Alterations to canal boat

[peterselby]

Hi I’m new to canal boats does anyone know of anyone who can alter the interior layout of a narrow beam and possible the exterior stern ? 

[Alan de Enfield]

13 minutes ago, peterselby said:

Hi I’m new to canal boats does anyone know of anyone who can alter the interior layout of a narrow beam and possible the exterior stern ? 

 

What do you want to do ?

 

Woodwork ?

Steelwork ?
Gas ?
Electrics ?

 

 

There are dozens of boatyards that can do the work, whereabouts in the country are you (hopefully not London).

[Guest]

17 minutes ago, peterselby said:

Hi I’m new to canal boats does anyone know of anyone who can alter the interior layout of a narrow beam and possible the exterior stern ? 

 

As Alan suggests a lot more specifics are needed.

[peterselby]

I’d like two bedrooms with a bathroom in the middle of them a 57 -60 feet narrow boat and s cruder stern that is also dog friendly, my dogs are daft enough to jump in the Lock 

I see many canal boats for sale but none with this configuration . 

[dmr]

There are people about who will do just about anything, but they can be hard to pin down and it can get very very expensive because boat work is labour (time)  intensive.

In general major projects are done DIY.

Good reliable people might be booked up for a year or two in advance. 

If you are looking to buy a boat that is not what you want and turning it into what you do want then its just not a good investment.

Don't expect people to turn up and give you a free quote unless its a project that is really going to happen.

[peterselby]

Been new to canal boating I’m open to any advice 

[Alan de Enfield]

7 minutes ago, peterselby said:

I’d like two bedrooms with a bathroom in the middle of them a 57 -60 feet narrow boat and s cruder stern that is also dog friendly, my dogs are daft enough to jump in the Lock 

I see many canal boats for sale but none with this configuration . 

 

And where abouts in the country are you - its no use someone suggesting a contractor in Manchester if you are near Bristol.

[Guest]

4 minutes ago, peterselby said:

Been new to canal boating I’m open to any advice 

 

Fair enough but if you are located at one end of the country and somebody knows a good boat fitter who can do what you want but they are at the other end of the country there is little point in them recommending them.

 Cross post with Alan

[PD1964]

18 minutes ago, peterselby said:

Been new to canal boating I’m open to any advice 

Maybe sell your boat and buy one that is more suitable and doesn’t need £1000’s spend on alterations to suit your needs.

  Not knowing what alterations you require, it may cost you hundreds or several £1000’s.

Edited November 30, 2022 by PD1964

[peterselby]

Sorry I’m new to this I’m in Wakefield I would also like to look at bow thrusters to assist with turning and sola panel installation 

Sorry yes I totally agree with you I’m in Wakefield 

[peterselby]

Thank you I see your point I am looking for a boat but cannot find an interior that fits maybe I should commission a new build? 
just thought I would save money having an existing boat modified 

[Guest]

1 minute ago, peterselby said:

Sorry I’m new to this I’m in Wakefield I would also like to look at bow thrusters to assist with turning and sola panel installation 

 

Adding a bowthruster to a boat that doesnt have one is going to be very very expensive.

 

It needs a lot of fabrication to the hull, and your hull may not be be able to have one unless it has a bowthruster tube aleady installed.

1 minute ago, peterselby said:

Thank you I see your point I am looking for a boat but cannot find an interior that fits maybe I should commission a new build? 
just thought I would save money having an existing boat modified 

 

Ah right so you dont have a boat.

 

Then go with what PD1964 suggests.

 

And look for one that best fits your requirements.

[Guest]

If you can wait up to two years place your order now for a new build.

[peterselby]

Thank you that is very helpful I’m learning so much talking on this  forum thank you for been patient with me we all have to learn at some point I’m on a steep learning curve 

[dmr]

3 minutes ago, peterselby said:

Thank you I see your point I am looking for a boat but cannot find an interior that fits maybe I should commission a new build? 
just thought I would save money having an existing boat modified 

 

Just get the boat that is closest to what you want and get a bit of real frst hand boating experience before you throw too much money away.  Our dog has coped with a trad stern for her 12 years., The rudder does the steering, not the bow thruster. Do NOT do a new buld till you know a LOT about boats.

[peterselby]

I did receive an email from Collingwood saying they had shells available but they would need fully fitting out, of course they are also standard sterns maybe a smaller boat builder would have availability 

Thank you that is good advise I’m sure.

[reg]

2 minutes ago, peterselby said:

...Just thought I would save money having an existing boat modified 

I think with the scale of the changes and having specific requirements I would suggest that a new build is the only real option but then again it all depends on budget.

Making major alterations to an existing boat is, as others have said, not a trivial job a you will be paying for skilled labour. 

