Last (hull) Requests

[youthoftoday]

I want you to imagine that you're having a boat built, and that the shell is a week off completion.

 

What little bits and pieces would you ask your builder to do for you? What little fixtures, fittings and misc pieces of metal aren't obvious but come in very useful from time to time, and would be far better welded on now than later?

[by'eck]

Bow fairleads, fender attachments, answer pins (if needed), folding cabin side steps (to roof), nav lights (if needed).

[Paul C]

I'd we very wary about asking for any changes in specification just one week before the shell is deemed complete. I'm going to assume your shell builder isn't an idiot and has installed things such as some way to lock the fuel filler flap, somewhere to tie ropes front centre & rear, loops to attach fenders to (maybe side too?), hinges for the doors, proper lids on the various hatches, etc etc. I believe changes in specification half way (or nearly all the way) through a build are the main reason for delays, revised price for the customer, disagreements, dissatisfaction, etc and are viewed with distain by builders.

[Ex- Member]

I'd we very wary about asking for any changes in specification just one week before the shell is deemed complete. I'm going to assume your shell builder isn't an idiot and has installed things such as some way to lock the fuel filler flap, somewhere to tie ropes front centre & rear, loops to attach fenders to (maybe side too?), hinges for the doors, proper lids on the various hatches, etc etc. I believe changes in specification half way (or nearly all the way) through a build are the main reason for delays, revised price for the customer, disagreements, dissatisfaction, etc and are viewed with distain by builders.

 

I want you to imagine

 

[W+T]

Good question, but who designed the boat, if good they would, i would think so, of thought of all things needed, but if not then what have you got included?

How about a roof fairlead? come in handy

All i can think of what i would want beside all the other obvious.

[Paul C]

 

 

In which case, you might have a detailed meeting on the specifications BEFORE the built starts, or you see a previously completed boat and the hull builder explains that this is what the hull (and all its features) will be built as, or more likely he would say its going to be like this but with a few little tweaks/improvements (then detail them).

 

Of course we are imagining it, because we are not the ones having the shell built for us. Whether the OP is or not, I don't know but it doesn't really matter, I just assumed he'd phrased the original post in such a way but is actually having a shell built and is more/less at that stage.

[Quinafloat]

A couple of bits that I have had added or still want to add:

 

a lip across the back of the roof to stop water dripping on things (and you) when travelling in the rain.

 

2 extra bollards at the front, 1 either side so you dont have to leap on to the prow of the boat to use the single bollard in the centre (lots of fun in the wet).

 

loops to put the sunshade through at the front and back.

 

If you intend to use rivers a lot, a bollard at each corner of the roof (some banks are as high or higher than the boat).

 

Caps above the doors and side hatches to stop rain dripping into the boat.

 

All of the above are minor and would not delay a build, but either add to comfort and make life easier. In the case of the two bollards at the front they add to the safety. Hopefully your builder supplies all of them in his standard fit.

[GoodGurl]

bollard on the roof for a centre line

[DHutch]

I think its easy to have to many crappy bits welded on in a poorly thought out fashion, I wouldn't have a pole/plank rack for instance, and have yet to see a good argument for fairleads anywhere on a narrowboat. However good strong fixtures is something most narrowboats are short, t studs and dollies which just have a 5mm mig welded fillet between being fixed and coming off and hitting you in the chops. Even out boat has what I would call and underspecified centreline fixing point.

 

Make your deck drains large.

 

 

Daniel

[bottle]

I imagine if the shell builder is any good there will not be the need for any additions.

 

I imagine if the boat builder is any good there will have been many discussions with the boat purchaser before it got to this stage.

[JDR]

My wish list would include...

Front T-stud reinforced to be able to deal with the potential strain of deploying an anchor.

Access to inspect and clean water tank without having to dismantle cratch.

Easy access to gas bottles.

Water drain at lowest point on fuel tank (have yet to see one in the flesh).

Easy access to first water trap/agglomerator.

Easy access to weed hatch.

[onionbargee]

A couple of offcuts of 6mm plate and you can weld in an integral strongbox.

[youthoftoday]

Hi guys thanks for your responses! We certainly have agreed and signed off on specifications and have spent a long time talking, with plans etc. My boat builder is most certainly not an idiot, and neither am I (although how would I know?!). All the usual things that should be in there, are in there.

 

But, for example, we have a couple of strong hooks for hammocks in the spec and inside the cabin (it's a widebeam), because why not. I was thinking of simple-to-do, imaginative things more along those lines rather than "please provide a specification for my nearly completed boat", (but didn't want to limit fertile imaginations).

 

There are certainly some useful comments here, thank you.

Edited April 20, 2014 by youthoftoday

[JDR]

Cut two lines down the entire length and reduce the beam to 6'10"? Sorry couldn'y resist.

Edited April 20, 2014 by JDR

[youthoftoday]

Cut two lines down the entire length and reduce the beam to 6'10"?

 

What would be the point of that? I'd just end up with the boat I already have.

 

The dimensions of my new boat are, shall we say, a little unconventional, as I'm looking for a bigger boat to fit on a permanent, but not terribly long, river* mooring. I talked to one builder who said they could build me a 60ft boat to patterns, then chop out the middle. But I'd have to pay for the 60ft's worth of steel. Needless to say I didn't take them up on their offer (is that what Paul C means by an 'idiot shellbuilder'?).

 

___

*we're just like you, honest! Except more prone to flooding.

Edited April 20, 2014 by youthoftoday

[Tuscan]

Some rungs at the stern to enable you to get back on if in the cut

[Scholar Gypsy]

A ring to attach the anchor chain/warp to.

[Ex- Member]

Hi guys thanks for your responses! We certainly have agreed and signed off on specifications and have spent a long time talking, with plans etc. My boat builder is most certainly not an idiot, and neither am I (although how would I know?!). All the usual things that should be in there, are in there.

 

But, for example, we have a couple of strong hooks for hammocks in the spec and inside the cabin (it's a widebeam), because why not. I was thinking of simple-to-do, imaginative things more along those lines rather than "please provide a specification for my nearly completed boat", (but didn't want to limit fertile imaginations).

 

There are certainly some useful comments here, thank you.

 

Our best decisions in this category were the cratch seat lockers and bow tanks for heating diesel.

 

 

The seat lockers are really useful for storage of hose, pins, mallets, petrol etc. The bow tanks are adjacent to the seat lockers and hold around 90L of diesel each side. This feeds our Bubble stove.

 

Another thing we added but could have had incorporated in the original build was this front bracket fitting which we use for sun umbrella washing line and general pole we initially used for TV aerial.

 

 

This could be fitted/welded internally so it would be inside the gas locker in construction.

 

 

 

There's a hook loop for anchor too which we never even asked for.

 

I think your additional welding work to cater for hammocks is a great idea.

[Paul C]

2nd fuel tank.

[ditchcrawler]

bollard on the roof for a centre line

Two, one each side so you can have a rope ready each side

My wish list would include...

.

Water drain at lowest point on fuel tank (have yet to see one in the flesh).

 

I asked for one but it wasn't fitted