Project Narrow boat, cant afford it now so...

[W.olly]

Thanks Warby, i have had many boats and moved a few and always get excited when i get them moved home, this has to be my best yet though after wanting one so long. A lot of work ahead though





I started the rip out last week and i have a week off next so i will be spending a few days on it. Looking forward to getting the engine home for the rebuild









I am going to need to learn the art of welding rust now lol









I will see if i can get this bit to weld back on i think



Very pitted




So seriously it is going to need a new base plate and sides upto the water level, well just above, i am still going to get it ultrasound tested just to see how thin, not thick it is, bee good to see. The rudder and bearing etc will need replacing as you can see.

The best bit about this boat at the minute is there is all the fitting there that i will need, a new fridge, cooker, boiler looks good nick, and the stove just needs a good scrub up, a few quid there in that lot.



Let the good times roll

 

[Coo]

Big project but looks like it ill be a great achievement.
Fantastic blank canvas after ripping insides out.

Keep us updated please

 

[Robotstar5]

Well that's your free time sorted for the next few months/years keep us posted on the refurb.

 

[Norm]

Great project, really looking forward to watching this progress, please keep the updates coming.

 

[the snooper]

if it isn't already insulated when you remove the cladding its well worth getting done, a mate of mine had his done and it made a huge difference.
he lived on his narrow boat but bought a barge as he wanted more room

 

[W.olly]

if it isn't already insulated when you remove the cladding its well worth getting done, a mate of mine had his done and it made a huge difference.
he lived on his narrow boat but bought a barge as he wanted more room

Hi Snooper, it was insulated with that most awfull stuff ever, Rockwool, god dam i hate the stuff, i am so glad that its nearly all ripped out, just the ballast that need doing now, which has a bit of the Rockwool mixed in from the last few days, it makes it worse with being warm then you swet being in a sewer tube and its all floating around and stick to you even more then you cant stop itching like a flea bitten mutt.

When i redo it all i will be using sheet instead, kingspan type.


Anyway getting there with it,

I got a nice few suprises, the fittings are all near unused and new some of them, the loo, fridge are brand new and cooker with the water heater all hardley used, so i will be getting them home soon to check them over.



boat reg number awell



SWMBO doing a bit, it make a lot of difference with 2 on the job, i usually do all the work alone but i am trying to get T into it a bit.







I am going to see if i can keep all the wiring and water in place so this will make a huge saving and time on refittting it all, the fit out will not be much different from what it was so i hope i can work around it, we will see though what happens, as we all know that these things can change as you go along







I loaded the trailer up with all i could, i was going to see if i could burn it on site but as its a caravan storage place i was pushing my luck, so off to the tip it was, i was prepared for not being allowed to tip as they are a bunch of jobs worth who work for our local tip, its not council now like most and run by Viridor, i have been band in the past as they think i am a trader or say its not domestic.





Not that much lol, although a lot for such a small boat.

Well i get to the tip and they say a sits off a boat its not domestic, well i put my foot in it when i said `it off my boat` i wangled my way in by saying its my liveaboard boat, so a note to be made.....lie your way into the tip





Next step is to remove the ton or so of gravel ballast, then its all down hill....lol who am i kidin

 

[W.olly]

Bit of an update for those interested here

I have actually got around to doing something on the boat, or for the boat as it maybe, i have been that busy with getting other things out of the way i have only just got around to making a frame to get the engine out, and this will be done tomorrow if all goes to plan, i know, what can go wrong with half a dozen nuts and bolts, but well you know.

I have used the old steel scaffolding frame i got for moving around the new base plate when i get the sheets and knocked up an A frame for the other end, you will see what i mean from the pic.All the gear along with block and tackle is there and straps to whip it out tomorrow, i will be using my mates small trailer sat in the scaff frame to drop the engine in to get home easier.



I have also sorted out a way to get all the gravel ballast out a bit easier, my bosses son wants it, i said aslong as he digs it out he can have it, i will help him though i guess, be good if somebody wanted the rusty bits from the inside aswell lol.

This going to be one long project, i just wish i could of brought it home, i have the room but then its the 4 telephone wires that are in the way for the craning, i have be thinking about this a lot over the last few weeks, if i can get it ready for the water and lined out i will be happy to get on the water asap and fit out on the mooring. I hope to get a cheap mooring down on the Cheshire ring maybe or closer to Chester, not far from home and i do like it down there.

