They told us NOT to do this on a boat... but we did it anyway.

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Episode 18 - In this episode we get our first snowfall on the narrowboat and build unconventional stud walls using... a spirit level?!?
OTHER WAYS TO SHOW YOUR SUPPORT
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Hey there! We're Nesha and Mike and we are restoring a 45 foot narrowboat and turning it into a tiny floating home. Subscribe to follow our journey as we show the highs and lows of boat restoration, travel the British waterways, and live slow, wild and free.
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[@DriftwoodFolk]

Note: both Mike and I are neurodivergent so we think differently to how someone neurotypical would. Hence why we sometimes do things in odd ways. But if it works it works x

[@mattwhitehall9536]

If you make yourself a wooden 90deg square make sure it's bang on 90 then use the floor as a datum, casting all uprights off it square to the floor

[@connordonohoe5903]

Love his lil rant

[@mikehaldane4061]

Hi Mike, let me be the 94th (Private Eye readers will understand) person to give you a suggestion regarding what is up and what is across. Take an extreme example, where the bubble on your level just can't work, like 45 degrees list. The floor is presumably your base as all the support steelwork runs back and forth and across. I suggest you use the 90 degree angle square that you have from the floor to determine what is vertical. I have just recently started watching your vlogs and have to admire the task you have both taken on. Regards MikeH

[@pattysommers3566]

Love your sense of humor Mike and your counterpart is amazing.

[@user-kev-k5v]

Hey Mike I’m not complaining I get it so far from that I can see your doing a brilliant job and your the professional with wood not me 👍

[@rogermcd9918]

I'm a chippie and when I fitted my boat out I made a large square 3x4x5 which could be used on all sides, it all worked out, and no guessing

[@outbackinteriors7656]

Exactly!!! Square and measured off the floor. So many people commenting here and over complicating this. Most who won’t have built out a boat

[@peterburton311]

Hi Mike you are doing ok, Ok am a joiner now feet up joinering no moor love watching you Nesha i helped frend with his boat i thort you wood have lind all the boat first before partions, and yes boat is not level i did center of floor from side to side and ceiling side to side. That's just me wee did the ceiling with a 6 insh center space for wireing it just made it easer to ade wireing later.ALL THE BEST , I am still watching.

[@DriftwoodFolk]

We’re going to line the boat walls all at the same time but we’re doing the wiring before that. Thanks for watching, Peter! Appreciate you being along for the journey!

[@sknight1963]

Square is your friend. Square everything to the floor. That is your level. That and measure everything from the floor.

[@Misunderstoodboygenius]

I came here to say this.

[@stevecam724]

Square with the deck 👍👍

[@Orxenhorf]

Something else you can do for "plumb" on a moving boat is measure where center is at the floor and ceiling at both the bow and stern, then connect those points front to back with a line, and measure the offset to each line where you want to put up the stud.

[@JamesWDrummond]

nice job keep going

[@eallen704]

Well, Mike... I just found this channel and wish I had known about you sooner. LOL I have been a DIY guy for over 60 years and and a certified electrician for over 42 years. The troubles you were moaning about (words I think you used) are ones often expressed by those of us who have done both residential and marine work. If you use marine wiring, it is a bit easier as it also is stranded (here is Canada0 as is the wires to your light fixtures. So, I am speaking to future adventures you may have in electrical aboard your narrow boat. Try melting solder into the leads to the fixture. It will stiffen the wire for easier fixing to the marine wiring. May help in the future. (Mar 30, 2024... Nova Scitia, Canada.)

[@dc7279]

Truly lovely couple

[@DriftwoodFolk]

Thank you! ☺️

[@dieseldaryl1]

There are multiple ways to square something on the boat. Whatever works. If planning to use 3/4” T&G on the ceiling, you can install that first and that will give to the material needed to anchor the top of any wall. Would require to plan the ceilings electrical first to run the wires and put in any fixtures.

[@malcolmmagee3195]

Square off the floor for vertical and horizontal from that vertical.

