Width and height restrictions of items for boat

[Zen]

So I've been doing some virtual shopping and bankruptsy for my virtual boat and then the issue hit me when I was looking at bathtubs of will it actually fit in the boat itself? 

 

What are the normal entry restrictions for a narrowboat? Are all entryways the same size or do they differ a lot? 

 

What are the options if something *must* be installed but won't fit through the hatch and how much would it cost to get it in ? 

[howardang]

13 minutes ago, Zen said:

So I've been doing some virtual shopping and bankruptsy for my virtual boat and then the issue hit me when I was looking at bathtubs of will it actually fit in the boat itself? 

 

What are the normal entry restrictions for a narrowboat? Are all entryways the same size or do they differ a lot? 

 

What are the options if something *must* be installed but won't fit through the hatch and how much would it cost to get it in ? 

How long is a piece of string? Boats are built to individual plans by and large so dimensions can vary, together with internal obstructions which may hinder access.  Maybe you would be better waiting until you have bought a boat and then measure up all the doorways to see what can and can't fit.

 

Howard

Edited October 21 by howardang

[Alan de Enfield]

My boat has an 8' x 4' 'sun-roof' that can be removed and is used for  lifting the engines in/out.

 

Remember that narrowboats are individually hand built and no two are ever the same so you either :

 

Have a new boat built and the big stuff can be put in before the cabin is welded on.

Buy a boat, measure the doorway and buy a bath (etc) that'll fit.

Use a shower.

 

[Zen]

@howardang and @Alan de Enfield I figured this was probably the case, that there was no fixed minimum hatch entrance, it's just that, in the months or even years it is going to take me to save up to buy one (misses has confirmed that the first boat we get will be in addition to the house, not willing to gamble and lose on a widebeam or narrowboat and have problems getting back in the property ladder at our age but is open to downsizing to release some cash), building the virtual interior is a nice thing to do on the side when your brain is already maxed out on electric diagrams etc and keeps me interested and invested in the project as well as having her interested too. 

 

It's just a shame there aren't any minimum values I can work to. 

[David Mack]

51 minutes ago, Zen said:

when I was looking at bathtubs...

Just be aware that few narrowboats have bathtubs, due to the amount of water consumed each time you fill the bath, and the amount of water that needs to be heated. 

Its not impossible, but most boats just have showers.

[Hudds Lad]

Our shareboat had bi-folding doors on to the floor level welldeck, you could pretty much get anything through them with no problem. Full size sofa bed, mattress without bending it, you name it.

Our own boat has two small doors onto the raised welldeck, things will go through with some thought and contortion (or bending of the fabric of reality).

That's just two examples, there are probably as many variations as there are boats on the water.

 

The shareboat also had a corner bath, in the five years we were owners i don't recall anyone using it as a bath. it was great for hanging wet clothes above to drip though  

[howardang]

13 minutes ago, Hudds Lad said:

Our shareboat had bi-folding doors on to the floor level welldeck, you could pretty much get anything through them with no problem. Full size sofa bed, mattress without bending it, you name it.

Our own boat has two small doors onto the raised welldeck, things will go through with some thought and contortion (or bending of the fabric of reality).

That's just two examples, there are probably as many variations as there are boats on the water.

 

The shareboat also had a corner bath, in the five years we were owners i don't recall anyone using it as a bath. it was great for hanging wet clothes above to drip though  

In all the years that had shares in Ownerships boats with corner baths I can’t remember ever using the bath! It was often a positive selling point for potential new owners who liked the idea. The bifold front doors, however, were useful for access and also made a great feature in hot weather.

 

Howard

 

 

[Tony Brooks]

It is not only getting stuff through the outside doors and hatches, there are bulkhead doors to negotiate and potential problems when (say) a galley unit projects across the boat unless you can lift said large item over it. As said, consider canal boats as one-offs.

[Hudds Lad]

6 minutes ago, howardang said:

In all the years that had shares in Ownerships boats with corner baths I can’t remember ever using the bath! It was often a positive selling point for potential new owners who liked the idea. The bifold front doors, however, were useful for access and also made a great feature in hot weather.

 

Howard

 

 

 

[Tonka]

what about taking the windows out assuming it has windows

[gatekrash]

17 hours ago, Hudds Lad said:

 

The shareboat also had a corner bath, in the five years we were owners i don't recall anyone using it as a bath. it was great for hanging wet clothes above to drip though  

We've got a small bath and we use it all the time. Currently for storing a folding bike, a few weeks ago it had the spare toilet cassette in it, then before that it was being used as a spare towel 'cupboard'.

