Boat cabin extension.

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andy4895

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Right, i'm going to make the long story a semi-short story. I'm 13, and am currently saving for a boat. I had one a wee while back, it was an open cabin style fishing boat, it was an alright boat actually with a petrol inboard. I'd had the engine serviced by some *put swear words here* person who failed to service it properly, he left a petrol line slightly loose causing the spillage to one day ignite burning the boat and engine and everything aboard. So that's been gone 2 years now, i've decided I want my self another boat. My question is, how easy would it be to extend the cabin on a boat such as this, so I have a separate bedroom and 'main area' with a porta-potty, cooker, etc? I am VERY good with wood-working and have been able to do things like fit decking panels at the age of 5. So I know my way around wood-working. The main reason i'd like to do this is because i'm too poor to afford a large cabin boat. I've seen one done like this about 4 or 5 years ago. I'd be using it on a canal, and if all goes well potentially living on it in 2 and a half years time and being self sufficient. I'm a bit of an eco / outdoor freak haha.

Here is the boat; http://www.gumtree.com/p/for-sale/boat-and-trailer/1043393449#photo-content

Would it be do-able? Any suggestions, comments etc would help. I don't necessarily want that particular boat, but LOTS of boats have these weird huge decks, mainly for overnight fishing trips I understand haha.

Thanks Guys.
Andrew.
ThisMightBeInteresting.co.uk.
 
I suggest you don't buy a boat! There are hundreds of unwanted boats lying in boat yards and in peoples gardens. Just look round 'til you find one. You've then saved money straight away and have a kitty for buying materials. You're going to need at least 18ft to have any sort of comfortable space on board. Other than that looks as if you are sorted.
 
Welcome to the forum. I can't help you much with your woodwork but want to wish you well and keep up the addiction! I've been on the water since I was 7 and all throughout my childhood / teens it was all BOAT BOAT BOAT. I would put money away for boats before thinking of feeding myself! Stick with it, I had a RIB by the time I was 16 and loved it. I'm now 26 and have a 39 footer sports cruiser (Cranchi Smeraldo) so stick with your dreams, work hard and you'll get your dream boat.
 
No reason not to knock up a bigger box cabin if you're vaguely competent at woodwork. It's unlikely to look very pretty but does that matter? Only bit of advice I'd give is to be careful with weight high up. If you create a great big tall thing out of heavy 18 or 25mm ply you could make the boat seriously unstable so that it's in danger of rolling over.

Pete
 
I saw that one yesterday whist browsing ebay. It's a beautiful boat! I ideally need something that I could live on, either with a cabin extension or standard. Life's confusing haha. All it needs to be capable of is having me live on it at the age of 16 in 30 months time. As I want to be able to travel and go places more freely. :)

Thanks.
Andrew.
 
I'd probably knock it up with flat sides, then round the roof or something with loads of ply sheets then outdoor treat them. Then i'd just paint the entire baot the same colour to get it looking nice. The stability thing would need working out, theoretically as long as it wasn't top heavy it would be fine.
 
andy4895 said:
theoretically as long as it wasn't top heavy it would be fine.
Click to expand...

Right, but a heavy wooden cabin on a lightish fibreglass hull easily could be top-heavy - or become top-heavy once you add your own weight standing up, perhaps on one side. I'm not saying you need to start doing full-on stability calculations, it's just something to be aware of as you build.

Obviously on a canal it's less important than at sea, because the water stays flat. (And if the worst does happen you can always just climb up the bank :) )

Glad to see young lads doing this kind of thing, when the media would have us believe they spend all their time either in front of an XBox or out mugging people :D

Pete
 
Ok if you're really serious. You'll have to forget about spending money, nights out with mates and girlfriends. Once you start you'll have neither the time or money for anything other than the boat.
Do what was suggested and find a 20' to 25' boat that's a give away. Just find one with a large aft deck.
Spend time with GRP and cloth to ensure the hull is sound and watertight. Reinforce all of the key pressure points eg transom, stem, keel, stringers bulkheads etc. and fill all of the through the hull holes. You won't need them and you can drill new when you start fitting out
Then think about accommodation. Weight above the deck is dangerous, so think about making a 4mm marine ply+ 25mm house hold insulation + 6mm marine ply sandwich. It will be light and strong if you use polyeurathane adhesive and it will reduce condensation and conserve heat inside. Smooth out the shape and seal all joins with epoxy filler.
Make your shape and remember you can make compound shapes if you laminate the sandwich sheet by sheet in situ.
Don't cut out your window shapes until you've got your frames, either by scrounging from the boat yard, or if if you have the cash from eBay (always frames for sale cheap). You might find a door the same way.
Once you've got that far let us know, post photos and you'll get loads of advice.
I'm 66 and I've been doing the same think with a 50' vintage American Motoryacht for the past 6 years. Truth is once you start you can't stop so be warned.
 
The same thing has been happening with my Grandpa's current restoration boat. It's a 28ft motor cruiser, 4 berth, about 1950's...every penny he earns gets dumped into this boat! I'm pretty good with money so it won't really be an issue. I've got a semi-big sum of money for buying a boat, i'm just looking through different ideas still.

Thanks, Andrew.
 
I would start with a grp cruiser and not get to adventurous with wooden cabins/extensions but concentrate on getting the inside nice (so mum would like to stay on it).
If you do that you should be able to sell it on when (not if!) you fall for a bigger boat.

Best of luck, I started with a Dolfin at 16 and by 30 I had a Birchwood GT.
 
I was about your age when I got my first boat, a 16ft Microplas day cruiser. It was mine for free, and I transformed it into a stunning boat, and made a good wedge of ££ at the same time! I am now 27 and have a 28ft twin engine cruiser, its been a project for 5 years but its nearing completion, and the hard work always pays off.

I'm a committee member of a local boat club, and we have a 18ft GRP cruiser which is free to a good home. Its in very poor condition, no engine, and needs a complete refurb but might be just what you are looking for? It a semi cathedral hull, so very stable.
The only snag is its lay in Pembrokeshire, without a trailer. If you are interested drop me your email address in a PM and ill send you a photograph. Its a big project, but with what you have in mind it may be a good starting point.
 
Well Andrew. It looks like you've just acquired a fan club or at least several interested uncles. Just goes to show that there's still good in the world. Keep us up to date and I suspect you'll get help when you need it. So many of us have walked the path you're starting and have gained much from the journey. Don't give up.
 
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