So What Have We Missed

[carlt]

Next week is a long time for me these days

 

Goodness only knows how many dreams and opportunities I will have in two years

 

Richard

 

 

http://www.apolloduck.co.uk/feature.phtml?id=308328

Oi!

 

That's on my list!

[RLWP]

Everybody has to have a dream.

 

We have been fairly consistent in setting ourselves goals and getting them over the last 13 years.

 

Liam dreamt of owning an XR4i, he got one.

 

We dreamt of owning out own home, we got one.

 

We dreamt of owning our own boat, we got one.

 

So the next dream is to combine two of the above. And in the next couple of years we have every confidence that we will achieve that dream.

 

Life would be fairly boring if we didn't have hopes and dreams, heaven knows what the next one will be!

 

Funny old world, isn't it. I can't imagine anything more dull than a check list life running to a schedule. It just shows that we are all different, doesn't it

 

Richard

Oi!

 

That's on my list!

 

Can't beat a boat with a shadowy war history, can you

 

Richard

[Naughty Cal]

 

Funny old world, isn't it. I can't imagine anything more dull than a check list life running to a schedule. It just shows that we are all different, doesn't it

 

Richard

 

Can't beat a boat with a shadowy war history, can you

 

Richard

It was never intended to be a check list lifestyle but its funny how things pan out.

 

If someone had asked me 10 years ago where I thought I would be today I dont think I could ever have imagined life would be like it is now.

[carlt]

 

Can't beat a boat with a shadowy war history, can you

 

Nope.

 

I nearly bought one that had spent the war ping-ponging between the allies and the germans having been sunk twice, captured, recaptured and finally ending up as a houseboat on Mersea Island.

 

The problem was I would have been severely restricted when restoring it, trying to preserve all the bullet holes peppering the hull, so I bought the lifeboat instead.

[Naughty Cal]

Next week is a long time for me these days

 

Goodness only knows how many dreams and opportunities I will have in two years

 

Richard

 

 

http://www.apolloduck.co.uk/feature.phtml?id=308328

You see lovely as that is I would have absolutely no desire to own it. For a start it just isnt quick enough.......

[blackrose]

There is one thing troubling us. We don't want the fact that the boat is our home to limit our cruising.

 

Do any of you liveaboards find you are less likely to head out cruising in your home?

 

I think that's probably the case for most - apart from some liveaboard CCers.

 

3. Cruising. We don't cruise anywhere as much as you. I think there are a few reasons why. One is that normal chores seem to take up more time, and so tend to get left for weekends. Weekends therefore tend to get eaten up with 'normal' life rather than cruising about. Second is that being aboard isn't a novelty so much any more. Third is that, weirdly, you do get a little more nervous. When we went on the Thames I was rather aware that my entire life's belongings were aboard (save a few bits at Mum's), which is different.

 

4. You definitely feel differently. I love being a liveaboard. I love cruising when we have time, although I prefer the longer holiday or long weekend trips to the day trips round our local area.

 

I feel the same. I've got so many jobs that need doing on the boat and limited time to do them, so that impacts on my motivation to take the boat out. But then what's the point of doing all those jobs if you're never going to move? It's a bit of a compromise. I guess this is the same whether one lives aboard or not.

Edited June 13, 2013 by blackrose

[Naughty Cal]

 

I think that's probably the case for most - apart from some liveaboard CCers.

 

I feel the same. I've got so many jobs that need doing on the boat and limited time to do them, so that impacts on my motivation to take the boat out. But then what's the point of doing all those jobs if you're never going to move? It's a bit of a compromise. I guess this is the same whether one lives aboard or not.

Very true. We have just about the right balance of tinkering and cruising time at the moment but we will have to take into account that the new boat will be about ten years older so tinkering time will no doubt be increased.

 

Day to day household chores we dont expect will take us any longer then they do now. After all we will only have a boat to keep clean and tidy instead of a boat, a house and a garden!

[Dave_P]

I didn't see this mentioned earlier but it seems to have a huge fuel tank (presumably for those thirsty engines) but a teeny-weeny water tank. Or is it a typo in the advert? I'm also interested to hear how you'll get on cruising rivers and bigger canals with a sea toilet. I only had time for a quick perusal of the advert so maybe I'm missing something.

[Naughty Cal]

I didn't see this mentioned earlier but it seems to have a huge fuel tank (presumably for those thirsty engines) but a teeny-weeny water tank. Or is it a typo in the advert? I'm also interested to hear how you'll get on cruising rivers and bigger canals with a sea toilet. I only had time for a quick perusal of the advert so maybe I'm missing something.

We have a sea toilet now. It goes into a holding tank and is then either pumped out via the deck fitting or discharged via an onboard pump through a sea cock in the hull (beneath the waterline obviously!!) So no different to what we have now. Not all fitted with a tank of course but it is an easy modification.

