163. Maintenance jobs to do on the narrowboat
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- Опубліковано 6 вер 2024
- #narrowboat #narrowboats #canal #canals #liveaboard #cruisingthecut
The sun is out and it's time to sort a few bits of the narrowboat that are looking less than prime, notably the paintwork needs a spruce-up and polish plus one or two tiny rust spots on the roof need attending to.
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Theme music: "Vespers" by Topher Mohr and Alex Alena, from the UA-cam music library
Me: is inordinately proud of changing a dead lightbulb within six months
David: casually DIY fixes a small horde of issues single handedly
I follow all different types of channels on UA-cam, but something about this one feels so comfy. It's pleasant, the content is wholesome, narrow boating is a traditional and friendly thing to do. It's just so... Nice.
I am, as usual, jealous. You are talking about starting 'spring maintenance' on your boat, while here in Canada we are enduring a blizzard with freezing rain and winds up to 80 mph. Lake Ontario and most of the smaller lakes are frozen solid, and people are driving cars on them. They are going ice fishing, though why they need to catch ice I have never figured out.
Love it! You ARE a breath of Spring to come :)
I feel you dude. Here in Pennsylvania we just had 24 hours with wind over 30 MPHs gusting to 55-60 MPHs. I am so over this winter and we are supposed to get more snow Friday and Saturday...... Why did I not retire to Florida (besides the drug dealers, alligators, snakes, big bugs etc....)?
I always use artificial ice, my days of hunting and catching wild things are over, plus they have a cold weather alert on (I don't know why they have to have an alert just going out tells me its cold).
haha, not Ice, but fish caught through the ice. (for those who don't fish) and yes, in Canada we do get ice thick enough to drive pick ups and Semis (HGVs) on.
I'm taking you to task! A while back, you mentioned Jaffa Cakes. My grocery actually carried them! I bought some. Now, I am hopelessly addicted. Thanks man!
Hahahahahaha that's hilarious!
Where the cratch cover keep removing the paint off the roof. After you've re-painted it. You could put some Heli Tape on the roof where the cratch cover rubs. It is a think clear tape originally to protect the leading edge of helicopter blades. It comes in various thicknesses.
Great video as always. I think I will hold off on buying a Narrowboat for now. I can understand the joys outweigh the sorrows, but I think it is much easier to watch your videos for now.
Might be worth looking at clear vinyl patches to reduce the paint damage on contact areas.. Mountain bike frames often have it fitted to help reduce stone chips and chain rub.
Just get the paint nice and smooth before you apply the vinyl.
Only has seven videos until I've watched them all, quick upload more. ;)
That’s my kind of DIY, just talk about it.
Yep! Who knows when (if!) I'll ever get around to actually doing it.
i love that---after all, it's canal time.
Adding those vents to the floor behind the refrigerator also help to keep the bilge ventilated as well. Very good idea😆
Today me and my partner just bought our very own narrow boat to live in, and just wanted to say two things. 1) I hope are boats will cross at some point. 2) thank you for your videos, they have been so helpful through us choosing our boat and getting to know the waters/rivers.
Many thanks indeed,
Congratulations; I hope you have a fantastic time :-)
Very good, warm weather, great time to get on will alsorts of things
Vlogs are terrific. Better than Brasso try Vinegar, Salt and Flour: These versatile home staples can be combined to make a paste to clean tarnished brass. Dissolve 1 teaspoon of salt into one-half cup of vinegar, and add flour until the mixture becomes a paste. Rub into the brass, leave for about 10 minutes, then rinse with warm water and buff dry. More environmentally friendly.
"The end of the tiller could use a cuddle"... hahahaha
I’m good with cars, and for that kind of dirt, scuffs and foot print marks etc I’d use farecla polishing compound.
Followed by their g10 finishing compound.. you keep the paint wet and use a polishing mop (or by hand if you’re cautious)
I never use the mop near leading edges in case I rub through the paint. I always do that by hand.
Once that’s done you have to then give it a traditional polish to keep it protected.
Perhaps there’s a boat alternative, but if not I’m 99% sure you’d be fine with my suggestion.
Thanks Mark
Personally I would apply non-skid paint over the entire roof, no shiny finish to damage and trigger my OCD and a nice added safety factor when walking around on a wet roof with the plus of being resistant to stones in the tread of your shoes causing thru the finish damage leading to rust. A bit more spent on the non-skid will lead to less (and easier to hide) touch-up and rework further down the canal. I have been known to make my own non-skid paint by adding playground sand to good quality paint and using a stirring bit on a drill to keep the sand suspended in the paint bucket while applying. A 2 part epoxy non-skid paint would be the cats pajamas, according to this old US Navy guy who had painted a few decks.
