Eating my hat

[Dominic M]

I've lived on boats on and off for 20 years. I came to swear by the convenience if a cassette loo, a multi fuel stove and gas cooking.

 

In May last year Helen and I bought Ferret, a 70ft RW Davis boat. No stove, no gas, and a pump out. All the heating and cooking comes from a domestic Aga run on diesel, and the loo is a pump out. We went through the coldest winter of our and anyone else's lifetime. We went through a heatwave last May and June. The cooking was brilliant, the heating fantastic, through the whole boat, in all temperatures. All at the twist of a dial. The pump out lasts for 2 months.

 

What has radically changed my view? Large tanks. Having a pump out tank that holds perhaps 300 gallons, a diesel tank that holds over 100 gallons, and a water tank that holds 400 gallons, makes a huge difference to a quality of life afloat. There is no reason not to build these capacities into a new boat.

[windy miller]

My sentiments entirely. Although we don't live aboard, we have a monster pump-out tank that only needs emptying twice a year, 150 gallons of water and an annual top up of diesel that sees us through 7 or 8 weeks of cruising and battery charging most weekends.

Hats off to the designer of our boat. (Jonatan Wilson + Charles123)

[NB Alnwick]

I've lived on boats on and off for 20 years. I came to swear by the convenience if a cassette loo, a multi fuel stove and gas cooking.

 

In May last year Helen and I bought Ferret, a 70ft RW Davis boat. No stove, no gas, and a pump out. All the heating and cooking comes from a domestic Aga run on diesel, and the loo is a pump out. We went through the coldest winter of our and anyone else's lifetime. We went through a heatwave last May and June. The cooking was brilliant, the heating fantastic, through the whole boat, in all temperatures. All at the twist of a dial. The pump out lasts for 2 months.

 

What has radically changed my view? Large tanks. Having a pump out tank that holds perhaps 300 gallons, a diesel tank that holds over 100 gallons, and a water tank that holds 400 gallons, makes a huge difference to a quality of life afloat. There is no reason not to build these capacities into a new boat.

 

So you just have the small water tank! What do you keep in the rest of that hole? Beer?

[Dominic M]

I consulted God aka Phil Trotter on his boats. That's what the bow tank holds, he reckons. Also he swears his boats draw 2ft 6in. I also pointed him towards David Schweizer's comments on his boats on this forum. He was less than impressed, shall we say.

Edited May 29, 2011 by Dominic M

[NB Alnwick]

I consulted God aka Phil Trotter on his boats. That's what the bow tank holds, he reckons. Also he swears his boats draw 2ft 6in. I also pointed him towards David Schweizer's comments on his boats on this forum. He was less than impressed, shall we say.

 

One thing about Phil, you could never accuse him of exageration! When 'Alnwick' was slipped at Braunston last week, I reckon they pumped about 500 gallons of water out of the tank in order to get the front end on the trolley - it wasn't full when we took it in and it wasn't empty after they had pumped it out!

 

While it was out we took some measurements, the distance from the underside of the counter (uxter plate) to the bottom of the skeg/rudder cup is 85 cm or 33.5 inches. When the boat is floating the underside of of the counter is in the water and with a full tank of diesel, its about 7.5 cm or three inches below which gives us a draught that is a good six inches deeper than Phil's quoted 2ft 6in. We can raise the counter by filling the water tank to its absolute maximum but even then I doubt if we could reduce the draught by more than 3.5in - but that isn't really a problem . . .

[alan_fincher]

What has radically changed my view? Large tanks. Having a pump out tank that holds perhaps 300 gallons, a diesel tank that holds over 100 gallons, and a water tank that holds 400 gallons, makes a huge difference to a quality of life afloat.

And having your own boatyard, and hence your own personal pump-out facility ?!?

[Dominic M]

Well, I have the same boat. I won't argue about any of that. The water supply lasts for months. I would always choose an integral tank rather than a:stainless steel box that you can't investigate, and will probably split sooner or later. Especially as integral tanks can now be coated with 2 pack epoxy such as Epicol that lasts for years.

 

As for draught, I have a 28in prop, so I am sure approaching 3ft is more realistic. And it causes me few problems.

 

If only most narrow boats were built with such a draught. There'd be a lot less whinging about dredging.

[blackrose]

There is no reason not to build these capacities into a new boat.

 

Unless of course they're not what you want.

 

Personally I don't want a pump out or a diesel aga and I definitely want gas.

 

Edit: The only thing you've listed that I agree with is a large water tank.

Edited May 30, 2011 by blackrose

[nb Innisfree]

I would love to have a very large holding tank, water tank and diesel tank but unfortunately in a narrowboat we don't have room for all three and still have room for other things.

 

Life's so unfair.

[Guest]

What has radically changed my view? Large tanks. Having a pump out tank that holds perhaps 300 gallons, a diesel tank that holds over 100 gallons, and a water tank that holds 400 gallons, makes a huge difference to a quality of life afloat. There is no reason not to build these capacities into a new boat.

