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First thoughts
Please bear in mind that these pages have been put together to give you a feel for the Canal Doctor philosophy. They represent a very personal view (but I think there are some good ideas here!). All work should be done in accordance with the Boat Safety Scheme a copy of which can be downloaded or sent for by post. It is essential to read this before beginning any work.
Fitting out a boat from scratch is a major undertaking. Most boat builders will supply a steel shell with the engine fitted and that is a good place to begin. There are a number of jobs you should consider asking the builder to add to this basic specification. I suggest:
1. Wooden battens to fit the lining to.
2. Spray insulation: much better than trying to fit polystyrene foam or Rockwool.
3. A painted finish: boats left in primer soon deteriorate and you can always paint it over later (see Painting).
4. Water tank (and holding tank if you want one)
5. Engine controls.
Most books tell you that the first job is lining out. That's all very well if you are not going to use the boat as you fit out, but that might mean not cruising for a number of years. There is no reason why you cannot line parts of the boat as you go, and that is the procedure adopted with Lark, seen in the pictures on this site.
This
shows Lark's back cabin when it was only partially lined.
As you use the boat you may well discover that you want to do things differently!
What you need to do first is make a plan. Decide how many beds you want and of what type (single, double, bunk etc). You need to include a kitchen (or galley as nautical types insist on calling it). You'll want a bathroom and a sitting cabin or saloon. Decide if you want your beds and other furniture fixed or moveable. Draw it all out and think and talk about it for a long time while you wait for the boat to be built. Then, when it is launched, you can put up essential bulkheads straight away, so that you can use the loo in privacy!
This is Lark's kitchen before lining and finishing.
The structure of your boat is defined by the bulkheads. There are two types. Transverse bulkheads divide the boat lengthways and Longitudinal bulkheads create passageways. Both should be substantial. I have found 18mm blockboard or ply the best material. In order to cover the edges of sheet material you can glue and screw upright battens made of hard- or soft-wood (use hardwood if it will be displayed by a varnished finish - see Painting).
Bulkheads, particularly transverse ones, can be an awkward shape. It may seem impossible to cut the curved roof shape and the sloping sides on a piece of wood which cannot be fitted into the space until it has been cut! Incidentally, there is another good argument here for fitting bulkheads before lining as it is much easier to run the lining up to the bulkhead (straight lines and right angles mostly) than the bulkhead to the lining. To make the bulkhead, I measure very carefully, make it a little too big if necessary and proceed by trial and error. Some experts will advise making a template of the side of the boat, but I feel that this simply adds another fruitful field for making mistakes.
Lining may be done with 6 - 8 mm ply. Try to get a ply with a good finish otherwise you will spend hours on sanding it. As far as possible ensure that the panels you fit need to be square and a regular shape. The panels can be pinned, screwed or glued to the battens; if you feel that you cannot get a perfect match between the ends of adjacent panels, you can use a beading strip to cover the join. A lot has been written about the finish of interior lining, but attention is sometimes turned away from durability. No-one really knows how long a boat kept together with No More Nails (in itself an excellent product) will last. If you feel happier with a screwed finish, use it.
If the boatbuilder has fitted your engine, as suggested above, you will have batteries which feed a consumer unit (if this is not part of the package, get it added). From this unit you can take wires to the various circuits: lights, fridge, sauna etc. Make sure you know the amount of current each circuit will draw and fit a suitable trip switch in the consumer unit. It is good practice to use different coloured wires for the separate circuits. If you do not do this, make sure they are tagged so that you know which wire is which at both ends.
If you intend to fit 230 volt circuits as well as 12 volt, either use the skills you use at home, if you have them or get a qualified electrician to do it. A 230 volt alternator is an expensive addition to your engine installation but very useful, especially if you plan to use power tools whilst cruising. Get an expert to fit this. There is a lot of pleasure to be got from working on your boat as you cruise, but only if it all works.
With wiring, if in doubt, get help.
The windows fitted by boatbuilders are watertight (in theory), but they are unfinished on the inside. Your lining will meet the wooden batten around the window frame, but this will give a rough-and-ready finish. Use a hardwood to make a frame around the window and fit it snugly to the plywood lining on the one hand and the window frame on the other.
The beds are one of the most important parts of your boat. Avoid the temptation to fit them into the shape of the bow or stern etc! A good bed, using a proper, domestic mattress will make life much more pleasant. Using a proprietary base on top of plywood (there are systems which provide plastic springs to ensure an air gap and comfort) will make it feel just like home. A fairly small bed-settee makes a good bed, too, but, of course, it cannot often be left made up and so there is upheaval every night before you can use it.
Make your kitchen as big as you can. Fit a cooker as close to the one you've got at home as you can (get a CORGI registered fitter to fit your gas - see Systems).
Again, make this as big as you can. If you fit a shower you will have trouble making it watertight over a period of time (and many professionals do too, whatever they say). Fit a bath. If you want a pump-out lavatory, get it fitted by the boatbuilder, but there is a lot to be said for chemical portable loos on boats as you can empty them yourself for free.
A gloss painted finish so that you can wipe up spills is essential for the engine room.
Although this subject is fully covered on another page (see Painting), you need to decide early on if you want a varnished finish inside your boat (like 99% of other people) or if you want it to be painted, or even papered. If you choose varnish you will need to ensure that the wood has a good enough surface and you may wish to use special finishes (ash, for example).