I would suggest looking at Lymm Marina range of shells and sailaways to get some idea of prices and what is achievable.

http://lmbs.co.uk/boats/narrowboat-lined-sailaway/

 

 

[Arthur Marshall]

Can you actually fit two permanent bedrooms and a bathroom (presumably with a bath) in a sixty footer and still have room for a kichen and somewhere for several people to sit in comfort and watch the telly? The cruiser stern will knock ten foot off the cabin, say five at the pointy end, 45 foot at most to play with. I'm used to small boats so I'd be interested in the answer.

I think a piece of graph paper and a pencil is required here.

[PD1964]

48 minutes ago, peterselby said:

Thank you I see your point I am looking for a boat but cannot find an interior that fits maybe I should commission a new build? 
just thought I would save money having an existing boat modified 

You haven’t mentioned what exactly you want?

How many 2nd hand boats have you actually viewed?

  Don’t think too much ”out of the box” or try to “reinvent the wheel” with your requirements, especially if you’ve never had or been on a boat for a period of time, as it could end up a very expensive mistake.

  What Stern are you after if not the standard Trad, Semi-Trad or Cruiser?

Edited November 30, 2022 by PD1964

[matty40s]

29 minutes ago, Arthur Marshall said:

Can you actually fit two permanent bedrooms and a bathroom (presumably with a bath) in a sixty footer and still have room for a kichen and somewhere for several people to sit in comfort and watch the telly? The cruiser stern will knock ten foot off the cabin, say five at the pointy end, 45 foot at most to play with. I'm used to small boats so I'd be interested in the answer.

I think a piece of graph paper and a pencil is required here.

Yes, a standard Black Prince cruiser stern 60nfooter will have a bed/bathroom/bed/bathroom/kitchen/lounge layout.

Weve just removed the 2nd bathroom from one and slotted the kitchen into the gap...thus extending the lounge.

[Guest]

36 minutes ago, Arthur Marshall said:

Can you actually fit two permanent bedrooms and a bathroom (presumably with a bath) in a sixty footer and still have room for a kichen and somewhere for several people to sit in comfort and watch the telly? The cruiser stern will knock ten foot off the cabin, say five at the pointy end, 45 foot at most to play with. I'm used to small boats so I'd be interested in the answer.

I think a piece of graph paper and a pencil is required here.

 

We have hired narrowboats with this config. and length. Admittedly it was a bit crowded in the lounge area but its doable.

[reg]

1 hour ago, Arthur Marshall said:

Can you actually fit two permanent bedrooms and a bathroom (presumably with a bath) in a sixty footer and still have room for a kichen and somewhere for several people to sit in comfort and watch the telly? The cruiser stern will knock ten foot off the cabin, say five at the pointy end, 45 foot at most to play with. I'm used to small boats so I'd be interested in the answer.

I think a piece of graph paper and a pencil is required here.

Liverpool boat 57ft shell usually had 42ft internal 

Seems about normal for that type of shell

[Barneyp]

Most cruiser sterns will have some kind of rail round them (with a gap on each side of the boat to let people get on and off), getting a plastic/canvas/tarpaulin screen made that goes all the way round the stern supported by the existing railing and attaches to the cabin sides would contain most dogs. Cost would be some where between a couple of hundred for a cheap DIY job and maybe a couple of thousand for a high quality professional job.

 

Interior modifications are likely to cost thousands, possibly tens of thousands. There must be cruiser stern boats available with something roughly inside with what you want, lots of ex-hire boats will have that layout.

[Jen-in-Wellies]

7 hours ago, dmr said:

 

Just get the boat that is closest to what you want and get a bit of real frst hand boating experience before you throw too much money away.  Our dog has coped with a trad stern for her 12 years., The rudder does the steering, not the bow thruster. Do NOT do a new buld till you know a LOT about boats.

This ^^^^^^. What newbies think is vital to them in a boat changes a lot after they have actually had a boat for a couple of years. Don't bother with a bow thruster on a narrowboat, especially if you are boating around the Wakefield area, where the canals and rivers are wide and deep, with plenty of room. The skill to steer a boat properly are easy to pick up.

A lot of people commission a new build with little to no boating experience. Often it goes horribly wrong. I didn't follow my own advice and did precisely this. For me, by a mixture of luck, following advice and judgement, it went well. I have that boat today and there is little I'd change, but there are several bullets I dodged, without realising it, from choice of builder, engine, bow thruster, heating and so on that could have gone expensively wrong.

Get secondhand, live with it for a couple of years, then either commission new, look for something secondhand that fits your real requirements, or alter. As has been mentioned, ex hire boats are more likely to have the multiple bedrooms you are looking for, but are cramped for anything more than a holiday in good weather. Are you considering narrowboat, or wide beam? Wide beam is an option where you are based. Restricts your cruising range to the north, but a lot more internal space.

Jen

[Slim]

10 hours ago, peterselby said:

I’d like two bedrooms with a bathroom in the middle of them a 57 -60 feet narrow boat and s cruder stern that is also dog friendly, my dogs are daft enough to jump in the Lock 

I see many canal boats for sale but none with this configuration . 

Depends uponyour budget. I know of at least one😇