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Dimensions of a Springer 23ft


RoseB

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Hello!  
I’m looking to buy my first narrow boat to live on. I’ve seen an overplated Springer 23 which looks in good condition, I am considering buying it.
I plan on ripping out some of the interior to redesign it.
 

I can’t find the interior dimensions though - can anyone help? 
 

what I’d like to know is:

-space under the back of the boat

-length from back wall to front wall

-space under the front of the boat. 
 

also, any resources for creative storage solutions on narrow boats would be great!
I do wonder if maybe I really need a 30ft to live on.

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5 minutes ago, RoseB said:

Hello!  
I’m looking to buy my first narrow boat to live on. I’ve seen an overplated Springer 23 which looks in good condition, I am considering buying it.
I plan on ripping out some of the interior to redesign it.
 

I can’t find the interior dimensions though - can anyone help? 
 

what I’d like to know is:

-space under the back of the boat

-length from back wall to front wall

-space under the front of the boat. 
 

also, any resources for creative storage solutions on narrow boats would be great!
I do wonder if maybe I really need a 30ft to live on.

 

Does it have an outboard engine or an inboard engine (an inboard engine will take up much more space)

 

What thickness is the overplating ? (once you get to 4mm it can become very difficult to get insurance)

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Sounds like a waterbug, if so, be very wary of hull thicknes, even if overplated. You need to look at old Mike Hawthorn boat layouts, and new Aintree Beetles, both make great use of small spaces. ......of course, look at a few water bugs too, obviously.

Edited by matty40s
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8 minutes ago, RoseB said:

I can’t find the interior dimensions though - can anyone help? 
 

what I’d like to know is:

-space under the back of the boat

-length from back wall to front wall

-space under the front of the boat. 

 

 

They were all handbuilt, usually "by eye".  The only way to get these dimensions is with a tape measure on the actual boat.

 

You might be able to get a rough idea from some other owner, but millimetres really do matter in a small cabin design.

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The boat will be whatever size it is, afraid that most boats were built in a pretty casual manner and plans were sometimes literally on the back of an envelope. Personally I would reckon that 23 feet is really awfully small. Not impossible but getting to the sort of situation where you can cook breakfast whilst sitting on the loo and probably turn on the telly at the same time.  Good luck and be careful, there are some boats out there that are not too good and often even the seller doesn't realise what he / she is selling. 

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43 minutes ago, TheBiscuits said:

 

 

They were all handbuilt, usually "by eye".  The only way to get these dimensions is with a tape measure on the actual boat.

 

You might be able to get a rough idea from some other owner, but millimetres really do matter in a small cabin design.

 

48 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

 

Does it have an outboard engine or an inboard engine (an inboard engine will take up much more space)

 

What thickness is the overplating ? (once you get to 4mm it can become very difficult to get insurance)

Outboard 9.9 honda. 
it was overplated in 6mm steel 18months ago, with a decent survey that I’ve seen. 

I am wary of overplated springers though, I understand they have a reputation.

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As has been said, each boat is different, but, if yoy take 5 feet of the front (for the bow, water tank etc) and 5 feet off the stern you are left with ~14 feet x 6 feet to get in :

Bedroom

Kitchen

Bathroom

Lounge

Cupboards / storage

 

 

A bedroom can be jointly used with the lounge with a fold down bed. this is anything but ideal as having to put down a bed. make it, put the bedding away and take the bed apart every night & morning may he 'livable' with on an occasonal use 'holiday boat' but will soon become a major irritant for a liveboard.

That takes out 6-7 feet.

 

You now have about 7 feet x 6 feet to get in a kitchen and a bathroom. You can get folding bathroom basin, but they are not robust enough for every day use. Say you use 4 feet to fit in a porta-potti toilet and a folding basin, that leaves you a 3 foot apce to build your kitchen.

 

I'd strongly suggest that you go and look at a 23 foot boat and have a reality check.

 

 

Our 30 footer (a whole room longer than a 23 footer) This was the bathroom, shower over the basin, and lounge that made into a double pull-out bed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

IMG_20130912_122235.jpg

IMG_20130912_123350.jpg

IMG_20130912_123327.jpg

IMG_20130912_123404.jpg

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20 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

 

As has been said, each boat is different, but, if yoy take 5 feet of the front (for the bow, water tank etc) and 5 feet off the stern you are left with ~14 feet x 6 feet to get in :

Bedroom

Kitchen

Bathroom

Lounge

Cupboards / storage

 

 

A bedroom can be jointly used with the lounge with a fold down bed. this is anything but ideal as having to put down a bed. make it, put the bedding away and take the bed apart every night & morning may he 'livable' with on an occasonal use 'holiday boat' but will soon become a major irritant for a liveboard.

