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jddevel

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Getting frustrated with our search for what for us will be OUR perfect boat so considering a sail away. 57/58ft semi traditional. A good number of years experience in the new house market means a good deal of hands on experience with electrics, plumbing, tiling, flooring bespoke furniture making including doors and windows so not phased by "attacking" it. However we`re nearly 3 hours away from the nearest suitable marina/work site so apprehensive about the time frame. Am semi-retired and have a employee similarly experienced who will assist. What time frame should I realistically set myself on the basis of say 3 week periods of 7 days a week 10 hours a day. Assume using local accommodation or boat itself. Advice from those who`ve "lived" through it would be greatly appreciated.

Regards Jan

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Getting frustrated with our search for what for us will be OUR perfect boat so considering a sail away. 57/58ft semi traditional. A good number of years experience in the new house market means a good deal of hands on experience with electrics, plumbing, tiling, flooring bespoke furniture making including doors and windows so not phased by "attacking" it. However we`re nearly 3 hours away from the nearest suitable marina/work site so apprehensive about the time frame. Am semi-retired and have a employee similarly experienced who will assist. What time frame should I realistically set myself on the basis of say 3 week periods of 7 days a week 10 hours a day. Assume using local accommodation or boat itself. Advice from those who`ve "lived" through it would be greatly appreciated.

Regards Jan

You could do what I did and have the shell somewhere near where you live. I "borrowed" a bit of land from a farmer.

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I'm with Ditchcrawler I'd look into the cost of having it moved nearer home then shipped back when it's done. If it's a 6 hour round trip ad you're going to work 10 hour days then presumably there'll be accommodation costs because sleeping on the boat will be nigh on impossible. I refitted the kitchen on my boat and it's massively harder to do than a household kitchen, in a confined space like a boat you're always moving things to make room, it's like decorating the hall through the letterbox. I'm only 30 minutes away from my boat and I was constantly needing something from home.

K

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I think the general idea is that however long you think it will take, you double it. And then you still find you are way behind schedule so double it again - then you are starting to get close! One of the differences between a house and a boat (apart from the uselessness of a spirit level) is that you have the same number of joints, fittings, and other things, to deal with as you do in a house, but you are constrained by the very small space available. Whatever you want to do, something else is always in the way!

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I'm with Ditchcrawler I'd look into the cost of having it moved nearer home then shipped back when it's done. If it's a 6 hour round trip ad you're going to work 10 hour days then presumably there'll be accommodation costs because sleeping on the boat will be nigh on impossible. I refitted the kitchen on my boat and it's massively harder to do than a household kitchen, in a confined space like a boat you're always moving things to make room, it's like decorating the hall through the letterbox. I'm only 30 minutes away from my boat and I was constantly needing something from home.

K

+1

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Getting frustrated with our search for what for us will be OUR perfect boat so considering a sail away. 57/58ft semi traditional. A good number of years experience in the new house market means a good deal of hands on experience with electrics, plumbing, tiling, flooring bespoke furniture making including doors and windows so not phased by "attacking" it. However we`re nearly 3 hours away from the nearest suitable marina/work site so apprehensive about the time frame. Am semi-retired and have a employee similarly experienced who will assist. What time frame should I realistically set myself on the basis of say 3 week periods of 7 days a week 10 hours a day. Assume using local accommodation or boat itself. Advice from those who`ve "lived" through it would be greatly appreciated.

Regards Jan

We fitted our new shell out in 12 months using every weekend and odd week days.

 

We only lived 20mins away and it was inside a unit with power, machines and lights so this made it more comfortable.

 

Just about to start another one

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How long is that piece of string? It very much depends on what level of sailaway you have, there are several levels it could be built to, very basic, and primed, through all stages to fully painted, lined, and services to tails. It also depends how focused you are and how well prepared you are in understanding what you need to do.

It will also depend how complicated a layout you want, and to what quality you want it finished.

Are you aware of the RCD?

I agree it would make economic and sanity sense to try and find a bit of land to put it on near home. It doesn't need to be near the waterways for a good while yet. Several months at best....depending on.....plus you will more likely know places locally to source much of your materials.

  • Greenie 1
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I fitted mine out 11 years ago from a sailaway, and slept on it right from the beginning, though being failry close to my house could nip home for a shower etc. I was of course younger then, but no probs. at all (used to go camping a lot smile.png)

Good genny etc essential.

How long will it take? Back to that piece of string, but, working 6 weeks without a break, and some help from my son, I managed much of the job in that time. It then took several more weeks of largely weekend and odd weekdays to finish it off.

It largely depends on hat you need in the boat, whether you want to make all your own kitchen units, or settle for flat pack ones etc. etc.

