baseplate How is a baseplate overplated properly?

[dmr]

I saw a little old boat getting overplated by an itinerant welder.  He did it in lots of small sections only three or four feet long with a weld to the original baseplate across the entire width of the boat at every join. Unconventional but probably a really good way of doing it.

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

I think mine was welded on in three pieces. 
Maybe 2 x 20’ lengths plus 8’ for the bow. 
 

People talk about welding water tight as being difficult. 
But the way the bloke who overplated the sides of my boat described it he made it sound easy and kind of shrugged and said not a problem. 
 

What I did learn and forgot was which way to weld on a vertical join for strength. 

[Captain Pegg]

17 minutes ago, Goliath said:

I think mine was welded on in three pieces. 
Maybe 2 x 20’ lengths plus 8’ for the bow. 
 

People talk about welding water tight as being difficult. 
But the way the bloke who overplated the sides of my boat described it he made it sound easy and kind of shrugged and said not a problem. 
 

What I did learn and forgot was which way to weld on a vertical join for strength. 

That makes sense and I suspect mine was similar and it perhaps explains the ‘missing’ weld on a seam.

 

The way you describe the Streethay process sounds so simple but the logistics of marrying up a complete new baseplate to an existing boat are not simple.

 

Methods almost certainly vary with available equipment and workshop/yard space.

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

37 minutes ago, Captain Pegg said:

That makes sense and I suspect mine was similar and it perhaps explains the ‘missing’ weld on a seam.

 

The way you describe the Streethay process sounds so simple but the logistics of marrying up a complete new baseplate to an existing boat are not simple.

 

Methods almost certainly vary with available equipment and workshop/yard space.

 

I would also guess once on bearers there’s some hydraulic props pushing up to make the plates meet good and proper. 
Or dogs and wedges pulling the two together. 
I’ll post a picture of them doing my sides. 

 

[ditchcrawler]

From Facebook

[howardang]

3 hours ago, Goliath said:

I’ve seen wooden boats with tin patches nailed on. 
I guess that’s overplating 

No, that’s a tingle.

Howard

[David Mack]

5 hours ago, Goliath said:

I’ve seen wooden boats with tin patches nailed on. 
I guess that’s overplating 

 

5 hours ago, magnetman said:

Copper tingles are common. Not sure about tin. 

Galvanised steel sheet.

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

Can we agree whether copper, tin , steel, or Papier máche: wooden boats do occasionally get repaired with some sort of ‘over plate’?

I’d guess you’d repair, temporarily or no, with what every is readily available.

 

[Tonka]

5 minutes ago, Goliath said:

Can we agree whether copper, tin , steel, or Papier máche: wooden boats do occasionally get repaired with some sort of ‘over plate’?

I’d guess you’d repair, temporarily or no, with what every is readily available.

 

Cutty Sark had copper sheeting from Anglesey I believe from new and it was put on to stop the barnacle's and weed growth which would slow her down

[ditchcrawler]

20 minutes ago, Tonka said:

Cutty Sark had copper sheeting from Anglesey I believe from new and it was put on to stop the barnacle's and weed growth which would slow her down

I think that was common 

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

Right, so the big ships/yachts/boats may have put sheets of copper to prevent growth of barnacles or whatever.

But was it ever common practice to repair a wooden Narrowboat with a sheet of something metal?

[roland elsdon]

I have looked at wooden boats with under plate, (plywood inside the bottoms) , and have put a tar impregnated piece of roofing felt held down with a tin sheet  the bottom of my own boat.

That and pouring hot pitch into knackered keelson bolt holes.

You did what was needed when you were impoverished by a pair of 1930s boats in those days.

Current vessel has places with three bottoms  some with possibly four and has a minimum of two.

 

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

Great answer

” You do what’s needed “

[ditchcrawler]

Ice sheeting on wooden boats 

[magnetman]

I think tingles would have problems on canal boats with the hull contacting banksides and grounding a lot. Not durable enough.

 

It is possible there were early conservation efforts hoping to preserve gribble worms. I imagine they arrr a protected species these days.

 

 

The old canal tug called Brent is a wooden boat around 40ft long which has steel tingles nailed on all around its hull. I'm not sure where it is now but it was still afloat two or three yars ago. The boat was out of water at greenwhich dry docks but on approach to Limehouse they got the eddy wrong and struck the wall by the pub very hard which caused damage.

 

Interesting old boat that one.

 

[David Mack]

3 hours ago, magnetman said:

I think tingles would have problems on canal boats with the hull contacting banksides and grounding a lot. Not durable enough.

 

It is possible there were early conservation efforts hoping to preserve gribble worms. I imagine they arrr a protected species these days.

 

 

The old canal tug called Brent is a wooden boat around 40ft long which has steel tingles nailed on all around its hull. I'm not sure where it is now but it was still afloat two or three yars ago. The boat was out of water at greenwhich dry docks but on approach to Limehouse they got the eddy wrong and struck the wall by the pub very hard which caused damage.

 

Interesting old boat that one.

 

Many wooden narrowboats had thin steel sheathing around the bows and along the loaded and unloaded waterlines along the sides to provide protection from ice. Each section of sheet overlapped the one behind so that no edges which could catch were facing forwards. The sheeting was fixed to the hull before the guard irons were fitted, so it wasn't really vulnerable to bankside contact or grounding.

Wooden icebreakers had their entire hull sheathed in similar manner.

[James_P]

You guys are great,

 

A bit more, the boat over the last 30 years has been everywhere the split between the cut and in marina I don't know.

 

As I remember in the paperwork it stated 10 mm baseplate and that was what the survey also stated.

 

The survey recommended overplating from the measurements the surveyor took.

 

On a different note, copper bottomed boat... Putting practicallies to one side that would be quite a look with the 'bee' yellow and black paint job.

 

Could we call that 'a ship of the line' as let's face it, that's how we tend to sail?

 

[harrybsmith]

Chop it off and go again is the way to go, however if you must overplate then cutting holes in it as mentioned and welding through is a good idea, as is drilling and tapping a hole in the plate for a grease nipple then filling the void between the 2 plates with grease to drive out moisture and prevent corrosion 

[roland elsdon]

How old are you?

do you have children to pass the boat on to?

are you happy to leave hmrc a liability

do you have alternative accomodation.

do you have the cash

are you overcapitlising?

are you capable of the refit post complete strip out.

 

 

 

The decision to patch ,overplate or strip out and rebottom is effected by all these factors.

[nb Innisfree]

18 hours ago, magnetman said:

I think it is called puddle welding. 

 

You cut out circles in good parts of the existing base plate and weld from inside the boat. 

 

I reckon a large proportion of full base plate renewals are not necessary. 

Copper tingles are common. Not sure about tin. 

I was chatting to a welder who had done a lot of overplating, instead of cutting holes he preferred slits done with a disc cutter, claimed it was stronger as it allowed more welding contact. His method was to cut slits in new plate, lower boat on to it, cut around edges, weld, lift boat on to supports and weld along slits. 

Edited May 19, 2023 by nb Innisfree