wide beam 'Daedalus'

[ChrisPy]

seems like a good time to start this thread.

 

my boat has yet to be named, racking my brain for a suitable name. Bolthole, Pandora and Wild Goose come to mind. Any suggestions welcome.

 

NoName is a 57ft liverpool boats 10ft widebeam sailaway:

- 48hp Isuzu

- spray foam and battens

- modified rear deck to incorporate a waist height 'wheelhouse surround' that may be extended with timber and glass to form an enclosed wheelhouse/dayroom. Ian at LB has been very helpful in agreeing to my requirements

- boat will be supplied bare and rusty, I plan to let it rust out and then use tannic rust converter to form the base for painting.

 

- ordered in August 2004 for Jan/Feb delivery. LB offered to build it in time for Christmas, gift wrapped, to suit their production schedule, but I put it back because I work overseas and I wanted to be home to receive it in February. Fabrication due to commence on 10 Feb. I plan to inspect on 21 Feb and take delivery as soon as transport is available, hopefully about 24 Feb.

 

- will fit out on the dockside at Bristol Marina

 

- some additional welding to be done in Bristol includes:

- a raised bulwark 4" rising to 6" high around the stern to improve the 'flat-top' appearance of the wide rear deck. This will be welded around the top of the fuel tank, so I have asked for no diesel in the tank. Engine to be supplied 'winterised' for commissioning later.

- heating fuel tank in front cockpit, as described by a boatbuilder in a separate thread about red diesel.

 

- forward saloon (12ft long)

- open plan U-shaped galley on left side (8ft long)

- through corridor fitted with curtains to divide living spaces

- bathroom on left side (6ft long)

- main bedroom with fixed double bed across the boat, wardrobe, left side (7ft long)

- second bedroom with fold down double bed, workbench and electric panels (8ft long)

 

- ceiling pine T&G painted white

- cabin sides oak faced ply with matching framing (as described in the Narrowboat Builder's Book)

- lower sides will be plain ply, generally this will be obscured by furniture units

 

- Morso Squirrel diesel stove with back boiler mounted against front bulkhead.

 

- Bathroom will be wetroom design (see a separate thread here)

 

- floor will be cut out under one kitchen base unit to allow a sump welded to the hull bottom, which will contain a pumped grey water tank. all drains except washing machine will go to this tank. Water pump, accumulator, filter, etc all located above the sump to collect those inevitable drips and spills. Calorifier above in same location. all plumbing will be fixed to the partition between the galley and the bathroom. K.I.S.S.

 

- toilet: thetford cassette type C2

 

I can send drawings in Excel format to anyone who is interested.

[maffi mushkila]

seems like a good time to start this thread.

 

my boat has yet to be named, racking my brain for a suitable name.  Bolthole, Pandora and Wild Goose come to mind.  Any suggestions welcome.

 

The easy ones are the good ones........................

 

ABWAN

 

A Boat Without A Name

Edited February 11, 2005 by maffi mushkila

[ChrisPy]

Name will be DAEDALUS - for the few non-classical scholars among you, this is a symbol of inventiveness and craftsmanship, which I hope is appropriate.

 

 

Until the boat is finished it will be a.k.a. Pickled Rust (see my posts about tannic acid rust converter).

 

Coming back to UK 22 Feb and doing pre-delivery inspection on 24 Feb. I hope to receive the boat on the dockside in Bristol before I have to return to work in the Turkish highlands (currently under 1.5metres of snow) to pay for it all.

 

Fitting out will be sporadic to match my '8 and 2' work/leave schedule.

 

The dockside site is literally within a stone's throw of SS Great Britain; when I get fed up I will be looking over the fence for inspiration from Mr Brunel.

Edited February 18, 2005 by chris polley

[ChrisPy]

.............. well, I had a bottom-laying date of 14 Feb, and an appointment to view the nearly completed shell on 24 Feb.

Today I was at the yard, and they are 1 week late. But the bottom and sides are in place, and once Liverpool Boats get started they have to finish, to make room for the next one. I'll probably be back up there on 3 March, before I fly out. They have 3 widebeams in fabrication and two in painting. Apparently the poor weather is holding up paint drying, which affects the whole schedule. Pity, because mine will be paintless - in the raw.

Neil, the widebeam shop supervisor, was very helpful and accommodating, and I'm confident of a good product.

The boat will be delivered a few days after I'm back in Turkey, so my next leave in April/May should be a busy one.

