Peter Keay wooden narrowboat

[shaun.mack]

Hi, would like to invite any comments on the above topic. Boat / work on it etc can be viewed at narrowboatfriday.simplesite.com

 

Thanks

[matty40s]

Hi, would like to invite any comments on the above topic. Boat / work on it etc can be viewed at narrowboatfriday.simplesite.com

 

Thanks

 

 

Looks a fascinating project and great now it is finished. Welcome to the forum

 

Its Friday linky

[Woodstock]

A really intersting story and evidently a labour of love. You've done a stunning job- I love the interior. My parents live nearby, so looking to forward to walking past and seeing her for real next time I'm there. Well done for taking on a challenge, my other half and I would have been scared stiff with a wooden boat- but do have a real soft spot for wooden boats- the first one we ever hired was wooden

 

Enjoy- and we hope to see you on the cut soon

Jackie

[Tiggers]

What year was she built?

[matty40s]

What year was she built?

Looks like 1970 from the Granny Buttons linky in the website. It was originally called Friday according to Jim Shead.

 

FRIDAY Built by NOT KNOWN - Length 13.72 metres (45 feet ) - Beam 2.08 metres (6 feet 10 inches ) Wooden hull, power of 12BHP. Registered with British Waterways number 62507 as a Powered.

[Tiggers]

Nice to know there are still a few more around! It would've been by Peter's son, Ken

[Ian Mac]

Its a wooden boat - don't touch it with a barge pole! Wooden boats take far more maintenance than a tin one, and the timbers do not last that long, something around 30yrs for anything which has been steam bent is good, so these planks will be nearing the end. The other problem is there are very very few people capable of fixing and maintaining wooden boats, most are maintained by their owners as a labour of love. Ken built a frame so they could mass produce wooden boats, but I think they only produced one boat on this, which had a lovely shape to it. I remember seeing it when Gifford was being fixed by him for "Call Me Ted".

 

Edited - Having now looked at the pictures definitely don't touch it, there are two ways of fixing a wooden boat this way and the proper way. This way will work for a while and then the problems will start. Not sure why he has used oak on the bottom, opepee is the current preferred timber for this job. Also I'm not sure why it hasn't been plated, thin galvanized tin really works well. Also the bolt heads appear to be protruding rather than being countersunk a definite recipe for disaster. And then there is the over planking that really is a bag of worms for the future, especially as he does not appear to have filled the voids with Calico, what a mess. looks good but how do you get the elm to seal? as you can't get at it. As to the short runs in the hull, as we say to our surveyor, they are only there till we can afford to replace the whole plank, they cause more agro than soft mick. Once a plank has started to go its basically doomed, unless it has gone through abbration, rather than rot, which these haven't, they are going on the air water interface which is where wood boats first start going.

So in conclusion its got about 5 years before another bout of real work will need doing, as long as you dock her every year and keep on top of the fraying bits.

Edited January 26, 2013 by Ian Mac

[tafelberg]

I do have reservations about wooden boats, but my goodness she's something quite beautiful.

[Roxy]

There's only one word for her : Beautiful!!!!

[shaun.mack]

Would just like to say thankyou for all the comments ive recieved in such a short space of time.

[shaun.mack]

A really intersting story and evidently a labour of love. You've done a stunning job- I love the interior. My parents live nearby, so looking to forward to walking past and seeing her for real next time I'm there. Well done for taking on a challenge, my other half and I would have been scared stiff with a wooden boat- but do have a real soft spot for wooden boats- the first one we ever hired was wooden

 

Enjoy- and we hope to see you on the cut soon

Jackie

 

Thanks Jackie

 

 

Looks a fascinating project and great now it is finished. Welcome to the forum

 

Its Friday linky

 

Thank you. still finding my way around

[shaun.mack]

I do have reservations about wooden boats, but my goodness she's something quite beautiful.

Thank you. Yep, understand why people have reservations. Think Friday's shape would be worth copying in steel as its so unique

[shaun.mack]

Website narrowboatfriday.simplesite.com

[Grace and Favour]

This is your boat - yes?

[shaun.mack]

Yes it is.

[MtB]

I'd be very interested at £20k, but not a lot more.

 

But then I'd say one helluvalot of people would also bite your hand off at £20k, so maybe £25k would be about right, or £30k. Thing is, it's still a wooden boat and maintenance costs are in a different league to a steel narrowboat of similar size.

 

Why do you ask? Are you thinking of selling?

 

 

MtB

[shaun.mack]

I'd be very interested at £20k, but not a lot more.

 

But then I'd say one helluvalot of people would also bite your hand off at £20k, so maybe £25k would be about right, or £30k. Thing is, it's still a wooden boat and maintenance costs are in a different league to a steel narrowboat of similar size.

 

Why do you ask? Are you thinking of selling?

 

Thanks very much for the response. Yes, im thinking of selling, however like you say i appreciate that wooden boats are expensive to maintain and difficult to value, hence the post. My view of things is quite simple, its worth what someone would be prepared to pay for it and one of the reasons behind the web site was to show potential buyers everything, ie warts and all. Obviously, still early days at the moment and i want to get some more feedback. Additionally, i would like the new owner to be as enthusiastic as me in respect of keeping Friday on the water. Having said that, £20k certainly has my attention.

