Fifteen reasons why living on a narrowboat is not a good idea ...

[Mad Harold]

21 minutes ago, nicknorman said:

Grp is translucent so even pretty thick grp allows light through. Which is why it should be coated in something opaque such as gel coat which typically has something like titanium dioxide in it that is very opaque. If you can see light through the hull, it means that UV light can impact the grp structure and that damages and weakens it a lot.

When I fitted a diesel heater to my boat (a Norman 20) I measured the hull thickness after boring a hole for the exhaust.It was 6mm, just below the gunwhale.

Don't know if this is good or bad, but I have clobbered the canal wall a few times and the boat bounces off with just scratches on the gelcoat.

GRP of course doesn't have the tensile strength of steel, and if a grp hull is T- boned against the canal wall by a steel boat, then damage is liable to be major.

In the time I have had my grp boats I have only collected scratches in the gelcoat which are easily repaired with filler and this is cruising the HNC (when it was open) and those who know this "waterway" know that it is practically impossible to to cruise it without scraping your bottom or sides.

[pearley]

Well we moved on Saturday. Had planned to pumpout then as no wind forecast so was caught out to wake up with ice over the marina. It was pretty thin stuff so no problem (and the GRPs are moored in a separate part if the marina) Whilst deciding when to go 2 other boats beat me to it but the furrow they ploughed soon iced over.

 

Just as well we went then as the ice has got thicker each day as the temperature drops more. Minus 8.9 last night here. Water taps are free by keeping them open, just some pillock keeps turning it off so I have check just before going to bed.

[Hudds Lad]

20 hours ago, booke23 said:

I notice on various Facebook groups people posting videos of someone who dared to cruise past them in ice because they needed water....and getting all irate about it. 

 

Must be so confusing for them if also fans of old Nobby Cumming, he’s been live-streaming himself cruising in ice for the last couple of days.

 

”People who cruise in ice should be shot, sinking and damaging boats! But not Nobby, he’s lovely!” 😂😂

[nicknorman]

1 hour ago, Mad Harold said:

When I fitted a diesel heater to my boat (a Norman 20) I measured the hull thickness after boring a hole for the exhaust.It was 6mm, just below the gunwhale.

Don't know if this is good or bad, but I have clobbered the canal wall a few times and the boat bounces off with just scratches on the gelcoat.

GRP of course doesn't have the tensile strength of steel, and if a grp hull is T- boned against the canal wall by a steel boat, then damage is liable to be major.

In the time I have had my grp boats I have only collected scratches in the gelcoat which are easily repaired with filler and this is cruising the HNC (when it was open) and those who know this "waterway" know that it is practically impossible to to cruise it without scraping your bottom or sides.

I think actually in terms of tensile strength, grp can be better than steel (and much lighter of course) but it depends on what the p is. Boats tend to use polyester resin which isn’t great. Aircraft use epoxy resin which is very strong. But tensile strength isn’t the only relevant thing, and grp is much more prone to being cut or punctured than steel, much worse in compression etc.

[rusty69]

2 hours ago, Mad Harold said:

When I fitted a diesel heater to my boat (a Norman 20) I measured the hull thickness after boring a hole for the exhaust.It was 6mm, just below the gunwhale.

Our sailboat is about 10mm, but being an 80's vintage is probably a thicker lay up than more modern boats.

[Mad Harold]

1 hour ago, nicknorman said:

I think actually in terms of tensile strength, grp can be better than steel (and much lighter of course) but it depends on what the p is. Boats tend to use polyester resin which isn’t great. Aircraft use epoxy resin which is very strong. But tensile strength isn’t the only relevant thing, and grp is much more prone to being cut or punctured than steel, much worse in compression etc.

That's probably why grp boats are not allowed to transit the Standedge Tunnel as a lot of it was just blasted out of the rock,and has some sticky out bits.

A sunk boat in there would be a nightmare to recover.

If repairs are needed to a grp hull, I have been advised to use epoxy resin, although as you say most boats are built using polyester, but repairing with polyester doesn't stick that well.

[Hudds Lad]

1 hour ago, Mad Harold said:

That's probably why grp boats are not allowed to transit the Standedge Tunnel as a lot of it was just blasted out of the rock,and has some sticky out bits.

Didn’t one do it on the sly a year or two back? Possibly stolen and ended up for sale in Mirfield or something?

[Puffling]

On 22/01/2023 at 09:58, Bobbybass said:

From the article:

Managing your utilities is hard work, especially if you have a multi-fuel stove. Bags of coal weigh 55lb (25kg) and need manhandling (person handling these days?) inside the boat two or three times a week during the winter months.

One thing which has improved, then.

With our tender muscles and ageing sinews at heart, the coal bagging companies have reduced their bag size by 20%. I'm so grateful for the lighter workload I not only pay the same as I did for the larger bag last year, but even a premium price for the handy 20kg "pensioner" sacks. 

[GUMPY]

43 minutes ago, Puffling said:

One thing which has improved, then.

With our tender muscles and ageing sinews at heart, the coal bagging companies have reduced their bag size by 20%. I'm so grateful for the lighter workload I not only pay the same as I did for the larger bag last year, but even a premium price for the handy 20kg "pensioner" sacks. 

Mine comes in 10kg sacks even easier and cheaper🤔

[magnetman]

I reckon a coal boat doing 10kg bags on spec could do a good trade.

It is the way to go. I've been buying the 10kg bags for ages but road delivered. Just bought a 25 for the country estate boat and hell's teeth was it heavy I almost fell in the River getting it out of the launch. 

[LadyG]

25 minutes ago, magnetman said:

I reckon a coal boat doing 10kg bags on spec could do a good trade.

It is the way to go. I've been buying the 10kg bags for ages but road delivered. Just bought a 25 for the country estate boat and hell's teeth was it heavy I almost fell in the River getting it out of the launch. 

I get the guys to put the coal on to the welldeck, and I fill the scuttle from them, so it matters not whether the bags are 25 or 20kg, as long as the coals are nice and dry. I just move the boat to a convenient place. I might give them a couple of quid, but really, that is their job.

I am going for a top up logs using my sack barrow, about fifty yards, that will be the first time I've actually lifted anything this for ages. I also ask them to put the gas cylinder in the locker, I would not use them again if they refused.

Edited January 23, 2023 by LadyG

[bizzard]

When I was a kid just before Christmas my aunt Gladys came to stay from Liverpool. On Christmas eve I think it was there was a knock at the door aunt Gladys answered it. It was our dustman after a tip who declared,''I'm the person that empties your bin'', to which aunt Gladys replied,'' are you luv and I'm the person that fills it'' and shut the door

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited January 23, 2023 by bizzard

[MtB]

5 minutes ago, bizzard said:

It was our dustman after a tip who declared,''I'm the person that empties your bin'', to which aunt Gladys replied,'' are you luv and I'm the person that fills it'' and shut the door.

 

Except she wasn't, given she was just visiting! 

 

 

[rusty69]

7 minutes ago, bizzard said:

When I was a kid just before Christmas my aunt Gladys came to stay from Liverpool. On Christmas eve I think it was there was a knock at the door aunt Gladys answered it. It was our dustman after a tip who declared,''I'm the person that empties your bin'', to which aunt Gladys replied,'' are you luv and I'm the person that fills it'' and shut the door

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

That's such a coincidence. I was a kid just before Christmas too. I'm all groan up now though. 

[magnetman]

Another one !