cost of overplating

[souladventurer]

Hi everyone

 

I am sure this has been talked about before. so apologies in advance

 

Can anyone enlighten me about a rough cost of overplating a 50 ft narrowboat.

 

Thank you

 

 

 

[MtB]

How much of it needs doing*, and how well do you want it done?

 

Think in terms of a few thousands of squids.

 

 

MtB

 

 

*Very few boats rust uniformly all over. Or do I mean under?

[PaddingtonBear]

As MtB says, very much a 'how long is a piece of string' question. There are far too many variables but around £5/6000 would not be far out.

[Androo]

If a boat does need over plating isn't it best to do the whole hull and have done instead of patchwork?

 

False economy comes to mind ?

[MtB]

If a boat does need over plating isn't it best to do the whole hull and have done instead of patchwork?

 

False economy comes to mind ?

 

Not necessarily. This is why I was asking for details.

 

It also depends on what 'needs overplating' means. Is it sinking or has a surveyor just found a couple of spots where it has lost 20% of the hull thickness? If the latter I'd say leave it another 20 years before going for plating. Or get a different surveyor.

 

MtB

[Neil2]

The baseplate alone should cost around £100 a foot these days, I reckon a good £12,000 or so if the hull sides need doing.

[Polishicebreaker]

I recently had an area of base plate over plated. 2.5 x 2.5m . Total cost 1500. That may help as a guide but bear in mind sides, swims etc can require more cutting of steel and jiggery pokery

[Alan de Enfield]

Perhaps questions more than a statement.

 

1) Is it worth having a boat overplated (unless its at a giveaway /scrap price)

 

2) Who actually decides it needs overplating ?

Surveyor says the metal is thin and suggests it. (what 'triggers' this statement ?)

I've heard stories that insurance companies will refuse to insure below a 'minimum' thickness (I've insured older boats without a survey)

 

3) There are horror stories about additional weight, corrosion between the two plates etc.

 

4) Would it not be better to pay an additional £10k - £15k and get a 'better' boat.

 

So - in the opinion of 'the forum' is it worth it ?

[Polishicebreaker]

If I was faced with 12k on overplating I would probably be looking for another boat!

[MtB]

I think boat owners get panicked by surveyors into having overplating done in just the same way that home owners get panicked by British Gas into replacing perfectly good boilers just because they are fifteen years old.

 

MtB

[Captain Fizz]

Spot on again Mike.

Overplating has become the phrase of choice from surveyors and brokers alike.

[kris88]

i always thought cutting out and inserting was a better job

[MtB]

i always thought cutting out and inserting was a better job

 

It is, provided there is something to cut out from, and weld to.

 

On a really rusty boat, overplating is the only option to save it. But it's rarely necessary in my opinion. The steel only neess to be thick enough to keep the water out, and even if it isn't, you can still hammer matchsticks into the holes if you can see them

 

 

MtB

[souladventurer]

thanks for all your posts !!!! keep em coming !!!

 

Really useful reply's cheers .

 

souladventurer

 

coming to a location near you soon!!! fingers crossed.

[MtB]

How about engaging in discussion and answering all the questions raised by your original post?

 

 

MtB

[station tug]

we are in ressesion people havent been buying boats and fat boat yard owners need to keep the £££ rolling in....surveyor wont argue to much with a yard as it would be cutting there own throats....did you know you never need set foot on a narrow boat or indeed know what one is...pay your £££ sit the "i want to be a surveyor coarse" which is geared for you to pass (just like the gas ticket) and away you go another prat in a hat surveyor just dieing to be groomed and fondled by a needy boat yard.....and so it goes on and on and on and to top it off as the genuine sensible dinosaur sureyors die off the industry is filled by the new breed.................................................................................................................................................

 

over plating...................

 

if you boat is down the 3mm you are going to DIE!!!!!!!!!!! oh hold on a minute...springers were made out of 3mm and most of em are still floating

pitting .........if your boat has any mirror blemish in the blacking youve guessed it ..your gunna die!!!

 

1 kg fire extinguashers...boat yards sell loads because trade there cheap and they can stuff a load of fat profit into you...have a fire on your boat..your going to die because they are to small to do anything but irratate a mild smoldering in a damp box of matches..

 

its a crazy world being a punter.......

[Alan de Enfield]

 

1 kg fire extinguashers...boat yards sell loads because trade there cheap and they can stuff a load of fat profit into you...have a fire on your boat..your going to die because they are to small to do anything but irratate a mild smoldering in a damp box of matches..

 

its a crazy world being a punter.......

 

Picked up a 6kg one at Aldi last week for £9.99 (yes it is the corect BS/En and BSS specfication)

[station tug]

 

Picked up a 6kg one at Aldi last week for £9.99 (yes it is the corect BS/En and BSS specfication)

no alan no no no no no...£19.99 for a 1kg....if its not from a boat yard YOU WILL DIE!!!!!! i hope your not going to be one of these independant thinkers????

[onionbargee]

If your hull is wafer thin then no one will insure it, if they find out, and you risk coming back to a sunken boat, totally destroying all the insides and everything in it, then you might wish you had died ?

[station tug]

If your hull is wafer thin then no one will insure it, if they find out, and you risk coming back to a sunken boat, totally destroying all the insides and everything in it, then you might wish you had died ?

you could always just sell it on at an inflated price???

 

sorry onion couldnt help myself

[MtB]

you could always just sell it on at an inflated price???

 

sorry onion couldnt help myself

 

Yes I bit my tongue and stopped myself posting a similar comment, lol. Looks like I have more self-control than you Station!

[alan_fincher]

you could always just sell it on at an inflated price???

Errm....

 

you could always just try to sell it on at an inflated price???

 

[Neil2]

From a buyers perspective a plethora of over cautious surveyors is a very good thing. Sellers are just as easy to spook as buyers so if someone thinks they have a basket case on their hands they will be only too pleased to offload it at a knock down price.

 

A bad hull survey will knock at least 50% off the asking price, maybe more, and it is almost always pitting rather than general hull degredation. If the boat in question has an otherwise good spec it might well be a bargain. Even if the hull does eventually perforate it isn't going to take on water like the Titanic.

 

Insurance wise there are a number of insurers who don't seem to care what state the hull is in provided it is under 30 years old.

 

And if you are really skint and/or prepared to risk it, you can always go TPO.

 

 

 

[bargemast]

Does this go PTO mean go To Pump Out ?

 

Peter.

[MtB]

Insurance wise there are a number of insurers who don't seem to care what state the hull is in provided it is under 30 years old.

 

I have insurance on REGINALD (1887) with no survey or any condition report.

 

I'm fairly sure it is from these peeps although the website looks different now

 

http://www.basic-boat.com/cgi-bin/WebObjects/BasicBoat.woa

 

MtB

P.S. I meant to say it is third party insurance