GRP Structures

[kindredspirit3]

Hi can anyone tell me if a Grp superstructure is a good or bad thing on a narrowboat and is it costly to repair or maintain?

[Alan de Enfield]

17 minutes ago, kindredspirit3 said:

Hi can anyone tell me if a Grp superstructure is a good or bad thing on a narrowboat and is it costly to repair or maintain?

 

Generally these will be on 'old' narrowboats (1970 / 80s) and will potentially have a lot of other problems as well.

It is generally a 'bad' thing because it is almost impossible to seal the GRP top against the Steel 'bottom' and you will have leaks pretty much every time it rains.

The different rates of expansion of 'plastic & steel' means that whatever seal you do today may well be 'cracked' by tomorrows sunshine (- when the steel gets hot and expands).

They will be expensive to try and maintain (and almost impossible to get water tight), and several owners I know have 'bitten the bullet' and had the top cut off and a new steel one fabricated.

If you are looking to buy one (because it is cheap) then my advice would be save up a bit longer and get a 100% steel NB.

[kindredspirit3]

thank you that's was great just what we needed to hear

[NickF]

Try reading this thread

http://canalworld.net/forums/index.php?/topic/68909-hippocampus/#comment-1369030

it certainly gives a lot of information on trying to restore a steel boat with a GRP cabin.