I was an electrician in the US Navy. I remember painting decks around electrical buses and control panels in the main engine room. We had to grind off ALL the paint first, then repaint bare steel. THEN we covered over all of it with fresh rubber matting. I believe this was annually, if I'm not mistaken.
1. After polishing out the stains in the paint and re-waxing, spray 'Teflon' in the affected areas. It is hydro-phobic and will keep the stains from re-forming. 2. At constant wear points, use a decent marine adhesive to adhere a short length of black 5 or 6 mm poly angle stock so that the canvas rubs the poly and not the paint. 3. Any interior brass work, once polished, can be sprayed with a few coats of clear gloss polyurethane in a rattle can. The finish, if undisturbed by abrasion, will stay bright for years.
This will never do.
I was looking forward to a life of idleness and spiritual contemplation, and now I see it will be endless labour, insuperable technical wizardry, and confrontations with aggressive swans.
My dreams are shattered.
Perhaps a retirement in the war torn jungles of Colombia might be worth another look.
David, you mentioned several times in today's vlog how narrowboat maintenance is a never-ending cycle of chores. I know you said that you would rather just sit out and enjoy the canal than work on the boat, but I was wondering if you got any sort of joy or pleasure from doing these tasks. It may sound odd, but I happen to like washing dishes. There is just something about a rack full of clean dishes and a nice, empty sink that gives me a great feeling of satisfaction. It is also a task that doesn't require a lot of thought. My job requires the expenditure of a lot of mental energy and often doesn't have clearly defined short-term goals, so occasionally being able to do something that can be done a) relatively quickly and b) without having to think too much is nice. I guess, in a very roundabout way, I am trying to ask if the litany of maintenance chores on a narrowboat is not, in some ways, one of the pleasures of owning a narrowboat. It is a bit of a weird question, I suppose.
I get a sense of satisfaction from finishing the jobs, not so sure I actually enjoy doing all of them!
@@CruisingTheCut Fair enough. Having seen some of the jobs you have to do around the boat, I probably wouldn't enjoy all of them, either.
Pressure washing is a good start and if done a few times a year will keep the scrubbing to a minimum.
You can use the car polish T cut that will remove all the marks on you paint work , and it is good protection at the same time. 👍🏻😎👍🏻
Your mention of the word 'lustre' made me recall a tasteful little poem of my youth, which went as follows
Max Factor's knacker lacquer
Adds glamour to your hammer
And lustre to your cluster..
I thank you....
In aviation, we use 3M abrasion resistant tape to cover wear surfaces on aircraft. You may wish to procure a couple feet of it and try it on your paint where your canvas cover rubs.
You do take good care of your things and take your time so I have no doubt everything will get done. I have a tip, for the brass door vents when you polish them you could wash with alcohol and spray a few coats of clear on them after and it will be job done for years and not months. I'm with you on wondering if the vents under the fridge help, but I do know that keeping the coils clean does help and I see that your coils look like you keep them nice and clean so good on you, keep up with that and the fridge will thank you.
Cheers Ted
With regard to the problem of the paint getting rubbed off where the cratch cover makes contact with the painted surface, you could try after touching up the paint to apply some clear contact, [same stuff you line cupboards and draws with], the contact will protect the paint and allow the cratch cover to rub on it, you may need to replace the contact from time to time.
Good to get another fix of C the C. Looking forward to a new season, Thanks David.
When you've finished polishing up your ventilation grills to a pristine shine, give them three or four coats of standard hair laquer - The kind that women like to use. This will prevent the shiney brass from oxidising for a while longer. Any sort of clear laquer will do, but hair laquer is the cheapest and does the same job.
Good tip about the vents behind the fridge. I will deffo try that.
Stick some fake carbon fibre sheet to the corners where the canvas rubs. I used some on my campervan on the door steps and where the bike rack fits. Saves the paint.
We use clear vinyl that is sold as clear bra for cars on new boats. Its available in several thicknesses and lasts 3-5 years no problem.
after polishing your brass vents try coating them with spray on lacquer. This will mean that they need cleaning less often leaving more time for the odd G&T. Also be careful cleaning the outside of the boat. The do gooders may take you to task if you drip any elbow grease into the canal
They might well do!!
Have yo considered putting a shelf on the wall above your new washer? a place for cleaning products? Maybe a couple of small fans like you'd see in a desktop computer for the windows to draw out the moisture from the shower or cloths air drying? Maybe after those rust spots are fixed, maybe paint on some sort of rubber coating on the roof to keep it out of the metal. A light color if possible black or dark would most likely make it feel like an oven in the summer inside. ( do all your baking then :-). )
We had the same problem with our chimney. Removed the Cooley hat for the winter and problem was solved. Gunk from the smoke was condensing on the hat and dripping down the side and blown onto roof as well. Replace it for the summer when the fire isn’t used to keep rain out.