Anyway off for a we pint or two as i am pooped now after a days fishing and getting the gantry done I do like productive days

wolly

 

[stormin]

Looks a little light for a heavy engine lift.

I would move that supporting upright on the quickstage scaffold nearer to the boat to reduce the length of scaffold pole, make it less likely to bend. Lift the engine out to deck level and slide supports underneath. Then re-rig the scaffold and A-frame if necessary keeping the scaffold pole span as short as possible. Be better to get the vertical load close to one of the legs of the quickstage as wel reduce the bending load on the frames but without compromising the overall stability of the frame.

 

[W.olly]

Hi Stormin, as you suggested i took along some extra supprots just incase, and they were needed, that Lister ST2 is heavy, dam heavy.

I was easier then i expected, mainly as the engine wasnt bolted down, but held in place with a screwdriver and just sat on the engine bearers and also partly bolted to the prop, but then i only found out that it was the prop that was supporting the engine as when i removed 4 of the five flange bolts to part the prop and engine the engine fell towards me as i was stood in the engine bay on a few blocks to keep my feet out of the water, well the engine was sat on 1 bearer as the other were wood and had either, well all i cnba think of but they had rotten away, lucky, these Lister ST2 are dam heavy engines, i am guessing a good 250kg.

I was lucky to have taken extra bits of gear with me to get the engine out as it was so heavy i had to support the cross beam of the gantry, use a hand winch to drag it along the cross beam and some 4x2 timber to prop the cross beam from bending to much.













Well its home, all i need to do know is build a carport type canopy in the pound so i can work on it over winter, a while ago i got a 14x7 fibreglass wagon roof and some 7 foot lenthgs of 40x40 galv box section so i have all i need to get on with that. I have a workshop but it easier to do it in the pound that try and get the engine in the there, also, if the pound is taken up then it will prevent me from wanting another project, like i do, no cars or bikes or anything else, i do tend to buy things on a whimbiggrin.png Prioritys now are all Bohemian...oh and the houserolleyes.gif

 

[brightspark]

there bloody heavy. i had one coupled to a broomwade 90cfm v twin compressor on a steel frame it tipped over in my trailer and bust the side out

 

[hillbilly234]

do you know any one that drives a gulley sucker wagon,that would empty the ballast pretty quickly.

 

[W.olly]

do you know any one that drives a gulley sucker wagon,that would empty the ballast pretty quickly.

I like the idea kida, but i dont, would do it in no time hey.

But my bosses son wants it and it will be good to see him do some real work for as change lol, dont know how much there is but it cover 22x 6.5 foot and about 2 inch deep, he is that tight a git, all he wants it for is ram raid IBC`s lol

 

[the snooper]

there bloody heavy. i had one coupled to a broomwade 90cfm v twin compressor on a steel frame it tipped over in my trailer and bust the side out

what he's not telling you though is, he had put his wallet on the cylinder head and had forgotten it was there

 

[brightspark]

what he's not telling you though is, he had put his wallet on the cylinder head and had forgotten it was there

 

[W.olly]

what he's not telling you though is, he had put his wallet on the cylinder head and had forgotten it was there

You saying his wallet bust out

 

[sardine]

I live and work on narrow boats, I'm rebuilding a burnt out one right now, if youwant to know anything?

Nice little project.

 

[the snooper]

I live and work on narrow boats, I'm rebuilding a burnt out one right now, if youwant to know anything?

Nice little project.

the op sold the boat due to lack of funds, I think the header title states that aswell

 

[Cyberprog]

the op sold the boat due to lack of funds, I think the header title states that aswell

IIRC he couldn't afford to buy it, then decided he'd rather be broke and have a boat, so bought it and decided to starve instead. That's commitment.
Anyway, I'd encourage you to look at decent leisure battery systems, and LED lighting with a chunky inverter for your 240V appliances. But I'm guessing that particular phase of the project is *well* off!

 

[W.olly]

Yes i sold it, due to lack of funds as lost my bloody job(( otherwsie i would of starved to gte it going, i can get that way with things.

BUT on a good side i sold to a decent chap who i am helping do work on it, the easy stuff that is welding and painting etc, and in return i can use it when on the water next year

 

[richi b]

Sorry you had to get rid of the boat..... Iam currently looking for one myself to live on full time. Looking at maybe a grp cruiser or something in the 20 odd foot range