Enclosing forward deck

[cuthound]

Most of the ex-Ownerships fleet had two toilets, the front one being about 4' x 3' in a 58'boat.

 

Most of the co-owners used the small toilet as additional storage space, as storage is almost always at a premium in a boat.

 

The point about the front deck being used for getting off when mooring or locking should be given careful consideration before building over it. Try boating in a heavily locked area without using the front of the boat before deciding.

 

If you do decide to build over it a Houdini hatch in the roof would be another means of providing escape access as well as illuminating a potentially dark area in daylight hours.

[Pykebird]

I have enclosed my front deck so that I have a large double bed over the water tank. I used a round huyduni at the front that can be climbed out of if needed. But I also have 2 more in the roof and 2 side hatches. I have a large wardrobe, storage at both sides and tons under the bed.

I really needed the space and could not see how else to get it. I built this with my uses in mind and can see its not to everyone else's taste.

Sorry but am crap at posting photos!

[Athy]

Several of the live-aboard boats local to us have their front well built over since original manufacture.

 

This one is in another thread, because it achieved certain notoriety by being reported stolen, and subsequently found not to be.

 

It gives an idea what a boat where this has been done can look like.

 

This one has forward opening doors to the front, hence meeting the requirement for an emergency exit.

 

[brokers image, but in a forum members Photobucket]

 

That's one of the better-looking examples. Many liveaboards extend the cabin over the front deck to give them increased interior space. This is quite understandable. There are at least three moored in the Cropredy area which have such extensions.

But builders of these extensions rarely achieve an aesthetically pleasing result, i.e. a smooth continuation from the existing lines of the superstructure. Fair enough, I guess that's not their first priority, but be warned.

Canaltime boats didn't have a bow deck

Yes, same with many shorter Springers - but in the case of the Canaltime design, the bed went right up to the front bulkhead, there was no en-suite facility.

[Neil Coker]

You guys have certainly given me food for thought.

[Ray T]

Just found this:

 

 

http://sgboats.com/narrow-boats-for-sale/corriander

[bargemast]

If you look at the sgboats site, you can have a look at their latest bespoke boat Lila too.

Peter.

Edited November 17, 2014 by bargemast

[Dharl]

Yes I remember reading a boat review in one of the waterway publications on Lila, there was a number of things I did like about her, though wasn't sure on the paint scheme!!

 

I do like the one that Alan supplied a picture of, that does look a very good conversion!

[Neil Coker]

Have to agree the one posted by Alan is definitely the best looking conversion I've seen so far.

[Graham Davis]

If you look at the sgboats site, you can have a look at their latest bespoke boat Lila too.

Peter.

 

http://sgboats.com/our-most-recent-new-narrow-boat

 

I can see the front corners getting knocked very easily.

[Athy]

 

http://sgboats.com/our-most-recent-new-narrow-boat

 

I can see the front corners getting knocked very easily.

Why should they get knocked more easily than if the superstructure did not extend so far forward? They don't stick out any further than the front corners of most boats' roofs. I am unsure if, for example, the roofs of Canaltime boats are more susceptible to such damage (although as they were driven by Canaltime hirers I'm not so sure about that).

[howardang]

Have to agree the one posted by Alan is definitely the best looking conversion I've seen so far.

I agree but I wonder what accessibility is like for getting to the foredeck - especially when tying up in locks such as the Thames, West Stockwith etc etc, where you may need to pass with bow and stern ropes. I suppose you could have a crew member on the roof to handle ropes but this is not ideal. A similar concern would be if the boat is used on rivers where arrangements for anchoring from the bow would be much more difficult.

 

Howard

[Neil Coker]

From the looks of that conversion, access seemed pretty good with the doors at the front. Fairly sure a sensible solution could be developed.

[howardang]

From the looks of that conversion, access seemed pretty good with the doors at the front. Fairly sure a sensible solution could be developed.

I am sure that, as you say, a sensible solution could be developed. I am not sure how practical the door in the conversion would be; it seems to be more of an emergency escape rather than a door to be used as a general access to the foredeck. It might depend on whether the user might have to clamber over a bed to use it, and I think it would still be a pain to use.