I've decided to fit a Morso multi-fuel stove for the moment, to avoid the problems of red diesel. That means I won't need a large tank for heating fuel fixed in the front cockpit, so I'm saving about £800 altogether for the moment. I visted Lockgate who told me I can convert it to diesel later if I want.

Also visted Norman Millar at Shardlow, very helpful. He sold me a calorifier with 1" internal coils (ideal for a gravity circuit fed from the stove) which I couldn't find elsewhere, so I gave him more of my custom (which was probably quite welcome on a sleety day in late February) and also bought the drain and pressure pumps and a Thetford C2 wide cassette toilet.

- "all I need is a ship, and a star to steer her by......"

[ChrisPy]

well, I got to Liverpool again. Boat was complete except the cabin sides and top, waiting for delivery of single sheets of 4mm plate 40ft long. I closely inspected the welding and the straightness of the boat that was to have been mine. Very impressed with the quality.

 

Then disaster struck: I checked the cabin length, it was 44ft, not 41ft which corresponds to a 57ft boat. Too long for my needs. Cannot be chopped short without distortion. Much embarrassment, then I was told the next boat, just having the bottom and sides assembled, would be re-allocated as my boat. So not a lot to see. As I don't need delivery until the next time I'm home (early May?) it makes no difference. If anyone wants a 60ft x 10ft boat, it's 'in stock'.

 

I did the grand tour of the other work areas. When the fabrication is completed the boats go outside for cleaning up, battening, spray foam insulation and engine fitting, before they come back in the warm again for painting and lining. There were 4 widebeam boats in fabrication, 3 outside and 2 more in paint.

 

Yes, LB do employ engine fitters (to answer a comment by someone earlier in another thread on the subject of stern tubes). The stern tube is pressure lubricated by water piped from the weed hatch (goes to show how much pressure can build up there) and the water flushes out though the cutless bearing. This is a Vetus design. Has the advantage that grit is not allowed to collect in the cutless bearing. This is the infamous design with a flexible hose mounted gland and no flexible coupling that caused so much discussion and controversy in the other thread. It is an LB standard.

[ChrisPy]

back from Turkey, arrived Bristol airport 10am on 20 April, and the boat arrived Bristol Marina at 12noon. 2 months late, but I had told LB that there was no rush, and then they were delayed by the police and the dreaded 'movement order'.

 

By the time I got there she was hanging in the travelling boat lift on the public road outside the Marina, and that's where she lies now, until they can sort out the spring boat launches and find a cosy spot for her on the hard. She sits on the road outside the sandwich stall, and is attracting loads of interest from local factory workers, commercial travellers and 2 police horses . Not always entirely welcome when you're doubled up under the swim and some lurker wants to strike up the usual conversation. I'm partly deaf, so it's easy to pretend to be totally deaf when it suits. He'll get a spanner in the nuts ............ ....... Sorry, must cool down.

 

Total price about 36.5K for the sailaway, insulated and battened, no paint, delivered, including £1400 worth of timber (plywood and porthole liners).

 

I have a few quibbles but generally she's everything I expected. Today we made the boat secure (no locks fitted to the doors) and started on cleaning off the dreaded foam insulation. Actually it is not the dreadful job that has been described by some, a Black & Decker Scorpion saw, a Stanley Surform and a few sharpened scrapers has it trimmed back ready for lining the front 20ft of the upper boat in no time.

 

LB provided 25 sheets of loose 9mm oak faced ply at a reasonable price, saving me the hassle of receiving it and loading it on board. I already have the pine t&g for the ceiling, well seasoned now after the delays, so lining the ceiling and cabin upper sides will commence tomorrow, from front to back.

 

The thickness of the roof insulation looks a little shy, so I'm planning to trap some Cosywrap above the t&g. Any ideas how to hold it in place whilst I fix the boards?

 

********************

 

yes, at last I'm a canal boat owner, albeit just a dry land one for the foreseeable future.

 

some pictures will be posted later.

[Glennbrown]

Chris

 

Would be great to meet up with you since 9 months into wide beam build

coming to end of internal fit out.

 

Might not be your cup of tea since very modern and up to date

 

If ever in Lancs your more than welcome

 

Glenn

[nigel carton]

welcome back to Blighty Chris! Any chance you can upload some pickys of ya boat?

 

Nigel

[DHutch]

Yeah, sounds great!

