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Design Solutions Stowage for at least one, but ideally
two motorcycles Motorcycle stowage is essential if we
are to maximise our options for travelling when we are away from our normal
mooring. Having examined the possibilities
for stowing one or more motorcycles elsewhere within the boat we have decided
to stow them in an ‘extended’ well deck at the bow. The cratch covering will ensure that
the traditional lines of the boat are maintained as well as provide some weather
protection for the bikes. Most
well decks are around 3’-0” to 4’-6” long, but we
need a minimum of 7’-0”.
The boat builder has agreed that this will be OK and that the load
distribution with the bikes at around 190kg each should not be an issue, providing
this load distribution has been accounted for in the strength of the well
deck structure and the initial ballasting of the boat. We have explored the possibilities for
incorporating some kind of folding boom and mechanical or hydraulic winch
arrangement for lifting the bikes on and off, thinking that this might be
easier than rolling them on and off (RO-RO). However, having weighed up the
pro’s and con’s for both methods, we have opted for RO-RO
approach. To this end, we have
specified a removable gunwale section on each side of the bow and a loading
ramp which can be stowed on the roof when not in use. We have also specified several anchor
points for the straps we intend to use for stabilising the bikes when they
are in the well deck. Although difficult, we believe that it
is still possible to use the saloon doors at the bow end when the bikes are
in the well deck. It will of
course be necessary to carefully select suitable locations for loading and
unloading – we must ensure that the operation is safe and we must avoid
upsetting British Waterways and the like. Manoeuvring the bikes when they
are on the well deck is not without its difficulties [it is this aspect that
might cause us to limit ourselves to stowing only one bike]. We have explored the possibilities for
incorporating some kind of ‘turntable’ in the well deck in the
belief that this could be of some assistance, but thus far we have failed to
come up with an elegant solution. Maximum living space and storage space
whilst avoiding clutter This has been a difficult one. It has been necessary to make a few
compromises, but we feel that we have achieved the right balance in the
end. We started with a
72’-0” long boat, this being the maximum length that could be
accommodated on most, but not all of the navigable waterways in the So, the length was reduced; this being
one of the major cost drivers and we became much more critical of the
standard of fit-out we really needed, doing our best to classify everything
as a ‘must have’ or a ‘nice to have’ and we went on
from there. We tried to work with
a 60’-0” long semi-traditional style boat, but this was too short
for our needs and we gradually extended the length to 65’-0”,
opting for a traditional style because this would give us the maximum amount
of internal space to work with.
We have experimented with all manner of layouts, including having the
bedroom at the bow, ‘walk-in’ v ‘walk-through’ bathroom
and toilet arrangements, etc.
This is where using the Microsoft Word and Microsoft Excel
applications on the computer came into their own, allowing us to quickly
reposition and resize the features we were working on at the time. The saloon remained at the bow. Having the galley next in line gives
the impression that the saloon area is bigger than it really is, providing
you do not have high-level cupboards that extend the full length of the
galley. We have maximised the
storage space in the saloon and the galley areas, whilst trying to achieve
this ‘open’ feel for both rooms. The saloon has two comfortable
armchairs positioned so that we can watch the TV or listen to some music,
etc. whilst being toasted by the diesel stove. The diesel stove has been positioned
on the port side of the boat, the theory being that whilst travelling (on the
centre or to the right of the waterway) there will be fewer occasions when
chimney removal will be required for clearing all but the lowest bridges and
tunnels. The cooker has automatic
gas cut-off in the event that burner flames are extinguished. We have deliberately located the
galley side door on the opposite side to the cooker so as to reduce the risk
of strong draughts extinguishing the burner flames in the first place. We have also avoided having cupboards
located directly above the cooker so as to reduce the fire risk. We wanted some separation between the
bathroom / toilet area and the galley, which is why the ‘day
room’ is next in line. Originally,
this day room was intended to serve several purposes, i.e. an office
workspace with a folding desk, a small lounge or ‘escape place’,
an eating area using a small folding table and a sleeping area if the desk
and table are folded away and the single seat positioned on the end of the
two-seater unit. However, we
gradually came around to the idea that we were trying to achieve too much in
this room and that there was high risk of compromising all of the intended
functions. In light of this, we
decided upon a more traditional office layout, but with a seat and desk
arrangement that would still allow one or other of us to watch a computer
based TV in comfort. The side
door in this room has been positioned on the opposite side to the desk
arrangement so as to reduce the risk of a soaking or the computer being
nicked when the doors are open without the window insert fitted. The bathroom is a
‘walk-through’, but the toilet area has been partitioned so as to
provide more privacy for the user. This also allows others to walk through
the boat whilst the toilet is in use and it helps to keep nasty niffs in the
toilet area long enough for them to disperse via the toilet porthole or
vent. There is a wash
basin, full height shower cubicle and storage cupboard for towels and linen,
etc. The portholes and roof hatch
in this area have frosted glass, as does the shower. The main bedroom is next in line, so we
have an en-suite. We have opted
for a cross-over bed arrangement.