Aha! Will do (next year). Thank you :-)
in regards to Brass fittings I've Brassod up my Brass and then coated with a clear lacquer seals in the shine. Secondary glazing for winter use sounds a good idea
Great to see you getting in the mood David! you really do seem to react to the weather...
I do, yes!
Years ago I had a friend with a very grungy, mucky car that was suddenly very shiny one day. He used a product for cleaning fire engines and quite a bit of elbow grease but the difference was night and day. Contact a local fire station and see what they use to keep their painted equipment shiny, it may be just what you need for removing those drip marks easily. Good luck with the maintenance!
Intriguing idea!
I have replaced all of the phenolic boards over the engine and tomorrow is cleaning the engine compartment. Repainting the roof is a hold over from last year. Still looking forward to cruising from Cropredy to Chester and the Llangollen canal!
Hi David, your list of jobs to do on the boat is just like the list from the wife of things to do on and in the house before Spring - it is never ending!! Rust seems to be your major problem and definitely Hammerite is the paint for that sort of job, but it must be difficult to match in with the existing colour scheme. Let’s hope this good weather continues so that we can all get out jobs done before Spring arrives. All the very best 🍷
Yeah I only use Hammerite for the black bits, I use the proper boat paint for the rest!
Good advice about the fridge. Nice info
Lol - nice-washing up liquid and washing soda will get rid of the tar on the chimney and sides of boat with no damage to the paint ❤️😁x
Thanks for reminding me of all the things I have to do 😋. As for the fridge, the holes will let some cool air up as the hot air rises. But many people, me included, have fitted 12V PC cooling fans into the vents, wired to the compressor the fan comes on when the compressor does and blows cool air up the back of the fridge. Even more efficient and as the fan uses only about 0.2 amps there’s an actual power saving. It’s not difficult at all, (I managed it). Get yourself on the 12 volt boaters group on Facebook and do a search, there’s all the information on how to do it there.
With windows, I’m using acrylic sheets, opaque or black as needed, fitted inside the frames and fixed with a sort of latch and wedge system I made and resting against some foam draft excluder to prevent a cold bridge. The difference is amazing compared to before. Zero condensation even on the coldest nights and I don’t have a solid fuel stove to help suck out the humidity.
I learned so much from you when I bought my boat a few months after you bought yours, so I hope this helps in return.
Still loving the vlogs.
Thank you! Yes, I'm a member of that group :-)
CruisingTheCut I thought you might be.
Rust never sleeps!!
Good show as always.
I thought for a moment that you were going to put the heat exchanger in contact with the hull as I assume the water stays fairly cool, and has excellent heat dissipation property, along with the hulking great steel hull. Did think it might be stepping out of your comfort zone but was excited. The holes to the bilge seem like a less dramatic, but much easier solution.
Great to see another vlog david.
It's the same with our classic cars! Treat the rust, but on sunny days, I just want to drive haha
Except for the stuff that needs working on, the boat is in good shape!
The nice thing about your climate, you so much appreciate it when the sky is blue, the sun is warm, the winds are calm. But not too frequently, wouldn’t want that.
Well for the Clatch cover problem. clean and repaint that area then maybe glue a strip of rubber over that area, so it wears and not the paint. And for the dribbles down the side of your chimney, well let me think about that :) Nice too see your doing well, and keeping busy.
Might already have been mentioned but buy paint protector film for the areas where the cratch cover rubs (motorcyclists use it to protect petrol tanks/panels from clothing/boots)
Good idea, it definitely rubs through the paint no matter how much I touch it up.
Glad to see another video , looking forward to your spring travels
On the corners such as where your cover rubs could a small piece of copper/brass epoxy glued in place as a chaffing piece be the answer. Cheap to buy a small sheet very easy to cut with tin snips and shape. Then just give it a little brasso once a year, easier than repainting.
I have a suggestion for a better way to deal with the rust spots. You said Sand, Treat, Prime, and Paint,
but you should try Sand, Treat, Prime, _Gin & Tonic_ , and Paint
It’s a constant battle David,a steel boat in water.Your jobbing videos are always entertaining,Chris
I find your videos very entertaining. Even when you’re just chatting about maintenance. That’s for the insight into a boaters life.
