Boat Improvements (5)

As always things in life undergo gradual change. This started me thinking about what changes I could make to the boat to improve life aboard.  Because our requirements have changed with retirement. From long weekends and occasional holidays. To spending a great deal of time on the boat but not quite as full time live-a-boards. I would never make a change to the boat just for the sake of it. There would always need to be a tangible benefit from making any change. 

However, since we purchased the boat, we have made a few small but significant changes. Following on from my previous postings on Boat Improvements, I shall describe some other changes that we have made to Rosie while we have owned her.  

The boat has like all boats do, the odd little things that annoy. Over our ownership we have made a few changes ranging from piddling small to medium in size. However, last year we combined three big jobs into one.

The first was to have the boat repainted. This meant back to bare metal and windows out. New colour scheme and new colour layout meant that the boat would take on a totally new appearance.

The second was to improve the drainage on the back deck. As a semi trad we were plagued if the boat went off level, by small shallow puddles forming. Which in wet weather were not a problem. But in very cold weather could mean slippery ice underfoot. The last place to have ice underfoot is on the back deck of a boat. So we has two drainage slots cut into the hull. Now the puddles have gone.

The third was that during heavy rain the roof scuppers were being overwhelmed. This meant that rain water would cascade into the seating area. Two new scuppers were cut further along the boat roof towards the mid-line. With two small 'dam walls' added which deflect the water towards the scuppers. Now the original scuppers discharge very little water even in the heaviest of rain.