Collapsible Wheelhouse: £ and method

[ziggyonboat]

Hello, very new to navigating this site so do forgive me!

I have a dutch barge with a wooden wheelhouse, which is sadly,

a. rotting

b. too tall for the Grand Union Canal

I'd love to open the possibility of travelling the canal system, thus seek a new collapsible wheelhouse. If you've had this done before, i'd love to know the cost (I expect 000s). Also, where/how did you get it done?

 

Many thanks 

[Jen-in-Wellies]

Welcome to the forum. There is a search facility, which will give you some ideas. On one of the recent threads on this subject you'll find me making a joke that if you go under a low bridge and don't take down the wheelhouse, the bridge will collapse it for you! 

[blackrose]

26 minutes ago, ziggyonboat said:

I have a dutch barge with a wooden wheelhouse, which is sadly,

a. rotting

b. too tall for the Grand Union Canal

I'd love to open the possibility of travelling the canal system

 

What type of Dutch barge do you have? Do you know the underwater draft as on the broadbeam canals it might not just be the air draft you need to think about.

Edited August 1, 2023 by blackrose

[matty40s]

Hullo all
    I’m looking to replace the wheelhouse on my boat for something more practical. When initially posted about the boat on here had some input that the wheelhouse might not be ideal, and some horticultural responses.😅     
    It’s tired and leaks in several places and was renovated badly last time. Plus the dismantle/reassemble is tedious when I know I could have a much easier setup. 
    Anyway I budgeted for a new pram hood providing the rest of the reno goes to plan, which has hit a few snags but nothing major. 
    Had a couple of quotes as a benchmark, however I don’t want a normal pram hood.  
    Ideally I would like a glass windscreen angled inwards like Dutch barges and big ships do.  Practical for sun glare/ rain etc. 
     Then the rest of the pram hood to attach to the front windscreen. Windscreen to fold down forwards onto roof. 
         Hoping the hood can mimic the shape of the wheelhouse. With the canvas covering the length of the doors.
    If anyone can answer some of these questions that would be great!   Has anything been constructed like this before? 
    Who can make a glass windscreen with a wooden frame?   Any recommendations for a company up for the job of something a bit different?
    What material?   Am I mad? ( rhetorical )   https://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php?/topic/118129-pram-hood-with-a-twist/&do=findComment&comment=2923291

[MtB]

2 hours ago, ziggyonboat said:

Hello, very new to navigating this site so do forgive me!

I have a dutch barge with a wooden wheelhouse, which is sadly,

a. rotting

b. too tall for the Grand Union Canal

I'd love to open the possibility of travelling the canal system, thus seek a new collapsible wheelhouse. If you've had this done before, i'd love to know the cost (I expect 000s). Also, where/how did you get it done?

 

Many thanks 

 

Without any photos and without ever having done it, but with a fair bit of experience employing joinery firms to make bespoke built-in furniture, I'd guess a budget of £20k-£30k might at least be in the right ball-park. This assumes you can find one willing to make repeated visits to your boat to take accurate measurements and to take responsibility for the detailed design, for fitting it to the boat and to guarantee it doesn't leak. 

 

If you can do the design work and provide working manufacturing drawings and take responsibility for fitting it to the boat, I'd say you can halve the figure above. 

 

 

[Tam & Di]

It very much depends upon how elaborate a structure you want. Matty40s' concept would be far cheaper - it would just be a matter of finding someone to do the job. The most basic would be the sort of rainshed that several working boatmen used - 4 squares of ply, one for each side, one with a viewing slot at the front, and one for the top. all held together with hooks and eyes. It could easily be worked up into something a bit smarter and more permanent  😀

 

 

Edited August 2, 2023 by Tam & Di