LITTLEPORT BOAT HAVEN

 A BOATYARD FOR THE ENTHUSIAST

LES ALLEN NARROWBOAT

Page updated 27/09/2008

On 15/03/2008 the first thing was to pull her out and visually check  the hull and then  ultra sound her just to be sure that she was ok before  commencing a full restoration.

the readings on the ultra sound were a good 10 mm on the bottom plate and swim areas.

and between 8  and 7 mm on the sides with one spot at 6.1 mm   given she's  34 years old that's not bad in my mind and makes her as good if not better than most  new boats.

this gives credit to the Allen's for their  quality of steel and their  expert craftsmanship

next I stripped the hull back to bare metal, the few rust pits that were deeper than 1 mm were then filled with weld.

Looking better now with two coats of primer on,  next job is to  remove the dent in the transom top  section just starboard of centre line then black bitumen the hull over the 2008 Easter weekend weather permitting

Dent has now been removed from transom  and I've made a U shaped heavy steel cowling for the gas fridge vent hole as the original aluminium one was damaged

 I've removed the stern rail and centre bollards

as I intend  making her a semi trad when I replace the existing wooden superstructure

Three coats of Bitumen for now have  been applied  a couple more will be added after a new wooden top has been built and painted, new anodes front and rear have also been fitted.

Stern gear has been checked and there's no play so just  greased and packed

she's going back in the water for now

The engine, gearbox and steel fuel tank have now been removed  including the rear deck boards framework and steps into the cabin, So I can clean and repaint the engine bay and stern area.

 I will make new frames,  steps and deck boards after I have built a new wooden semi trad superstructure.

before  building the new superstructure I wanted to get the swim area and engine bay cleaned stripped and repainted, I think this is probably the worst job of all but its got to be done.

after cleaning out the old muck, grease & oil  I removed the old exhaust system and  any welded in brackets then stripped back the  area to bare metal ready for painting.

Looking better  with two coats of  smooth black hammerite.

   stripped the  plywood sides from the superstructure  while the weather is fine

 Now planking the sides with pressure  treated 20mm tgv

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 with the planking fitted and sealed with  sikaflex its time to sheath over the top with plywood and again sealing that with sikaflex to the planking for a really strong and  waterproof superstructure

built  rear corner sections then the whole superstructure had  3 coats of clear cuprinol applied

Now have 2 coats of primer on Giving a seal from the  end of may bank holiday  rainy weather

Next job was to make and fit a new cratch  to the front of the boat but first  I had to weld up a  new lip around the bow  for the wooden cratch to fit to.

Then Make  the new cratch  up and  prime it on the outside

Following that A new  bulk head was made and fitted in the engine room