Boat with no name - yet

[Yamanx]

Well at this stage we are using "Mioguard" only, which is a modern equivelent to red oxide (Only its grey). The surface is clean down to bare metal, degreased with panel wipe and Mioguard applied, fairly thickly.

 

However when we come to primer and top coat (Nearly wet on wet) the weather will have to be taken into consideration. More for the shine than anything although I'm not going to be using a high gloss product.

[Yamanx]

Going back into the water after this weekend. Its a shame I didnt finish the exterior painting whilst it was out but the weather was against us last two weeks and there no telling when I'll be able to carry on with it.

 

All the work I've done and money spent and when its back in the water it wont look any different!

 

I'm getting a skip dropped off this weekend by the bows so I can just dump everything straight out the boat and into it.

 

Have to make sure the skip driver knows which one to pick up eh?

Edited February 27, 2006 by Yamanx

[stuart]

All the work I've done and money spent and when its back in the water it wont look any different!

 

But at least you know it wont be sitting on the bottom of the cut when you next visit!

[John Orentas]

What's next Dave, I take it you got the prop. / stern tube sorted. Have you decided what to do with the lining out and insulation.

 

You will soon be able try your new aerodynamic rudder and you might even be able to come to a stop without beginning the exercise at the previous bridge. 'G forces'.

 

You could always fit out the skip and give him the boat.

[Yamanx]

Had a good last weekend with the boat out of the water. Stripped out the interior and ripped up the floor. Rotten is an under statement. The boat has had water sloshing around in there, probably since she was built.

 

Over filled a very big skip!

 

When walking inside the boat across the beams you could hear a squelching sound, upon investigation it seemed there was water, lots of it between the new bottom and the old. Obviously leaked through the old floor. So I drilled a few holes in the bottom and let it out, re-welded the holes up. I lit a fire in half an oil drum and put it under the boat to dry it out, worked too!

 

Done a few other jobs, like a new exhaust, diesel pipes, charged the batteries, fit a new stern greaser and managed to strip down to bare metal and paint with Mioguard one full side, only one side to go, but that'll have to be done when its floating.

 

Now I have a dry, empty, water tight (Hope) and ready to fit out boat. Much bigger inside than I thought as well.

 

I'll put up some images later.

[stuart]

You seem to get so much done in a weekend!

[alan_fincher]

So I drilled a few holes in the bottom and let it out.....

 

This is exactly the kind of job best done before you get it back in the water!........

 

Seriously though, always enjoy your posts, and looking forward to another batch of piccies. Will you manage to get one of the skip, before it goes on it's travels?....

 

Alan

[Yamanx]

Boat is still out of the water as I'm waiting to share a crane in order to halve the cost, should be a week or so before I'll know whether she floats or sinks!

 

So, managed to paint the other side. All the boat has been stripped to bare metal and painted with Mioguard now apart from the stern top bit.

 

I forgot to take a set of steps with me this weekend and as the boat is about 1 metre off the deck its required. So I borrowed an old wooden ladder from the boat yard. Well it collapsed, with me on it! It must have been quite funny for any onlookers as I broke through the first wrung and about five more before hitting the floor. Got some very big and sore bruises over me legs.

 

I raced motorcycles for twenty odd years and was aften covered in bruises, especially over my legs, I didnt expect to get them narrowboating!

 

Going back this weekend to finish stripping out the interior sides, originally I was going to try and leave these in, but there isnt any insulation behind them, nothing, so out they come, they're a bit rotten near the bottom anyhow. If the boat is out another couple of weeks I'm going to start paneling out, really looking forward to actually start to put stuff back in and get on with fitting out.

[Yamanx]

Oh yes and I've named her "Hunky Dory". Had to have a name as I've organised moorings for her to go onto as soon as shes back in the water. A bit unsure about the name but thats it, Hunky Dory it is.

[Yamanx]

Its now moored at Norbury! Hooray!

 

Moved the boat the Norbury last weekend, never missed a beat all the way as sweet as a nut. Only one slight problem. Now that the prop is about the right size there is considerably more thrust than before, so when I put it into reverse it pulled the drive coupling off the drive shaft, losing all drive. And very nearly torpedoed ST170W's boat in the process. Fortunately I managed to stop it in time.

 

Nice to meet you by the way and thanks for letting us by, shrewed move on your part seeing as reverse was going to be out of the question during the trip.

 

Now the fun starts, going up tomorrow to start laying the floor and lining out, still got some lining to come out as well, should be a very busy day.

[Yamanx]

Things went a bit slow during May June what with a few race meetings, the TT and a holiday trip to Edinburgh, but I'm back into it now with a vengence, no more bike stuff, for me, this year.

 

Shes now painted red all over, at least red undercoat anyway. I'm not going to top coat just yet as I still need to drill a few holes etc. here and there. Dont half look different.

 

Fully lined, the floor was so uneven as the cross members are all over the place and vary up to 20mm in height. I've had to nail some 3mm ply over the floor to flatten it out a bit for the floor covering. Still need to prep the top half inside for the fabric lining I'm going to do.

 

Fitted my stove in the front corner, less the inner chiminey bit of tube which I havent fabricated yet. I've used ali (Because I can get it) to line the two sides where the stove is. Looks cool and the shiny surface should radiate the heat into the boat and away from the walls nicely. I'm going to start the internal partitioning this weekend and I'll take some pictures as she really is starting to look better now.

[Liam]

Post us some pics

[Mimi]

Cant wait to see some photos of all your hard worknYamanx.

[Yamanx]

I fully intended to take some pictures yesterday. I forgot my camera.