[@tellicoadventuretrail]

Just found your channel (follow other narrowboaters), subscribed, and really love your renovation series. You've really done a great job of taking your time, gaining the knowledge and skills you need along the way. We really look forward to seeing this boat completed and you living aboard. Then hopefully we'll get some cruise videos. Your attention to detail has been fantastic, regardless of whether you've had to go back and re-do. Your boat will be in better shape than when it was new.

[@DriftwoodFolk]

Thanks so much! You’ll definitely get some cruise videos when the boat is done 😊

[@PaulDavidGatford]

Congratulations very well said your doing a great job just continue doing your level best and keep positive then you will succeed in achieving your goals

[@DriftwoodFolk]

That's great advice and encouragement, thank you Paul! We're trying haha.

[@oneshoan]

I’m so happy y’all are back!!! Mike, I’m so old that seeing a butt crack reminds me my heart is still working! LOL. Thank both of you 🙏

[@DriftwoodFolk]

😂

[@shogun666able]

It called Triangulation Mike and there are plenty of digital levels around that hinge, level and plumb giving you figures to compensate one against the other. If you have a datem at the bow door to get upright anywhere down your boat, just measure bottom from the bow to the top of your upright, then do the same top from the bow to the bottom of the upright and plumb is both measurement or the same regardless to what the boats doing. Another one is centre of the bow to centre of the stern, transfer a chalk line or fix a batten along the length of the floor cut out when you need to make a wall. A laser self leveling line finder with a dot and can do a laser line along the floor and ceiling at the same time will help you find lines but not levels unless set the same as the boats level. As well as a batten on the centreline of the boat fixed to the boats floor that are straight which you can square off of to make partition walls etc. that will be plumb and square when your boat is. Triangulation you can do with a ball of string and tying knots which is not to technical, best way is to loose fix the bottom of your stud wall and Triangulate the top.

[@jozsefmolnar6873]

Well, if you're a carpenter, what's with the plumber's crack ?????😁

[@mike-driftwoodfolk2651]

Multi trade 😜😂😂

[@user-kev-k5v]

Is that snow on the roof of your long boat freezing 🥶

[@mikejfranklin7000]

Of course, the cute way of getting everything parallel and level is to take the boat out of the water!

[@mike-driftwoodfolk2651]

It would be much easier out of the water but would cost alot to do so. Plus with abit of thinking we can do the same job & not have spent the money getting it out. There is always an alternative to every situation easy or not

[@paulgcourt]

For the electrics, you need Wago connectors!

[@docostler]

No need to explain, Mike, it's your boat. Regarding your preferred method of working, I would suggest that you simply take photos at every stage of construction. That way, if work ever has to be done on something you've built, you can refer to the photos so you know what you're getting into. Also useful if your ever sell the boat or another tradesman comes in to fix or expands your 'non-standard' constriction. I'm a firm believer in 'whatever works' and clever trumps normal usually. Take care guys, good to see another video.

[@DriftwoodFolk]

Great idea about taking photos, and thankfully we have these videos which document the whole process too 👍

[@chevyimp5857]

In terms of level and square.. a laser line projected from a known vertical..ie.the front door.will give you a datum floor and ceiling the full length of the boat. an alternative would be to square up from the floor with a folding square (1200mm type on eBay). Good luck..

[@trossyafon8214]

Hi guys… just to let you know how I do verticals in my boat… you could use it as a validation method to check your way 😊… as you say… the import point is that everything has to be with respect uk the boat… not the world as that moves… and more specifically the floor…. So I take a 90 degree angle from the floor in both directions and use that as a datum… a good way of doing that is to use a factory cut piece of plywood as that is usually pretty close to square… give it a try and see how near your method is to mine 😊… good luck 👍😊

[@DriftwoodFolk]

Thanks for adding your input! 😄

[@jasonwoods3711]

I think the biggest mistake fitting a narrow boat out on water is not understanding the notion that steel shrinks in winter and expands in summer ! Great vlog ...

