Have decorated Deck Boards gone out of fashion?

[David Schweizer]

Over the years I have noticed that the number of boats with Deck Boards seem to have increased significantly, but very few seem to carry any decoratiopn and even fewer are fully decorated. This year over four weeks cruising we only counted three. The most popular configuration appears to be varnished wood with glazed triangular wings, some of these carry lozenge design on the centre board, but most have a plain varnished board.e Even the few with solid wings were painted a single colour.

 

This has set me thinking, is this a change in taste, or have the number skilled decoraters reduced to such an extent that people cannot find anyone to do the work. or maybe people want to use their Cratch area as an extension to the boat, much in the same way as a conservatory is on a house.

 

We have always carried a fullly decorated Deck Board on Helvetia, and increasingly we get admiring comments about how "pretty" or colourful the front of our boat is, it can certainly be seen from a good distance. But despite the complimentary comments very few boat owners seem to want to follow the traditions any more, but we soldier on.

 

 

Edited July 19, 2015 by David Schweizer

[magnetman]

Very nice David and an interesting observation.

 

Maybe people are less bothered about more 'traditional' things than they used to be ?

You picture vanished

[Athy]

People have just got board with them.

 

I didn't know that the front of the cratch was properly called the deck board. But I bring encouraging news. The lady who owns the Les Allen boat 'Black Countryman', moored on those desirable offside moorings at Cropredy Wharf, has just had her repainted, and the boat now resplendently sports a fully decorated Deck Board. So the tradition lives on, at least to an extent.

Edited July 19, 2015 by Athy

[GUMPY]

Having just replaced mine its not painted and is almost fully glazed with a fold up table beghind, when the table is down allows more light into the cabin if the covers are down. The area behind we use as an "outdoor" sitting/relaxing area when moored, rather than setting up camp on the towpath, so why would we have a solid deckboard it just doesn't make sense for us.

I have to ask what tradition? Its a modern narrowboat so there is no tradition its not an ex cargo boat...

Edited July 19, 2015 by Loddon

[Athy]

I now believe in magic. David S's illustrative photo has completely changed since I last looked at the thread a little while ago. Here be wizards...

 

Edit: I don't adam'n'eve this. Now BOTH photos are displayed.

Edited July 19, 2015 by Athy

[David Schweizer]

Sorry about the the pictures. I messed up Photobucket, but they should be back now.

[Jerra]

This has set me thinking, is this a change in taste, or have the number skilled decoraters reduced to such an extent that people cannot find anyone to do the work. or maybe people want to use their Cratch area as an extension to the boat, much in the same way as a conservatory is on a house.

Another possibility could be people aren't prepared for/can't afford the extra expense.

[magnetman]

A lot of sailaways completed by their owners probably pushed decorated deck boards towards being a non priority item

(Deck boards a term liable to confuse people as the boards over the engine on a cruiser stern may be called "deck boards" as well)

 

I haven't seen many of them painted with diamonds

[David Schweizer]

A lot of sailaways completed by their owners probably pushed decorated deck boards towards being a non priority item

(Deck boards a term liable to confuse people as the boards over the engine on a cruiser stern may be called "deck boards" as well)

 

I haven't seen many of them painted with diamonds

 

The same confusion exists with the term "top plank" I have always known the first plank under the Gunwhale as the top plank (probably from the days of wooden Narrowboat building) but the plank wich runs across the tops op the masts is also referred to as a top plank.

[Dorlan]

Another possibility could be people aren't prepared for/can't afford the extra expense.

You could always try doing-it-yourself...

[mark99]

Having just replaced mine its not painted and is almost fully glazed with a fold up table beghind, when the table is down allows more light into the cabin if the covers are down. The area behind we use as an "outdoor" sitting/relaxing area when moored, rather than setting up camp on the towpath, so why would we have a solid deckboard it just doesn't make sense for us.

I have to ask what tradition? Its a modern narrowboat so there is no tradition its not an ex cargo boat...

 

Yes having a lovely deckboard that others can see why you stare at a triangular piece of wood seems a poor choice.

 

Better to have a glazed front and a way of dropping the deckboard down for use as cratch table so you can see out when you need to and see the decoration too when the table is down horizontal.

 

Best of both worlds.

 

Here is ours. Glass front with wooden decorated table behind that can be dropped down so you can see out and rest your tea/dinner on it.

 

 

 

Edited July 19, 2015 by mark99

[Peter X]

I'll give you a complimentary comment here, and say that it does look good to see this traditional decorative painting on boats, and if I had a boat I'd want some of it in appropriate places, even on a modern boat. Having said that, in my usual role as crew I do like to be able to see along the canal ahead from inside the boat, so that I can easily keep track of how far it is to the next lock while on the computer or preparing food and drink, washing up etc., so a solid board at the front is not good from that point of view. Last week on the K&A I pulled a piece of wood out of the cut which was stopping a lock gate from opening fully, which appeared to be the plank that joins a deck board to the top of the cabin (is that also a "top plank"?), suggesting that someone had decided to do away with covering in their cratch altogether.

 

This topic begs the question of whether it makes sense to do all the traditional painting on a typical modern narrowboat designed for leisure purposes. I disagree with Loddon, in that if such a boat has roses and castles on the insides of doors, a painted can on the roof etc. it is following tradition and it's a good thing. The tradition was that narrowboats were painted in certain ways, and although the modern boat has a full length cabin with purpose-built extra living accommodation instead of a cargo hold, it's still a narrowboat and it's a nice link with history.