This provides us with a full-width bed and, with us both being less
than 6’-0” tall, our feet will not be bashing the side wall when
we are trying to sleep on it. The
taller ones out there might want to think about this very carefully. We have ample storage space in the
full height wardrobes (or so we keep telling ourselves) and the high-level
cupboards over the bed. Our aim
is to provide some more storage space under the bed, but we are holding back
on this until we have fixed the location for the hot water calorifier –
we want to put this in the stern somewhere, but we are not sure where
exactly. We wanted some separation between the
main bedroom and the stern to cut down on draughts, which is why the utility
room is next in line. It makes
sense to have this room here anyway, because it can also be used as a
‘wet area’ when entering and leaving the boat and it will allow
ease of working under cover when the engine and auxiliary electrical equipment
etc. must be accessed for maintenance, etc. We have incorporated several
storage cupboards and a work surface in here. All of this has resulted in our budget
having increased substantially – we have no option but to pay the
market rate for the standard and quality of the boat we want. After all, we will be living on BELLE
for the foreseeable future – skimping now will mean that we will
probably end up spending some more money for upgrades or even another boat at
some later date. Adequate access / egress during normal
use and in emergencies We have achieved what we feel to be a
satisfactory compromise between access / egress during both normal use and in
emergencies, e.g. fire and flood, etc. and security from intruders. We have incorporated doors at the bow
and stern, doors on each side and three Houdini hatches in the roof. Had we incorporated rectangular hopper
windows, then these too could have been used for access / egress in
emergencies. However, we have
opted for 15” diameter portholes in the interest of security from
intruders. To be totally honest,
we feel that portholes look better than rectangular hopper windows
anyway. The bow and stern doors
and the starboard side door are fitted with steps to facilitate ease of
use. Whilst there are no steps
fitted to the port side door and the Houdini hatches, they can all be used
for emergency egress by either standing on the galley work surfaces or by
standing on the shelving in the bathroom storage cupboard. Maximum width hatch at the stern - to
facilitate two standees The hatch space is dimensioned
sufficient for two standees for comfort during cruising – this will
allow a full tiller swing without one standee having to go below deck or
shuffle along one or other of the gunwales. It should be noted that this reduces
the space available for the storage and equipment cupboards nearest the hatch
area, but we are willing to live with this. Stern seating for two Simple slat seats have been provided on
the stern deck on each side of the tiller. Whereas this seating can be used when
cruising in more or less a straight line, it cannot be used when full tiller
swing is required, hence the need for a hatch with space for two
standees. We are using a folding
tiller design – this will also help out to some extent. Maximum security for doors, hatches and
windows We would love to dispense with the need
for locking. In an ideal world
this would be possible, but we doubt that this less than ideal world we live
in will undergo such a radical change in our lifetime! Inevitably, we must reach a compromise
between having a sufficient deterrent for the average intruder and
opportunist thief and hindering our own access and egress. To this end, we have specified Yale
type locks for the bow and stern doors, with bolting from the inside for the
side doors. The bow doors are
timber construction, so we have included a lockable crossbar arrangement,
whereas all other doors are steel construction, so the locks and bolts should
be sufficient. All portholes and
the Houdini hatches are locked from the inside. The 15” diameter portholes
should keep out all but the most determined dwarf and Fagins’
employees. However, the Houdini
hatches clearly must be big enough for us to get through; otherwise there is
no point in having them other than to serve as additional windows. The engine bay hatch cannot be lifted
unless the stern doors have been opened. Defeating the locks and bolts in an
emergency would be possible from the outside with a beefy crowbar –
that’s OK. State-of-art intruder alarm and fire
alarm systems will be fitted. Good thermal insulation and
weatherproofing All portholes and the Houdini hatches
are double-glazed and they employ elastomeric sealing systems. We have opted for fabric
‘buttons’ for the portholes instead of curtains for use in the
evenings mainly as an aid to privacy, but these will also add some
insulation. We have not specified
any form of covering or inserts for the Houdini hatches – we will see
how we get on with condensation, etc. and we will retro-fit screens or covers
if we encounter any problems. The
hull is spray foam lined throughout [right down to the floor level]. All external doors are recessed into
their frames and they have weather strips. Our safety and to some extent our
comfort depends on having an adequate fresh air flow through the boat, but
this will be provided by the vents located in all of the doors and the roof