 

Had a really good days work on Saturday, built the double bed, electrical cabinet (Fitted the inverters, the consumer unit and re-located the batteries as well) and the new steps at the back, pretty pleased with it as well. I was hoping to have a good Sunday as well, but the weather beat me.

 

I tried really hard to carry on and put up with the heat indside the boat but after a couple of hours it just got too hot to carry on. I ended up sitting around at home itching to get back onto the boat, just far too warm for me I'm afraid.

 

I will drive up tonight on my way home from work and take some measurements so I can make a few bits at home, not the same though as actually fitting it.

[Yamanx]

Had a mad rush of blood last night and decided to rip out the wiring, completely. Every single peice of cable.

[Paul Evans]

Therapeutic?

[Yamanx]

Really itching to get down there this weekend, it feels close to completion now. In reality there is still a fair bit to do but there is light at the end of the very long tunnel.

 

I will finish applying the upholstery to the cabin sides this weekend. I have to say its the FDB, using roof lining material from Rover 75's after the company went belly up. Its soft about 10mm thick, hell of a job to apply, but when its on its worth all the agro, really is the business, absolutely deadens the sound inside.

 

Also plant to actually get some paint on inside the boat as well if theres time, and finish the bathroom and, and........................

[Yoda]

Really itching to get down there this weekend, it feels close to completion now. In reality there is still a fair bit to do but there is light at the end of the very long tunnel.

 

I will finish applying the upholstery to the cabin sides this weekend. I have to say its the FDB, using roof lining material from Rover 75's after the company went belly up. Its soft about 10mm thick, hell of a job to apply, but when its on its worth all the agro, really is the business, absolutely deadens the sound inside.

 

Also plant to actually get some paint on inside the boat as well if theres time, and finish the bathroom and, and........................

 

Looks like you have a name for your boat. Roverbits !!!!

[Stephen Fulcher]

Thats a bit harsh on Rover to be honest.

 

The Rover 75 is a very good car. I would not swap mine for any other vehicle currently on the road. They are easilly one of, if not the, quietest cars on the road from a sound deadening point of view and recycling material that deadens out road noise so effectively in a luxury car is certainly a good idea from a marine point of view.

 

Sorry for going slightly off topic.

Edited August 18, 2006 by Stephen Fulcher

[DHutch]

The Rover 75 is a very good car. I would not swap mine for any other vehicle currently on the road....

Not even an electric blue MG ZT?

[Stephen Fulcher]

Probably not because the 75 has more toys and uses slightly less fuel.

[Yamanx]

Finished all the upholstery and I'm mega pleased with it.

 

I had a small set back the other day when we had a mega rain storm. I wasnt aware that water has been getting in through one of the windows. I only noticed by accident when the rain came whilst I was there. But it must have been happening for some time without my knowledge. So water has collected, not much but some, under the new dry floor I fixed the leak easily enough, drilled a 100mm hole in the floor right at the back inside the steps and using a wet vac sucked it out. But I'm annoyed as its now damp under the floor and it wasnt. It should dry out though soon enough.

 

Last week saw the laying of the kitchen area floor using the old clip together beech lookalike laminate. The oven was situated in my now fully fitted kitchen. What a nightmare that was. I had to dismantle the thing in my garage as it was too wide for the door and reassemble it inside the boat. Trouble was that when I unscrewed the door oven door hinges the hinge closed up under its spring and what a blimin job to get the holes lined up again during re-fitting.

 

Also the installation of the bathroom, Hooray! Well most of it, ceiling (Done a clever thing with that), flooring and shower base all done, will finish the toilet and the corner sink tomorrow.

 

My bathroom is small, I knew it was always going to be small as I designed it that way so I could have more space elswhere. I'm not going to live on it so I've got enough room for a small shower, small corner sink and a rather nice cassette loo.

 

It 1100mm long x 1100mm wide at the floor, the loo cassette is removed into the corridor, and there is a sliding door. The shower tray is only 550mm x 650mm. It all fits in quite snugly but its fine and all well usable.

 

The layout sort of evolved during the fit out, but I'm fairly pleased with it. Of course the boats not long enough for it to be perfect

 

I have a permanent double at the stern with 300mm gap between the bottom of the bed and the bulkhead. This is because the boat requires access to the engine through the bulkhead. There is a trap door for this, I wanted to weld it up but the engine is transverse and I wouldnt be able to get to the starter or injection pump without it.

 

Then the bathroom, then a small bedroom with bunkbeds and wardrobe, then the open plane area with kitchen units on both sides for 2300mm and the saloon which is nice and spacey. Fortunately the windows fit into this scheme perfect.

 

Plenty to do still, plan to do some paintwork inside tomorrow so I can fit the electrical fittings without having to take them off to paint underneath.

 

On Saturdays, I'm usually on site at around 7am until 6pm (ish) I see dozens of boats during the day, some of them must be you lot, apart from Liam who gave us a shout the other week I havent met hardly anyone from this site.

[stuart]

Pictures please !! :-)

[Yamanx]

Well I got done what I had planned, but with one very fundamental error.

 

The colour.

 

I opened the tin and thought thats looks a bit yuk, maybe it'll dry different.

 

Then as I was painting it on I'm thinking maybe it'll grow on me.

 

It did neither and now it just looks horrible, so I'm off to B&Q's later to get a different colour altogther and get dowm there and paint it as I cant bear it to look like that even when I'm not there to see it!

 

[Breals]

Maybe it just needs some accessories... I'm thinking big fluffy cushions, maybe a glitterball...

Edited September 11, 2006 by Breals