 

- Cant wait to see her/

[stuart]

Good luck with it Chris. I better get back to Dusk Till Dawn before you catch up and overtake me! Must stop having holidays in the sun and moving houses!

 

Its a great feeling having a new project like a boat to work on, especially when you've done loads of research and had to wait months for the project to start.

 

Enjoy yourself - and dont forget the first fit wiring during the lining out!

[Richard Bustens]

Chris

Have you found anyone to supply the mechanism for the fold away bed?

[ChrisPy]

Chris

Have you found anyone to supply the mechanism for the fold away bed?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

it suddenly occurred to me how easy it is. The bed base will be a sandwich, the top is a sheet of 18mm ply, fixed to 2"x2" bearers, with oak faced ply base. The bearers will trap a length of scaffold pole across the bed, 12" from one end, that is pivoted in the 15" deep 'wardrobe' that houses the bed in the closed position. The base of the bed forms the wardrobe door. When the bed is lowered to the open position it rests on a piece of furniture (maybe a wide low locker). The mattress will be retained on the base with some straps. I have about 75" available height in the cabin, which matches the length of the bed. 75"x48", an occasional double.

 

No mechanisms needed. KISS.

[ChrisPy]

Good luck with it Chris.  I better get back to Dusk Till Dawn before you catch up and overtake me!  Must stop having holidays in the sun and moving houses!

 

Its a great feeling having a new project like a boat to work on, especially when you've done loads of research and had to wait months for the project to start.

 

Enjoy yourself - and dont forget the first fit wiring during the lining out!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

you're right about the project mentality. I have planned and drawn the boat to distraction, and now it's good to get the the polyurethane dust in my hair and smell the action of the <a href="circular%20saw" onmouseover="window.status='circular saw'; return true;" onmouseout="window.status=''; return true;">circular saw</a> as it rips through the plywood. Luckily I have a brother in law staying just now, making the lining so much easier. I hope to get the lining (gunwale up) and the main bulkheads in place during this visit. Don't worry Stuart, you're months ahead of me.

 

I have invested a lot (actually very little with the bargains on offer now) in loads of <a href="power%20tools" onmouseover="window.status='power tools'; return true;" onmouseout="window.status=''; return true;">power tools</a> including an <a href="electric%20nailer" onmouseover="window.status='electric nailer'; return true;" onmouseout="window.status=''; return true;">electric nailer</a>, 4 different <a href="drill%20drivers" onmouseover="window.status='drill drivers'; return true;" onmouseout="window.status=''; return true;">drill drivers</a>, 3 different saws. Well worth while.

 

no first fixes for my electrics !! The wiring will run in 5 accessible ducts: a central drop section in the ceiling as described in the Narrowboat Builder's Book for 12VDC lighting, under-gunwale ducts for 230VAC ring main (socket outlets) and the heavy bow thruster cables, and pelmets at the wall/ceiling angle hiding more wiring and strip lights. All the controls and distribution will be fitted to the rear bulkhead in the 'utitlity room' which won't be lined for a long time.

 

there will be a few short offsets from the central trunking running in conduit. Drops for pumps, etc. will be inside cupboards and will be fully accessible.

 

K.I.S.S. !

Edited April 24, 2005 by chris polley

[ChrisPy]

some photos posted in the gallery, illustrating the base steelwork for the custom designed wheelhouse and the internals.

[ChrisPy]

some new pictures posted in the gallery showing the completed ceiling (deckhead) lining in T&G painted white (really brightens the place up) and the oak ply lining to the upper sides, about 60% complete. Mouldings will be used to trim the exposed ply edges and the window apertures. Will be finished with Danish Oil, not high gloss varnish.

 

I was going to follow the principles in the Narrowboat Builders Book for the ceiling, ie to align all the joints every 8ft and use a cover strip to like a beam across the boat at each joint. My brother in law had the brilliant idea of staggering the T&G joints like deck planking. This made it so easy to install, and allowed the ceiling to bridge across some of the less-than-fair alignment of the roof stiffeners and battens. I was going to use hidden nailing, but screws and screw cups have made a much better job of it, thanks to advice on this forum.

 

the outside shots include one showing my mast and sails (unfortunately the 'Bristol Sails' shop sign is obscured by the Canal World logo). .......................... Only joking, there's a Westerly yacht parked next to me.

