or add some ballast as might be required.

Using lengths of old twin and earth style cable appears to be a popular way of spacing/supporting ballast. Ours is laid on roofing felt which was normal practice a while ago but is probably not too clever.

 

..............Dave

 

 

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4 minutes ago, ASupertramp said:

was planning on either laying all the CH pipes along the floor and boxing in or copper pipes and leave for effect.

Perfect

Or, you could always use 'skirting board' radiators

https://www.heatandplumb.com/acatalog/smiths-sureline-2000-skirting-level-sureline-2-0?utm_source=google&utm_medium=Shopping&gclid=Cj0KCQjwn7j2BRDrARIsAHJkxmxUcbCiNiDTzCO9mlhGXF39aNvee3xQ_MGpOCG4YQXY9gmZk83IjSMaAqsTEALw_wcB

 

4 minutes ago, ASupertramp said:

I also wanted to keep all of the bathroom pipes above floor level but not sure how feasible that is yet. 

You need to do that somehow.

When the pipes / joints freeze and split it really is better if you do not have to remove bulkheads or lift the floor.

It's not unusual to have a shower waste pipe below floor level but leave an access panel to get to the Whale pump for repairs or replacement.

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19 minutes ago, ASupertramp said:

No gas pipes to the rear that I’m aware of. I was planning on either laying all the CH pipes along the floor and boxing in or copper pipes and leave for effect. 
I also wanted to keep all of the bathroom pipes above floor level but not sure how feasible that is yet. 

 

Copper is fine for central heating (antifreeze) but less good for fresh water as it is more prone to frost damage than plastic. If you fancy decorative copper pipes then paint them in Incralac to keep them shiny. It really works.

 

.................Dave

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52 minutes ago, dmr said:

 

Dunno, I'm no expert on thee things, suspect it depends on the boat, we've got a whole load of scrap steel at the back of ours to keep us nice and deep. As you are doing a big refit the draft and trim of the boat may well change so find a way to leave access to remove or add some ballast as might be required.

Using lengths of old twin and earth style cable appears to be a popular way of spacing/supporting ballast. Ours is laid on roofing felt which was normal practice a while ago but is probably not too clever.

 

..............Dave

 

 

Nothing in the back half of ours

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1 minute ago, ditchcrawler said:

Nothing in the back half of ours

Another thing on the endless list of things to do is to take it all out, wire brush it, and paint it in some sort of red oxide. The todo list is getting big but this lockdown has at least got a fair few jobs ticked off.

 

..................Dave

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42 minutes ago, dmr said:

 

Copper is fine for central heating (antifreeze) but less good for fresh water as it is more prone to frost damage than plastic. If you fancy decorative copper pipes then paint them in Incralac to keep them shiny. It really works.

 

.................Dave

Oh, I want to replace my plastic clamps with Munsen rings, is that possible/fasable/difficult/easy?

where do I get Incralac?

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5 minutes ago, dmr said:

Another thing on the endless list of things to do is to take it all out, wire brush it, and paint it in some sort of red oxide. The todo list is getting big but this lockdown has at least got a fair few jobs ticked off.

 

..................Dave

I moved on to Yar 2 jobs , so now we have almost nothing leinside, paint has been slow to deliver, so it's  a bit patchy, inside and out.

Someone aked me what was the theme when I first got the boat, and unfortunately, yesterday, after a year on board, someone else asked me the same question omg, I can see their point ................ but it is more comfy, warmer, lighter brighter, and I'm getting there................

Edited by LadyG
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4 minutes ago, LadyG said:

Oh, I want to replace my plastic clamps with Munsen rings, is that possible/fasable/difficult/easy?

where do I get Incralac?

Oooh a lady who knows what a Munsen ring is ? Take care, there are some cheap nasty ones about in a very yellow brass, probably from China. Incralac is from Rylards so a good Chandlers will sell it. Not sure if the recent one is as good as the old one. Nasty stuff so work outdoors and very hard to paint on a hot day, you have to work at very high peed, cellulose thinners helps.

 

.................Dave

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11 hours ago, dmr said:

 

Dunno, I'm no expert on thee things, suspect it depends on the boat, we've got a whole load of scrap steel at the back of ours to keep us nice and deep. As you are doing a big refit the draft and trim of the boat may well change so find a way to leave access to remove or add some ballast as might be required.

Using lengths of old twin and earth style cable appears to be a popular way of spacing/supporting ballast. Ours is laid on roofing felt which was normal practice a while ago but is probably not too clever.

 

..............Dave

 

 

Cable sounds like a better idea thanks!

11 hours ago, Alan de Enfield said:

Perfect

Or, you could always use 'skirting board' radiators

https://www.heatandplumb.com/acatalog/smiths-sureline-2000-skirting-level-sureline-2-0?utm_source=google&utm_medium=Shopping&gclid=Cj0KCQjwn7j2BRDrARIsAHJkxmxUcbCiNiDTzCO9mlhGXF39aNvee3xQ_MGpOCG4YQXY9gmZk83IjSMaAqsTEALw_wcB

 

You need to do that somehow.

When the pipes / joints freeze and split it really is better if you do not have to remove bulkheads or lift the floor.

It's not unusual to have a shower waste pipe below floor level but leave an access panel to get to the Whale pump for repairs or replacement.

The only pipe I can’t work out how to fit without going under the floor is the sink. It’s on the opposite side of the bathroom to the main water pipes. Might have to do a rejig. 

