Mayland 14ft Pike Boat ,Fix up

[brandenjg]

Hi everyone

As some of you may know, I recently bought a mayland boat which hasn't seen the water for 4 years .

When I bought it the poor thing had a crack in the deck, no windows or rear plug and a very shoddy paint job on the inside.

Well when the sun shines as bright as today there was only one thing to do, Start the fix up .

The first job was cutting and fitting some perspex windows, 3 to be precise. All i can say is when your jigsaw only has one power mode which is hard and fast, DO NOT USE IT ON PERSPEX!!! I managed to shatter the first window shape so had to fibreglass attach an extra 9 inches out of an old bit i had to make a whole window. The rest of the windows worked lovely with a stanley and a good cut they all ended up as rectangles. Because of the issue with the jigsaw i decided the windows would be easier to bolt on rather than using proper rubber window trim. The windows are bolted all the way round with weatherproof foam trim to allow movement in the perspex and around the bolts and then covered with marine silicione sealant.

The second job was painting the cabin area. I decided to go for light grey Blakes deck paint which looks so much nicer than the dark grey it was currently painted. I've done the walls and sides leading to the seats. I've left the roof and seats unpainted as they will be padded with foam and cream leatherette. The Cabin floor will be covered in splash vinyl black treadplate. The next job in the cabin was to make a cupboard door for the front section of the boat. Another annoying job as whoever built the boat must of had wonky eyes as one side of the storage opening measured 29cm and the other 31 so i had to cut the planks to accomodate. An easy job was fixing the sunroof so it wouldn't fly off in the wind, a couple of little catches fixed to the fibreglass work a treat.

Now for the back end of the boat. The most important job was fitting a new draining plug as a hole below the waterline is definately a no go. That took about 10 minutes using marine epoxy, silicone and a couple screws. I managed to pick up something from my local hardware shop for 60p which is ideal for tying ropes to( I will upload pics at some point) which I've fitted 1 on each side of the back of the boat. The last job of the day was de rusting and painting an old anchor which I've had in my room since i was about 8 or 9 which I'll use like as a rhond anchor.

So for now that's everything, all that's left is making the open cabin closed using marine ply and canvas, fitting the cabin vinyl and a few niggly bits and the boat will be ready for water . Then it's time to find an outboard and a mooring

[pks1702]

Thanks for the update

[MBA Marine]

Sounds like, you had an interesting day!

[brandenjg]

Pictures of the work so far

[brandenjg]

Some more

[brandenjg]

And Finally

[quo vadis]

Well done now enjoy

[wombat nee blownup]

You're making a fine job there. Keep going you'll have loads of fun. Just make sure you've got room for a Party Four or two or a kettle

[diesel falcon]

You're making a fine job there. Keep going you'll have loads of fun. Just make sure you've got room for a Party Four or two or a kettle

party seven!!

ideal fishing boat well done!

[pks1702]

Thanks Branden that's better

You certainly look to making a great job there

[brandenjg]

My heavy duty tarpaulin and ply turned up today Ive installed the worlds shortest door (Its about 2 foot x 2 foot). The plan is to use the tarpaulin and wood to seal the cabin area but to have the option to extend the tarps over the rest of the boat aswell. I WILL ADD PHOTOS WHEN FINISHED I've also made up some slats for when i want to sleep in the boat with an inflatable mattress. Most importantly of all, I cleaned up my camping cooking set so now have a frying pan, 2 pots, a grill and a KETTLE : to use on the boat.

Not long left now till i can get on the broads

[MBA Marine]

My heavy duty tarpaulin and ply turned up today Ive installed the worlds shortest door (Its about 2 foot x 2 foot). The plan is to use the tarpaulin and wood to seal the cabin area but to have the option to extend the tarps over the rest of the boat aswell. I WILL ADD PHOTOS WHEN FINISHED I've also made up some slats for when i want to sleep in the boat with an inflatable mattress. Most importantly of all, I cleaned up my camping cooking set so now have a frying pan, 2 pots, a grill and a KETTLE : to use on the boat.

Not long left now till i can get on the broads

Keep your camping stoves off the boat for your boat saftey inspection, and if you need any advice on what you will need for your boat saftey please feel free to ask.

[jillR]

well done branden

shes looking lovely

if you do tarp her for overnighting, please remember not to try and heat her or cook with a disposable barbecue under the tarp

as there have been deaths from carbon monoxide poisoning from doing that.

jill

[MBA Marine]

Excellent use of pallets Im a fan or using pallets for all sorts of things like fences and gates.