 

Also can't ever remember ever using it as a bath though 😀

[Lady M]

My boat has a shower bath.  I like the inbuilt seat feature finding it useful for foot washing.  It is also a useful place to store washing items when the shower is not being used.  

[Jen-in-Wellies]

18 hours ago, David Mack said:

Just be aware that few narrowboats have bathtubs,

Where do they store their coal without one? 😀

[Tony Brooks]

15 minutes ago, Lady M said:

My boat has a shower bath.  I like the inbuilt seat feature finding it useful for foot washing.  It is also a useful place to store washing items when the shower is not being used.  

 

I think that may be called an A bath. WE had one on JennyB and it seemed ideal. We kept a folding airer in it when not showering and the airer would stand on the seat and soap ledge, so drips went into the bath.

[Gybe Ho]

19 hours ago, howardang said:

How long is a piece of string? Boats are built to individual plans by and large so dimensions can vary

 

 

We know that the piece of string is not longer than a canal cabin roof width, call it 5ft. The piece of string won't be shorter than a human is wide, say 18". Height will be simpler to estimate i.e. gunnel to roof top = 3ft?

 

@IanD in another thread said his side hatch was the sensible max of 750mm wide.

 

Do you know the dimensions of a suitable bath? Shorter than 5ft is problematic for a 6ft male, width would be 22" to 26" and height just under 2ft. Could that be walked on end through a standard layout bathroom corridor?

[Hudds Lad]

4 minutes ago, Gybe Ho said:

Could that be walked on end through a standard layout bathroom corridor?

Tumblehome could have a restricting factor on that.

 

Although if a new fitout you could probably get the bath in the general area before the bulkeads etc. go up, future replacement then becomes SEP.

[Lady M]

32 minutes ago, Tony Brooks said:

 

I think that may be called an A bath. WE had one on JennyB and it seemed ideal. We kept a folding airer in it when not showering and the airer would stand on the seat and soap ledge, so drips went into the bath.

It isn't an A bath as there is only one seat.  (I have seen A baths on boats of a similar age so it could easily have been.) 

[Alan de Enfield]

9 minutes ago, Lady M said:

It isn't an A bath as there is only one seat. 

 

 

Remember the  TV and newspaper adverts in the Summer of 1976 ?

 

Two seats =

 

 

[Lady M]

Perhaps not on a narrowboat.

[David Mack]

2 hours ago, Gybe Ho said:

The piece of string won't be shorter than a human is wide, say 18".

Although I have come across boat doorways less than 18" wide. 

A typical modern narrowboat hull is widest just below the gunwale, with the hull below tapering in a little to fit a 2m wide baseplate. The cabin is inset to allow a gunwale walkway, and the cabin side then slopes in (tumblehome) at an angle that can be 1:4 or more on traditional styled boats, or nearly vertical on boats designed more for internal space than good looks or practical navigation. 

Any side corridor or door will reflect that profile on one side. So while you may have 18" width at waist level, you have less above and below that, which will impact on carrying larger objects through the boat.

[truckcab79]

Bear in mind that doorway size is only part of the equation.  If the angle of steps/bulkhead/whatever on the route affect the overall length of what you can manoeuvre through then the doorway size become irrelevant. Conversely something that looks like it can’t possibly fit can sometimes be wangled through.

[Slim]

4 hours ago, gatekrash said:

We've got a small bath and we use it all the time. Currently for storing a folding bike, a few weeks ago it had the spare toilet cassette in it, then before that it was being used as a spare towel 'cupboard'.

 

Also can't ever remember ever using it as a bath though 😀

Wot ! No coal?

Obviously middle-class.   😷

 

When I had my shell built I specified that the side doors (both sides) were 650mm. That way I could get all the normal white goods in easily. Their greatest advantage was that I could things like shopping, luggage and other bulky items on board easily. 

Edited October 22 by Slim

[gatekrash]

Yeah, posh alright, that'll be why we can't sit in the cratch at the moment 😁

 

[Alan de Enfield]

That looks like bags of very young coal.

You may have to store it a bit longer than the composting toilet output.

[BoatinglifeupNorth]

4 hours ago, Gybe Ho said:

 

Do you know the dimensions of a suitable bath? Shorter than 5ft is problematic for a 6ft male, width would be 22" to 26" and height just under 2ft. Could that be walked on end through a standard layout bathroom corridor?

My bath is 5’3” long, 3’ wide and 2’ high, it wouldn’t get into the bathroom now. Was looking at getting a new one as a my friend who specialises in bathrooms said he could form & build one in situ. I think I’ve only had one proper bath in it, in 15 years. The dog has had many though🐶