Steel Boats

[Greg2]

Having got all of one season under my belt in our Princess 32 I have been thinking (unrealistically in SWMBO's opinion) of a bigger boat (being in a marina next door to Broom's I can't help but see what they have in their brokerage every time I go past). I have found one or two steel cruisers, which seem to have a reasonable price tag attached, but I don't know much about them. On the face of it you seem to get a lot of boat for your money. What does the panel think? Are they just as good as their GRP cousins or are there some horror stories lurking in the wings?

 

[hlb]

Dont forget you have to paint them every year or two. Getting the old paint smooth must be a night mare.

Haydn

 

[kimhollamby]

Wide range of steel boats out there. Do you have names of some of the ones you have seen?

Any mainstream Dutch steel boat produced in last 10-20 years or so and fully finished by the yard (a few in the 1970-80s/early 1990s were made technically ready to sail and finished by owners) should be well worth a look. They'll go on forever if maintained properly and worst case scenario is welding a patch if damage sustained or serious local corrosion.

If it was finished in quality epoxy paint and prepared properly the boat will be good for at least 10-15 years between repaints if looked after. Maintenance very similar to GRP...ie as long as surface is intact what is underneath should stay intact. Touch up any damage to prevent spread of rust in much the same way that you would (or should) fill any gelcoat damage to prevent water ingress in laminate. You can also usually polish up dull paint; better to do this than looking at a repaint if possible. Stay with the original factory-applied primer system for as long as you can.

People get very worried about external areas of steel boats especially of they see a few rust streaks but real danger area is internals. So lift all the hatches and start from a thorough inspection of bilges when checking a boat out. Especially box sections and frames which is where any serious corrosion can cause a problem.

kim_hollamby@ipcmedia.com

 

[Guest]

Hi Greg!
Some years ago I refurbished an old De-Groot and found steel boats to be easy to work on just different (if you aren`t used to shot blasting welding and metal coatings). The modern systems around today for DIY welding and surface coating are great, even "small area" shot blasting is possible on a DIY basis. Steel boats are however often heavier than other constructions,although not necessarily, and their designs do lead to some roll in seas, but they are usually safe strong and economic. I would suggest that for ease of maintenence Fibreglass first, steel a close second and wood ("so much firewood") very last.

Rob

 

[trev]

Depends on the type of boating you intend to do. No problems regarding maintenance etc - as seen on other posts. Steel boats are, however, a bit on the slow side if you want to get anywhere, and are subject to the vagaries of tide when compared to their faster GRP cousins.
They are ideal for inland pottering with the occasional look outside. (IMHO).

Trev

 

[Greg2]

The ones I have seen are a De Groot and a Woerden Kruiser. Do they tend to be displacement hulls with lower speeds or do they come in semi-displacement design? I am not looking for 25-30 knots, 12-15 would be fine.
Some comments seem to question their seakeeping qualities. I am on the Broads so do a lot of river cruising but intend to do an increasing number of coastal trips over the next few years - are they a realistic option for seagoing trips?

 

[coliholic]

The Dutch, IMHO, do some pretty fantastic steel boats - what they can do with steel is quite amazing. In Holland the general feeling is that "proper" boats are built of steel or wood, and tupperware boats, as they call GRP, are looked down as a second class substitute. Most of them tend to have just one smallish diesel, often obscure (to us) makes such as DAF. Great cruising boats for rivers and lakes, with tons of interior space but maybe not the best hull design for sea work?

Prices secondhand in Holland are very competitive, have a look at these two web sites to give you an idea.

www.devalk.nl
www.bcl.nl

And don't dismiss the idea of buying in Holland and then sailing it back here to UK. Even iff you don't think you're competent to do it, there's loads of people who will do it for you and not expensive either.

I've found their brokers first class, professional and willing to do that bit extra to do a deal. And they have to be quailified and registered with some government department so much more trustworthy than our lot. All of course IMHO.

 

[hlb]

Nothing obscure about a DAF engine Colin, not nececarily small either. I had one in a truck that I drove to Saudi Arabia 25 times. Did 250,000 miles in four years with 100 ton on it's back most of the time and still as good the day I sold it. Niether sand storms or 40 below hert it although it did freeze the air intake up once!

