Steel Boat

[CambridgeCabby]

We are considering getting a larger boat , one of the ones we are interested in is a steel hulled boat , may I ask members the positives and negatives to these .

 

[scaniaman]

You will become a social outcast, or a billy no mates. That`s what I found out when when I asked a similar question last year. My suggestion of bringing a widebeam narrowboat to the broads was met with much sucking of teeth. oh hum 

[CambridgeCabby]

This one isn’t a narrow boat but can understand how some would be nervous of a 12 tonne steel boat mooring beside them 

[BrundallNavy]

Is it a Dutch style boat I understand the Pedro brands are very good but not really suited to the broads. 

[ranworthbreeze]

My opinion a boat is a boat it should not matter what it is constructed from. With regards to a steel hulled boat you need to have the thickness of the hull plates tested for any thin areas, this can be part of your survey, check if sacrificial anodes have been fitted and their condition. I may be prudent to check your electrical installation aboard is not adding to electrolysis. 

Regards

Alan

[CambridgeCabby]

8 minutes ago, brundallNavy said:

Is it a Dutch style boat I understand the Pedro brands are very good but not really suited to the broads. 

Yes it is a Dutch build 

[CambridgeCabby]

This one 

[ranworthbreeze]

There are three very nice Dutch Style barges on the Southern Broads, I would love to have a conduced tour around one of them.

Regards

Alan 

[Cheesey69]

Keep on top of the hull scratches, cos your going to get loads from accidents and the sheer amount of mooring we do especially if your up north. Rust forms under the coating out of sight. 
isolate the hull in marinas with galvanic isolators because your basically a floating battery as I found out to my cost. It’s not you but others have stray currents. 
I also found out that condensation was a problem so I epoxied the inner hull. 
 

[CambridgeCabby]

Thank you , she has a new galvanic isolator fitted (2018), and understand as to keeping up to date with scratches etc , have been told ideally should repaint  every five years as well.

She is one of three we are looking at this weekend and the only steel one , hence getting some info now 

[MauriceMynah]

It's going to be tricky getting that one under PH bridge. Apart from that, very nice.

[CambridgeCabby]

Unbelievably she has a lower airdraft than our Ocean as her windows fold , we love our Ocean but we either convert her for easier stern on mooring and put the grandchildren on the +2 berth or look at a getting a larger boat which sleeps more .

One of the other boats we are looking at is airdraft if 6ft6” so PH may be possible in that , and that would also mean I could get to The Locks Inn as well 

[Jbx5]

It would be a fine boat but for the yellow colour! Don’t think the previous owners had her more than a few months.

John 

[CambridgeCabby]

22 minutes ago, Jbx5 said:

It would be a fine boat but for the yellow colour! Don’t think the previous owners had her more than a few months.

John 

She wouldn’t stay yellow for long as we would repaint her 

[grendel]

i like the thought of the rope fendering all round, but for most of the broads that would be too high for the quays and higher than the majority of other boats decks.

[OldBerkshireBoy]

Ok, it might be my screen settings however where is the Yellow? Thickness testing of the hull is carried out with an ultrasound hand held device and rather than the old bitumen paint a two pack expoxy resin is common use on the hulls and lasts longer between repaints.

  A lot of people wouldn`t realise it had a steel hull unless you told them and if it has spray foam insulation inside it will be warmer then GRP. 

[annv]

Hi I have a steel boat the only down side is chips and scratches, this dosint happen often, i keep a small tin of paint to touch up and if it is painted with two pack you dont need to paint every five years think car finish, how often do you respray your car, they are heavier but this makes for better stability. the up side is i can leave it any where with out the worry of damage by other boats when we had a Princes it was always a concern,  you dont have to worry about hitting objects under the surface or grounding you can leave in the water all the year round with out the osmosis worry plus steel doesn't rust under water no oxgine, it is easier to screw/add on just tap a hole, you do need to have one that is sprayed with spray foam to insulate but so does fibre glass, and they are more secure as you cant lever a locked open unlike fibre glass, and each one can be different as they dont come from a mould. john

[MauriceMynah]

13 hours ago, CambridgeCabby said:

She wouldn’t stay yellow for long as we would repaint her 

She wouldn't remain yellow for long if I owned her either.  :-D

[Cal]

Several of our friends have dutch steel cruisers and they offer a lot of accomodation for their size. They all have boats from different yards and they all have different layouts.

 

They tend to suffer a bit with condensation in the winter months.

[ChrisB]

Having been up The Thames on a Linssen, a Dutch engineered steel boat would be my choice every time for full displacement cruising. It looks a really lovely boat.

[finny]

18 hours ago, CambridgeCabby said:

This one 

Its got great lines and i can see why you are attracted - if it was me then i would be more worried about anything i hit at my fault rather than what hits me .....but it is a looker 

finny

[CambridgeCabby]

Sadly she sold last night , subject to survey 

[CambridgeCabby]

We will keep looking , no rush and the market atm is mad