Ready, steady......

[blackrose]

Hi Mike,

Our roof supports are square section tubes too, see the photo below. I dont see how the spray foam could possibly fill these with foam as they are weled to angles at the top of the side panels. That said the whole tube is incased in foam so maybe that will stop any condensation forming, is your constructed differently ?

 

I'm not sure - from what the guy was saying I guess mine don't reach the sides? I'll check with some other LB owners who did their own lining at my mooring, or perhaps Gary could comment.

 

If your tubes are fully welded at both ends it won't just be the foam around them that prevents condensation forming inside, but also the fact that there will be very little air inside the tubes and thus very limited water that could possibly come out of that air.

 

I wouldn't worry - I'm happy with my boat now but there were several problems to be sorted out and I've had quite a bit of warranty work done. Yours seems like a top job compared.

[-Jack-]

........ I wouldn't relish cruising towards the sun with a cream roof. I know the light colour prevents it getting too hot inside the cabin, but a midnight blue top wouldn't give the steerer a headache from the eye strain.

 

Cream decks and cabin tops equals headache and eyestrain is pure fallacy bordering on urban myth promulgated by non-sailors..

 

I have sailed thousands of miles crossing oceans and cruising towards the sun etc using yachts with cream painted decks and cabin tops. So have thousands of other yotties. The greater problem is reflection from the sails. . No headaches or eye strain sufffered.

 

If you get a good pair of sunglasses for the occasional times you see the sun in the UK you'll suffer no problems; unless you suffer from other medical complaints. Experienced yotties actually prefer a cream non-slip deck than teak decks.

 

Just make sure the paint is non-slip ( preferably one of the proprietry makes) as these are also non-gloss and therefore the will also reduce the sun's reflective glare.

 

Cream decks look great - I've had one on a wide- beam; no probs .

[blackrose]

Cream it up Les!

Edited July 29, 2007 by blackrose

[Lesd]

I cant see your pic Mike, I dread to think what it was !

 

Hi Jack (there's a joke there somewhere but Im not going there), thanks for the input. The roof will be cream, matted down with anti-slip with a blue border around the perimeter just inside the cruiser hand rail / hatch. My glasses will be close by.

 

 

Update; Well we're just back from a flying visit to check out progress. The boat has been in the paint shop since last Monday afternoon and since then they have been preparing it for painting. Its taking longer than was planned, it was supposed to be complete on Monday next week but now they are talking Thursday before it comes back to the fitting shop (its a 30m journey !). The boat is being painted by a commercial vehicle painter who has alarge heated 'oven' around the corner from Lambon's workshops. When we were there this morning the steel was having its final wash down to remove any dirt, it looks to have been prep'd to a high standard to me, a few small filler patches has been applied where plates had been welded but not very much which was pleasing.

 

The painting process will take the form of an etch primer, two undercoats and then two or three top coats. They use Mason's paint apparatly. No photo's today Im afraid, I should have something when we get back from holiday next Sunday when the boat will be back in the fit out bay !

 

Les

[blackrose]

I cant see your pic Mike, I dread to think what it was !

 

No luck posting photos from photobucket or anywhere else.

Edited August 5, 2007 by blackrose

[Lesd]

Todays update...

 

The paintwork took several days longer than expected but the boat is now back from the spray booth/oven and is safelyback in the fit out bay. It was worth the wait though. We're going up to look at the results in the flesh on Saturday but from the pictures I've been sent today it looks really good (again as usual Im biased).

 

The roof is certainly 'creamy' and the cabin is 'midnight' blue. The sanded anti slip walk ways will be added on the roof after the panels / poles etc are bolted into place.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Looking forward to our journey north on Saturday to see her in the flesh. Its hard to see the true shade of the blue from the photo's to be honest so final judgement will be at the weekend.

We'll also be doing a final 'walk through' with Richard (he likes to mark out the rooms on the floor with tape and walk through the design at this stage).

 

More on Saturday

Les

Edited August 14, 2007 by Lesd

[Barry]

Wow it does look good too

 

I can't believe how quick its all happening

[Lesd]

Wow it does look good too

 

I can't believe how quick its all happening

 

Thanks Bazza, we're well pleased with things. They haven't hung around thats for sure, its been 8 weeks to the day since the base plate was laid. We've 'lost' a week here and there (late strting and paint mainly) so I think we're looking at 6-8 weeks to launch.

