Lifeboat Conversions

Hi

"James W. Sloan" <jamessloan.TakeThisOut@mindspring.com> skrev i en meddelelse
news:bhldvd$r2o$1@slb5.atl.mindspring.net...
 > I've seen several well done conversions of steel lifeboat hulls to cruising
 > vessels. They are quite popular in the UK it seems. I'd like to look into
 > the possibility of doing a conversion myself, but I can't seem to find any
 > resources for the lifeboats themselves. Any suggestions?
 >
 > Thanks,
 >
 > James Sloan
 >

Before you do so, please check how the lifeboat type you plan to convert, react
when the the gear is in reverse ; quite a few I seen of old types double ender
lifeboats work very bad in a crowded harbour as it seem the propellor work in
air when reverse.
P.C.<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: Lifeboat Conversions 

Good point. I know the performance characteristics are none too crisp. My
plan is to build a cruiser for the Intracoastal Waterway on the eastern
coast of the US. The sizes that I've seen, and prefer, are in the 28-32 foot
range, although I know there are some much bigger in the UK. Some even in
the upper 50's!. The small diesel engine should be pretty efficient at
cruise speeds. Perhaps some rudder modification and a bow thruster might
help handling. If I can only find a good hull.....

James

 >Before you do so, please check how the lifeboat type you plan to convert,
react
 > when the the gear is in reverse ; quite a few I seen of old types double
ender
 > lifeboats work very bad in a crowded harbour as it seem the propellor work
in
 > air when reverse.<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: Lifeboat Conversions 

Check with shipyards, shipping companies, USCG. There are 3-4 laid up on the
shore in Offatt's Bayou, Galveston, TX. Don't know who owns them though.

Also, have you tried E-Bay or Googling?

--


Keith
__
Just be glad we don't get all the government we paid for.
"James W. Sloan" <jamessloan.RemoveThis@mindspring.com> wrote in message
news:bhll6p$he1$1@slb2.atl.mindspring.net...
 > Good point. I know the performance characteristics are none too crisp. My
 > plan is to build a cruiser for the Intracoastal Waterway on the eastern
 > coast of the US. The sizes that I've seen, and prefer, are in the 28-32
foot
 > range, although I know there are some much bigger in the UK. Some even in
 > the upper 50's!. The small diesel engine should be pretty efficient at
 > cruise speeds. Perhaps some rudder modification and a bow thruster might
 > help handling. If I can only find a good hull.....
 >
 > James
 >
  > >Before you do so, please check how the lifeboat type you plan to convert,
 > react
  > > when the the gear is in reverse ; quite a few I seen of old types double
 > ender
  > > lifeboats work very bad in a crowded harbour as it seem the propellor
work
 > in
  > > air when reverse.
 >
 ><!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: Lifeboat Conversions 

"James W. Sloan" <jamessloan.TakeThisOut@mindspring.com> wrote in message
news:bhldvd$r2o$1@slb5.atl.mindspring.net...
 > I've seen several well done conversions of steel lifeboat hulls to
cruising
 > vessels. They are quite popular in the UK it seems. I'd like to look into
 > the possibility of doing a conversion myself, but I can't seem to find any
 > resources for the lifeboats themselves. Any suggestions?
 >
 > Thanks,
 >
 > James Sloan
 >
 >

James:

Small Boat Journal #66, April/May 1989 had an article on the conversion.
This was written by Guy Smith with illustrations by Marya Butler. Also a
reference to an article in US Power Squardon "The Ensign" January 1988
"How to buy a Navy Surplus Boat" by Arthur Baitz.

If you want a scan of the SBJ article, just let me know.

Kevin

beeltee.TakeThisOut@optonline.net<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: Lifeboat Conversions 

About 10 years ago I converted a life boat that I bought for $2,000 into a
picnic boat. If you can find them they make great boats but you need to be
creative.

Don't expect to go anywhere fast most of them have hull speeds and more
power doesn't necessarily translate into more speed. Usually they are very
underpowered and do not respond to the throttles. I have driven almost every
conceivable type of boat and the life boat is the most difficult to control.
They take a little while to get up to speed and when I'm docking I usually
have my boat in reverse for quite a while before the boat actually starts
moving in reverse.

The other major concern that you will have is getting the ballast correct to
stop it bobbing around like a cork. Life boats were designed to carry a
tremendous amount of weigh in people and supplies so choosing the right
ballast and getting it low enough in the boat is very important.

"P.C." <per.corell.RemoveThis@privat.dk> wrote in message
news:3f3e49e7$0$21657$edfadb0f@dread11.news.tele.dk...
 > Hi
 >
 > "James W. Sloan" <jamessloan.RemoveThis@mindspring.com> skrev i en meddelelse
 > news:bhldvd$r2o$1@slb5.atl.mindspring.net...
  > > I've seen several well done conversions of steel lifeboat hulls to
cruising
  > > vessels. They are quite popular in the UK it seems. I'd like to look
into
  > > the possibility of doing a conversion myself, but I can't seem to find
any
  > > resources for the lifeboats themselves. Any suggestions?
  > >
  > > Thanks,
  > >
  > > James Sloan
  > >
 >
 > Before you do so, please check how the lifeboat type you plan to convert,
react
 > when the the gear is in reverse ; quite a few I seen of old types double
ender
 > lifeboats work very bad in a crowded harbour as it seem the propellor work
in
 > air when reverse.
 > P.C.
 >
 >
 ><!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: Lifeboat Conversions