[@MrDanceswithsheep]

Pleased you’re back, coming along so well. Something worth watching at last.

[@DriftwoodFolk]

Feels great to be back! Thanks for watching 😄

[@davidcook380]

Use a set of set squares , use the floor as your datum , do your vertical first then square off that for the horizontals really easy and fast

[@juliansalmon5347]

I agree. Probably the way the boat was built from the ground up, with the floor as the datum.

[@acedia4453]

Great update!

[@DEmma1972]

1st room yay

[@davidsmeaton3082]

What might help is an inclinometer. You can set any datum to a zero figure from any reference point and then use that to set your battens.

[@user-xw6wj2qh5n]

Your use of the level is pretty much what I would do since you are moored on totally still water, so although there is listing to account for there is no rocking. Check the floor (as you said), adjust some weight (ask Nesh to move to one side or the other) then with the level showing plumb, pick it up without moving one side or the other yourself and check your vertical before anything else moves to make the boat move. Alternatively a laser from bow door to stern door to get bottom, then top - a measuring tape for offsets from the beam. It means things are parallel to the existing doors to the boat, so will look right at least. This issue is one of the reasons why boat builders always do at least the major part of a fit out before launching. Is there a reason you didn't put the curved batten up first so that it would then be within the bulkhead rather than to one side? I see that this could be due to wanting to use it for ceiling cladding too, but just wondered. I know what you mean though. If things are a little bit off people won't really notice, but you will know personally and that will annoy you. I often redo stuff and my wife asks why since she had looked at the earlier attempt and not spotted the errors I know were there. By the way, something I have seen a lot of DIY vloggers slip up on - do not forget to have plenty of places in the floor that can be lifted out to inspect the underfloor area even after finishing. I've seen a few that have had to rip up the floor again due to problems and it must be heartbreaking to take up a floor that you only fitted recently, or even a couple of years ago. James of Sloe Patrol had this issue when he was looking for where water was coming from. He had to replate his boat but it could easily have been a poor pipe connector or shower drain to blame. I have to say that this is something I only really thought about after seeing people having such problems. My experience is more with sailboats where due to hull shape one, max two access points are enough. It just makes sense to be able to check the bilge at different points along the boat and side to side since the boat is flat bottomed. It also allows access to the ballast to balance things up once everything is built in and tanks are in use. An extra point is that such spaces are usefully cool for chilling things and out of sight for hiding valuables. Keep up the good work. We are enjoying the vlogs.

[@paulplant6486]

It's all new territory for you both doing this project. It's about taking your time and asking others if you can.

[@Theritualkitchen]

It all looks so beautiful in the frost/snow!

[@DriftwoodFolk]

It was! 🥰

[@RetireMentalityChallenged]

What you're describing is just the same as scribing for joinery. Should work fine. A good solution to a tricky problem.

[@robtheplod]

That's quite a job using a spirit level on a narrowboat... :)

[@DriftwoodFolk]

Oh we know 😅

[@jeanniehyde8090]

Happy New Year Mike & Neesha 🎉Yaaay you’re back- so much has happened 👏🏾👏🏾You both have beautiful smiles 🤗💕Yes a Mike moan segment 🤣🤣 Omg I can’t weld but after your sweet pleas, even I wanted to volunteer lol 😂🤣🤣 aww Mike 🥺😢😭such a beautiful tribute to your - Neesha 💕🤗🥰 you’re a keeper 🙃😉lovely to see you come out of your shell in front of the camera 😂😂😂quite the comedian too 🤭

[@claire4486]

You use a square from the floor for your uprights. Then a square from your uprights for side pieces. You use the floor as your level.

[@ronaldhornsey7453]

Hi I have just been watching Dannie and Joe build a narrow boat I think they would give you good advice they have been on ytube for over 12 months

[@mike-driftwoodfolk2651]

Thanks Ronald .. We watch thier vlogs alot and we've been in contact with them and they are really lovely people.