[BilgePump]

Looks excellent. Traditional artwork enriches the cut without doubt, be it on an historic or modern craft. Colourful, bold, fantastical and floral, it would certainly have contrasted the dark industrial basins. Fall into the glazed wings with centre diamonds camp on ours. My decoration doesn't get much more complex than that i'm afraid and the light in the cratch is appreciated. It serves as shed, seating area, wood store, plant house etc over the year. Just inside the bow doors is a workdesk so wouldn't want to cut out more light up that end of the boat. As she needs a new cover I'd like to have windows in that too when marking it out. Economy and practicality trump tradition in my case but I don't feel guilty as she is a cruiser not a trad and whereas there are always other jobs I can't do myself and require a professional, plain flat painting is mainly elbow grease. Of course this means that she'll never be the prettiest paintjob on the canal, indeed the patchwork of primer seems to continuously move around on boats like her through the summer. Above water painting is simply a job that some of us choose to do ourselves as best we can in an ongoing fashion to minimise costs.

[Sabcat]

 

Yes having a lovely deckboard that others can see why you stare at a triangular piece of wood seems a poor choice.

 

Better to have a glazed front and a way of dropping the deckboard down for use as cratch table so you can see out when you need to and see the decoration too when the table is down horizontal.

 

Best of both worlds.

 

Here is ours. Glass front with wooden decorated table behind that can be dropped down so you can see out and rest your tea/dinner on it.

 

 

 

 

Lovely boat, nice bows to go with the deckboard/table.

[mark99]

Thanks Sabcat.

 

Looks tidy now it's just blacked too. (Sorry to hijack).

 

[Sabcat]

Thanks Sabcat.

 

Looks tidy now it's just blacked too. (Sorry to hijack).

 

 

IIRC yours is the boat with the pornographic engine room with a 2LW or is my memory playing tricks on me.

[Tonka]

Steve Hudson made it

[Athy]

 

The same confusion exists with the term "top plank" I have always known the first plank under the Gunwhale as the top plank (probably from the days of wooden Narrowboat building) .

Perhaps that is more commonly called the "top bend"?

Steve Hudson made it

If so, quite unusual for it to have a 2LW - the late Mr. Hudson was more of a Lister man, was he not?

[furnessvale]

If so, quite unusual for it to have a 2LW - the late Mr. Hudson was more of a Lister man, was he not?

I suppose customers occasionally forced him to fit a proper engine!

 

George ex nb Alton retired

[Athy]

I suppose customers occasionally forced him to fit a proper engine!

 

George ex nb Alton retired

Yes, I've seen one with a Beta JD3, ploughing along the cut.

[David Schweizer]

Perhaps that is more commonly called the "top bend"?

 

Not quite. the top bend is that part of the top plank which rises at the bow adjacent to the fore deck and was traditionally painted either white, or with decoration.

 

On Helvetia it is painted white with a Barlow's arrow heart and lozenge, on Pathfinder 2 it is painted red and blue separated by a yellow sphere and a white border.

[dave moore]

Hi all

David has raised a valid point, I think. As someone at the sharp end, actually decorating boats in traditional style, I've done quite a few over the years, though they are certainly not something I do often, those that I have painted have all been on working or trad style craft. I recall painting the roses on Mark's Deckboard when I did the boat some years ago and not long ago I painted one for Alder, owned by the Pinnock family. Junior's Deckboard, used for advertising, is also mine. If I remember rightly, it was largely the Number Ones, or owner boatmen, who went in for the decorated boards.

 

Cheers

 

Dave

[Athy]

 

Not quite. the top bend is that part of the top plank which rises at the bow adjacent to the fore deck and was traditionally painted either white, or with decoration.

 

 

I didn't know that. Thanks for the explanation.

[Ray T]

I'll give you a complimentary comment here, and say that it does look good to see this traditional decorative painting on boats, and if I had a boat I'd want some of it in appropriate places, even on a modern boat. Having said that, in my usual role as crew I do like to be able to see along the canal ahead from inside the boat, so that I can easily keep track of how far it is to the next lock while on the computer or preparing food and drink, washing up etc., so a solid board at the front is not good from that point of view. Last week on the K&A I pulled a piece of wood out of the cut which was stopping a lock gate from opening fully, which appeared to be the plank that joins a deck board to the top of the cabin (is that also a "top plank"?), suggesting that someone had decided to do away with covering in their cratch altogether.

 

This topic begs the question of whether it makes sense to do all the traditional painting on a typical modern narrowboat designed for leisure purposes. I disagree with Loddon, in that if such a boat has roses and castles on the insides of doors, a painted can on the roof etc. it is following tradition and it's a good thing. The tradition was that narrowboats were painted in certain ways, and although the modern boat has a full length cabin with purpose-built extra living accommodation instead of a cargo hold, it's still a narrowboat and it's a nice link with history.

 

Not all working boats had open cargo holds, some were reminiscent of today's leisure boats, complete with portholes:

 

Panama

 

Photo from Mark Pullinger illustrated in Summer 2015 NarrowBoat.

Edited July 19, 2015 by Ray T

[mark99]

Steve Hudson made it

 

No, unless Roger Fuller has changed his name recently?

 

Roger Fuller, Dave Harris, Norton Canes all know how to produce a well proportioned bow which looks right from every angle. Obviously there are others.

Edited July 19, 2015 by mark99