Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 5, 2019 16:47:10 GMT
I've just seen quite a cool little narrow boat which I think is probably one of one or very few built. Never seen another one. Its from the Selway Fisher range. I actually really liked it in real life its a pleasant little NB for doing narrow canal cruising with the emphasis on boating rather than domestic comforts.  Its a bit different but I can see some advantages to the design specially about protection from weather. What I was wondering is how the cost for a shell would compare with a standard 32ft trad shell. I guess it would be more but if you could find a decent welder to stick it together from plans maybe it would be competitive. Seems an interesting option. Or wait for them to sell it! Eta I didn't have a camera but I think it was the boat pictured above. Definitely the same design. License had the name Pelmel on it. |
|
|
|
Post by JohnV on Sept 6, 2019 6:44:25 GMT
During the late 60's and 70's there were several designers producing plans for steel boats (yachts) for amateur builders, some also selling complete kits of ready profiled steel. Bruce Roberts produced several designs of up to a 43 foot ketch. Robert Tucker several designs from 28' to 51', others such as Ibold, META in France, Van de Stadt in the Netherlands also produced steel plans as did the American Al Mason.
It just seems odd that it has taken so long to get to the waterways
|
|
|
|
Post by JohnV on Sept 6, 2019 6:48:48 GMT
|
|
|
|
Post by bodger on Sept 6, 2019 7:18:36 GMT
"one man's meat etc. ".................................
it seems to me that the designer was trying to replicate the design of wooden boats from that period.
I have spent a lifetime studying the design of boats (and putting into practice by making my own designs and then building them, from a winning slalom canoe when I was 15, up to the latest sleek leccy launch, and including several steel boats).
one thing I have learnt is that the design should be honest and should reflect the characteristics of the building material. There is nothing wrong with classic narrowboat design, and if it is optimised by incorporating subtle curves in the sheer line, the shape of the bow and stern, and a proportionate cabin, it can look amazing.
to my eyes the Selway Fisher design is an unsuccessful compromise of a wooden boat of the 60's and the use of steel; the construction techniques required to get those odd shaped panels to come together smoothly to make a fair hull are un-necessarily complex - for example that twisting plate forming the swim would need to be rolled to a curve on a machine to avoid kinks and bulges. ....... and that twist and then reverse twist on the lower side panel at the bow would appear to be a drafting error - you simply can't twist steel like that unless you fabricate it from smaller rolled and shaped pieces
it's not for me.
|
|
|
|
Post by JohnV on Sept 6, 2019 7:34:20 GMT
"one man's meat etc. "................................. the construction techniques required to get those odd shaped panels to come together smoothly to make a fair hull are un-necessarily complex - for example that twisting plate forming the swim would need to be rolled to a curve on a machine to avoid kinks and bulges. it's not for me. although I agree that some of the attempts to achieve a fair hull in steel can only be achieved with a large application of filler  , there are methods of construction that allow a smooth flowing line in steel. One technique used for chines is to use stringers along the chine of thick walled tube, the plates welded to the outside edge at a "flat", the curve being the wall of the tube and the next strake being welded to the appropriate angle on the tube ..... this gives a very smooth and even shape and can easily be dogged to it without rolling being required. It is also surprising how a skilled plater can pull and dog down strakes to flow a complex curve without any kinks or uneven bends, it all is dependent on the correct dimensions of strake being chosen by the designer |
|
|
|
Post by Telemachus on Sept 6, 2019 9:52:41 GMT
Spec says it has 3’ draft, which is probably too much for ordinary canals. In the “particulars” it says hull mid depth 4’6”. Not sure what this means, surely not the draft?
Anyway I don’t like it. A narrowboat should look like a narrowboat, this looks like a river cruiser. Which is fine if you want a river cruiser!
|
|
, there are methods of construction that allow a smooth flowing line in steel. 
