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Callunna
Revolving Grey Blob
3044 Posts
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 Posted -
06/03/2007
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14:30
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New topic created? Canals: boating; fishing
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moh
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Posted - 07/03/2007 : 15:45
The main trouble with the local Leeds Liverpool canal is the rubbish that is thrown in there - especially around Burnley area
Say only a little but say it well  |
Callunna
Revolving Grey Blob
3044 Posts
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Posted - 07/03/2007 : 20:28
Anyone got views on steel vs GRP construction?Obviously steel is a lot tougher and narrowboats made from it look the business, but they also cost almost twice as much as GRP boats. Some of the secondhand GRP boats are 30+ years old, so they must last OK, and you have to do a lot of maintenance on steel to counteract corrosion (blacking the bottom, ultrasound testing of steel thickness, etc - see, I told you I was getting au fait with boating terminology and practice :–) However, GRP doesn't seem to be all that popular because there aren't that many secondhand ones available, so there must be a drawback that I haven't sussed yet. |
catgate
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Posted - 07/03/2007 : 21:12
quote:
Callunna wrote:
Anyone got views on steel vs GRP construction? Obviously steel is a lot tougher and narrowboats made from it look the business, but they also cost almost twice as much as GRP boats. Some of the secondhand GRP boats are 30+ years old, so they must last OK, and you have to do a lot of maintenance on steel to counteract corrosion (blacking the bottom, ultrasound testing of steel thickness, etc - see, I told you I was getting au fait with boating terminology and practice :–) However, GRP doesn't seem to be all that popular because there aren't that many secondhand ones available, so there must be a drawback that I haven't sussed yet.Speaking from the depths of my usual chasm of ignorance I can only offer a guess as to why there are fewer secondhand GRP canal boats than steel ones. I think it is probably to do with the fact that there may not be as many in the first place.
I know that with steel sheet you can construct a huge variety of structures by simply cutting and welding, with a bit of bending thrown in for good measure. But, having built a couple of complete cars out of GRP I know for a fact you need a female mould in which to form your article, be it a door or a body panel. You would need a hell of a mould in which to lay up a GRP canal barge. These moulds are themselves usually GRP and they have to be made too. It's a complicated and costly business for a one off and hence they will be much more expensive than steel boats (I imagine) and consequently much dearer. There is also the problem of the potential for the GRP to go 'spongey' at the waterline. I have a friend in IOM who had a small GRP boat (about 12ft long) that he used to go out in fishing. That did it, he used to try to replace the bad bits each year but in the end he gave up.
Every silver lining has a cloud.
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Callunna
Revolving Grey Blob
3044 Posts
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Posted - 07/03/2007 : 21:58
Thanks, Catty. Actually a pre-owned GRP boat (albeit not the trad narrowboat style, they're more like cruisers) is about half the price of a steel boat, for an equivalent size. If they're very expensive to develop & produce, then I suspect the reason for their low secondhand value is what you mentioned: the spongy thing. I'll advise my boat-buying friend accordingly. In an ideal world, an aluminium alloy (used on lifeboats) would be Best Buy as there's little maintenance for corrosion and therefore cheaper on-going costs, but the initial price is staggeringly high. |
catgate
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Posted - 07/03/2007 : 22:05
It would be interesting to compare prices of similar NEW steel boats and GRP boats. I know that if a large number of GRP boats was being built the mould and set up costs would be distibuted throughout the number of boats actually made, but the laying up of the glass and resin is a labour intensive operation and not good to get 100% perfect on an item as big as a canal boat. That having been said there have been some ginormous catamanans etc made. (but think of the £m!)
Every silver lining has a cloud.
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Debs
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Posted - 08/03/2007 : 00:34
Regarding the new tax on Red Deisel....would it be possible for the government to find any more ways to stick it to the local farmers?
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Callunna
Revolving Grey Blob
3044 Posts
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Posted - 08/03/2007 : 09:08
To be fair, it wasn't the British government who decided this - it was the EU penpushers. The British government hasn't budgeted for this unexpected influx of money and canalboaters are apparently campaigning for the new funds to be ringfenced and poured (excuse the watery pun) back into the maintenance and development of the canal network. Fat chance! |
marilyn
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Posted - 08/03/2007 : 10:08
STANLEY...did you get my pics emailed yesterday?
get your people to phone my people and we will do lunch...MAZ |
Stanley
Local Historian & Old Fart
36804 Posts
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Posted - 11/03/2007 : 05:42
Give me a break! Nag nag nag, anyone would think I was married to her....... Alright now? Your bath has holes in it, must be defective.
Stanley Challenger Graham
Barlick View
stanley at barnoldswick.freeserve.co.uk |
Another
Traycle Mine Overseer
6250 Posts
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Posted - 11/03/2007 : 11:34
Just been on the canal with Dan and Misty. Lovely morning but what a disgrace Foulridge Wharfe is. Looks to be abandined boats in the moorings and cars of a similar state in the car park. There is rubbish all around and I feel an email to British Waterways coming on. Nolic
" I'm a self made man who worships his creator"  |
Debs
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Posted - 11/03/2007 : 14:22
Regarding the red diesel tax exemption going away....the original post mentioned it would impact both pleasure boating and farming. I can only find info on the impacts to boating.... Does anyone know if farming will impacted as well? I can't seem to find anything...which would be great!!!Debs
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Stanley
Local Historian & Old Fart
36804 Posts
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Posted - 11/03/2007 : 17:40
Debs, if they tax red diesel it will raise costs for the farmers as well.
Stanley Challenger Graham
Barlick View
stanley at barnoldswick.freeserve.co.uk |
Debs
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Posted - 11/03/2007 : 18:18
That's what I thought. Although reading through some of the info I was able to Google....there was some discussion about taxing the fuel used for boating, but not for heating (as in a house boat), and how would the gov't be able to tell it apart. So don't know for sure if they are just taxing it for boating.
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Stanley
Local Historian & Old Fart
36804 Posts
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Posted - 12/03/2007 : 06:09
The tax on road fuel was originally brought in to finance the roads but over the years has degenerated into a general tax. Anyone not on the road, like the construction industry, boats and ships and farmers were given examption. The Treasury is chiselling away at these privileges and in the end will reduce or abolish them. It makes sense to bean-counters but nobody else.
Stanley Challenger Graham
Barlick View
stanley at barnoldswick.freeserve.co.uk |
Debs
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Posted - 12/03/2007 : 09:22
Thanks Stanley! I have a lot to learn about living in this country!
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Canals: boating; fishing