That takes out 6-7 feet.

 

You now have about 7 feet x 6 feet to get in a kitchen and a bathroom. You can get folding bathroom basin, but they are not robust enough for every day use. Say you use 4 feet to fit in a porta-potti toilet and a folding basin, that leaves you a 3 foot apce to build your kitchen.

 

I'd strongly suggest that you go and look at a 23 foot boat and have a reality check.

 

 

Our 30 footer (a whole room longer than a 23 footer) This was the bathroom, shower over the basin, and lounge that made into a double pull-out bed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

IMG_20130912_122235.jpg

IMG_20130912_123350.jpg

IMG_20130912_123327.jpg

IMG_20130912_123404.jpg

Thanks for the photos. 
it already has a kitchen, shower, stove, bed that folds out and small dinette. 
I’m aware of the irritation of ‘making’ and unmaking the bed each day having lived in a van. 

and I’ve viewed it - just forgot my tape measure. 
thank you for the response :) 

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1 hour ago, RoseB said:

 

Outboard 9.9 honda. 
it was overplated in 6mm steel 18months ago, with a decent survey that I’ve seen. 

I am wary of overplated springers though, I understand they have a reputation.

You have said:

"I do wonder if maybe I really need a 30ft to live on."

 "I am wary of overplated springers though, I understand they have a reputation."

 

I would listen to yourself on both statements.

 

 

 

 

Edited by Chagall
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I used to own that before it was ruined inside ? nothing left of the original fit out.

Sold it 18years ago for 17k it was much nicer then but only as a holiday boat since heating was an eberspacher and no stove.

It's been more places than many other boats ?

 

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2 minutes ago, Loddon said:

I used to own that before it was ruined inside ? nothing left of the original fit out.

Sold it 18years ago for 17k it was much nicer then but only as a holiday boat since heating was an eberspacher and no stove.

It's been more places than many other boats ?

 

Oh, I remember Slow Motion following us down Audlem and she was a smart little boat

 

haggis

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2 minutes ago, matty40s said:

I would love to see a close up shot of the top of that stove where it joins the oversized flue

..

 

 

 

One word :

 

Whilton !

 

 

 

Just now, ditchcrawler said:

Is it oversized or double skinned insulated

 

It looks to me to be similar to the Pipsqueak (that uses a 3" flue and requires a special flue) pushed up into a 4" or 5" standard flue..

 

Here was ours :

 

 

 

 

IMG_20130912_123236.jpg

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  • 11 months later...
On 14/02/2021 at 10:12, Loddon said:

Back at in the day

 

sm1.jpg

We ended up buying Slow Mo from Whilton (that was certainly an experience). She looked a damn sight better when you had her! I have no idea what the previous owners have done to her but we’re in the progress of giving her a mini reno and the attention she deserves 

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On 19/01/2022 at 23:54, Bottomlockcottage said:

We ended up buying Slow Mo from Whilton (that was certainly an experience). She looked a damn sight better when you had her! I have no idea what the previous owners have done to her but we’re in the progress of giving her a mini reno and the attention she deserves 

SM was a very well traveled boat when we had it, covered about 90% of the system that was navigable at the time (1997-2002) pretty much all done at weekends😉

I saw the insides from the pictures at Whilton and wondered why the inside had been virtually stripped. When we got it there was only a catalytic gas heater on board so that was removed and I fitted radiators and an Eberspacher, the stove was fitted a few owners later. After we sold it I believe it went to the Mayor if one of the London Boroughs and the insides were the same when in their ownership. Just looked and I can't find any inside pictures of SM not to say there aren't any just that I can't find them.

Good luck with the refurb 

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22 hours ago, Loddon said:

SM was a very well traveled boat when we had it, covered about 90% of the system that was navigable at the time (1997-2002) pretty much all done at weekends😉

I saw the insides from the pictures at Whilton and wondered why the inside had been virtually stripped. When we got it there was only a catalytic gas heater on board so that was removed and I fitted radiators and an Eberspacher, the stove was fitted a few owners later. After we sold it I believe it went to the Mayor if one of the London Boroughs and the insides were the same when in their ownership. Just looked and I can't find any inside pictures of SM not to say there aren't any just that I can't find them.

Good luck with the refurb 

Oh wow, that’s incredible going! Thanks for the interesting information, really insightful 😊

We’ve been living aboard for the last 6months which has been cosy haha.
I’ll be sure to post some updates once we get her back up to a decent standard 

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