36ft liveaboard narrowboat dwellers - your testimony is required!

[The Welsh Cruiser]

10 minutes ago, Jacsprat said:

Only two leisure batteries

My boat had 2 leisure batteries but inevitably I kept trashing them, 3 sets in 3 years. I eventually got an understanding of what was needed to make them last longer along with knowledge that I didn't really need 2 leisure batteries, just one. Four years on the single battery is still going strong. One is enough as I have a gas fridge and only use around 30-35AH a day. I think you have a 12v fridge, I'd be surprised if you need more than 2 batteries. It's not only the cost of replacing more batteries than you actually need that makes it a pain, they are heavy, unwieldy, and very often fitted in awkward places. 

[Jacsprat]

2 minutes ago, The Welsh Cruiser said:

My boat had 2 leisure batteries but inevitably I kept trashing them, 3 sets in 3 years. I eventually got an understanding of what was needed to make them last longer along with knowledge that I didn't really need 2 leisure batteries, just one. Four years on the single battery is still going strong. One is enough as I have a gas fridge and only use around 30-35AH a day. I think you have a 12v fridge, I'd be surprised if you need more than 2 batteries. It's not only the cost of replacing more batteries than you actually need that makes it a pain, they are heavy, unwieldy, and very often fitted in awkward places. 

Yes - my power needs may not be to heavy. First task will be a power audit when I get around to it. It may be the case that I only need a bigger panel and the correct controller. How big is your panel?

 

Edited May 2, 2020 by Jacsprat

[Ray T]

@Jacsprat

 

To get to know our boat I used an idea from Scholar Gypsy and wrote an Instruction manual for our boat, as on occasions a niece and nephew  use the boat.

http://judgefamily.synology.me/scholargypsy/manual/manual.pdf

It includes use of bog, daily tasks, engine workshop manual, draining the boat down for winter. As a liveaboard you will not need this. Plus anything else I could think of.

 

As the great man Sir Nigel Gresley said. "If you can't think of a good idea yourself you should have the sense to copy one when you see it."

 

ETA, for personal interest we have kept a photographic record of the alterations we have made to the boat.

 

Edited May 2, 2020 by Ray T

[Jacsprat]

Just now, Ray T said:

@Jacsprat

 

To get to know our boat I used an idea from Scholar Gypsy and wrote an Instruction manual for our boat, as on occasions a niece and nephew  use the boat.

http://judgefamily.synology.me/scholargypsy/manual/manual.pdf

It includes use of bog, daily tasks, engine workshop manual, draining the boat down for winter. As a liveaboard you will not need this. Plus anything else I could think of.

 

As the great man Sir Nigel Gresley said. "If you can't thing of a good idea yourself you should have the sense to copy one when you see it."

 

Oh blimey! That'll be incredibly helpful - thank you Ray - I'll have a look!

[Alan de Enfield]

16 minutes ago, Jacsprat said:

Another Reeves hull - fab!

We had a 45 foot 1999 Reeves (13mm base plate !!!) pretty much identical to RayT's but the previous owner had sent her back to Whelton and had the Bedroom and bathroom remodelled to make a King-size 'cross-bed', a large wardrobe 'shelved' for 2 folding bikes and moved stuff around in the bathroom, removing the pump-out tank gave a huge amount more storage space.

It cost him over £11,000 (receipts in the box of papers) couldn't see it myself but I guess at £60 + VAT per hour labour soon mounts up.

 

 

[NewCanalBoy]

14 minutes ago, Jacsprat said:

Thank you! I showed you MINE - only fair now that you show me YOURS!

41ft cruiser stern, bought last year.

[David Mack]

5 minutes ago, The Welsh Cruiser said:

My boat had 2 leisure batteries but inevitably I kept trashing them, 3 sets in 3 years. I eventually got an understanding of what was needed to make them last longer along with knowledge that I didn't really need 2 leisure batteries, just one. Four years on the single battery is still going strong. One is enough as I have a gas fridge and only use around 30-35AH a day. I think you have a 12v fridge, I'd be surprised if you need more than 2 batteries. It's not only the cost of replacing more batteries than you actually need that makes it a pain, they are heavy, unwieldy, and very often fitted in awkward places. 

