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A Brave New World

Tony

By Tony
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Tony

Tony

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Hello everyone and thank you all for allowing me into your world :-)

 

My name is Tony and I currently live in Maldon Essex.

 

As time has gone by I have felt myself drawn towards my childhood, the days spent growing up in Rowhedge (on the river Colne) near Colchester Essex, those happy days living near a river and the trips out to sea on my Dads various nautical craft. I find myself in a position where I have an ex-wife, two near adult children and these days only myself to worry about, so it was with great interest that in 2014 I decided that because of living in a rented house I would never own or afford, I would start to look for a NEW HOME!

 

So.... on the 17th of this month my NEW HOME will be making its way from Oxfordshire too Maldon where it will start Its new life on the River Crouch and provide me with what I hope will be a new fantastic adventure.

 

My new chosen home is a Frank Wild design 34feet x 12feet Bermuda River craft. I love the internal space and cant wait to stamp my own mark on it when it arrives. I've got a few months to do any work that needs doing and will move on board in March 2015.

If anyone has one of these craft I would be very interested in talking/meeting up to get an insight into life aboard.

 

Looking forward to my new adventure, Tony x.   

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BroadScot

BroadScot

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Hi again Tony,

 

Like all bath tubs and FB Wilds 34' in particular, on very windy days keeping it straight is good fun :naughty: Some were starboard steering so you could look straight through to the rear door when stern on mooring. The Perkins engine was not too noisey being at the stern of the boat. If ducted warm air with the timer at the rear door as you entered, heat to the saloon had to have a gas heater also to augment the heating. Saloon is roomy though and not too bad even with the pull down wall bed down. 

 

I have probably forgotten something, but have no fear, a member will be along to correct me.

 

cheers Iain

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JawsOrca

JawsOrca

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:wave and welcome from me cheers

 

I liveaboard in Hoo, Medway.. Main points are; in the winter it's freezing! and in the summer its nice!  ;)

 

Maldon is a lovely spot and I'm sure you will enjoy it.. it looks like you will be moving on just as the winter turns so you will have plenty of time to get ready for next winter!

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Tony

Tony

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Thanks Alan and yes I think you are right re the weather. My girlfriend lives on an old Dutch Barge and she has always spoken of the extreme cold in the winter and we have carried out loads of repairs this year to make the old girl warmer for her.

 

Am I right in thinking that a GRP hull will be warmer than the steel type?  Or is there not much in it overall??

 

Tony.

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JawsOrca

JawsOrca

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Tony.. It all depends on the insulation.. we have spray foamed the houseboat (which is a steel barge) with 2 inches of foam..  then 100mm loft insulation... then bubble wrapped..(roof and sides) and we have a stove which runs rads and I can get it to 35dc inside when there's a foot of snow on the roof! 

 

I've always found plastic boats are colder although they generally have larger windows so heat is lost through them and are never insulated.. Timber boats are better insulators although I couldn't live on a timber boat .. Take a look at my project boat () we have used celotext and foam backed linings to attempt to give a bit of insulation although it will still be nippy.. you will get used to it though and learn to keep a fleece beside you at all times ;)

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Timbo

Timbo

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Hi Tony and welcome from me too.

 

Out of the three types of construction materials...Fibreglass freezing, metal cold, wood cozy! Even when it's been freezing outside I've found our wooden boat (no heating fitted at present) has been warm & comfortable...I admit I did have three hot water bottles...one rubber one and two beagles. I'm sure you must have seen the plaque present on most wooden boats that reads "If God had intended boats to be made from fibreglass he would have made fibreglass trees"?  :naughty:

 

Joking aside the last fibreglass boat we hired in winter was as warm as toast in the rear cabin, which differed from the other cabins on the boat by having insulation behind plywood panels.

 

Hope you enjoy your new adventure and look forward to hearing about it!

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Tony

Tony

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;) ;)Hello Guys/Girls and thanks again for the feedback.

 

To be honest this is all new to me and any advice, good or bad will be of some help at some time or other I'm sure.

 

After the boat arrives on the 17 Nov I will have until the end of march to get it ready for living on etc.

This will include some serious insulation, a decent sound system a VHF radio and the fitting of a 240volt emersion heater in my calorifier as the engine wont be run on a daily basis and I will need hot water for showers and washing up etc.

 

I chose fibreglass as its fairly trouble free and requires less maintenance than say steel or wood hulls.

I guess I will soon find out if this theory works out for or not ;)

 

Thanks again, Tony.   

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JawsOrca

JawsOrca

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Hi Tony, 

 

You may need to get a gas water heater like a Morco to heat your water.. I don't think (I'm probably wrong) that a immersion heater is enough to heat water.. I think they are just intended to keep water warm after warmed by something else..

 

(http://www.morcoproducts.co.uk/stock-5/Water_Heaters.html)

 

If you can get away with it they do similar 240v water heaters although depends on your shore power connection.. (we aren't allowed here to heat with electric here we must use gas)..

 

Oh actually I'm not sure on the BSC on morcos though as it's all open to elements so you may need to check that first...

 

cheers

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ranworthbreeze

ranworthbreeze

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;) ;)Hello Guys/Girls and thanks again for the feedback.

 

To be honest this is all new to me and any advice, good or bad will be of some help at some time or other I'm sure.

 

After the boat arrives on the 17 Nov I will have until the end of march to get it ready for living on etc.

This will include some serious insulation, a decent sound system a VHF radio and the fitting of a 240volt emersion heater in my calorifier as the engine wont be run on a daily basis and I will need hot water for showers and washing up etc.

 

I chose fibreglass as its fairly trouble free and requires less maintenance than say steel or wood hulls.

I guess I will soon find out if this theory works out for or not ;)

 

Thanks again, Tony.

 

Hi Tony,

The immersion heater is fine, to save on costs set the stat to between 55 & 60 degrees centigrade, be warned however not to set below 50 degrees because there could be a chance of a legionella infection. I would personaly set the temprature at 55 degrees to help not getting burned in the shower.

Regards

Alan

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Tony

Tony

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Well thanks again one and all.

Im so glad that there are people out there to help this nautical novice, lol.

 

I will probably stick with the emersion heater idea for when im on the mooring and rely on the engine water heater when im cruising as im told that they will provide a tank of hot water for showers etc if used daily!

 

QUESTION FOR YOU..........???????

 

Im thinking of changing the calorifior as its probably the original one that was fitted in the 70's.

Does anyone have an idea of a sensible size tank to replace it with as im sure I wont need the large one that was originally fitted when built?

There will be only me on the boat most of the time with an occasional guest as and when etc etc.

How many litres capacity do you think guys/girls?

 

cheers, Tony.

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