Eco / efficienct new build, insulation, green /living /grass roof and using fuel cell to power!

[FadeToScarlet]

What happens to the painted metal that lies beneath a grass roof ? .... I guess you'd have to periodically strip off the turf to maintain the roof, but I don't know whether or not it'd require more frequent maintenance that an un-grassed roof. Also, how long does a grass/turf roof last (on a boat) ? ... I'm sure you can add fertilizer etc, but what's the longest anyone's actually kept one going ?

 

I've seen a couple of boats with turfed roofs, and it seems that you need to have an impermeable barrier, such as a layer of plastic sheet, between the grass and the steel, otherwise the latter is permanently damp and, as a poster above said, rusts away.

[aquapykes]

I've seen a couple of boats with turfed roofs, and it seems that you need to have an impermeable barrier, such as a layer of plastic sheet, between the grass and the steel, otherwise the latter is permanently damp and, as a poster above said, rusts away.

As each boat is supposed to 'work' for the individual person, its difficult to say what is right or wrong. It is always a safe bet to keep as much weight down low on a boat below the water line if possible for stability. Although we all tend to shove as much crap on our roof as we can (even when we have a 50 foot shed), the proof of solar panels are in the pudding so to speak. We have 13 panels on our roof and swear by them. Coupled with a decent battery bank and inverter we can run all the usual household essentials without running the engine, tv, computer, washing machine, tumble dryer, etc. For every 'green' way of thinking there is a reason why more people just aren't doing it.

Like most of us on the cut we try to keep all waste to a minimum but are unwilling to live in a cave, so do what we can when we can and get on with life. Sorry if I'm boring you no o/h here to monitor my computer usage!

[Canallegs]

Sorry if I'm boring you no o/h here to monitor my computer usage!

 

Not boring at all- thank you, and everyone else who has given helpful input in to the post!

 

Has anyone used insulation like kingspan, celotex or sempatap on their boat or seen anything on the web about it? had a look and can't find much!!

 

Thanks

[deletedaccount]

Have you looked at this boat: http://www.apolloduck.co.uk/feature.phtml?id=99047 ?

 

It's completely solar powered, even the engine. I have no idea how that would work, but the advert implies that it does.

 

Very green, cool looking boat and much more eco friendly than a new build!

[nb Innisfree]

Not boring at all- thank you, and everyone else who has given helpful input in to the post!

 

Has anyone used insulation like kingspan, celotex or sempatap on their boat or seen anything on the web about it? had a look and can't find much!!

 

Thanks

 

Friend of ours used Kingspan on his nb fitout, stuck it on and injected foam into awkward gaps, then stuck 9mm ply over the top, made a very solid job + it was a uniform thickness unlike sprayfoam. Wish I had done it on my boat.

[Guest User]

... found a grass roofed boat whilst out and about last week ....

[BlueStringPudding]

Have you looked at this boat: http://www.apolloduck.co.uk/feature.phtml?id=99047 ?

 

It's completely solar powered, even the engine. I have no idea how that would work, but the advert implies that it does.

 

Very green, cool looking boat and much more eco friendly than a new build!

 

 

We know some boaters who have an electric engine that runs solely on solar power. We met them a couple of winters ago when they first moved on to the boat. There wasn't enough sunlight to power their electrics/engine over the winter so they chatted up Kate Boats and had to plug in to the electrics there for the winter.

 

Being soley solar powered is a great idea if you can get it to work all the time.

[The Toad in the Hole]

I encountered a diesel /electric hybrid on the llan a few weeks ago. I'm not sure of the energy efficiency aspects, as I assume the batteries charged from the engine, and it isn't as though a boat can reclaim energy going downhill or braking, but it sounded (or didn't, more to the point) lovely slipping past the moorings at dusk.

 

Anyone have any more info about them? - 'cos at the moment it's found its way onto my next boat wishlist.

[BlueStringPudding]

I encountered a diesel /electric hybrid on the llan a few weeks ago. I'm not sure of the energy efficiency aspects, as I assume the batteries charged from the engine, and it isn't as though a boat can reclaim energy going downhill or braking, but it sounded (or didn't, more to the point) lovely slipping past the moorings at dusk.

 

Anyone have any more info about them? - 'cos at the moment it's found its way onto my next boat wishlist.

 

I saw one at Crick. Had a huuuuuuuuuuge array of batteries. Wasn't cheap though.

[pirate paul]

Hello!

 

A newbie here! We couldn't find the right sort of boat we wanted and have taken plunge after getting a mooring to get a boat builder on the job. it starts in a couple of weeks. Firstly, it has got to be efficient then as eco as possible as about to get second generation in our family!

 

Was wondering if anyone had any comments about have a living (grass) roof, using a fuel cell and/ or solar panels, eco efficient insulation and I was just wondering has anyone looked at getting a fuel cell to run their boat as I heard from this company I was talking to that quite a few "people who live on barges" are powering their boats with them and they can have zero emissions. Apparently they can run on gas, ethananol, methonal, bio-fuels and even (green) hydrogen!

 

Am not massive yogurt weaver or anything but sort of trying to be cost/ planet / future conscious. Sorry if this is wrong place to post!

 

Many thanks!

 

PS Not efficient to spell efficienct like that in title but can't work out how to change it!!

What is envo friendly solar panels or grass, you cant have both all over, solar panels mean less grass. The grass will make the boat top heavy, so Id just go for the panels.

Maybe get a raft on a remote beach, grass on the roof etc BW and grass on the roof dont mix.

[Graham Davis]

I see someone has suggested Kingspan as an insulating material, but what about wool?

We have just insulated several walls of our house with it, and it comes in "bats" approx 4' x 2' and in thicknesses from 1" to 6". Not cheap, but we have found it to be excellent. Plus it doesn't mind getting slightly damp, and according to the figures actually increases it's thermal capacity when it is.

[stickleback]

I see someone has suggested Kingspan as an insulating material, but what about wool?

We have just insulated several walls of our house with it, and it comes in "bats" approx 4' x 2' and in thicknesses from 1" to 6". Not cheap, but we have found it to be excellent. Plus it doesn't mind getting slightly damp, and according to the figures actually increases it's thermal capacity when it is.

 

Does it suffer from moth attack? We've had LOADS this year - and I wouldn't fancy the insulation gradually getting eaten over a couple of moth-y summers!

 

Stickleback

[Graham Davis]

No, it is treated with an insecticide and a flame retardent.

[sociable_hermit]

A multi-fuel stove with a back boiler which feeds radiators and a hot water tank coil by gravity / convection is about the best thing you can get. Make sure it is big enough that you can rest the kettle on the top and maybe a saucepan as well. Voila - boat heating, cooking, hot water and cups of tea all from a small-ish fire. Yes you are still burning coal or wood but you'll be getting a lot more benefit from it than most people do.

[WotEver]

I see someone has suggested Kingspan as an insulating material, but what about wool?

 

I'd imagine you'd have to have a good damp proof membrane accurately sealed around the windows and other openings if you were going to use something absorbant like wool, otherwise it'd just soak up the condensation on the inside of the hull and become a stinky mess.

 

But that's only a guess, I don't know of anyone who's actually done it.

 

Regards,

Tony

[Sir Nibble]

Presumably they're not yet reliable enough, and are a bit hard to take apart and maintain whilst in heavy seas.

Reliable enough for Apollo moonships forty years ago!