specifically for this purpose. A cratch and cover are fitted to the
bow. All removable sections of
the decks sit on channel shaped supports constructed so that any rainwater
and spillages in those areas will be drained overboard. The bow deck is diamond tread plate
and the stern deck, gunwales and roof have an anti-slip painted finish. The boat is painted externally and all
timbers are either varnished or lacquered using products recommended by the
boat builder – the hull base is coated internally with waxoil before
the ballast is loaded and the floor is laid. Where practicable, we will be using
anodised aluminium [or some other suitable surface treatment] and brass and
stainless steel fittings. We do not feel the need to go any
further at this stage, e.g. by fitting removable covers to the stern or the
stern hatch and side doors, etc.
We have chosen a light colour for the roof - this should reflect a
good deal of the radiated heat from the sun in the summer – we cannot
be sure that the reflected sunlight will not be a problem when cruising, but
we are willing to give it a go. Office workspace There is a desk in the day room of
sufficient size to accommodate a mainframe computer monitor with an open
laptop computer and keyboard / mouse alongside. Printing and scanning devices will
also be situated on top of the desk.
There is a cupboard and several drawers located under the desk - the
mainframe computer itself is housed in this cupboard. There are two other cupboards; one
above the desk and one in the corner near the galley bulkhead. We already have a comfortable single
seat unit that will recline to some extent – our plan is to use this in
the office. High levels of natural and artificial
lighting for the interior We could have had rectangular hopper
windows throughout, or in selected locations, e.g. the saloon and galley
area, as this would have let in more natural light, but we decided that
security and our preference for the appearance of portholes will take
priority. We have opted for
portholes throughout – this means that we have to pay more attention to
maintaining a light coloured interior and taking any other opportunities we
can for letting in as much natural light as possible. The interior is fitted out in
light Ash which will help – this is as about as light as we would wish
to go with the timber, otherwise there is a risk that it might all look a bit
anaemic. We have specified window
inserts for the side door apertures and we have the three Houdini hatches in
the roof. We have been in other
boats with a similar configuration and they seemed OK to us. Flush fitting ceiling lights have been
specified for all rooms and some extra down-lighters for the bedroom. We will assess the galley and utility
room when the cupboards have been fitted with a view to having some more
down-lighters fitted under the cupboards in these rooms if really
necessary. If we need any
additional lighting then there is no harm adding the odd table lamp or two. Avoiding the ‘railway
carriage’ effect [long, straight corridors] We have a thing against ‘long
straight corridors’ the likes of which you find on some railway
coaches. We like the idea of
having to go round a few corners to break things up a bit - we are not in any
great rush to get from one end of the boat to the other for most of the time,
unlike most of those that travel from A to B in trains. So, we have incorporated some twists
and turns through the galley, day room and bathroom, albeit that this might
have [arguably] lost us a little bit of usable space. Accommodation for occasional guests It should be noted that BELLE is
intended to be a comfortable live-aboard for the two of us. Reclining chairs in the saloon would be
nice. We have tried to find a
chair design that is comfortable when used as an ordinary chair, but one that
will fold down flat for occasional guests to sleep on. Size is critical because; (a) the
chairs must fit through the saloon bow doors and (b) they must not to consume
all of the space available in the saloon once we have got them in there! A tall order – the only chairs
we have seen that would meet all of the aforementioned criteria left a lot to
be desired in the workmanship department. We have also struggled to find
suitable chairs made from leather, this being another one of our preferences. We have looked at quite a few hybrid
armchair / office chair designs that reclined to some extent, but they turned
out to be very pricey when in leather and strong enough to withstand the
rigours of daily use. We have opted for a couple of
comfortable leather armchairs that are deep enough to allow you to nod off in
some comfort, indeed they could be pushed together for one guest to sleep on,
with another guest on a blow-up (bed!) on the floor alongside. If really necessary, then we could
accommodate two guests on the well deck in the summer months with the cratch
cover on! Adequate on-board electrical, gas,
diesel and water supplies Our electrical power is derived from either
the engine mounted generators or a shore line when available. We have opted for an engine with three
separate generators; one used for charging the starter batteries, one for
charging the domestic batteries and the ‘big-un’ (3.5kW) for when
we want the extra ‘oomph’ for the washer / dryer and microwave oven
(if used), etc. This makes
for a simpler control arrangement.