Another point: Boats are never finished.

Edited by Guest
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It took us over a year to fit ours out and with hindsight I would have bought a boat already fitted out and changed it to how we wanted it, That way you have all the services already in place, This will save you having to buy all the fiddly bits and maybe you will have to just relocate them.

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Took us about 15 months to strip ours out and refit it from scratch. I say 15 months but that was until it was back on the water and liveable on, it's still not completely finished 4 years later!

 

That was with us living a 3hr drive away and working for 3 days every other weekend. For the first few months we drove our camper up and slept in that until the back cabin was in a liveable state then stayed in the boat. The one thing I would have done differently is hire a container or shed next to the boat to store materials etc. I seemed to spend most of my time moving stuff from one end of the boat to the other! That plus the complete lack of space to work with all materials stored on board.

 

Cheers

 

Tom

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Another point: Boats are never finished.

A friend of ours Neil was asked by a mate for advice on buying a boat.

"I'm thinking of buying a new one. That way there will be no jobs needed for the first 5 years or so"

The reply was "It's not a bl**dy Mercedes car you're buying, there will be jobs from day one"

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You will spend a fortune on petrol etc doing all that travelling and you will grow to hate the whole project if its miles away. I was at Gweek some years ago and there was a narrowboat in the yard there being worked on. I really would try to get the boat trucked down to your area.

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As it's a 3 hour drive to the nearest suitable canal I would consider the nearer home option too. I fitted Midnight out in a local farmers field. It took me a year of mostly weekends and evenings. There's the added penalty in additional charges for cranes and transport but then there's the savings on the cost of 6 hour round trips.

 

I had similar skills to the OP but boats aren't houses and there was a lot to learn. A lot of the furniture and fittings could be built at home so depending on what stage the sailaway is when it's delivered it is doable at such a distance but inconvenient IMO.

Edited by Midnight
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Despite the distance, with your mention of the 3wks at a time full on, I think you could manage this. A lot of things can be fabricated in a home workshop and then assembled onsite. A lined boat, with all plumbing and electrics in place will give you a decent enough place to camp out in whilst fitting out over spring/summer. The RCD needs to adhered to as said so do look at that and the 5yr rule. It will take longer and cost more than any similar job on land but a lot will boil down to whether you like the idea of doing the interior yourself. My dad did it once but I think I would end up still with a tent in an empty shell ten years down the line.

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To expand on my interpretation of a sailaway. Taking on board many of the comments made. A caravan for accommodation

bought this winter sold next Spring- some of my money back possibly. Working away from home less "domestic" interruptions.

The boat purchased "water-tight" and painted. Insulated and engine stern gear fitted. Local marine engineer contracted if my

son-in-laws brother, a marine electrician, is abroad working. Boat gas fitter contracted even if I have to get a local to me and

used on my cruiser to "holiday" for a week. Plus would add further if budget allowed. If travel every 3 weeks became too tedious

then yes possibly transport home somewhere. Appraise and adapt as required. I`ll either have a boat to use sooner rather than

later or acknowledge to the doubters that they were definitely right. Maybe a cheap part finished sailaway on EBay next Spring.

Watch this space. But I hope you`ll wish me luck.

Perhaps I can get one of those T.V. shows- D.I.Y. disasters etc on board - sorry about that,

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To expand on my interpretation of a sailaway. Taking on board many of the comments made. A caravan for accommodation

bought this winter sold next Spring- some of my money back possibly. Working away from home less "domestic" interruptions.

The boat purchased "water-tight" and painted. Insulated and engine stern gear fitted. Local marine engineer contracted if my

son-in-laws brother, a marine electrician, is abroad working. Boat gas fitter contracted even if I have to get a local to me and

used on my cruiser to "holiday" for a week. Plus would add further if budget allowed. If travel every 3 weeks became too tedious

then yes possibly transport home somewhere. Appraise and adapt as required. I`ll either have a boat to use sooner rather than

later or acknowledge to the doubters that they were definitely right. Maybe a cheap part finished sailaway on EBay next Spring.

Watch this space. But I hope you`ll wish me luck.

Perhaps I can get one of those T.V. shows- D.I.Y. disasters etc on board - sorry about that,

 

 

I don't think there's any doubters here, just people with experience of what you're trying to achieve and some are suggesting a more convenient and effective alternative to a 3 hour drive each fit out session. I have fitted out 2 boats, one in the local field and one on a marina. The latter was just an hour away but I found the travelling rather tedious, storage was a problem, it definitely took longer and was more expensive in the long run. If I am ever in a position to fit out another sailaway I would chose the local field. Your choice will be the right one for you and the finished item will bring you lots of pleasure.

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