Cruising and fitting out

[Polishicebreaker]

Hi folks, I'm interested in anyone's experience of cruising in an unfinished boat whilst fitting it out. For someone who may be about to do this, can you offer any useful advice? I know this is a very general question but thought it may be helpful for myself and others .

Ed

[Alan de Enfield]

Fitting out can mean many things - fitting out can take you 6 months or 12 months (based on land) Cruising and trying to fit-out "will not happen", it will take 3 years + even if you manage to do some work every day.

You will be hours away from B&Q when you need that screw, or the chandlery when you need that fitting.

 

It has been done, but I bet there are more unfinished boats than finished ones.

[jacko264]

It does sound a hard way of doing it and a very long project to do good luck

graham

[tony collins]

I agree as someone who tried to do it. You get the basics done and all those "little jobs" just fall down the priority list. Far better to blitz the boat and at least get it 90% finished before you moor outside the pub with your mates.

[John V]

If it is bare shell, life can be interesting. Long time ago (in the 80's)brought a motorised ex BCN Joey all 72' x 7' (middle age spread) down to the river Stort. The one essential thing is ballast !!! When I set off over a third of the prop was above water This had the effect of watering any passing dog or walker. As soon as it started to get towards evening a suitable stopping spot had to be found near a convenient source of heavy objects that were not tied down.

I soon discovered road building had little to offer after nearly discombobulating myself lugging a couple of kerbstones along the towpath to the boat. Blue engineering bricks are not bad but supplies are limited. It was only when I stopped near a breakers yard for a couple of days and managed to get a few flywheels that things improved

[system 4-50]

Nearly 5 years into it, I have just got my flush toilet working. Next job is the shower. At the current rate of progress, still 5+ years to finish.

[OldGoat]

Took me 10 years - and the thing was in the garden.....

 

 

[John V]

Nearly 5 years into it, I have just got my flush toilet working. Next job is the shower. At the current rate of progress, still 5+ years to finish.

 

Optimist !!!

[blackrose]

I started off by cruising and fitting out, but I got a permanent mooring 3 months later. Living aboard while fitting out is hard enough without continuous cruising too. Having said that, I fitted my kitchen, shower, toilet and solid fuel stove during those first 3 months. It then took me another 3 years to finish off the boat after that, so perhaps there is something to be said for the urgency of fitting out while cruising. Permanent moorings and shore power can make you lazy...

Edited June 6, 2014 by blackrose

[Ex- Member]

We initially fitted out on the water CCing we got to the stage where we were fully lined out and all the cabin areas constructed. We only had long weekends to do the work. When we started we simply camped on the boat floor with a double mattress.

 

We had a battery bank inverter and generator for power tools. after 18 months we got to the point where we could hardly move, the front half of the boat was nearly finished, the problem was, trying to finish the back half with tools and materials in the way, this was a nightmare so we eventually got the boat back on dry land in late 2007.

 

Personally I probably wouldn't try it again, possibly up to line out, but to finish off you really need to be on dry land. Having reliable shore power for your tools saves a lot of time and hassle, and security for us was much improved being in a yard with other boats.

[system 4-50]

Power is a problem.

Security is a problem.

Space is a big problem. There is just room to move down the length of my 60ft boat, and that is with just me on it!

I'm not bothered about the slow progress as I like the building as much as the boating, but I will be happier when my shower makes it easier to keep myself clean. Clean - Pure -Clean - Pure - Clean - Pure …..

[wreckferret]

We are doing this at the moment. Hardezt bit is havi g to move everything to do the simplest of jobs but with patience and a sense of humour it's doable if not ideal.

We started a year ago with a partially stripped out sailaway shell.

This weekend a new floor has gone down in the saloon and the fire surround has been tiled and grouted. Next will be a complete new galley or maybe the shower ??

It is hard work and time consuming but I used to take years getting a house right and then found something else.....

[Polishicebreaker]

This is great!! ( And funny) Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

I can imagine having space to work and move around is quite a challenge. Right now I have all my floor down and half way with battens and insulation so plenty left to do!