Belfast had 4 leisure batteries when we bought it. But they were all knackered (although the engine battery is fine). As the whole electrical system needs completely replacing I decided that as an interim measure, 1 leisure battery would be cheaper than 4. Last year I added a 185W solar panel. It all works OK, although we do turn the electric fridge off overnight. And we are usually boating long days, which helped with the charging before I fitted the solar.

[Ray T]

1 minute ago, NewCanalBoy said:

41ft cruiser stern, bought last year.

Sorry I can't resist.

 

Is that the boating equivalent of the DB's on the counter of your boat. 

[Jacsprat]

1 hour ago, NewCanalBoy said:

41ft cruiser stern, bought last year.

Really sweet - very open and bright from what I can make out.

[NewCanalBoy]

 ?

1 hour ago, Ray T said:

Sorry I can't resist.

 

Is that the boating equivalent of the DB's on the counter of your boat. 

I searched the internet for the meaning of "DB's" and come up with all sorts of things.

 

I think I know what you are getting at though.

 

I think the previous owner found out that they were cheaper than a traditional one.

 

As I say - my boat is a bit more modern !! ?

Edited May 2, 2020 by NewCanalBoy

[Jacsprat]

2 hours ago, Jacsprat said:

Yes - my power needs may not be too heavy. First task will be a power audit when I get around to it. It may be the case that I only need a bigger panel and the correct controller. How big is your panel?

 

 

[mrsmelly]

18 hours ago, Jacsprat said:

Hi Dave thanks for the advice! I'll definitely poke around and take everything to bits so I can get an idea of the under-floor condition. Great, intact history - I really can't believe my luck. I know portholes look so much better, but I'm glad for the light. There was a fairly recent hull survey - no pitting, worst spot - 9.8 mm left of the original 10. I'm sure I'll find a few negatives here and there. Prepared for that! 

I owned and lived aboard a boat with all portholes for a few years cos I agree they look better. However its like living in a cave and di dmy wifes head in, even with prisms in the roof it was very dingy. We have oooooge bus windows now and will never be going back to portholes 

Edited May 2, 2020 by mrsmelly

[Mad Harold]

2 hours ago, mrsmelly said:

I owned and lived aboard a boat with all portholes for a few years cos I agree they look better. However its like living in a cave and di dmy wifes head in, even with prisms in the roof it was very dingy. We have oooooge bus windows now and will never be going back to portholes 

But surely portholes look much more "nautical" and make it more difficult to break in.

[haggis]

I couldn't live on a boat with just portholes as I need light. We have portholes in the bedroom but the rest are nice big windows

Haggis

[ditchcrawler]

I have friends with windows, the first thing they do when they moor up is draw the curtains so no one looks in

[haggis]

13 minutes ago, ditchcrawler said:

I have friends with windows, the first thing they do when they moor up is draw the curtains so no one looks in

The only time we draw the curtains is when it gets dark at night ? 

I remember being shown over a friends new boat  and they had to put on the lights! It was the middle of the day in the summer. The boat even had roof prisms. I couldn't live in a house or boat where there wasn't good light.

 

Edited May 2, 2020 by haggis

[mrsmelly]

12 hours ago, Mad Harold said:

But surely portholes look much more "nautical" and make it more difficult to break in.

They do look nicer but our boats have all been to live on, we are not hobby boaters so there is a big difference innitt. The best thing to stop scumbags breaking in is a large dog.

[Tracy D'arth]

2 hours ago, mrsmelly said:

They do look nicer but our boats have all been to live on, we are not hobby boaters so there is a big difference innitt. The best thing to stop scumbags breaking in is a large dog.

Or stickers advising that Covid19  infected persons are on board?

[Pete7]

On 02/05/2020 at 14:22, Jacsprat said:

Yes - my power needs may not be to heavy. First task will be a power audit when I get around to it. It may be the case that I only need a bigger panel and the correct controller. How big is your panel?

