Project 40+ tonnes of Boatshite - engineshite update 9/5/20

[DeeJay]

This gets better and better with every post.

The difference a good coat of paint can make.

(not forgetting to mention all the hard work that has got you to the paint stage)

 

Now that it's looking like a sea going vessel you're to have to start using the proper lingo.

Port and Starboard not left and right.

(I haven't got a clue which is which.)

Dave

[DeeJay]

Forgot to ask, what's a rubbing strake?

[Tayne]

 

Port and Starboard not left and right.

(I haven't got a clue which is which.)

Dave

 

At the end of the voyage the captain will have no port left.

Starboard is right.

[Talbot]

At the end of the voyage the captain will have no port left.

Starboard is right.

Which you can add to:  There's no Red Port Left.  (red for Port, Green for Starboard)

[coalnotdole]

Forgot to ask, what's a rubbing strake?

 

A rubbing strake is a band around the outside of the hull it is the main point of contact with other boats / harbour walls etc, On Daves' boat its wood but on other boats it could be just be a band of extruded rubber.

 

As standard there should be two rubbing strakes on this boat an upper and lower one. So far only the lower one has been replaced. It is made from 2 x 1 inch thick iroko which are laminated together with epoxy resin and through bolted to the hull. On top of this there will be another 2 inches of sacrificial timber which will probably pitch pine or something similar.

 

The top band will be replaced when Dave can find the cash, I imagine it will come after the replacement of the cockpit floor though.

 

I appreciate there's quite a bit of specific terminology going on in this thread, Dave's tried to explain as he goes so do ask if there's something thats not clear.

 

I'm sure Dave will correct any glaring errors I've made in this post.

 

Joe

[DeeJay]

Thanks.

Dave

[michael t]

Inspirational stuff, I wish I had the funds and temperament to do something similair

[coalnotdole]

Not much of an update but I have bought some new goodies!

I've been on the lookout for some 3ft wide life-floats to go on my fore-deck for a while. Unfortunately the only ones that ever seem to come up for sale are wider than will fit on the plinth on my deck 

 

A year or so back I spotted a pair at a local shipyard being used as a bench for tea breaks. I enquired about them but failed to find there owner (or anyone willing to claim ownership in exchange for cash!).

A couple of weeks back I was down there again to pay for a metal turning job I'd had done and happened to mention them to the machinist. He knew the owner of the floats who was currently in scotland and after a quick telephone call a deal was struck.

 

Went and picked them up in my van last week and they're now sat in place on the fore-deck:

 

 

Each float is licensed for 20 persons!:

 

 

I'll give them a coat of paint at some point and theres a couple of small fibreglass repairs needed where they've been dragged across the yard at some stage. I've also ordered some stainless deck-eyes to replace the steel ones I removed from the mounting plinths years ago, then i'll be able to lash them down:

 

 

Poor quality phone shot from across the river:

 

 

Old photo of her during use in the dockyard with the original floats just visible in front of the wheelhouse:

 

 

Silly really but I really think they improve the looks of the boat - plus they're a useful workbench to put stuff on without scratching my cabin paint!.

 

Cheers,

Dave

[eddyramrod]

This is one of those projects that just constantly impresses!  Well it impresses me anyway.  Excellent skillz, and I'm sure I'm not alone in admitting to a green tinge to my vision.  Then you talk about having to find £1400 for something, and the reality kicks in.  If anything, it makes your dedication even more impressive.  Good luck with it!

[TimothyClaypole]

Probably the last job on your list ever but I've a nice piece of black marble worktop sat outside that would fit the sink lovely.   

[Conrad D. Conelrad]

I was thinking about this boat the other day, any updates CND?

[Mr_Bo11ox]

This is really extraordinary, love it!!!!

[coalnotdole]

I was thinking about this boat the other day, any updates CND?

Dave's bought another float for the foredeck and spent quite a lot of money at the boat jumble last weekend, I gather that he's done a bit more interior work in the fore cabin further progress has been frustrated by the purchase of multiple stoves... I'll have to get Dave write a catch up post at some point!

 

Edit: I also forgot there is a plan to acquire a spares boat....

[willswitchengage]

If that's a 2-stroke diesel is it an old GM lump? Never seen two exhaust valves and (preseumably only) one on the intake before...

[Micrashed]

Edit: I also forgot there is a plan to acquire a spares boat....

Where the hell would you keep that? You can hardly stuff it down the side of the garage under a tarp....

[coalnotdole]

If that's a 2-stroke diesel is it an old GM lump? Never seen two exhaust valves and (preseumably only) one on the intake before...

 

Its a British Foden FD6 mk6, twin overhead exhaust valves operated by roller tip pushrods. intake air is forced by the supercharger into an air gallery in the block and through swirl holes around the cylinder liners so no inlet valves.

I'll try and sort a photo of a piston and liner as my spare ones are in Joe's garage and I'm giving him a hand to change the gearbox on his scimitar (yet again) this weekend.

 

 

 

Where the hell would you keep that? You can hardly stuff it down the side of the garage under a tarp....

