new boat, historic hull

22 FEBRUARY 2016 | www.waterwaysworld.com

BOAT REVIEW

New boat, historic hull

Length ...................................................................................................44ft

Engine................................Russell Newbury DM1

Berths ........................................................................................................2+2

Fit out: Granthams Bridge Boat

Services: 01788 578661

WHEN APPROACHING SENIOR

YEARS and opting for a third

narrowboat, most boaters fi nd a bespoke

builder and commission a shiny new

hull with an all-mod-con interior. At

least, that’s the conventional route. But

Brian Jarrett, owner of 44ft narrowboat,

Autarky, is not your conventional type of

guy. Having lived and cruised on both

seagoing boats and two narrowboats,

until recently he was the owner of the

Russell Newbury engine company,

before selling it to Dave Bixter of

Granthams Bridge Boat Services,

who carried out his boat’s fi t-out.

With the intention of continuing

his cruising lifestyle into his 80s and

beyond, Brian decided he wanted a

boat that was self-suffi cient, didn’t

require him to heave bags of coal

around, shorter than his previous

boat Kyle and also a touch easier on

the legs when clambering around.

Instead of commissioning a new

hull, he was drawn to the lines of a

semi-submerged 1899 BCN Joey,

previously cut down to 37ft, which was

at Granthams’ Hillmorton yard. With

a new superstructure added, sensitive

to the old hull, Autarky was born.

Based on an 1899 hull and fi tted with a

Russell Newbury engine, 44ft Autarky

has a strong working boat identity.

Mark Langley climbs on board…

Awaiting fi t-out.

Brian justly proud of

his boat Autarky.

Brian justly proud of his boat- bow decoration to be completed.JPG

Downloaded by Andrew Denny from waterwaysworld.com

www.waterwaysworld.com | FEBRUARY 2016 | 23

Having a keb aboard can

be useful for clearing

obstructions in locks.

The new stern skilfully

blended into the old hull.

BOAT REVIEW GRANTHAMS BRIDGE BOAT SERVICES

A punt-like stern was

added when the boat was

previously shortened.

Old meets new – the old

rivetted hull with new

gunwales.

The Hartshill bow, good at cutting

through the water, was retained.

Hull and superstructureReeves & Sons boatbuilders did

the hull conversion – which is

no mean feat in itself. The BCN

day-boat was 7ft 1in wide, so, to

ensure it would fi t through locks,

it had to be trimmed down.

This involved removing a 4in

strip from the centre of the boat and

pulling the iron plates back together.

The boat had, at some point in its

previous life, been shortened, and the

stern pulled into an abrupt punt-like

shape to accommodate an engine.

This was cut off and a new stern and

swims welded to the iron plates – a

task that can be quite a challenge,

even for experienced boatbuilders.

In the end, 27ft of the original boat

was incorporated into the new craft.

The length of the boat was set at

44ft, which is a good size to handle,

and allowed good swim lengths to be

fi tted 12ft aft. It was only later that,

during a hull survey for insurance

purposes (usually required on a hull

over 100 years old), ‘soft spots’ in

the iron were found. This entailed

overplating on the baseplate, and a

12in-wide strip around the waterline.

Had this been noticed earlier it would

probably have been easier to rectify –

but then restoring and converting older

craft is not without its challenges.

The superstructure is a neat affair,

with a tug-like profi le. The traditionally

short deck backs onto the cabin,

where a large hatch gives plenty of

space to steer comfortably. Up in

The simple decor is sensitive

to the boat’s working past.

The Hartshill bow is good at cutting through the

water and was retained.JPG



the bow, a fi xed cratchboard

has black canvas covers either

side to protect the forward

cockpit. There is no hatch in

the foredeck, just fi ller points

for the water tanks. The

canvas covers continue aft,

over a 7ft steel section of the

superstructure, so giving the

impression that there is a longer

clothed hold – this works very

well on a shorter boat. On the

top plank, there is a pair of long,

thin 60W solar panels that are

unobtrusive and better mounted

here than a hot steel roof.