 

Perhaps some numbers might be useful.  The yacht is 31ft but not that much difference with energy usage.   Lights, small fridge, navigation equipment and VHF, tv in the evenings and an autopilot for steering at sea. The batteries were one engine start battery and initially a pair of 110Ah leisure batteries.  When these finally failed after 8 years I replaced them with a pair of 12v 85AH batteries, deep cycle Trojans.  

 

Our first real test was at anchor (no shore power) in Alderney harbour for a week in great sunshine.  We left with full batteries from 80w +45w solar panels.  After someone crashed another yacht into the 80w panel I replaced it with a 150w solar panel on an arch on the stern.  Now we were cooking on gas, well electricity actually when we added a slow cooker, Aldi 1.5 litres and uses 110w which is a tiny amount.  The slow cooker once up to temperature uses about half the start up load, so 5Ah for the majority of the time as it cycles on and off like a fridge.

 

Hooked on solar and wanting a portable freezer, I swopped out the 150w solar for 300w in January and added a 20 litre freezer.  Brilliant we now have ice for the Gin and ice cream for the summer.  

 

Prices of large panels have dropped significantly over the past two years.  Its actually cheaper to buy 300w panels over 100w panels, so if you are thinking of upgrading go big.  No one ever said they had too much solar.  Add a nice Victron MPPT and job done.  Stuck on a budget? there were 250w second hand panels on FB marketplace last week for £65 each, select your own from a big stack.  3 of those and you will be delighted with the output from Spring to Autumn, however forget it during the winter, the sun just doesn't rise high enough.  Height of the summer, you will be running around the boat wondering what to charge up next with the surplus power.  However, this magical power source is addictive  ?

 

Pete

Edited May 4, 2020 by Pete7

[Jacsprat]

5 minutes ago, Pete7 said:

Perhaps some numbers might be useful.  The yacht is 31ft but not that much difference with energy usage.   Lights, small fridge, navigation equipment and VHF, tv in the evenings and an autopilot for steering at sea. The batteries were one engine start battery and initially a pair of 110Ah leisure batteries.  When these finally failed after 8 years I replaced them with a pair of 2v 85AH batteries, deep cycle Trojans.  

 

Our first real test was at anchor (no shore power) in Alderney harbour for a week in great sunshine.  We left with full batteries from 80w +45w solar panels.  After someone crashed another yacht into the 80w panel I replaced it with a 150w solar panel on an arch on the stern.  Now we were cooking on gas, well electricity actually when we added a slow cooker, Aldi 1.5 litres and uses 110w which is a tiny amount.  The slow cooker once up to temperature uses about half the start up load, so 5Ah for the majority of the time as it cycles on and off like a fridge.

 

Hooked on solar and wanting a portable freezer, I swopped out the 150w solar for 300w in January and added a 20 litre freezer.  Brilliant we now have ice for the Gin and ice cream for the summer.  

 

Prices of large panels have dropped significantly over the past two years.  Its actually cheaper to buy 300w panels over 100w panels, so if you are thinking of upgrading go big.  No one ever said they had too much solar.  Add a nice Victron MPPT and job done.  Stuck on a budget? there were 250w second hand panels on FB marketplace last week for £65 each, select your own from a big stack.  3 of those and you will be delighted with the output from Spring to Autumn, however forget it during the winter, the sun just doesn't rise high enough.  Height of the summer, you will be running around the boat wondering what to charge up next with the surplus power.  However, this magical power source is addictive  ?

 

Pete

Brilliantly helpful Pete! I have a little solar experience with a decent off-grid camper van I had. My 100w panel and 2x 100ah batteries there gave me most of the power I needed to run the basics in my life, including the Webasto with its rather needy initial draw. I'm quite frugal - laptop I use constantly, I have a 12 v fridge aboard, and the lights are all LED. I may end up with a leccy bicycle, but I will be able to charge that at work. Budget is a bit important under the present reality, so I may have a go at sorting it out DIY with used panels. Good advice!