 

90 gallon water capacity split between two tanks is correct. 90 gallons will be more than adequate. We only have 16 on NC!! During the week we will be marina based so it wont be difficult to stick the hose in and refill the tanks as necessary. We will plumb one into the washing machine for its own dedicated tank and use the other for day to day use.

 

The big fuel tank is to give the boat a good cruising range. Interestingly on our recent trip to Wells our friends Sunseeker despite its two large engines (2x200hp) didnt use twice as much as our single engine (170hp). We used about 200 litres and he used about 300 litres. In theory it has quite some range although we would be looking if possible for a boat with the bigger 260hp diesels, or if we are really lucky one reengined with KAD300's at 285hp each. That said Kevs boat is loaded up to the rafters with his wife and kids gear and that is still quick with the 200hp's.

[alan_fincher]

Can't beat a boat with a shadowy war history, can you

 

Richard

Indeed!

 

It can have played its part in the war effort though, and still be completely free of bullet holes and/or bomb damage.

 

 

(OK, I know it is a post war picture, but I'm sure you get the idea!)

[RLWP]

No, I don't get it

 

'What I'm looking for is a Ferrari with a very large boot'

 

Two boats is the solution for you. A home on the water and a very fast plaything

 

Richard

Is that Dunkirk, Alan?

 

Richard

Edited June 13, 2013 by RLWP

[carlt]

 

'What I'm looking for is a Ferrari with a very large boot'

 

[Dekazer]

Very true. We have just about the right balance of tinkering and cruising time at the moment but we will have to take into account that the new boat will be about ten years older so tinkering time will no doubt be increased.

 

Day to day household chores we dont expect will take us any longer then they do now. After all we will only have a boat to keep clean and tidy instead of a boat, a house and a garden!

 

I find that it's the normal household chores that seem to take longer on board. Laundry for example. We don't have shore facilities, so no tumble dryer. Connecting the washing machine's a bit of a job and can't be done in the rain, so we don't do those quick washes you do after work when you live in a house - it all gets stored for weekends instead. This seems to replicate across quite a lot of normal jobs.

 

Don't get me wrong - I wouldn't want to have to clean the windows of a house or mow a lawn either And the boat specific jobs like engine servicing and emptying the toilet and filling the water tank etc would need done whether we lived aboard or not. It's just that, as Blackrose points out, it can mean you have less free time for cruising.

 

I am very lazy though so my perfect Saturday morning, after a long working week, is to sit in my recliner and watch Storage Hunters while boats cruise past the window We save our 7am cruising starts for holidays!

[smileypete]

So we have a bit of a plan in the making.

 

We plan to keep our house for a couple more years as well as keeping NC as our weekend and holiday boat. After that time the plan is to up size the boat to something very much like this:

 

http://www.ancasta.com/boat_details/?BoatId=27093&filters=L5E2Hkb2fLF0RGy2Zeg3zq8MW2VNURDGdZjx8udyXfENqsZ1woFIMQKa9QAx8odYBUGkJnUljwFiIos7grAEsw==

 

The intention will then be to prepare this boat for liveaboard use whilst getting the house ready for sale. The is to keep the boat on a marina berth with access to marina facilities but to also continue to use the boat for cruising at weekends and for holidays, much the same as we do with NC now. We will still be working so commuting will be a consideration.

 

The above boat seems to tick all of the boxes we are looking for. Large master cabin, seperate guest bedroom, large saloon, decent galley and loads of outside space all in a package that is easy to handle in a 40ft package. We have a friend with a similar boat which we have found to be extremely comfortable and easy to live with and with the help of a large diesel heater is toasty warm even in the depths of winter.

 

So come on. What have we missed?

 

There must be something that we have not given full consideration too.

 

Yeah go for it!

 

Think I'd rather remortage the house to free up some equity instead of selling, then rent out the house and move onto NC a while, then buy a bigger bote.

 

That way if it all goes TU you're still on the housing ladder and have some security back on dry land.

 

cheers, Pete.

~smpt~

[Dave_P]

We have a sea toilet now. It goes into a holding tank and is then either pumped out via the deck fitting or discharged via an onboard pump through a sea cock in the hull (beneath the waterline obviously!!) So no different to what we have now. Not all fitted with a tank of course but it is an easy modification.

 

90 gallon water capacity split between two tanks is correct. 90 gallons will be more than adequate. We only have 16 on NC!! During the week we will be marina based so it wont be difficult to stick the hose in and refill the tanks as necessary. We will plumb one into the washing machine for its own dedicated tank and use the other for day to day use.

 

The big fuel tank is to give the boat a good cruising range. Interestingly on our recent trip to Wells our friends Sunseeker despite its two large engines (2x200hp) didnt use twice as much as our single engine (170hp). We used about 200 litres and he used about 300 litres. In theory it has quite some range although we would be looking if possible for a boat with the bigger 260hp diesels, or if we are really lucky one reengined with KAD300's at 285hp each. That said Kevs boat is loaded up to the rafters with his wife and kids gear and that is still quick with the 200hp's.