Mains power is also supplied from the domestic batteries via a 2.5 kW
pure sine-wave inverter – this also incorporates a charger that can be
used for charging the batteries from a shore line if required. We have mains sockets in all
rooms. The lighting and fixed
auxiliary equipment is 12 volts dc.
We did consider having a separate self-contained engine-driven
generator unit as well, but decided that the peace of mind provided by having
a second completely independent power source was not worth the price we would
have to pay for one (circa £10k), nor the space required. We have a few ideas about incorporating
solar and wind powered equipment to provide us with a usable amount of
electrical energy, but these ideas need developing a bit. First thoughts are that there is
plenty of space on the roof, so why not put it to good use for solar
panelling. Solar panels are still
quite expensive though. The only gas appliance on-board is the
main cooker in the galley. This
is supplied from two 13kg gas cylinders located in a bow locker out of harms
way. We believe that this will be
sufficient – we could use the diesel powered stove to do some simple
cooking if we forget to exchange the cylinders because the model we have
selected has an integral hot plate.
We did consider going ‘all electric’ by installing an
electric cooker, but this would have demanded an even ‘beefier’
mains electricity supply and we felt that it was not worth the extra costs
involved. We have two diesel tanks which, if all
goes well, will both be filled with the cheaper ‘red
diesel’. However, our tank
and piping arrangement will allow us to run totally separate diesel fuel
supplies for the engine and the on-board heating equipment. This means that if the rules change
and we are no longer allowed to run the engine on red diesel, we can use DERV
instead and keep the red diesel for the heating equipment, or indeed use some
other fuel for the heating equipment if it works out more cost-effective that
way. Our fresh water storage is under the bow
deck, i.e. a stainless steel tank with a capacity of 680 litres (150 gallons)
– water is drawn from this tank by an automatically operated pump and
supplied under pressure to all of the cold taps, shower mixer and the
calorifier. The calorifier has a
capacity of 42 litres (9 gallons) and, if we win the installation battle, it
will be located in the stern somewhere – if not, then it will probably
end up under the head end of the bed.
The water in the calorifier is heated by the action of passing hot
water from the diesel boiler and/or the engine cooling system through a
coiled pipe arrangement inside the calorifier (conduction process) – we
also have an electric immersion heater in the calorifier for use when we are
connected to a shore electrical supply.
Hot water from the calorifier is supplied to all of the hot taps and
the shower mixer. The tank
capacities are those recommended by the boat builder and they appear to be
consistent with many other boats we have come across. So, all we need to do is remember to
keep filling the water tank! Adequate dry and wet waste retention In other words, the bog and the trash
can. Our wet waste is pumped by
the macerator pump located in the toilet unit via large bore pipework to a
retention tank located under the utility room floor. The capacity of this tank is
approximately 340 litres (75 gallons) – this is the biggest capacity tank
we can get into the under-floor space available. The tank will span the full width of
the boat so as to avoid causing a list to one side or the other as it fills
up. We have considered having a
cassette toilet, but having spent some time in a caravan using one, we are
sorry, but this type of toilet is not for us. We will just have to make sure that we
are disciplined enough to have regular pump-outs. Our dry waste facility is minimal, i.e.
a small waste bin in the galley.