Rgds

Les

 

PS I saw your gunnel question the other day, I'll measure these at the weekend for comparison if it helps.

[Lesd]

Just back from our latest trip to Lambon, had a good look over the boat and we're happy with what we saw. The paintwork looks even better in the flesh than in the photo's. Richard has attached the fendors already to stop anyone getting to close and scratching it lol

Here's the bow and side profile, the colour is pretty close to life like in these pictures.

 

Here the stern, again colour is pretty life like;

 

The fit out work in the last few days has centred around getting the wiring loom in place. They use a company called ''loomtch'' who take your wiring requirements and produce a custom made loom in their factory ready for the fitter to run into place. This is on the 12v side. The 240v side is run seperatly in arctic blue cable clipped to a different batten for support.

 

 

 

Richard had marked out all of the rooms on the floor and we spent a good hour or more walking through the boat deciding on final positioning of sockets, reading lights, aerial outlets, phone charger sockets etc, time well spent as we picked up a couple of points that were easily corrected at this stage.

 

Had to pay the first fit out 'fit out' stagepayment today. Our contract stated that the first payment due after our hull had been spray foamed, battened, fully painted, flooring and ceiling materials delivered and the loom fitted. We were happy to hand over the cheque after seeing the progress !

 

I believe the next stage will be the deckhead (ceiling) which is being boarded with pine T+G, then the oak flooring. We'll probably go back up in 2 weeks when that lot should be complete.

 

If anyone is interested Lambon are holding an open day on Sat 22nd / Sun 23rd September, everyone welcome. We'll probably be up there on the Sat, the boat wont be finisshed but will be nearing the end of the fit out. It would be nice to meet anone who is interested in coming along.

 

Les

[Barry]

Where are they Les - do you have a postcode?

[Amicus]

Where are they Les - do you have a postcode?

http://www.lambonhull.co.uk/contactus.html

[Barry]

http://www.lambonhull.co.uk/contactus.html

 

Thanks

[Lesd]

Update. End of week 9

 

Richard has spent this week getting the final additional cables in place (alarm cables, TV aerial cables etc) plus he has started the internal woodwork.

 

The ceiling is pine T+G. This will be oiled ith Danish oil later on;

 

 

 

The flooring is 19mm solid 'white oak'. The black lines you can see on the floor is electric tape shwoing where the bulk heads will go. The inspection hatches you can see along the right serve two purposes, as inspection hatches but also to allow balast adjustments. There is another inspection hatch at the stern just infront of the rear bulk head (where any water should gather if the worse was to occur). The hole you can see running across ways in the bthroom is where the plumbing will come up for the shower.

 

 

The floor looks really nice, very pleased ith that.

 

Next week will see the ash face ply panels and bulk heads going up !

 

Les

Edited August 24, 2007 by Lesd

[anhar]

She's looking good Les. I like the wood, specially the floor, glad you went for that rather than the grubby carpets that so many narrowboats have, though I know yours is a widebeam. I think wood floors are becoming more popular with new builds though fashion is not the reason you and I chose them, more good looks and easier maintenance.

 

regards

Steve

Edited August 24, 2007 by anhar

[Lesd]

Hi Steve,

Thanks for the fedback, yes agree regarding the ood floor. We have a dog so carpets were never going to be very practical for us. We played around with various ideas but in the end went over budget and got the solid oak floor !

 

End week 10 update. Short week with the bank holiday and the launch of another boat but the guys have got a lot of the panaling up now. We went for ash face boards after much deliberation, we like the grain and think it goes well with the darker oak floor. The pine ceiling is a similar tone which we're hoping will blend in ok. Everything is going to be oiled ith Rustins Danih oil (starting next eekend !)

 

 

Here you can see the grain of the ash boards and the contrast to the oak floor.

 

 

The stainless water tanks have also been instlled this week.

 

We're off upto Kidderminster at the weekend for a close up look, to cough up the next stage payment and to start the oiling.

 

 

Les

[allybsc]

That is amazing, just love the floor, you made a good choice there with that company, very impressive. Can't wait to see the rest of the fit out.

 

I love this thread,

 

Ally.

[Lesd]

Glad you enjoying the thread Ally !

