How thick is my skin?

[darrenrigg]

I am putting my craft "Crippin" into a floating dry dock for a survey, she is a 44ft narrow boat made in 1980. The last survey which was done 2006 found the hull at 5.3mm thick!!! I would like to know how thick the skin was when built originally by Springer Engineering?

I have heard that they used 6mm steel, I have also heard that they used 5mm steel, but they would of used imperial measurements, not metric??

Does anyone know what thickness of steel they worked with??

Kind regards

Darren

[RLWP]

Don't panic, trust your surveyor

 

Try to be present when the survey is done. I have found that surveyors are great at talking to you about your boat, pointing out good and bad features, and being generally very reassuring

 

Richard

[darrenrigg]

Don't panic, trust your surveyor

 

Try to be present when the survey is done. I have found that surveyors are great at talking to you about your boat, pointing out good and bad features, and being generally very reassuring

 

Richard

Hello again Richard,

No panic here my friend, I have heard 2 different measurements, I would have thought they used a standard size steel for the hull. Unfortunately I will not be able to make it for the survey, that thing called work gets in the way looking forward to see the report...

[RLWP]

Hello again Richard,

No panic here my friend, I have heard 2 different measurements, I would have thought they used a standard size steel for the hull. Unfortunately I will not be able to make it for the survey, that thing called work gets in the way looking forward to see the report...

 

That's a shame.

 

Your surveyor will give you the answer - the hull above the waterline won't have changed much

 

Can I suggest you call your surveyor when you have read the report. Chances are it will scare the hell out of you (ours always does), talking it through will reassure you

 

Richard

[AidanLincs]

Can I suggest you call your surveyor when you have read the report. Chances are it will scare the hell out of you (ours always does), talking it through will reassure you

 

This is what happened to me. I couldn't be present for the survey either. Peter Hopley was incredibly thorough, and presented a very detailed report. Some of the (handful of) areas of concern looked terrifying on paper, but he asked me to call him to go through the report. I did so, and went through all the points and explained (in layman's terms) exactly what the problem was, and how it needed to be fixed. What I had imagined would be a long and expensive job will actually be fairly short and cheap - but I would never have realised that if I had just read the report alone.

[darrenrigg]

Great news!!! Email came through from the surveyor, Just anodes to be renewed, seacock to be changed,rudder barrings to be replaced and blackening to be done whilst out of the water... Not bad for a girl of 32 years of age. No plating needed!! This Springer is still going strong.Thanks to Sam Springer.

Complete report still to come by slow mail,,,,

[RLWP]

Good news!

 

Richard

[MtB]

Excellent news!

 

How thick was the hull this time?

[darrenrigg]

Excellent news!

 

How thick was the hull this time?

I will find out next week as the full report will arrive by post, what did surprise me was the anodes still have another season left in them, whoever I will be changing them as they were last done 2006, I guess the Crippin's last owner didn't use her much!!

I will let you know the thickness of her skin once I have the full report.

Thanx

[RLWP]

I will find out next week as the full report will arrive by post, what did surprise me was the anodes still have another season left in them, whoever I will be changing them as they were last done 2006, I guess the Crippin's last owner didn't use her much!!

I will let you know the thickness of her skin once I have the full report.

Thanx

 

Our rear anodes still have life in them after nearly ten years

 

Richard

[alan_fincher]

I will find out next week as the full report will arrive by post, what did surprise me was the anodes still have another season left in them, whoever I will be changing them as they were last done 2006, I guess the Crippin's last owner didn't use her much!!

A lot of feedback seems to be that anodes waste faster for many boats left sat on moorings, than those that are actually used regularly.

 

This may or may not be true, I'm not sure, but I have heard it said that where fitted to hire boats, they are often longer lived.

[RLWP]

A lot of feedback seems to be that anodes waste faster for many boats left sat on moorings, than those that are actually used regularly.

 

This may or may not be true, I'm not sure, but I have heard it said that where fitted to hire boats, they are often longer lived.

 

If they were ever fitted to hire boats. When purchased, Tawny Owl didn't have any

 

Richard

[darrenrigg]

Finally the survey report has come through,(34 pages of a detailed report of photos, charts and a language anyone cauld understand) it makes interesting reading and at most great news, wish I could show you.

The summary:( quote)Documentation confirming nominal plate thickness was not available, but ultrasonic thickness testing indicated the following as the probable original nominal plate thickness for the main components of the vessel, where small sections vary this is shown in the readings below:

Bottom & side plates 5mm

Counter (uxter) plate 6mm

Swim plates 4mm

Supperstructure 3mm

 

(NOTE)The actual original plate thickness may vary slightly from the nominal thickness, so its not uncommon for the original thickness to be a few 10ths of a millimetre or thinner than the recorded nominal thickness.

 

Readings tacken from the bottom plating range between 4.1mm and 5.0mm. This represents a maximum diminution in plate thickness (excluding pitting) of 18% from original thickness of 5mm

 

Readings from the side plates range between 4.5mm and 5.6mm. This represents a maximum of diminution in plate thickness (excluding pitting) of 10% from original thickness of 5mm.

 

Readings taken from the counter plate range between 5.5mm and 5.8mm. This represents a maximum of diminution in plate thickness (excluding pitting) of 10% from original thickness of 6mm.

 

The chine plates at the bow and stern sections are not integral with the side and bottom plating as is the case in the mid section of the vessel, but are separate plates. these are separate chine plates at the stern and at the port bow(but not the starboard bow) have been fabricated from 4mm plate and are therefore thinner than the rest of the hull plating.

 

Assuming pitting at the thinnest points of the hull, this would leave a potential minimum thickness of metal of 2.1mm at the bottom of the pit on the bottom of the plating and 2.5mm on the side plating. on the thinner chine plating fore and aft minimum potential thickness of metal is 2.2mm.

 

It does go on with drawings, charts and more detailed info, he reports that the superstructure and hull are in sound condition. Recomendations are minimum to Crippin, Anodes, blackening, change seacock and rudder bearings.

Ill sleep well knowing this.

Who says these Springers are cheap pieces of scrap metal made to float? Quality steel obviously

Edited July 19, 2012 by darrenrigg