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3 minutes ago, ASupertramp said:

Cable sounds like a better idea thanks!

The only pipe I can’t work out how to fit without going under the floor is the sink. It’s on the opposite side of the bathroom to the main water pipes. Might have to do a rejig. 

Supply or waste (or both) ?

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1 hour ago, ASupertramp said:

 

The only pipe I can’t work out how to fit without going under the floor is the sink. It’s on the opposite side of the bathroom to the main water pipes. Might have to do a rejig. 

Use a plastic pipe ends joints above the floor. If the boat is afloat in the UK the canal at base plate level will never freeze and the water will be about 4 degrees. Boat out of the water another matter.

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If you have to run a pipe under the floor then find a way to give enough access so that it can be replaced in the future. Maybe run it just below a cupboard, or even right below the loo, so that you can include a non-visible access panel in the floor.  Many, maybe most, boat fitters do not give enough thought to how things might be repaired in the future.

 

I've just had to drill a huge hole through my lining to get access to a navigation light cable. Luckily its in the engine room so I can fit a brass plate over the hole without it looking too inappropriate.

 

.................Dave

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2 hours ago, dmr said:

If you have to run a pipe under the floor then find a way to give enough access so that it can be replaced in the future. Maybe run it just below a cupboard, or even right below the loo, so that you can include a non-visible access panel in the floor.  Many, maybe most, boat fitters do not give enough thought to how things might be repaired in the future.

 

I've just had to drill a huge hole through my lining to get access to a navigation light cable. Luckily its in the engine room so I can fit a brass plate over the hole without it looking too inappropriate.

 

.................Dave

I have pipes cross the boat under the floor, plastic with no joints. if it splits just drag a new bit through like a drain rod

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16 hours ago, dmr said:

Oooh a lady who knows what a Munsen ring is ? Take care, there are some cheap nasty ones about in a very yellow brass, probably from China.

I was sorting through my junk pile in the shed today. Chucking what was useless, collating screw sizes etc. I found a whole bunch of brass screws made out of Chinesium; they were not only rusty but magnetic too...

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42 minutes ago, ditchcrawler said:

I have pipes cross the boat under the floor, plastic with no joints. if it splits just drag a new bit through like a drain rod

That's electrician thinking.

 

..............Dave

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On 28/05/2020 at 10:33, Detling said:

Use a plastic pipe ends joints above the floor. If the boat is afloat in the UK the canal at base plate level will never freeze and the water will be about 4 degrees. Boat out of the water another matter.

Ha ha ha 

 

You know that water freezes, right?

It has been a few years, but in the last decade the river ouse froze thick enough to walk on. I had a few split pipe joints because I hadn't drained out everything.

 

If a boat is sitting in ice, then it is entirely possible that the base plate and interior of the boat will be below freezing temps.

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18 minutes ago, Alastair said:

Ha ha ha 

 

You know that water freezes, right?

It has been a few years, but in the last decade the river ouse froze thick enough to walk on. I had a few split pipe joints because I hadn't drained out everything.

 

If a boat is sitting in ice, then it is entirely possible that the base plate and interior of the boat will be below freezing temps.

I’ve never know the canal to freeze to a thickness of 18” or more. Have you?

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16 hours ago, WotEver said:

I’ve never know the canal to freeze to a thickness of 18” or more. Have you?

No, I haven't.

However I have had the experience of water freezing in pipes that were run below the floorboards on a boat. 

 

So I'm saying "don't count on water not freezing in your pipes". If you are not going to be aboard, arrange for some heating or completely drain the pipes.

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1 minute ago, Alastair said:

No, I haven't.

However I have had the experience of water freezing in pipes that were run below the floorboards on a boat. 

 

So I'm saying "don't count on water not freezing in your pipes". If you are not going to be aboard, arrange for some heating or completely drain the pipes.

I have certainly had water pipes freeze that were running along the top of the floor (so only an inch or so different to below the floor) so, certainly below the water line.

 

I now just leave the engine room heaters on, it works out at a cost of around £1 per day but a 'split' cauliflower would cost much more than that to replace.

The other advantage is that the boat is not drained down so if we fancy a trip out in the Winter, its just turn the key and go.

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The pipe needing to go across the boat is supply (to the sink) but I think I’ve solved this by running it from the stern alongside the central heating pipes coming from the calorifier. 
 

Couple of questions before I begin rebuilding:

 

- I plan on installing a (near enough) full sized bath with a shower above, would people suggest sinking the bath below the subfloor slightly to increase head height? I’d have to remove one of the metal battens to do this though. 
 

 

- Secondly, the boat has 240v already on via a hook up and I’ll be spending most of the time plugged in. I want to start again with the electrics as I’ve no idea what previous owners have done and there are various randomly cut wires. It looks as though it’s just an extension cable feeding a load of sockets. 
Do I just need 2.5m arctic cable? 
 

- Finally, the lights are fed off 12v but I want to put spotlights in as opposed to individually switched done lights, connected to a light switch in each room. I’m getting the lights from Bedazzled but again, not sure what wiring to run. 
 

Can I run wires in a conduit INSIDE the gunnel as opposed to below? 

Can anyone think of any other wires to run in the ceiling while I’ve got access? 

 

Thank you in advance!

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My bath, not full size with shower over sits flat on the flooring, no feet and I find the headroom fine, I guess I lose an inch. Keep the hot water pipes as short as possible of you will waste loads of code water waiting for the hot to arrive.

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