Are you sure it's 45 gallons per tank? The advert seems to say 45 gallons in total. Which is quite small.

[Naughty Cal]

Are you sure it's 45 gallons per tank? The advert seems to say 45 gallons in total. Which is quite small.

Assuming its the same as kevs Sneeker which is an older version of what we are looking at (same hull with a different stern) then it is 2x45 gallon tanks. One either side of the cockpit. Not sure why they chose this set up mind!

Yeah go for it!

 

Think I'd rather remortage the house to free up some equity instead of selling, then rent out the house and move onto NC a while, then buy a bigger bote.

 

That way if it all goes TU you're still on the housing ladder and have some security back on dry land.

 

cheers, Pete.

~smpt~

If it all goes tits up we can sell the boat to raise a deposit for a house and then buy a smaller boat again. Or just rent somewhere as an alternative.

Edited June 13, 2013 by Naughty Cal

[lynalldisocvery]

Sorry if ive missed it, but i wouldnt have a live aboard with a canvas roof.

Mine pees me off and its just a toy.

 

 

 

Lynall

[Naughty Cal]

Sorry if ive missed it, but i wouldnt have a live aboard with a canvas roof.

Mine pees me off and its just a toy.

 

 

 

Lynall

We don't mind having hoods. Although having just had new ones on NC one of the first jobs we will be doing is getting a new set made for new boat by the same chap. They are a joy to work with in comparison with the old ones and a much better fit.

[RLWP]

So, you've had a chance to discuss this project from several different angles over the day - what have you learned?

 

Richard

[blackrose]

If it all goes tits up we can sell the boat to raise a deposit for a house and then buy a smaller boat again. Or just rent somewhere as an alternative.

 

I don't see any reason it should go tits up - it sounds like you've got it all planned pretty well. Your choice of boat doesn't necessarily make the liveaboard transition easy, but you've got to go with the type boat you like.

 

Personally as a liveaboard I wouldn't fancy relying on a webasto in winter. If it does break down when it's freezing cold outside then what do you do while you're trying to fix it or get parts? Being cold with nowhere to go to to get warm can be a major downer. I know you don't like solid fuel stoves, but their reliability is the reason most liveaboards have them. Although I think you've got a diesel air blown heater in your current boat so you have some experience with them.

 

The only other thing is that I agree with Julian about the insulation. Having studied the thermal properties of foam materials as part of my PhD, I can explain chapter and verse the 4 different mechanisms by which heat propagates through a foam. It's the cellular structure of foams which confer the thermal insulation properties that most of us take for granted and which are utilised by all kinds of industries. In addition to the foam material itself, the insulation properties are based on air (or other gasses) trapped within the macrostructure of the foam which retard heat propagation to many multiples of the same thickness of solid material or two sheets of the material with a simple air gap between.

 

We all use "air insulation" in one way or another, but some insulation systems are far more efficient then others. I suspect that on your boat the heat output of your diesel heater is substantial compared to the space you're heating, and so although you're losing a lot of that heat through conduction, convection, and radiation, it still stays warm enough on the boat. It may be the same on your new boat, but it's inefficient and means you'll be wasting energy. If as you say, you can just put insulation between the panels then that's the easy solution - are the interior panels removable?

Edited June 13, 2013 by blackrose

[Paul C]

Or put simply:

 

2 ways to generate electricity (charge the batteries)

2 ways to heat water

2 ways to heat space

[Naughty Cal]

Or put simply:

 

2 ways to generate electricity (charge the batteries)

2 ways to heat water

2 ways to heat space

All sorted. Batteries charge via battery charger on either a hook up or the inbuilt generator or the engine when cruising. Hot water via immersion heater or running the engine. Heat via the webasto or electric plinth heaters when in shore power.

[blackrose]

All sorted. Batteries charge via battery charger on either a hook up or the inbuilt generator or the engine when cruising. Hot water via immersion heater or running the engine. Heat via the webasto or electric plinth heaters when in shore power.

 

Ah yes, I'd forgotten about the electric heaters.

[Naughty Cal]

So, you've had a chance to discuss this project from several different angles over the day - what have you learned?

 

Richard

Other than that everyone thinks we are barking mad, that there isn't much stopping us doing it and we have pretty much thought over the majority of the problems with the move.

 

My major concern is still losing the cruising that we do now. We like to head out at the drop of a hat and wouldn't want to lose that.

[lynalldisocvery]

We don't mind having hoods. Although having just had new ones on NC one of the first jobs we will be doing is getting a new set made for new boat by the same chap. They are a joy to work with in comparison with the old ones and a much better fit.

NC did they make the covers from fresh or copy the existing one?

 

 

Ta

Lynall