Home build or afloat only.

[the barnacle]

I am planning in the near future to get a narrow boat, i have a plot of land at home that i could keep a boat while fitting it out, might be a silly question as i am new to this but is it feasible to fully fit a 50 - 60ft boat out then move it when finished, the reason i ask is that i think i would get more work done if it were at home and i would save on the canal fees as this may be a long on-going project for me and my lad.

 

is it easy to move boats by road?

[dmtarry]

I am no expert and I am sure it can be done this way, however when finished and the boat is launched it will change shape and this may impact on the fit out in some way? I am sure that you can compensate for this and the experts will be along shortly to advise better than I could.

[Grace and Favour]

I am planning in the near future to get a narrow boat, i have a plot of land at home that i could keep a boat while fitting it out, might be a silly question as i am new to this but is it feasible to fully fit a 50 - 60ft boat out then move it when finished, the reason i ask is that i think i would get more work done if it were at home and i would save on the canal fees as this may be a long on-going project for me and my lad.

 

is it easy to move boats by road?

Yes!

 

If we assume that your steel superstructure is correctly built then it, like hundreds of narrowboats, can be safely moved by road.

[the barnacle]

I am no expert and I am sure it can be done this way, however when finished and the boat is launched it will change shape and this may impact on the fit out in some way? I am sure that you can compensate for this and the experts will be along shortly to advise better than I could.

Thank you for the reply i had not thought of distortion or even considered it, do boats distort much when in or out of the water.

[Arthur Brown]

Yes it's easy to move a boat if the roads are big enough. You will need hardstanding for the crane at the pick up and the launch point and you will need to pay for the boat moving lorry. I'd suggest that £2000 is a fair guess to pick up a steel boat and take it to the water and launch it.

 

Also consider how the neighbours will feel about having a steelworks next door, the work can be noisy. Your council could be interested from a planning or nuisance point of view.

 

One good low bridge could change your plans considerably. The trailer bed will be 5 feet above ground and the boat will be about 8 feet tall so you can work out how much clearance you have en route.

Keel boats change shape from hard standing to floating. Steel narrow boats much less so.

 

Assume that the lift will not be perfectly level, things may well move if loose..

[the barnacle]

hi, i don't really have any neighbours but do own a big yard so housing the boat wouldn't be an issue, i do know a chap that owns a boat yard local so might ask his advice on launching, the other problem i would have to consider is getting the boat here as i would want to buy a finished shell.

[Guest]

Thank you for the reply i had not thought of distortion or even considered it, do boats distort much when in or out of the water.

You could fit any internal doors when afloat, other than that there shouldn't be any problems. The bit that might shock you is the price of cranage/transport amidst all the health and safety requirements. Your saving in mooring fees could cover this though I imagine. I would have liked to have fitted our boat out at home, but we don't have room.

[Higgs]

Thank you for the reply i had not thought of distortion or even considered it, do boats distort much when in or out of the water.

 

Enough that your cupboard doors may stick when the boat is floated. May be you could draw some datum marks on the hull before it's lifted out to be fitted. Using one of those light spirit levels. ?? Not sure how practical that may/may not prove to be.

 

For the purpose of aligning the marks when placing the boat on blocks. I guess, for that to work, your ground will need to be pretty solid to avoid sinking with pressure over time.

Edited June 24, 2013 by Higgs

[the barnacle]

thanks for the great advice - its already making me think of looking into it more, - i think the datum points are a good idea, along with fiting doors while afloat.

[RickH]

my cousin built a catamaran at home , unfortunately developers also did some building preventing an easy esacape , and neccessitating the removal of part of his house , keep that in mind .

[Biggles]

I can speak from experience.

 

I did it and had no problems what so ever with distortion on lifting, floating, doors etc.

 

Have a look at my blog. What I would say and I'm sure there will be others that disagree but my advice if you listen to nothing else is to take plenty of time to get the boat set level and straight. I know using a spirit level is somewhat of a strange thought on a boat but believe me it works as you do have at least 2 datums to work from.

 

I used water in the hull to set the level checked by a level.

 

Any advice you want PM me. Make sure you use a crane and haulage company that is used to lifting boats.

[Arthur Brown]

Consider that the finished boat will weigh in the order of 15tons so the crane will probably weigh 30tons or 45 tons with your boat suspended. As you are planning this, plan it round these weights! The crane company will want a good solid footing for the crane to make the lift. Plan from the start where the boat will be, where the lorry will be and where the crane will stand, look for everything like power cables and maturing trees that could get in the way and plan to suceede regardless then you will have no problems on the lift out and truck out.

 

It's really unlikely that there will be hull distortion on the lift, but make sure that all moving items are removed.

[Biggles]

I needed 2 cranes 24tons

 

[BGA]

Is it not possible to mount the boat when it arrives for fit out at a height that would allow the trailer to drive straight under it it then be lowered by jacks on to the trailer, that way you would only need a crane at the launch point where hard stands are more common?

[Ryeland]

I did this with no problems with a 50' shell. It's so much easier to do everything if you have a workshop and storage next to the boat, and allowed me to complete in about 5 months.

 

Richard

[Mike Jordan]

Its easier and normally cheaper to do the job this way. Your tools and equipment are all in one place and there is no time wasted in driving to and from the marina. You can do some work in the evenings and times when you would not be able to get to the marina, security is easier. Two simple tips - build a small flight of stairs to give easy access to the shell NOT A LADDER!.

A Spreader frame and good hard standing are vital when the boat is lifted. Don't be conned into the use of long chains, the boat can be damaged. There are greedy idiots with cranes but most are sensible will do exactly what you direct.

I my experience the boat will not change shape but i always checked prop shaft to engine allignment when afloat in the times when rigid installations were used. Not a problem today since only a clown would fail to fit a flexible drive shaft.

Best of luck with the project.

Mike Jordan

[Biggles]

I've just seen where the OP is based

 

Try Ray (formally Streethay Wharf) on Linky First rate IMO and on your doorstep.

Edited June 26, 2013 by Biggles

[BEngo]

Snip>

I my experience the boat will not change shape but i always checked prop shaft to engine allignment when afloat in the times when rigid installations were used. Not a problem today since only a clown would fail to fit a flexible drive shaft.

Best of luck with the project.

Mike Jordan

Or a Kelvin owner- the gearbox relies on propeller thrust to hold it in gear.

 

N

[the barnacle]

I've just seen where the OP is based

 

Try Ray (formally Streethay Wharf) on Linky First rate IMO and on your doorstep.

 

Hi Can I first that everyone for their replies all the advice is much appreciated, Biggles the link is not working? - I feel a bit happier with the thought of having a home fit out now but understand I have a lot more to think of than I first thought.

 

Thanks again, Steve.

[Biggles]

 

Hi Can I first that everyone for their replies all the advice is much appreciated, Biggles the link is not working? - I feel a bit happier with the thought of having a home fit out now but understand I have a lot more to think of than I first thought.

 

Thanks again, Steve.

 

 

I have fixed it now but here it is again

 

Linky

 

Or www.bargemovers.com