 

It would be a case of pulling it out on the slip and stripping the parts i want then punting the bare hull/deck on via ebay for use as a houseboat / mental restoration project......

 

 

 

 

In other news I've finished making up replicas of my missing hatch retaining stanchions and fitted them - Photos have been sat on my laptop ready to upload for the last couple of months.

Finally finished of replacing a section of stringer in the forecabin and ripped out the last of the original bunks ready to clean and paint the inside of the hull before rebuilding/replacing them.

 

I also drove a 1000 mile round trip to newcastle on tyne in a suzuki carry van to collect another stove/range for spares as the top-plate on mine is getting a bit thin.

Bought more New Old Stock engine spares (pistons, liners, con-rods) and Last weekend spent a lot of money at Beaulieu Boat Jumble on various bits and pieces that i needed.

 

 

Will try and sort a photo update soon.

 

Dave

[Junkman]

So when will operation Autoshite Goes America commence?

There is a lot of chod waiting in Venezuela, I hear say.

Or at least Ireland, if we don't quite make it there.

[coalnotdole]

Edit: I also forgot there is a plan to acquire a spares boat....

 

After much pissing about, negotiation and constination a spares boat has now been bought... (Paied for today in fact)

 

There are some photos of it online here: http://www.royalnavypinnace.co.uk/Gallery/gallery.html

 

Much of the information on the website is a mixture of misinformation and total fantasy, The boat was probably built in 1958 and after leaving RN service in the early 70's became a liveaboard. The photos were taken some years ago and the condition today is not nearly as presentable.

 

The plan will be to bring it out on the slip next month and strip some much needed spares off of it which will be destined for Dave's boat. The new one will then receive a decent cleanup We'll attend to any urgent maintenance issues and sell it on as a blank canvas for someone to use as a Houseboat. This process will involve the removal of the rudder and propeller, Probably also the prop-shaft and engine and gearbox and an assortment of other fixtures and fittings. That should give us some much needed spares and leave a more desirable empty hull for someone to take on as a project.

 

This has come at a time when both Dave and myself are very over committed with car projects and work. So don't expect any significant updates on this for a while...

 

PS we did not pay £14k for it...!

[Micrashed]

"Ive bought a spares boat...."

 

Where are you going to put it?

 

"I'll shove it down the side of the garage with a tarp over it...."

 

is a conversation that will not happen in the CnD household today

[coalnotdole]

I'd been expecting to spend the weekend getting some of the car projects organised, However that plan was binned and on Friday evening and I headed over to the Island to get a look at the newest and largest project that would be cluttering up Dave's life....

 

Heres what greeted me on Saturday morning:

 

 

The boat had been a livaboard for a long time but has suffered quite badly from mistreatment by previous owners modifications both internally and on deck. The end result is its all been bodged about quite a bit and there are lots of things that needed removing and throwing away.

 

In this photo you can see a variety of "extras" on the foredeck there is also a shocking wooden handrail which is made of B&Q cheapo pine and falls apart if you poke it...

 

 

Aft view, It had aquired a mast, supposedly as a steadysail, cradle for a dinghy and some horrible davits held on my gate hinges as well as lots of other random rubbish.

 

 

Handrail and Deck closeup,

 

 

The teak deck is actually ok but the corking has failed and hence It leaks between the joints. At some point someone painted it green in an attempt to keep the water out...

 

 

The funnel, which is nice and hasn't been messed about with.

 

 

The wheelhouse has been messed about with to make it wider which gives the deck a very cluttered appearance. The following photos show what we found when we looked inside...

 

 

 

 

 

Going below reveals the forecabin, with an overpowering smell of damp carpet tiles. The tiles were apparently floating in there a few weeks back!

 

 

 

Lifting the carpet tiles reveals a less offensive and more practical floor dating from 1970's refit.

 

 

The forward end of the forecabin has been made into a heads compartment, in what has to be one of the worst fitted out areas on board.

 

 

In shower Mains electricity anyone?

 

 

 

Moving on to the engine room, The engine had not been run for some years but a look at the fuel tanks suggests there is 90-110 Gallons of diesel on board.

 

 

 

 

 

The on-board electrics had apparently been refitted by an oil rig fitter...

 

 

Moving into the aft cabin, most recently being used as a bedroom, it now was filled with damp mouldering clothing, bedding, vhs cassettes and other leftovers. The smell really was very bad.

 

 

 

I've got some other photos to sort through and post up later but thought I'd stick these up before going to work.

 

Cheers.

 

Joe

[Minimad5]

Good luck !
Enjoying the thread, progression and story so far

[HillmanImp]

If you don't mind me asking how much is one of these, even in the shite condition?

[coalnotdole]

If you don't mind me asking how much is one of these, even in the shite condition?

 

PM Sent,

[coalnotdole]

After a quick trip to the Cafe for a breakfast, we bought some gloves and rubble sacks and spent the remainder of the day removing the rubbish....

 

Carpet tiles were stripped out,

The aft cabin was cleared of clothes and other rancid items,

Forecabin had the remaining furnishings binned,

Various nasty deck fittings were removed,

Starboard Wooden raIl was removed.