 

I guess we are talking a straightforward Mansfield 'dump through' here and not some poncy macerator jobby though??

[Dominic M]

Unless of course they're not what you want.

 

Personally I don't want a pump out or a diesel aga and I definitely want gas.

 

Edit: The only thing you've listed that I agree with is a large water tank.

Of course, there is much to be said for the simplicity of cassettes and gas.

 

I am just surprised at how comfortable the current arrangement is. Perhaps in growing older I appreciate more not having to hump gas bottles around and not having to carry a plastic box of turds to a sanitary station once a week. I'm fed up with seeing the sweetcorn I ate 3 days earlier.

 

I guess we are talking a straightforward Mansfield 'dump through' here and not some poncy macerator jobby though??

The latter I'm afraid

Edited May 30, 2011 by Dominic M

[alan_fincher]

I guess we are talking a straightforward Mansfield 'dump through' here and not some poncy macerator jobby though??

 

Or some poncy jobby macerator ?

[luctor et emergo]

500 gallons? That is over 2200 liters.. And that is not the full capacity?? That is two IBC containers worth... Are you shure you're not mixing gallons and liters? For starters, you would add at least 2 inches to your draught with a full tank.

[Dominic M]

500 gallons? That is over 2200 liters.. And that is not the full capacity?? That is two IBC containers worth... Are you shure you're not mixing gallons and liters? For starters, you would add at least 2 inches to your draught with a full tank.

I think 500 gallons is possibly over-egging the pudding, but certainly the Northwich Traders made by R W Davis hold at least 300. It is the whole of a very deep bow. If I go from empty to full, the stern is raised by about 4 inches. It cavitates slightly at that point, but helps on a shallow canal. On a river it doesn't matter, with a bit of power on the stern digs down.

 

I measure these things in time as much as anything else. Living aboard, 2 showers a day, a plumbed in flushing wc, kitchen use and running the washing machine twice a week, a full tank lasts 8 weeks.

Edited May 30, 2011 by Dominic M

[WJM]

Pump out - I am guided by the pained expressions on the faces of those with a full tank and a broken pump! And do those pumps break! Keep It Simple Cassette!

[mayalld]

I'm fed up with seeing the sweetcorn I ate 3 days earlier.

 

You ahave an overengineered solution.

 

Simply stop eating sweetcorn.

[nb Innisfree]

I think 500 gallons is possibly over-egging the pudding, but certainly the Northwich Traders made by R W Davis hold at least 300. It is the whole of a very deep bow. If I go from empty to full, the stern is raised by about 4 inches. It cavitates slightly at that point, but helps on a shallow canal. On a river it doesn't matter, with a bit of power on the stern digs down.

 

I measure these things in time as much as anything else. Living aboard, 2 showers a day, a plumbed in flushing wc, kitchen use and running the washing machine twice a week, a full tank lasts 8 weeks.

 

We have a full depth bow tank on a standard 22" draught narrowboat, the rear upright wall of the tank extends to the bottom plate so the tank doesn't extend under the front deck and the capacity is 150 galls, which I think is a fairly standard and modern capacity. We also have two extra tanks inside which brings the grand total to 280 galls, so a 500 gall tank is a bit mind boggling to me

[carlt]

You ahave an overengineered solution.

 

Simply stop eating sweetcorn.

Maybe if you stopped eating hats you wouldn't need such a big tank...

[Strads]

From some onethat also has a oil fired heritage stove that i fill 2 twice a year,

pump out that last 6-8 weeks at atime, and water tank that last 2-3 weeks with 2 x daily showers,,, and also a northwich trader, I also dont miss the weekly lump and and dump... etc etc..

 

I also have that warm inner glow of a well thought out boat.... all are welcome to their opinions on what is "best" for them... I know what I prefer,

 

Oh and i no longer buy fuel but have @20 plus days cruising a year..

[Proper Job]

If you've got a pumpout with a small tank, you might as well have one you can carry

 

Last year we went in to a boatyard on the Wey for a pumpout. They charged two rates (single and double toilet).

 

After we filled his mobile tank he tried to charge us the higher rate as he insisted that we must have had two toilets.

 

I offered him a trip round the good ship to find the mythical 2nd toilet.

 

One toilet - one big holding tank

 

According to the boat info, Ocelot has 80 gallons fuel, 100 gallons pumpout, 200 gallons water. All I know is that it all lasts for ages - great for live aboard

Edited May 31, 2011 by Proper Job

[Neil2]

I'm similarly impressed by these stats - a boat that carries 2.2 tons of fresh water, wow. There's some sense in all this though in that what is intended to be a feature to make lfe more comfortable has a useful fringe benefit ie movable ballast. I think when I have the money to have boat built in a few years time I will give this some thought. I lean towards the keep it simple principle but a boat that can lose several inches from its draught simply by pumping water has a certain attraction. Mind you, how long does it take? Pumping at say four gallons a minute is over two hours...

(BTW if you are ever on the Leeds Liverpool don't bother with the water point at Apperley Bridge as the pressure is so low you will be there all day.)