 

 

MtB

[Teadaemon]

Obviously it's not possible to give an accurate valuation without actually seeing the boat, and in this case it's even harder as wooden narrowboats built as pleasure boats aren't common any more. Added to that you've modified her considerably from the original design.

 

Was there a particular reason she got all of that steel reinforcement inside? (Effectively converting her from wooden to composite construction.)

 

Similarly, was there a reason for overplanking the bottom, rather than replacing any rotten planks, as would be more usual?

[shaun.mack]

Hi, Steel was put inside as i hoped that it would give me the option to go into dry docks when required rather than a slipway.From what im told the piller spacings are designed for steel boats (understandably) and a wooden boat might flex and open joint ups. (not good)

I didnt think the bottom planks were rotten, it was just that they had worn thin on the ends. (Plenty of evidence of water erosion) originally they were 2" / 2.5" thick. Hence why i decided not to replace the entire bottom but over plank with 1" oakand i thought it would provide further rigidity

Point of interest is that the boat was out of the water for 2 whole years and really dried out and i think this is reflected in the photos where cracks opened up etc.

[stagedamager]

just carrying on from the previous post, were the bottom boards caulked? Also i would have rebated the fixings in. But, she is a lovely boat, I am involved with another of Keays' boats, and personally do like a wooden boat. Just looking at the interior shots, has the lining plank been cut for the knees or are the sections of timber in between additional to the lining plank? Without a full survey, hard to give a price, 20 - 30k would be reasonable. The worry is is that the rot on the bottoms may spread into the new bottoms, and you may have accelerated rot and a moisture trap between the 2. Was there a keelson in place originally? Also, the knees look very short at the bottom, or do they disappear under the RSJ?

She is looking mighty fine however, and the fitout looks very good and finished to a high standard.

Good work!

 

Regards

Dan

[shaun.mack]

Hi Dan

 

Thanks for you comments.

No they werent, this was debated at great length at the time due to how dry the oak was. i was concerned that if i calked them, then as it expanded it might cause them to distort so took the decision not to calke and then if it became a problem i would (Hope that makes sense.)

Agree, in hindsight i should of, cant recall why i didnt as i did elsewhere.

The steel knees are original. they were fixed to the side planks & bottom with screws. Only around 5" long on the part that fixed to the bottom. These are also welded to the steelwork and then bolted through the side planks.

The plank that runs around the interior had small sections cut out to allow the knees to go back in. (Although not cut all the way through and then steel plates were bolted over them. (got photos somewhere, just need to find them)

There wasnt a keelson just a few timbers that the ply floor sat on. (another reason for me putting the steel in.

Not sure how other wooden boats are constructed but Friday has what i call the bottom planks, running across the width of the boat,(Not including the new layer ive fitted) then another set of planks running the length of the boat. Then the new steelwork. (Hope that makes sense?)

 

Is yours a leisure craft Dan?

 

Thanks

[stagedamager]

Hi Shaun,

Ours is a wooden tug, 'Judith Anne' built in 1943. She was commissioned by the ministry of war transport. We believe she was built out of a pre existing hull they had in the yard. The knees of Friday interest me being so short on the foot. I assume there must have been a reason or someone else sliced them off!! I'm sure others may be able to fill in the gaps!

 

Dan

[Timleech]

Hi Dan

 

Thanks for you comments.

No they werent, this was debated at great length at the time due to how dry the oak was. i was concerned that if i calked them, then as it expanded it might cause them to distort so took the decision not to calke and then if it became a problem i would (Hope that makes sense.)

Agree, in hindsight i should of, cant recall why i didnt as i did elsewhere.

The steel knees are original. they were fixed to the side planks & bottom with screws. Only around 5" long on the part that fixed to the bottom. These are also welded to the steelwork and then bolted through the side planks.

The plank that runs around the interior had small sections cut out to allow the knees to go back in. (Although not cut all the way through and then steel plates were bolted over them. (got photos somewhere, just need to find them)

There wasnt a keelson just a few timbers that the ply floor sat on. (another reason for me putting the steel in.

Not sure how other wooden boats are constructed but Friday has what i call the bottom planks, running across the width of the boat,(Not including the new layer ive fitted) then another set of planks running the length of the boat. Then the new steelwork. (Hope that makes sense?)

 

Is yours a leisure craft Dan?

 

Thanks

 

If you didn't caulk the original bottoms, what keeps it watertight?

 

Tim

[shaun.mack]

Hi Dan

 

Wow, that is old.

Re, Knee's. Dont think they have been cut back as everything seemed so original. However, i might be able to shed some light on it thinking about it. Always so difficult to explain in writing though, but here goes.

The planks that run the length of Friday stop around 5" from the outer edge (both sides) creating a sort of gully around the outer edge which i presumed was to channel water to the bilge pump. (i put 2 bilge pumps in, one each side of the boat) so the steel knee's are actually fitted to the bottom planks that run across the width, hence maybe why they are short. What do you think?

 

If you didn't caulk the original bottoms, what keeps it watertight?

 

Tim

 

Hi Tim

 

Sorry, maybe some confusion. The orginal bottom was recaulked. i just didnt caulke the oak over planking.

[Timleech]

 

 

 

Hi Tim

 

Sorry, maybe some confusion. The orginal bottom was recaulked. i just didnt caulke the oak over planking.

 

 

That sounds better.

 

I just wonder whether the internal, longitudinal, planking is a later addition? Maybe the knees were cut back to accommodate it?

 

Tim