Our only options are to buy things with less packaging and try to
re-use any packaging we do take on-board and eat out where we can afford to
do so. We must face the facts,
whether on BELLE or anywhere else for that matter, i.e. the human race is
gradually ‘burying itself’ in waste and crap, much of it totally
unnecessary – we make our own contribution to this situation but at
least we are having a go at cutting down. Creature comforts [e.g. TV, radio, DVD,
telephone, etc. ] There is a flat screen TV and DVB
decoder and a separate CD/DVD/radio unit integrated into the saloon storage
cupboard areas with links to a roof mounted aerial. The mainframe computer and laptop
computer in the day room can both be used as a TV, radio, CD and DVD player,
both also being linked to the TV aerial and equipped with their own DVB
decoders. Furthermore, both
computers can be used to make VOI telephone calls and data communications
(Internet and email) when Wi-Fi or a suitable broadband land-line is also
available. At all other times,
voice and data communications will be via the 3G and/or GPRS mobile phone
network. Washer / dryer installation Whilst we are prepared to accept the
lack of a tumble dryer in life, we are reluctant to accept the lack of a
washing machine – perishing the thought of having to make regular trips
to the nearest launderette [wherever that might be on the cut?]. We considered incorporating separate
washing machine and tumble dryer units in the belief that this would be the
best approach. However, we could
not get them both in without sacrificing precious space for something
else. So, we have opted for the
next best thing; a combined washer / dryer unit. We have located this in the utility
room – the waste water from this unit is pumped directly into the canal
by the integral pump. We hope
that we will not live to regret this decision. Adequate room heating and water heating
and ventilation Central heating will be from a 5kW
diesel fired boiler unit located in the engine bay – this will supply
all of the conventional radiators as well heat the calorifier that in turn
supplies the hot water for the wash basin, galley sink and shower. We have located a conventional
radiator in all rooms except the utility room. We felt that, as the stern hatch /
doors might be open for a lot of the time, there was little point to locating
a radiator in here. We can add a
radiator in here if we find that it becomes a problem. The radiator in the bathroom doubles
as a heated towel rail. The
calorifier also includes an immersion heater for use if we are hooked up to
an electrical shore supply – the calorifier can also be heated using
the engine cooling system.
We have included a 5kW diesel fired stove in the saloon area. So, all in all, we feel that we will
not have any problems keeping ourselves warm and washed. All rooms are ventilated using mushroom
vents in the roof. Fresh air will
flow through the boat via the stern door and bow door vents and the vents in
all of the intermediate doors. If
we require any extra ventilation, then we can open any or all of the
portholes and/or Houdini hatches and/or side doors. We have not included any form of
forced extraction for the cooker in the belief that this will not be
necessary – we will add this later if fume accumulation turns out to be
a problem. Own space when required [e.g. for
watching different TV channels, reading, etc.] The day room can be used as a separate
space, it being equipped with its own seating and separate entertainment
equipment. Comfortable bed The main bed unit has a sprung mattress
– it is full width and long enough for us. Adequate work surfaces and appliances in
galley There are work surfaces on both sides of
the galley – both the integrated drainer and the cooker top can also be
used as work surfaces if required.
There is a four burner cooker with separate oven and grill with pan
storage. We are not sure yet if
we really need a microwave oven – there is enough space on one or other
of the work surfaces if it turns out that we do. Hot water for tea, coffee, etc. will be
from a kettle heated using one of the cooker burners or the hot plate
incorporated into the diesel stove in the saloon. Adequate power and manoeuvrability There is not really much more we can do to
assure ourselves that all will be OK in this department – we will just
have to see how things turn out.
