Milestone

Break out the Champagne, we are on our way. I have placed an order for my hull with Reeves Boat Builders for anticipated delivery date of early September. I do not wish to draw any parallels with other events that take nine months to come to fruition, but needless to say this will no doubt be a life changing event!

On the down side, I have come across a boat fitting company that has done some very nice work in the galley. Heartwood Narrowboats in Stoke on Trent have done a fine job on creating a curvy and altogether rather appealing arrangement of curves for their boat 'Plan-B'. All credit to them, but this is a down side because now I would like to do something similar and there is a significant amount of work involved in creating a curved kitchen door. My first attempt at a layout resulted in some double curvature doors which will look great when finished, but will be a nighmare to make. I will keep working on a better arrangement and let you know!

Also, a bit more research on the powerplant front shows I have underestimated the requirements. I had originally understood that a 35Hp engine would be sufficient for a 55' boat, but it appears to come up a little short. I am now anticipating fitting a 37Hp engine, probably from the Beta Marine lineup. The Beta 38 is good for up to 16 tons and a maximum of 60' so should suit 'Die Fledermaus' to a tee!

I will shortly be ordering the first fit-out components (namely the windows) so I can confirm the hull opening sizes an positions with the boat builder during my visit home to the UK end of February. It seems that the spending has started and won't stop for a good 18 months!

Space, the final frontier

Progress to date has so far involved planning the layout. Being an engineer, I couldn't just use a pencil and paper and be done with it, I had to use a Computer Aided Design system. This allows me to model the boat and all its fittings and then put it all together in virtual space to see how things fit. I can try out various options before deciding on a final layout without having to cut a single piece of paper or wood!

The model currently has all of the major components and I will add detail as required when it becomes available.

The other big advantage is that I can create drawings from the model with ease. These will eventually be the drawings that I will use when building the boat. I have so far created the general arrangement and electrical layout drawings and because they are linked to the model, changes will automatically filter through. Isn't technology grand!

Greetings

Welcome to my shiny new blog spot. In my little piece of the internet, I am planning to log the development of my scheme to fit out and live aboard a narrowboat as an alternative to a more conventional home. I am currently residing in the United States (just outside Boston) with an anticipated return to the UK late August 2007. While I am here, I am designing and planning my future home with a view to take delivery of the hull shortly after returning, and fit out as swiftly as I can. In order to do this, I will be planning as much as possible in advance and developing a budget to track as the project progresses. The priority at the moment is the design and layout. I have currently budgeted for a 55' traditional style hull with a Shire Barrus 35 engine. The current front runner for building the hull is Reeves Boat Builders based in Warwickshire. Putting the cart a long way before the horse, she will be called 'Die Fledermaus' because I really like that word - there's nothing wrong with calling a boat 'the bat'!