 

Howard

[Athy]

From the looks of that conversion, access seemed pretty good with the doors at the front. Fairly sure a sensible solution could be developed.

Most professional builders have thought of that problem. The Goldsborough boat has side doors on both sides. the one posted by Ray T appears to have a hatch in the roof. Canaltime boats have side doors well forward on one side. Even the type of Springer which has no well deck has a large front window which opens fully to allow emergency egress.

 

I have, on the other hand, seen a few amateur extensions in which there does not appear to be any means of access or egress, and no side doors anywhere on the boat either. Caveat emptor.

[Dharl]

I think the Canaltime boats have a fwd side hatch about 6ft from the start of the cabin to help with access. They also have some good hand rais along the top to help with access. Pros and Cons

 

EDT Athy has beaten me to a response!

Edited November 17, 2014 by Dharl

[ditchcrawler]

I agree but I wonder what accessibility is like for getting to the foredeck - especially when tying up in locks such as the Thames, West Stockwith etc etc, where you may need to pass with bow and stern ropes. I suppose you could have a crew member on the roof to handle ropes but this is not ideal. A similar concern would be if the boat is used on rivers where arrangements for anchoring from the bow would be much more difficult.

 

Howard

I often think the same thing when I see people trying to scrabble round cratches and cratch overs.

[nebulae]

Although Canaltime boats had a side hatch at the front of the cabin as an emergency exit,these dont work in a narrow lock. A door in the front of the cabin sounds a better idea.

[Athy]

Although Canaltime boats had a side hatch at the front of the cabin as an emergency exit,these dont work in a narrow lock. A door in the front of the cabin sounds a better idea.

Have you tried? From what I have seen, they would work perfectly well. No, I haven't tried either!

[cuthound]

Open side hatches and a "piddling" lock is not always a good combination.

[Athy]

Open side hatches and a "piddling" lock is not always a good combination.

Likewise open front doors, especially in locks with powerful gate paddles such as some of those on the K&A. I don't recall ever getting water coming in through our (engine room) side doors when going through locks.

[cuthound]

When we had a share in Honeystreet, one of the other co-owners left the side hatches open through a flight of locks, which resulted in the oak veneer on the inside of the hatches getting wet and eventually turning black. This happened twice and is why they are now painted.

[Athy]

Fair enough. I wonder why they weren't painted (or at least varnished) in the first place.

[howardang]

When we had a share in Honeystreet, one of the other co-owners left the side hatches open through a flight of locks, which resulted in the oak veneer on the inside of the hatches getting wet and eventually turning black. This happened twice and is why they are now painted.

It was also common to find that people would leave the side doors open with the Perspex insert in place so that they could enjoy the view in cooler weather. The trouble was they they forgot to shut the doors when it was raining! It was really down to bad design by Ownerships because with a little effort the doors could have been made weather resistant.

 

Howard

[cuthound]

Fair enough. I wonder why they weren't painted (or at least varnished) in the first place.

They were varnished, but were patchy, no doubt because Ownerships imposed a deadline on the builder. The water found the missing bits and turned the oak veneer black.

 

As Howard says, the design wasn't perfect. We had one owner lose the perspex infill, apparently it must have fallen out whilst cruising!

 

On our first shared boat, some numpty left the side hatch doors open when going through a tunnel, which resulted in deep scratches appearing in the woodwork on the inside of the doors.

 

Edited to remove a random word that had mysteriously appeared.

Edited November 17, 2014 by cuthound

[ditchcrawler]

It was also common to find that people would leave the side doors open with the Perspex insert in place so that they could enjoy the view in cooler weather. The trouble was they they forgot to shut the doors when it was raining! It was really down to bad design by Ownerships because with a little effort the doors could have been made weather resistant.

 

Howard

Hence my doors are lined with upvc

Open side hatches and a "piddling" lock is not always a good combination.

I think its more a case of getting out in an emergency