 

OK, end week 10 update. We spent the entire weekend on site starting the 'oiling' process. During the week Richard has been busy with the wall paneling, he has also fixed all of the bulkheads between rooms and has started some of the trimming. He has also constructed the carcasees for the electric cupboard and the wet cupboard located close the stern entrance.

 

The stainless water tanks (2 of) were completed and plumbed together too, you can see past the tanks to the bow tube in the shot below, the twin tanks meant a large volume tank could be created but were easier to fit under the bow deck than a single large tank. There is also ample room betwen the tanks to allow the pump to be placed here where it easily accessed. Lambon have a sister company who specialise in stanless steel fabrication so the tanks are constructed 'in house';

 

Here you can see the new rear hatch. It runs freely on brass runners and despite its size (3' square) its pretty easy to move back and forth. Its cant be lifted off of the runners and drops down to lock the rear doors too;

 

Richard has started to build to slim line cupboars close to the rear entrance, the first will be a 'wet cupboard' where we can leave coats etc when entering the kitchen from the stern deck. The second is the 'electrical' cupboard here most of the boats electric sytems/instraments will be housed;

 

Here you can see the bulk head betwen the saloon and spare room/office, the ash has some really nice graining which should look even better once it's been oiled;

 

Lastly this picture shows our weekends efforst; the pine T+G after two coats of Rustin's Danish oil. We are not woodorkers and found the whole excercise bloody hard work, every joint had to be filled, the same with every fixing pin hole, the whole ceiling (45'x10') then had to be sanded before applying the danish oil. We manged to do the prep and one coat on Sat and a second coat today. We will go back next Sat and rub down the surface with finishing paper before applying the 3rd and final coat;

 

Thats it for this week.

Les

Edited September 9, 2007 by Lesd

[Callunna]

Les, it's looking fantastic.

 

Your experience has been a great inspiration for us and we are definitely going to act on your suggestion (in PM).

[Lesd]

End week 11 update.

Just back from another weekend on site. No photo's this time as the the camera packed up when we went to use it this evening (dam). Anyway, we spent another two full 12 hour days in the boat again this weekend, initially sanding/flattening down the ceiling, sanding down all of the ash ply/trims throughout the boat and adding the final third coat of oil to the ceiling and the first two coats to the paneling. Bloody hard work but the results make it worthhile.

Before we arrived Rich had spent the week completing most of the paneling and trims and has installed most of our kitchen !

Our Worcester maine S type windows are now on site ready for fitting next week.

Oh and we had to pay our next stagepayment ! (our contract has several more smaller payments than the standard BMF plus a small retention until after the water based trial run)

I'll try to get some photo's emailed down tomorrow to show the progress. Next eekend is Lambon's open day so we should see a fair amount of progress again this week !

Les

[StoneHenge]

Looks really good Les. I would be so excited. I like your choice of cololurs, really sleek.

[blackrose]

Looks really good Les. I would be so excited. I like your choice of cololurs, really sleek.

 

Yes, I like the colour scheme too. The only thing I would say is that the creme roof looks a bit shiny. Are you sure that's a a non-slip finish? Chuck a bucket of water on it and then try walking on it (but be careful!) My roof is a bit more curved than yours and the small bits that aren't non-slip are treacherous in the wet.

[Lesd]

Ian sent me down a couple of pictures of the boat interior after our great oiling adventure at the weekend; 3 coats have been rubbed into the pine roof panelling and 2 coats into the ash wall panelling. Only one more to go on the ash. In reality the finish of the wood is not quite as 'orange' as it appears in these shots but it does show how well the oil 'lifts the grain'. I would recommend danish oil for ease of application and quality of finish (a nice warm satin finish).

 

Before

 

 

and after the oil as applied;

 

 

The kitchen is now partially installed; this is a domestic kitchen from Howdens with some small modifications to fit the sloping sides of the boat.

 

 

Les

Edited September 19, 2007 by Lesd

[Barry]

It just keeps getting better and better

[StoneHenge]

Looks fantastic. I am almost really really jealous!

[Lesd]

Just back from Lambon's open day, I think they spent the later part of the week getting ready for the weekend rather than progressing the boat, but they've promised to make up for it this week lol.

 

Anyay, we now have our windows fitted (Worcester Marine S type, bright silver);

 

 

 

 

Les

Edited September 23, 2007 by Lesd