[@davidhall4079]

Glad you're back happy new year to you both 🎉 love the vlog the boat will go from nothing to done in no time

[@DriftwoodFolk]

Good to be back! Hope you’re enjoying the start of your year David 😊

[@agfbuilding]

Dude , you make a big square out of ply & square everything off the floor both ways .

[@grahambulled7702]

I would use the metal door frames bow and stern as guides.

[@DriftwoodFolk]

That’s what he did 👍

[@peterclarke1962]

Why don't you put the electric wiring in first then put your walls in next then the ceiling then the dividers. As others have said make a big square & come off the floor to get your upright.

[@mike-driftwoodfolk2651]

It's all quite complicated but the walls went up first then we've run cables and half cladded the ceiling so we can run cables behind too ... Ideally if we ever are mad enough to recreate this I'd run all the cables then ceiling then internal walls haha but we have what we have now and you just gotta roll with it 😂

[@FlashGormless]

Make yourself a 90 degree triangle out of scrap wood roughly 2 feet tall, the floor is your datum then just use the trianle to get your walls level to the floor? You will find the closest thing to being level on a boat is always the floor.

[@kevinshaw7638]

Just use a set square to get everything level and get rid of the spirit level

[@cameronsmith2928]

get your self a digital box level there only £20 ish then you can find a level on the boat that you want to use as your level and set the box level to 0 from that then every thing will be the same as that no thinking very handy thing to have

[@DriftwoodFolk]

Great point, thank you! We’ll have a look for one!

[@outbackinteriors7656]

Been watching you for a while, nice atmosphere and great to watch. I do have a few point but don’t want to come across like a dick. You really should have lined out the whole boat before putting up the bulkheads. Your way round is going to cause serious problems getting the lining neat. It’s going to take twice as long. The bulkheads will dictate your batten spacing and you won’t be able to use full sheets. Your going to have loads of notches and a trimming nightmare

[@letsbefrank6269]

I didn’t realise your a carpenter, where are the mortise and tenon joints, dovetails, and cut next to the line not on the line. 17:16 😅

[@DriftwoodFolk]

It’s just a stud wall 😂

[@bogus_not_me]

Regardless of plumb or level,, if seems you should h have done wiring ands plumbing and everything else BEFORE ceiling and walls - just like you would building a house on the ground...

[@DriftwoodFolk]

I'll explain the reason for this: Plumbing and heating pipe is being boxed in. No room behind the lower wall. Ceiling is only half done so we can do wiring. And upper walls aren't done, they will be done after electrics :)

[@redepsilon5]

Nothing is square or level on a boat. It's a pain in the ass.

[@DriftwoodFolk]

It certainly is!

[@mike-driftwoodfolk2651]

I was gonna say this but I'm glad someone else has too 😂🤦🏻‍♂️

[@redepsilon5]

@@mike-driftwoodfolk2651 you're doing great work kids, respect.

[@exfiremanstan]

As a rule of thumb if you can see one upright against another they need to be the same or your head will blow up and you’ll have to change it, take it from someone else that’s just finished 😂 that said great job and great vlog going to watch happily.

[@aniabrandt7]

Why don't u do walking in bathroom? The bathroom would be so much bigger and after that u have your bedroom anyways

[@DriftwoodFolk]

It is a walk through bathroom

[@aniabrandt7]

@@DriftwoodFolk no, what I meant is having door in a middle like the newest boats r done now, unless this works better for u

[@DriftwoodFolk]

@@aniabrandt7 it is a walk through bathroom, just the door will be on the left in one wall and the door on the other side is in the middle. You’ll see when it’s done

[@TController]

Mike …. Using a spirit level on a boat is futile. No perpendiculars & horizontals are true. But, all squares are relevant to the floor.

[@mike-driftwoodfolk2651]

Thanks for your comment ... I agree although the level was for parallel not for actually leveling a moving boat in water dw. We've checked it all with a square and its bang on 💪🏽