Haydn

 

[Greg2]

Just had another thought - presumambly osmosis isn't an issue so is leaving them in the water all year round OK? If so is condensation a problem during the colder months (with heaing on inside)?

 

[Greg2]

Thanks Colin - I'll give them a look.
Just looking at your profile - we bought our boat from St Ives (LH Jones) - had a very pleasant (if sometimes frought - locks + wind + first boat = scary moments) weekend on the Ouse before taking it to Earith to be craned out.

 

[coliholic]

Obscure ??

Oh OK H, didn't really say what I meant did I?

Agree that DAF engines in trucks are pretty commonplace, but never come across them in boat engines in the UK before. So that's really what I meant by obscure - i.e from a boaty p.o.v. Is that clearer?

Anyone got one of these in the UK? Out of interest how do you get on for engine spares? Or maybe they're marketed here as Vetus or something else.

 

[steel_slug]

all the previous posts give good gen. in addition condensation is the big killer. when outside air temp drops below about 10c and heating is on inside the boat (or bodies inside) then condensation will form on any uninsulated steel surfaces. With a torch check behind as many panels/linings that you can access for evidence (if poss view boat on a v cold day!!) discolouration of linings is a clue. A friend of mine was removing up to 6lts a day of condensed water from his bilges, he has reduced this to 6ltrs a month by additional insulation.
waxoyl is good for spraying into bilges etc but check for compatibility with paint system
also IMHO a galvanic isolator / isolation transformer is essential if on shore power

HTH

Paul M

 

[coliholic]

So not too good an experience of the Ouse then? Shame 'cos it's normally OK weather anywhere UL can be a biit iffy I suppose, but the Ouse being quite narrow can lead to some hair raising moments in a bit of a blow.

Know Jones' very well. As brokers go Alastair and Mick are pretty good. seem to do what they say they'll do when the say they will. Got a good name hereabouts. See you're boat's called Lady H, but I don't recognise the name from the Ouse. W as she called that when you bought, or have you renamed? Diesel or petrol one?

Boatone's the forum expert on Princess 32's so any questions, he's your man. If you ask nicely he'll probably even come up and fix anything you've got broken.

 

[Greg2]

Twin diesels - got her earlier this year. I think the previous owner was up near Bedford (that's where he lives) - boat has the same name. Boatone was most helpful when I had a thousand and one questions in the early days.

 

[andyball]

12-15 knots? There are some dutch steel boats that are semi-disp, but not many, judging from recent fairly exhaustive search for boat in Holland.

seagoing? there's "dover sea school" who use pedros as school boats- so you could take one out for 1/2 day & see, but they(the school) certainly reckon they're OK up to F7-8, but did say that pedros are better than most dutch boats in that respect.

 

[LiamS]

seakeeping

Just brought my boat from Weymouth to Arklow.She is a steel Belgian built boat quite heavy at 17 tonnes but is very capable in a seaway.

 

[Guest]

Re: Steel Boats / Broom

If you intend to go to sea also then semi displacement would be preferable IMHO. As your next door to Brooms
why not try one. Better still I am selling mine and am currently thinking of taking her to Brooms brokerage,
you could do a private deal and the commission I'd save could be yours. Broom Crown 37, twin 150hps engines,
15-16 knts cruise good sea boat, plus large keel makes her ideal for Broads. Oh and low air draught.
CGn

"The Med has got me" (no not the Medway the other Med)

 

[Guest]

Re: PS Greg

Boatone knows my Broom.

"The Med has got me" (no not the Medway the other Med)

 

[boatone]

Re: PS Greg

Reminds me of Lloyd-George knew my father.............or do you mean in a biblical sense in which case I deny everything in case Byron starts on me instead of Syd........../forums/images/icons/smile.gif
Actually, I have it on very good authority that Clive had a Princess 32 before he bought his Crown so you and he have a lot in common Greg....do you do a good line in flat batteries I wonder...........?

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.boatsontheweb.com/galleryframes.html> BoatsOnTheWeb and Boaters Photo Gallery</A>

 

[Guest]

Re: PS Greg

Bitch thats all in the past

"The Med has got me" (no not the Medway the other Med)