David, this is definitely off topic. Can you recommend a book about the history of the canals in the UK? It’s an amazing system that provides many benefits but at what must be considerable cost. Someone had the amazing forethought in the system’s creation but clearly things have changed over the decades. Thank you in advance for your suggestions, and best wishes for a delightful cruising season once you’ve conquered the rusty bits and “mystery” stains. Cheers from Philadelphia.
With regret, no recommendations but I'm sure some other folk will chip in here. Someone else asked me the same question a few months back and I got suggestions on Twitter so if I can find them. I'll post them here.
The joy of a steel boat! Rust control at the first dry and sunny days of the year. Same here :-)
I don’t know if it’s available in the UK but in the states we have the Magic Eraser, a sponge type thing that will get rid of all the marks and not damage the paint.
Also if you can get your hands on the Rhino lining coating the rub rails would be protected. It comes in a lot of colors.
After you get the windows sorted a light coat of wax will protect the wood from the moisture.
Hope this helps.
I was supposed to buy some Magic Erases today at the supermarket - and forgot :-(
@@CruisingTheCutMagic Erasers are in a word...magic. They seem to clean anything with quick ease.
Canal time .. love the concept just need to find a way to work that into an office routine!
Great vlog as per usual. To stop the cratch damaging paint, why not try a small piece of stainless steel bent into shape to cover the area. A bit of sealer and a couple of screws and hey Presto..
You might try exchanging your stove for (or converting it to) a reburning stove. These stoves cycle the smoke through the burn chamber twice, thereby reducing the deposits (and the atmospheric impact, too). They also run on wood, so rather cheaper I imagine.
Get Bar keepers friend spray for the tar stains, worked a treat on our boat
I think the rust you can see is better than the rust you don't see and covering the area with rubber might cause it to sweat and cause more damage. The marks on the paintwork is where the paint has oxidised and a good polish should remove the marks . Peter from OZ
Cheers, good advice
A lot of litle jobs to do and the weather is getting better and better. I would say one job at the time and everything should be spiffy by summer.
Greetings,, Kitty.
Always more work than there is time for on a boat.
Thanks! Great video. Allways remember: maintenance before love!
Could you do a video on how to tie the boat when mooring, how to drive the boat and how to take it through a lock? As a novice who wants to own a narrow boat, it’d be incredibly helpful!
Very hard both to do it and film it while solo, unfortunately. I have done one about locking single-handed though, scroll back through my channel and you'll see it. Cheers
For environmental friendly cleaner I've mentioned before simple green . Ive used that for everything from my blige, and my decks of my 23' Grady White Gulfstream. It's also good for laundry. On the stove pipe try that and or now jell tooth paste and a cloth rag . Also on your brass works. When I was deputy sheriff we used it on our badges and other things metal . Just remember to flush the with plenty of water with the simple green . On the fridge it's recommended that you have a good gap so the heat can vent . A vent on top would help tremendously and not just small round one . A full length vent of the fridge . And approximately 2" wide over the back side of were the fridge and the wall are . Your fridge will work a lot better and last longer.
Sorry about the typo.
Great vid. For your paint work G3 cutting compound and then any good polish. For the really stubborn bits G3- T cut colour restorer then polish.
I'm nervous of t-cut, it takes some of the paint off..?
I used to have a large problem with the air circulation behind the refrigerator on my sailboat. Providing an air source to the cooler bilge is an excellent fix. Just make sure that you allow an adequate escape point for the warmed air after it passes over the condenser. I also added a cheap, surplus ex-computer, muffin fan to force air movement in the enclosure. Clean the fins of the condenser at least once a year. Lots "fuzz and dust bunnies" will accumulate just from particulates in the air. (Especially with coal heating.)
Were you quite good at DIY before you got your boat? Asking because we are looking for a boat but neither of us is very DIY savvy. Thanks for your videos...all very interesting.
No. Some might say I'm still not great at it. You don't have to be but it does help to keep costs down.
I noticed the bolts holding the chimney base on seemed to be rusting. You may want to replace them while you still can. Once the bolts rust you will need a hacksaw to get them off.
I have the same problem with my chimney! Your vlog highlights issues that I also need to attend to. At least there’s been some interesting suggestions made in the comments. Cheers.
Some clear vinyl under the cratch cover will save you that headache. The best stuff is sold as a protective bra for cars and you can find it on Amazon or at a local shop that does installations on cars. They always have scraps on hand they'll trade for a cup of coffee etc. We use it on new boats where the canvas meets the deck and even in the hot, harsh salt and sun it lasts 3-5 min years before it shows sings of yellowing or wear.
Hi David. I had a wooden speedboat for many years and found that when re-varnishing I got better penetration if I thinned the first coat with 30% mineral turps . This seals the end grain of the timber and limits the staining. Good luck with it . Peter from OZ
Thanks David..wish the weather here in Montreal was as lovely
David ends a successful date night: 6:49
Also, your attention to detail is such a delight. Just such a sense of (vicarious) satisfaction.