We are accepting the boat builders recommendation that the Beta 43hp
engine will be up to the job for a ‘65 footer’, both for canal
and river work. We are given to
believe that the Graham Reeves hull design swims well. Our own experiences, albeit that we
only have a weekend’s worth on a 50 footer on both the canal and river,
confirm to us that a bow thruster is a highly desirable bit of kit in some circumstances. So, OK you could manage without one,
but why struggle if you can afford to include one? We can, so we have. Maintenance friendly layout The exterior has smooth lines and all
areas above the waterline are readily accessible and the paint finish will
hopefully only require occasional cleaning and touching-up, etc. The interior is wood throughout with
either a varnished or lacquered finish, so it is very durable and can easily
be cleaned. We have avoided
fitted carpets for the floor, thinking that they will be ditched in no time
at all and we have gone for varnished tongue and grooved floor-boarding with
a few odd carpets scattered here and there. Inevitably, even having
specified fitting sacrificial anodes and us promising faithfully to avoid
grounding and bashing locks and other boats, etc., the hull below the
waterline will require a re-blacking every couple of years. The vast majority of the mechanical and
electrical equipment requiring regular maintenance is located in the engine bay
or one of the two main equipment cupboards in the utility room. Most of the items in the engine bay
[e.g. batteries, bow thruster hydraulic pump unit, main transmission coupling
and propeller shaft / stern tube and the diesel fired central heating unit,
etc.] can be easily accessed by just lifting the stern deck panel. On the down side, accessing the engine
itself, the gearbox and the engine driven generators will require removal of
the acoustic panels that effectively ‘cocoon’ them, but this is
the price you pay for having a very quiet engine. The only other items requiring regular
maintenance are located out of necessity nearer to their place of work, i.e.
the bow thruster, fresh water tank and pump at the bow, shower pump alongside
the shower and gas regulator / cylinders in the gas locker at the bow. Both the bow thruster and the main
propeller can be accessed via weed hatches. The toilet has an integral macerator
pump unit – waste is pumped via large bore piping to the waste tank
under the utility room floor. The
diesel stove in the saloon is gravity fed from the tank. The waste water from the sink unit in
the galley and the wash basin in the bathroom are gravity drained into the
canal, thus obviating the need for another pump unit. The bilge is fitted with both a manual
and automatic pump arrangement to enable draining of any accumulated water
and/or oil spillages. Even having
specified drainage channels for the removable sections of the deck and doing
our utmost for ensuring a watertight hull and an effective and well
maintained stern tube, etc., there is still a risk of water finding its way
into this section of the boat. We
have also included a small inspection hatch in the floor on the opposite side
of the engine bay bulkhead so that we can check for water accumulation in
this area. In theory, with this
being the lowest part of the hull, all water under the floor area should
readily drain back to this point. We shall be keeping a close eye on the
installation of all items of equipment and the associated piping and wiring,
etc. to make sure that it is tip-top and we know where everything is and we
know all of the pipe / wire routes used and that we can get at all fittings,
etc. afterwards, be it for carrying out repairs or maybe adding another wire
or something. So, we feel that we have covered most of
the maintenance access issues. We
are striving for the incorporation of good quality equipment with a high
level of reliability and reasonable aftermarket back-up. However, if it can fail, then you can
be sure that it will fail at some time or other, so make sure you can get at
it to repair or replace it without having to remove lots of other things
first. Can you get a replacement
fridge, cooker or washing machine into place if the originals fail and they
were installed before bulkheads and door frames went up on either side? Having said all of this, you
will probably find us hanging upside down by our bootstraps in the engine bay
at some time or other trying to recover that elusive vital component that has
fallen into the darkest, wettest and most inaccessible part of the bilge! Adequate auxiliary equipment No doubt we will discover that we have
not thought of everything when we get to the ‘step on-board and
actually use the boat we have been planning for the last two years’
stage, but our inclusion of the following items in addition to those items we
have specified from the boat builder, plus those items you would normally
have around the house and your person anyway will cover most eventualities: §
Life
jackets §
First
aid kit – one of the more comprehensive ones §
Mains
/ 12v.dc inspection lamp and portable lanterns / torches §
Comprehensive
tool kit §
Engine
care [belts, lubricants, filter cartridges, anti-freeze, etc.] §
Axe,
crowbar and lump hammer [undesirable element take note!] §
Saw
suitable for attending to propeller fouls, etc. and spare blades §
Hose
and miscellaneous fittings §
Small
selection of wire and sundries and plumbing fittings, seals and washers, etc. §
Powerful
permanent magnet on a long piece of rope ………………..
to be continued………… Wow factor! You tell us! Copyright © 2005 - 2006 C J Wells |