How do I make a swan neck?

[john@worcester]

I am now the proud owner of a narrowboat shell that doesn't yet have a rudder or swan neck (though it does have something large and round extending between top of counter and skeg which I haven't yet investigated).

Question is - if the swan neck is really bent up from 40mm round bar (which I believe to be the case) who on earth can I find to do this job for me! Not the sort of thing you can put over your knee.

 

cheers - John

[Carrie]

"How do I make a swan neck?"

 

You could buy it dinner and flowers.

[Lesd]

John,

Look up your local 'Gate and railing' fabricator, they will have a pipe bender / jig that will do the necessary.

Happy Christmas

Les

[DHutch]

Here we go...

http://images.google.com/images?client=ope...sa=N&tab=wi

 

But yeah, as Les says, ring round some local fabriators and see if they can help you out.

- Just ask if they have some pipe bending equipment, would they mind doing a small job for you, and tell them about it.

- If they dont have the time/equipement, then ask them if they can suggest some that can, half an hour of calls later, and you'll proberbly be half way there!

 

Also, its worth looking at other boats on the water and seeing if you like there swan neck, and taking basic mesurments, even if only by eye. Some are really good, and really look the part, some a look pritty odd, and the odd few are downright ugly!

 

Another line you could persue, is having found one or two you like the look of, make a note of who made the hull (its often written on, or else you can often tell) and then contact that builder, and ask them if you can have them make you one.

 

 

Daniel

[John Orentas]

A job for an old fashioned blacksmith or a boatbuilder, one of the trickier bit will be to get made the bottom boss were it fits onto the rudder shaft, they are all different and most will require a taper of some kind machining into it. The main element is nearly always 1.5" diameter solid mild steel bar so pipe bending equipment is of no use at all though powered hydraulic types may just do it, the usuall technique is oxy-acetylene and a big hammer.

 

Try a PM to Gary Peacock.

Edited December 26, 2006 by John Orentas

[magnetman]

I am now the proud owner of a narrowboat shell that doesn't yet have a rudder or swan neck (though it does have something large and round extending between top of counter and skeg which I haven't yet investigated).

Question is - if the swan neck is really bent up from 40mm round bar (which I believe to be the case) who on earth can I find to do this job for me! Not the sort of thing you can put over your knee.

 

cheers - John

 

Sometimes boatyards have the occasional swan neck lying around, off old boats which had new gear fitted, worth looking round and being nosy perhaps.

Originally the swan neck on workboats was hand forged by a blacksmith in a similar way to a windlass, with a square socket at the end to fit over the rudder post. Most modern swan necks are solid steel which has been heated and bent to shape but there are some good swan necks made using hollow tubing, 4mm wall thickness and the outisde and inside of the curve is flattened a bit where it has been held in a large pipe bender.

 

It is much easier to use hollow tubing but its also much easier to make a complete bodge doing it that way, solid is certainly preferable but a lot of work.

Edited December 26, 2006 by magnetman

[salmiron]

I am now the proud owner of a narrowboat shell that doesn't yet have a rudder or swan neck (though it does have something large and round extending between top of counter and skeg which I haven't yet investigated).

Question is - if the swan neck is really bent up from 40mm round bar (which I believe to be the case) who on earth can I find to do this job for me! Not the sort of thing you can put over your knee.

 

cheers - John

 

One additional thought. Has the previous owner taken the Swan neck off and secreted it somewhere on the boat? In the past I have hired boats where the tiller was held in place by a pin, which was easily removed as a security measure. You then locked the tiller inside the boat.

[alan_fincher]

You could try asking the man who made this.....

 

Link to Yamanx's tiller arm post

 

But I've a feeling Yamanx is away cruising at the moment, so may not be contactable for a bit ?