Regarding the chafe from the canvas cover on the bow, I've had good success with a clear teflon tape used on airplanes. Paint as you usually would then apply the tape once the paint is dry. Here's the product from Aircraft Spruce in the USA. www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/cspages/chafetape05-11196.php I'd have to think you can find the same product in the UK. Before finding the teflon tape I had used plastic chafe patches from a bicycle shop used to keep the chain from dinging the paint on a bike. However, that didn't seem to last for more than a season. The teflon tape seems to go for several seasons.
After polishing the brass you could coat the vents with two coats of clear lacquer,that will prevent moisture from contacting the metal .
I appreciated your proper use of the English language. I am on a few forums where English is used and often not understood, at an adult level.
We used rubbing compound on faded army buses then waxed them. (Takes a while to wax a bus) but the rubbing compound will clean up your crud.
nice to see some dry ground and sun, we still have 3 feet of snow on the ground here. great maintenance video
Cheers David.. get stuck in while the weather is good..
Springing into action this morning, I tried warm water withe washing up liquid and a washing up cloth and suprise suprise most of the crud was cleared up on the paintwork which was new last year, I say most, so I must I will try some tea as 52 memor suggests to finish the job. I wish you well in your efforts.
About the wear marks at edges. Things that rub in the same place all the time will always wear through paint. Perhaps, if the areas are small, these areas can be covered by adhesive backed covers, like the ones put on the front edges of stairs to grip the soles of your shoes and present slipping. Black against that dark blue where the back cover rubs might even look smart. Just a thought. Won't do much about rope marks though.
I'd worry about the chimney when you get your new diesel stove. A nice pressure wash should fix up most of the exterior just fine as most just seem a bit cosmetic. Just don't let the rusty spots sit too long. Does look like your having some fine weather!!!!!
as always, thanks for sharing!
you've built a campervan. i bet those repairs will be better than some professional work I've came across with.
We tried ‘bullet’ cleaning products on our boat and restored the paintwork really well. They’re well formulated and relatively effortless to use.
You could use 3m helicopter tape to stop paint rub where the cover meets the boat, it's available in Matt or gloss so maybe it would work to cover areas where the grime forms on paint making it easier to clean away
Good idea about drilling holes into the bilge behind the fridge, I look forward to an update to see if it works or not, even if not it airs the bilge a bit.
Nice video David. There’s something to be said living in a small home...less maintenance work and expenses. If you’re are still considering the Rhino lining you might think about putting it on the gunnels where you walk. I don’t know what it costs in the UK but I can tell you that it’s not cheap here in the US. There’s a lot of prep work which I’m sure adds to the final cost. Glad to see you have beautiful weather there, we’re still getting snow east of where I live, 27” in a 24 hour period. Not a problem now but flooding will ensue this spring. Looking forward to your DYI boat fixes. Take care my friend
Yeah, I've discovered it's not cheap here either and you're right about the prep too - probably shotblasting back to bare metal. A big job.
Been there done that...sandblasted swimming pools for a summer when I was younger and dumber. Just to let you know I’ll be busy on the days you decide to tackle that job, whenever that is. Cheers!
Huzzah! My favorite vlog of late 2018/early 2019 returns! Looking forward to your continued adventures!
"Returns"? It's not been away!! ;-)
The other day I was watching "A Fish Called Wanda" and there are some scenes with narrow boats in the background here and there. I was tickled pink to see them. :-)
I will have to watch it again sometime!
David! I remember seeing you on TV a few years ago. I’ve only recently found your channel but I enjoy every one of your videos.
Regarding stuff rubbing away paint, I’d suggest searching on amazon for helicopter tape. Rip it off and replace when it gets tatty - saves time sanding back rust and painting. And more time chilling with a cuppa 👍🏽
You may after the window sill repair. Take a sock fill it with kitty litter and place on the sill after sunset. In the morning see if you have less moisture. If works figure out how often you need to dry them back out. Either near the fire or out in a warm sun. Have also used a dryer with them tied into a old pillowcase
My friend winter is not over and that sting in the tail! Cheers
For washing you should use aquawash. Biodegradable and also unbelievable cleaner
I've watched a few of your videos, but didn't realize I wasn't subscribed ... remedied.
I reckon She n eeds a good "Cut & Polish" just like our tired autos used to do. Give a good cut & polish paste a try on the side marks, reckon they will disappear. Size dictates power tools of course.
excellent video. lots of little tasks, but no huge ones, thankfully.