 

After Four Rebel van loads of shit were taken to the tip it looked like this:

 

 

 

 

 

 

The wheelhouse was starting to form a pile of bits being specifically kept for Dave's boat,

 

 

De-badged?

 

 

Deck showing tanks removed, and masts lowered for removal, also the bodged starboard handrail has been removed...

 

 

Finally a photo showing what this whole buisness has been about.... the bronze rudder

 

[coalnotdole]

The following day the Junk removal process continued with two more rebel van fulls of stuff going to the tip, including the wooden railing on the port side. There was quite a bit of time spent removing the electrics, wiring and instrumentation. There were various nasty things found including a selection of cables that has been held in with expanding foam which had to be slowly removed.

 

cable removal:

 

 

We also found time to take a look at the engine and see if it runs... To the best of anyone's knowledge it had not been run in all the time it had been at this yard (about 14 years) First port of call was to borrow the battery's off of daves boat.

 

 

Ready to run?

 

 

A poke at the fuel tank reveled it has about 100 gallons of cherry in the tanks which is an unexpected bonus. The gearbox linkages were then disconnected and we then turned the engine over on the starter to make sure the fuel was pumping ok. It took quite a bit of messing about to adequately bleed the hydraulic Governor.

 

After a couple of goes it burst into life:

 

 

In order to celebrate the running of the engine, Immediately booked the red arrows to do a fly past...

 

 

I'll end with a few overviews showing how things were when I left.

 

 

 

 

Electronics to be sold

 

 

Dated clock, this was saved (as it said made in england all over it)

 

 

Port side hand rail removed:

 

 

 

Cleared enigne room:

 

Aft coach roof:

 

 

final overview:

 

 

Since the photos were taken It has now moved mooring and sits alongside Dave's boat, Though it did not move there under its own power as it turns out a bearing in the prop-shaft is seized. Its booked to come out on the slipway next month so there will probably be some new photos to share then!

[michael1703]

That looks minging inside, check them VHS tapes, looks like ben dover has used it for movie making

 

Love that engine

[coalnotdole]

Will the spares boat be striped for its rudder and then weighed in?

 

Not scrapped so much as left as a blank starting point for a new owner to do a proper conversion on it. The idea that its just a spares boat is probably a bit unfair as its actually a great starting point for someone who was looking for medium size boat as either a home or to re engine and use on rivers / inshore waters.

 

When it gets sold a new owner will probably do one of the following things to it:

 

1, Install a new smaller engine up aft under the cockpit floor / in aft cabin. This would free up all the space in the engine room for accommodation. I would mean the boat could still be used inshore waters and would have the added benefit of better economy. The downside is it won't be capable of towing frigates anymore, and re-engining is a bit specialist and will be costly to do.

 

2, All the engine gearbox and prop are permanently removed this means that the entire space can become living accommodation, this is the ideal scenario if your going to moor it up somewhere on a semi permanent basis. Ie as a home or to let it out as holiday accomodation for mass profit. Downside is it will have to be towed away to a new location and will still need money spending on it to make the insides presentable.

 

3, Someone takes it on as a brave restoration oriented job like Dave has done with his, the downside will be that we are removing a lot of the difficult to source original bits for use on his boat.

[brickwall]

Toot! toot!

All aboard the Shiteboat.

 

 

Lookin' good so far. I'm prolly not brave enough

[coalnotdole]

I actually wrote this post out yesterday but just as I was about to add the reply firefox crashed and ate the message...! Sorry there are no work in progress photos this time.

 

 

 

Since my last post Dave tried running the engine in gear and had discovered that the propshaft was seized, which meant getting the engine, gearbox out in order allow the intermediate shaft to be removed for investigation.

 

The plan was formed to bring it out on the slipway and to remove the propeller, propshaft and Skeg (bronze bracket which holds the rudder) Dave had already lifted the rudder and the engine out the week before.

 

While out on the slipway the plan was to inspect the bottom, evaluate the copper sheaving, make any repairs needed and then give the whole boat a decent coat of paint.

 

 

The prop came off easily but the prop shaft was seized solid and repeated effort with the slege hammer would not dive it far enough inboard to get it out. The white metal bearings had spun at both ends of the stern tube. The propshaft had also badly de-zincified around the bearing carrier which effectively meant it was scrap. In the angle grinder was the only thing that was able to get it out.

 

The copper turned out to be in very good condition, it needed only minor repairs to get it up to a decent standard. The timber underneath has been protected amazingly well illustrating that copper over teak construction method really does last.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The final task was painting her up in the traditional buff and black of the Royal Fleet Axillary which I hope you'll all agree looks much better:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Aft Cabin

 

 

 

 

Engine Room (former)

 

 

 

Forecabin:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And finally a shot of her ready for relaunch...

 

 

 

 

[coalnotdole]

A few more Photos:

 

 

The fleet:

 

 

 

 

The new boat will be going up for sale shortly so if anyone fancies a liveaboard project do let me know.