Lowering/Converting a steel wheelhouse

[Pazz]

Hello, Just looking for a bit of advice from the people in the know. I am considering buying a dutch barge to CC through the Lea, Regents and Grand Union canals.

The only problem I can foresee is that the air draft is 3m which according to Canal Data is too high for all these canals.

It's a really great boat and the wheelhouse forms the main saloon so I would need to keep it. There is a bit of lea-way to lower the roof - has anyone had any experience in doing this? Or making it collapsable? The wheelhouse is steel as well so I'm guessing this would make it more expensive?

Any help/advice would be gratefully received.

Thanks

[Grace and Favour]

Welcome to the forum Pazz,

 

And what a potentially complicated question you've posed! (But you'll certainly get answers I reckon!)

 

I suggest you take some photographs af the wheelhouse in question and post them on the forum to help us, but here's my comments to begin with.

 

It is, of course, certainly possible to reduce the height of a steel wheelhouse, or remove the top section (windows and above), and replace with a collapsible arrangement, (most frequently fabricated in hardwood).

 

However, to all intents and purposes, there's no such thing as a "standard wheelhouse", and any work you have done will require the invoilvement of skilled boatbuilders/fabricators if you are to achieve a competant and good looking alteration in keeping with the current boat's appearance.

 

I'm quite certain that some of our members will be able to make some recommendations on whom you should approach, but have no doubt that the project will cost many many £,000's, as the wheelhouse is the main saloon, (and therefore a reasonable size I guess) - I'd bank on the cost being in the five figure range.

[Boat&Bikes]

I have looked at a few of these and most have have a collapsible wheel house already. Have you a particular boat in mind?

 

Ian.

[Robbo]

Hello, Just looking for a bit of advice from the people in the know. I am considering buying a dutch barge to CC through the Lea, Regents and Grand Union canals.

The only problem I can foresee is that the air draft is 3m which according to Canal Data is too high for all these canals.

It's a really great boat and the wheelhouse forms the main saloon so I would need to keep it. There is a bit of lea-way to lower the roof - has anyone had any experience in doing this? Or making it collapsable? The wheelhouse is steel as well so I'm guessing this would make it more expensive?

Any help/advice would be gratefully received.

Thanks

 

Looking at the structure of most fixed wheelhouses you'll have to totally redo the top that will collapsible. It won't be cheap - think 1,000s to 10,000's!

[Pazz]

Thanks for the speedy response - here's a pic of the boat in question - i'm thinking it's going to be a big job......

[John V]

Anything can be done with enough dosh. However finding someone who is competent to design and build an aesthetically pleasing new wheelhouse and is willing to take the job on .......well there's the question. As Grace and Favour has said it will be big bucks, You will probably be better looking for a boat with a collapsible wheelhouse to start with.

[magnetman]

You will lose headroom. It doesn't look all that difficult to lower it but a fixed wheelhouse is not appropriate in the usage pattern you suggest. It would depend where you were going to -get away with it- continuously cruise but if you genuinely want to go boating on waterways around London get a collapsible wheelhouse.

 

Just noticed John V said this too so i must be right

 

 

Intriguing it is described as a Dutch Barge... looks more loke a cruiser to me but some of the smaller bean tin boats have all sorts of monstrosities welded on top of them so it may be a barge which used to deliver flowers/dope or whatevr

 

 

Sorry for speeling isssues

[John V]

Intriguing it is described as a Dutch Barge... looks more loke a cruiser to me but some of the smaller bean tin boats have all sorts of monstrosities welded on top of them so it may be a barge which used to deliver flowers/dope or whatevr

 

 

Sorry for speeling isssues

 

 

Magnetman said so so it must be right (apart form hiz spellnigs ov coarse)

[Lady Muck]

I wouldn't have a dutch barge to cc in London, My friend bought one a similar size to the one you pictured here last year. He keeps it on the Thames, came to London for three months this summer, I did warn him that the lack of weed hatch and deep draught would be an issue.

 

Anyway he had some really bad prop fouls, the worst being a metal fence below Camden Locks. He was stuck there for days then had to take the day off work and enlist the help of a friend in order to remove it.

 

This isn't really an option in the winter months when it's just too cold to go in.

 

I also can think of four seized engines, because it was winter and the boat owner couldn't go in to sort the prop foul out and carried on regardless. The Lee is not so bad because it's deep.

 

But yeah, good for you for doing your research and checking the air draft, many don't bother and then get totally stuck! If you go for too high an air draft you are automatically preventing yourself from being able to access some of the cheaper drydocks and boatyards further up the Lee.

 

ETA oh and two lost propellers - my next door neighbour and a friend of mine both /damaged lost their propellers hitting something on the canal bed when cruising the Regents this year.

Edited September 8, 2014 by Lady Muck

[magnetman]

Lost propellers

Seized engines

 

Thats bad!

[Lady Muck]

Yes I know - and that's practically everyone I know that has a DB in the capital! Yes, they look lovely, more attractive than a pig ugly fat narrowboat, I agree, but they're not very practical when it comes to the actual navigating bit.

Edited September 8, 2014 by Lady Muck

[Robbo]

Thanks for the speedy response - here's a pic of the boat in question - i'm thinking it's going to be a big job......

 

 

Defo, I think you'll find it a large job. Also practically there's also a lot of roof, which guessing will be currently steel. When you come to drop the wheelhouse, you want a light roof which usually means less well insulated!