Riveted iron hull

[TGweeder]

Hi everyone

 

I am looking around for a boat 50ft max something i would prefer to do is strip back and rebuild from the hull up and end up as a live aboard.

Equipment levels and skill levels I am fortunate enough to have, shot blasting welding ect , we even have our own transport including lifting equipment.

 

What i lack is experience with in the narrow boat world.

 

I am interested in your views and advice about taking on a Riveted Iron hull.

 

I think and hope am fully aware of the workload as we do also have in our family a 1906 showman's steam engine that is being rebuilt.

 

He is what i have just started looking at :

https://www.apolloduck.com/boat.phtml?id=568858

 

Yes I am probably totally mad but we only live once and i find being mad keeps the odd people away

 

my thinking is if i am going to rebuild something why not something different and possibly save it. 

It would end up with a steel cabin / superstructure , i would do my best to find an engine to hopefully complement its age. 

I realise it's not totally original with the stern being steel but in some cases it's part of the story of life.yo

 

I need some old school guidance here.

what do i need to be looking for with reference to the riveted hull for any major problems ?

what do i need to be looking for at the marry up of the iron to steel sections ?

Absolutely anything else anyone could tell me would be greatly appreciated good or bad.

Realistic time scales given say 4 clear days a week to work on it.

Money is an object but I do have a reasonable budget available so any guides to costings.

I realise i am asking some odd questions but the more i can be prepared the better and hopefully show where i am coming from.

 

I am hoping to go and view it maybe Monday Tuesday next week to see if it frightens me into not taking it on.

 

Thank you all for your time in reading this  looking forward to hearing your laughs comments and advice. 

 

Ps if i have posted in the wrong thread please fill free to move it

 

Regards Tim

[RLWP]

There is a similar boat being worked on in a boatyard I regularly visit. When they have finished, about two foot of the original sides will remain. All the baseplate is gone, as has the bottom 18" of the sides. All the knees have been removed, leaving a puzzle about how to deal with the rivet holes,  and the top six inches of the sides and all the gunwhale has been cut out. This is all because of corrosion damage

 

If you don't know about old boats, don't buy this one, even though it is apparently cheap

 

Richard

Edited June 2, 2018 by RLWP