I'm imagining building a cosy area to sleep then sealing this off and building a makeshift 'camping kitchen' in a small area that won't infringe too much on the rest of the build. ( I'm going all open plan except bathroom)

Good point about security, lots of power tools on display for people to see! I was thinking to get some decent blinds/curtains as a priority and then good steel reinforcement over doors etc. not much else can be done I suppose, get a couple of Alsatians but that's more bodies to work around

[pearley]

The section about trade plates on the CRT website states:

 

If you are building, restoring or repairing a boat for your own private use, you must get a full private boat licence. The same applies if you are offering your own boat for sale. You must not fit out boats on our towpath.

 

Does it not apply to private boats?

[Robbo]

Hi folks, I'm interested in anyone's experience of cruising in an unfinished boat whilst fitting it out. For someone who may be about to do this, can you offer any useful advice? I know this is a very general question but thought it may be helpful for myself and others .

Ed

Simple answer, don't. It will take ages and you'll get fed up of living in a shed and moving your day to day living stuff around.

[Polishicebreaker]

Ha, if only life was that simple

[Robbo]

Ha, if only life was that simple

I'm refitting mine out and "living" on it, I got another boat to crash out and live on. Best decision I made!

[pelicanafloat]

We moved to Stoke on Trent, bought a house, and bought our boat at Lymm - basic sail away - engine + plywood floor in place.

 

The boat had been ballasted, sort of, with 4" concrete blocks rear third of the boat. We had a makeshift dustsheet hung up round a Thetford cassette toilet. Platic bowl for bathroom/kitchen. (Couldn't afford a double bed ) Border Collie had nice bed though....... Oh, and we also bought something like 30-40 sheets of oak lined plywood which were all leaning on one side!

 

Our early days afloat were a bit of a giggle! We weren't living aboard, full time, so life was fun. Am not sure I could have lived full time + wife + dog + work .... If I was minus 'wife', then maybe, I'm just saying, 'maybe'

 

First thing I did was to put in place a Victron 2Kw inverter and a small builders supply - worked a treat! All my tools are sourced to be either battery powered (all Makita) or low wattage. I soon realised that moving ballast about would be an essential requirement at some later stage, so in preparation I cut a central two foot wide access along the whole length of the boat to allow the centre floor to be taken up - even with kitchen fitted etc, we were able to have everything in place and yet move the ballast about.....

 

At the start I was still working, so we had the boat on an end of farm mooring and worked on her when time permitted. Never really got all the work done till eventually we decided to rent out the house and live onboard. This year, for the first time in ages, I have been applying more finishing touches to all those areas not quite finished off ..... lots to do, lots to redo, and lots of relaxed fun.

 

One thing I did do was to get in touch with a local Boat Safety Officer, bought/downloaded relevant paperwork, but best of all I discussed my plans and made sure that what I was doing would pass!

 

Regarding working on the boat, it can be done. The width is such that you can, with care, do all the cutting of the sheets of ply etc inside, it just a case of making sure you plan out in advance and make sure you can get to the hidden bits if you need to make a change. I reckon the project has been really fun with the added advantage I know where everything is (I took photos), and the pleasure of knowing I did it all, and it all seems to work ok ... even the wife's happy

[John V]

Simple answer, don't. It will take ages and you'll get fed up of living in a shed and moving your day to day living stuff around.

 

There's a lot of truth in this post but its not impossible. I have twice fitted out while living on board, neither times was much cruising done. the first time was a narrowboat and I was single. I just got used to looking like a tramp (SWMBO says that I still would given half a chance) and when at checkouts pulling out a handful of change mixed with various size screws and a generous dusting of sawdust.

It is hard but it can be done but it will take longer and be more frustrating

[system 4-50]

Fumes & Dust are a problem. Varnishing & painting inside I can't cope with, fumes from using sprayfoam guns (but not from the professionally installed stuff), and dust from disturbing foam are all difficult.

BSS is no problem, just buy the book and read it from cover to cover.

RCD - forget it, keep the boat for 5 years.

Allow for expansion & contraction of the hull with every fitting you make.

Don't expect anything you buy to be compatible with other chandlery purchases.

Measure, photograph & record everything over & over before you cover it up.

It is great fun & a lot of work.

[Robbo]

Another tip is too live on the boat for a year (or two) before you decide the layout, you'll change your mind so many times!