 

The mushroom vents, windows and portholes are taped up with duct tape to prevent water ingress, while I wait for the weather to do its work, preparing the steel for rust treatment. We get lots of tourists and lurkers, especially at the weekend. One bright spark patronisingly told me that 'the rust is setting in, mate, yer wanna watch that....'. Like it was dry rot or summat.

 

The marina was full, so I am in the street outside the marina gates. Not quite sure about the Bristol City Council sign next to my boat that limits parking to 1 hour, and no return within 2 hrs. But very convenient: the toilets are abeam on the port side and the local fast food caravan is on the port quarter, both well within the range of a NAAFI bun.

 

the next fitting out campaign will be in late June. Planning on finishing the upper linings and then doing the main bulkhead between the kitchen and bathroom which will include all the water systems and the kitchen base units. I can't wait!

Edited May 7, 2005 by chris polley

[stuart]

Its looking great Chris. Looking forward to the next installment!

 

I've had lots of fun with leaking calorifier tanks - had to dismantle the darn thing 3 times now to re-seal the connections to it.

 

Keep an eye on it if your having one!

[ChrisPy]

I forgot to mention that we lifted all the floorboards (18mm waterproof ply) and treated the underside with Cuprinol. I bought what I thought was the best Cuprinol in Weekes (called Cuprinol Timber Protector Extra Performance, or something like that, in a nice mid-blue shade). I was expecting the old watery stain type stuff that is easy to apply and just soaks into the grain. It turned out to be just like paint. I'm sure it has done the job OK. Never mind, eh. Probably not necessary in the first place, but at least I won't be worrying about rotting floors for a while. I managed to get my hands reasonably clean before I flew out to my work in Turkey.

[stuart]

I forgot to mention that we lifted all the floorboards (18mm waterproof ply) and treated the underside with Cuprinol. 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Didnt your floorboards come pre-painted from Liverpool Boats? Mine were covered in the same bitumastic paint they painted the bilge with.

Edited May 10, 2005 by stuart

[John Orentas]

You should be carefully about using Cuprinol in boats, it is likely to stink like a garden shed for years to come.

 

I coated all my underfloor timber with Waxoyl, a very good moisture repellent.

 

Sounds a bit obvious but industrial floor paint is ideal stuff for engine room floors and I have used the same for the front and rear decks it is far better that ordinary paints and doesn't seem to wear at all, lasts for years.

[ChrisPy]

Didnt your floorboards come pre-painted from Liverpool Boats?  Mine were covered in the same bitumastic paint they painted the bilge with.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

nope, not our sailaway version anyway.

[ChrisPy]

You should be carefully about using Cuprinol in boats, it is likely to stink like a garden shed for years to come.

 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

.... then it's just as well that it turned out to be like ornery paint - no noxious fumes whatsoever.

[nigel carton]

Chris, thats not a good place to leave your boat, next to the Burgar van!!!!!

 

ps, i wrote on your rudder 'Nige waz ere'

[ChrisPy]

Chris, thats not a good place to leave your boat, next to the Burgar van!!!!!

 

ps, i wrote on your rudder 'Nige waz ere' 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

thanx a bunch mate

[nigel carton]

I didn't really, nice boat though, certainly got your work cut out!

[ChrisPy]

just an update on progress.

 

came back to a drowned Blighty and nearly got back on the plane!

 

Daedalus has been moved into the innermost depths of the marina, so it is not in anyone's way and not attracting any unwelcome interest.

 

- fixed the floor down permanently over the front half of the cabin,

- fitted the main bulkhead between the galley and the bathroom,

- commenced piping up the central heating (28mm copper in two loops, one runs from the Morso Squirrel to the calorifier and one to the radiators). Calorifier loop will be concealed behind the wall panelling and surrounded with rockwool.

- commenced the plumbing. LB have done a wonderful job of concealing the screwed water tank outlet close to the thruster tube - I had to grind down a short screwed elbow and then fit a washing machine isolating valve (no protubing tap handle) to get a connection.

- IKEA kitchen units (carcasses) modified and fitted.

 

It's beginning to look like a living space.

 

The shell is rusting out nicely, but it will take another 2 months for all the millscale to fall off. So no rust converter (primer) or painting just yet. I met several owners who complained of their paintwork falling off after a couple of years, as a result of primer applied directly to nice smooth shiny grey millscale. I'm sure most owners don't understand until it's too late.

 

won't be back till August, more's the pity.