Narrow Boat Welding?

[Ashley Burton]

@spaffmonkey does work on boats, his workshop is on the marina at Blisworth

My friends boat is at Thrapston, They nearly lost it over the snow period apparently. So god knows what condition its in underneath!

 

[TechnicAl]

They did make narrow boats out of concrete, a friend had one on the grand union canal.

And Gloucester docs museum has some on there site.

I dont think so but Im not certain
I think they were in Geldeston near Beccles

 

[Cobbler]

There are several concrete barges pulled up on the bank at the ships graveyard at Purton, near Sharpness. There also use to be a boat, at a guess 60-70 feet long based at Falmouth that did diving charters made out of concrete or cement of some form, Chalice it was called if my memory serves me correct.

EDIT here's a link to the Ships graveyard/Purton hulks, makes interesting reading

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Purton_Hulks

 

[Ashley Burton]

They can't use that much concrete otherwise they would sink! Haha

 

[Jim Davey]

Its a terrible way to build a boat, but it's quite a bit cheaper than the equivalent hull size in steel or wood, hence the surprising numbers of ferro-cement boats out there.

 

[slim_boy_fat]

They can't use that much concrete otherwise they would sink! Haha

Archimedes would probably disagree with you on that one.

 

[Wozzaaah]

Archimedes would probably disagree with you on that one.

What does he know? He got shot in the heel with an arrow.

 

[Jim Davey]

What does he know? He got shot in the heel with an arrow.

I think he was into screwing as well.

 

[Cobbler]

What does he know? He got shot in the heel with an arrow.

Wasn't that Achilles? Archimedes jumped out of the bath shouting eureka 'cos the water was too hot

 

[eLuSiVeMiTe]

Some Displacement of the facts going on here

 

[frank horton]

built 26 n/boats....outta the M/cr....Salford border....made my own diesel powered welder........2.2 BMC taxi engine driving a Hummel welding unit.........seem to remember using iron powdered rods for the bottom.......
our's were 12mm plate for the bottoms in 30ft lengths, 1 seam in the floor plate what ever the length, 10mm sides and 4mm cabin tops......most had a 1.5 Bmc diesel engine (J2 van or Morris Oxford) bought in new gearbox's, German can't remember the name, poss VF something.......helped me buy my first house..........

 

[500e]

70feet

28 ft
https://www.theyachtmarket.com/boats_for_sale/1567196/

 

[dannyp]

there are some jokers patching narrowboats , done a few bits on canal clutter. one of tose things i came to conclusion you need an engine drive to do it, as allways seems to be a chronic lack of power anywhwere near when the boats can be

 

[BarrieJ]

Aren't some hulls cast in concrete too?

Used to work with a guy Pete Greenfield, he and his wife lived on a replica of Joshua Slocum's oyster sloop: *'Spray'. They built it themselves, hull from ferro concrete, he even planed the masts to round. It was moored up near the seal sanctuary on the Helford Estuary in Gweek, Cornwall.

* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spray_(sailing_vessel)

 

[the snooper]

query here what are your yearly charges for owning one on the water ways ?

I'm on one now, mooring fees and insurance for which you need a survey to ascertain the thickness of the hull, other then that maintenance and running costs

 

[sardine]

Strange thing is that there are no standards for the hulls or superstructure or welding of narrow boats. I know one " welder" in a boatyard who cannot mig weld continuously, only one tack at a time, and the marine surveyors pass his work because " it looks neat" !

 

[Beeezer]

I'm on one now, mooring fees and insurance for which you need a survey to ascertain the thickness of the hull, other then that maintenance and running costs

All in I suppose around the 7/8k a year including maintenance.
I think it’s boats over 25 years old have to have a hull survey for insurance.
Ours is coming up soon, in sept.
Every four years it has to be done.

 

[Beeezer]

Strange thing is that there are no standards for the hulls or superstructure or welding of narrow boats. I know one " welder" in a boatyard who cannot mig weld continuously, only one tack at a time, and the marine surveyors pass his work because " it looks neat" !

Lol, I’ve just fitted one out for a customer who knows nothing about boats, he’s never been on one!
He went out and brought a shell with a engine, ballast, floor, spray foam insulation and windows for 32k
It was the first one he looked at and what a ugly thing it is!
Half the trouble these day people building boats are fabricators not boat builders, boat builders are few and far between these days, like any skilled job!!
And yes there was a fair bit of ugly welding on it

 

[Kent]

I have done a fair bit.
Rebuilt a wrecked narrow boat (sunk in a lock) into a restaurant cruiser.
Lots of repairs..

I don't do it any more though, too many risks and the majority of those who live on boats do so because nobody will give them a mortgage

The ones I have worked on are mainly 5mm, however they look at first as a lot thicker because leading edges are welded in that are often around 1/2" 12mm.

The risks are diesel fuel, lpg gas, flammable insulating foam hidden.away in places you can't see or get to..
Also it's Lloyd's or Zurich for proper liability insurance.

Also remember if anything you do creates a serious accident in use (and people do die in lock drowning etc) your in Dock and could face time.

Perhaps I might take on another one day who knows but it would have to be in dry Dock and be a case of there being no other work about at the time.

 

[the snooper]

All in I suppose around the 7/8k a year including maintenance.
I think it’s boats over 25 years old have to have a hull survey for insurance.
Ours is coming up soon, in sept.
Every four years it has to be done.

The one I have use of belongs to a mate not sure what he pays insurance wise on the narrow boat but he doesn't pay a massive amount for his barge and he only pays 600 top for mooring fees