Top tip,

if you ask around you might get hold of some hardwood pallets, Ply was often delivered on these to boat yards,

carfully pry appart and remove all nails/metal bits,

Run through a table saw to trim to about 2" strips,

Thickness plane or a buzz with a course sander,

Cut as many bits as needed for the length,

cut as many bits needed for the width,

Put a round on the long pieses with a router,

Sand up to a finer finish,

Use a bit wood as a spacer to get even parralel spaces and glue and pin (or screw from underside) the pieces together to create a Duck board/Lattice.

Cote of varnish or epoxy (West is best!)

You will get a very nice job for almost no money

[Julz]

She is looking very nice indeed Branden, you should feel very proud of yourself fo refurbishing her into being a lovely boat

I second what Jill has just said through regards safety with any heating and cooking appliances on a boat, or any other enclosed area for that matter. There have been a few gas related fatalities already this year amongst the camping fraternity, as people have tried to heat up their tent using a portable gas stove or BBq, and havent realised the danger of the carbon monoxide they can give off, even when used for cooking as they were intended.

These stoves are fine most of the time when used outdoors or under an open canopy, but never directly where they can come into contact with combustable materials, or where a strong breeze or rocking boat from passing wash could tip them over and possibly set off a grass or fibreglass fire. A lot of campers use a large slate roofing tile under their cooker to act as insultation, whilst the campers backpacker type stoves can be stood in an empty biscuit tin and packed around with pebbles or dry sand to make them more stable and secure.

I hope you have many hours of fun with her, does she have a name yet?

Julz

[wombat nee blownup]

Having worked in the building trade for forty years with the first twenty as a roofing contractor i can assure anyone that the people using slates under a disposable bbq must have been very lucky as they can explode when hot and shatter razor blade like pieces all over. Be careful brandenjg try and find yourself a proper raised grill of some sort to rest your barby on and when you're finished let it cool down and take it home with you.

[Julz]

Thanks for that information regarding the slates, and i will certainly pass it on amoungst the camping fraternity forums, however, the people I have seen with these slates were using them as a level base for the small camping stoves and gas bbqs, so they were not in such direct contact as a disposible BBq would be, but never the less, i will post up a general warning as the last thing I would want to see is someone being injured in this way.

I believe the practice came about after the health warnings made using the previous tried and tested method of an asbestos base for the purpose became a strict no-no

Some people who were then camping in the Welsh Slate quarry areas found it easy to pick up a suitable piece of slate whilst out walking, and hence the practice began. I have in the past bought a couple of slate kitchen pan stands from the slate quarry visitors centre at Llanberis, I wonder if they were aware of this problem, or is it only when the entire piece is exposed to ultra high tempretures for an extended length of time?

Julz

[wombat nee blownup]

Sorry i might have misled you here, slates when hot shatter they don't send chards flying all over the shop but when the slate split the pieces are like glass. They crumble as well and my thought was in clearing the site with bare hands they may have caused someone grief when collecting handfuls. I have in fact fitted slate worktops in kitchens but there is always a disclaimer from the manufacturers Do not place hot pans etc. directly on surface as there is with all worktops. The slates i thought were being recommended were tired old thin roofing slates that were the problem. As with everything there are differing grades of natural substances and i bow to others superior knowledge of said subject. Please accept apologies

[brandenjg]

Thanks for all the kind posts

As far as cooking on the boat goes, I'm considering buying a Cobb as i know all the safety issues invloved with portable gas stoves. Heres a link to the promotional video for the cobb. http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pl ... io6obL7hWg

I've now acquired a mooring so the boat will be on the river on the 27th june

There's still a few bits and bobs to get sorted on the boat including the bss but im definatly getting closer

Heres a few pics of what i've been up to today Everything still needs cleaning and tidying up.

As far as a names concerned, I'm sticking with what I've named all my boats plus an extra number..... Her name will be Dirty Sket IV. Shes the 4th in a line of "Sket" boats. I wouldn't like to explain the name on a family friendly forum

[littlesprite]

If your looking to buy a cob I can recommend them as mine works a treat, they do cost quite a lot but go to the right place and they will move on the price. I got the cob, grill, frying pan, and £25 discount, if they won't deal try someone else, they all sell it at the full price so you won't lose out by haggling.

[MBA Marine]

The COBB looks great but this is more my style.

[brandenjg]

Sold my tender today and am off to pick up an outboard tomorrow Not a big engine but perfect for pottering around fishing.

Photo attached

[jimbo]

Cracking little project She looks like she will give you hours of fun

[brandenjg]

A couple more pictures. For those of you who remember the roof i made for my inflatable boat you'll be happy to know it can now be attached to this boat .

Everything except for some finishing touches and fitting hand rails is completed. The boats being launched next tuesday so i'll have some new photos to upload then :

[Guest]

The boat has come along way since you got her. You should be prowed of your self .....

Jonny