There are only two small

portholes, plus three side doors,

on the entire boat. However,

there are a lot of oblong

deck prisms set into the roof.

This partly gives a traditional

appearance (after all, working

craft were not over-endowed with

windows) as well as exceptional

boat security. The roof handrails

are the raised type, which are

really more traditional than

people give them credit for, and

provide a superb handhold on

the aft part of the superstructure.

A pigeon box and mushroom

vents are on the roof. There is

also a bolt-down panel to enable

the engine to be removed, if

required. A few artifi cial rivets

have been added in places,

not for a pastiche appearance,

but so that the original lines

of rivets are preserved.

The paintwork is simple at the

moment, with light grey gloss

and cream panels, black paint

up to the gunwale and a single

red band to the counter. Further

decoration may be added in the

future, but I think the plainer

paint scheme suits the boat well.


The compact galley boasts

a good amount of storage,

while the Adriatic range gives

heating and cooking by diesel.

There’s a long, slightly

raised, single berth

in the back cabin.

The washing machine

and good-sized 12V

fridge fi t neatly under

the countertop.

Discreet solar panels sit on

the top plank.Easy access into the lined forward cockpit.

Compact galley fi ts in a good amount of storage- Adriatic range gives heating and cooking by diesel.JPG



Cockpit and saloonZip-open sections in the front

cloths allow for entry into the

forward cockpit, giving access

when raining – as on the day of

our visit – without letting too

much water into the cockpit.

Unlike most boats, the cockpit

fl oor is at cabin level, draining via

its own bilge sump and pump.

This means that it is an extension

of the cabin – useful on a smaller

boat. There are pitch-pine plank

seats either side, which contain

the stainless steel water tanks

(780-litre total capacity). There

is also storage, which serves as

an ideal place to dry waterproofs,

as well as good LED lighting.

Reeves & Sons have welded

small upstands on the inner

edge of the gunwales, which

mean that the canopy sides have

a solid base to mount against,

preventing water coming in

from a strong wind or leaky

lock gate. It also prevents the

all-too-common practice of

having canvas resting on the

gunwale itself, which can be

treacherous underfoot. You can

also see the skill of the welders

in combining modern steel with

the riveted iron of the old hull.

The interior of Autarky refl ects

its owner’s use of solo cruising

for long periods, while allowing

for visits from family and friends.

As you enter the cabin, you have

full standing headroom in the

centre – around 6ft 1in, which

is less than many modern craft.

The advantage of this height is

that it does not require the boat

to have a deep draught or a

bridge-clobbering tall cabin roof.

The fi rst part of the cabin

has two long settees, which

take advantage of the sloping

roof above (under the ‘false

clothed’ part of the cabin) as

you don’t need full headroom

over a sofa. The settees were

designed to be a little higher than

normal so that, when sitting,

the knee is kept from bending

to beyond 90 degrees, which

makes getting up easier than

more conventional lower seats.

These are exceptionally

comfortable places to sit and

stretch out, and for dining, a

couple of tables sitting on desmo

legs can be put into place to

allow up to six to eat in comfort.

The tables are stowed against

the cabin roof side when not

in use. There is a lot of long-

term storage under the berths,

which is easy to access – helped

by being a little deeper.

GalleyYou might think that a boat with

only two portholes and three

side doors (one of each in the

galley) would be very dark – but

even on the miserable autumn

day of our visit, Autarky was

light inside. This is due to the

superb prism roof lights, as well

as the white centre ceiling panels

and light oak woodwork of the

cabin linings. LED lighting is

controllable around the boat,

giving good general and task

lighting. The galley is a centre-

corridor format, which makes

the most use of the small space.

To starboard is a deep Belfast

sink, set into an Iroko worktop

(reclaimed laboratory benches).

Underneath are a 12V fridge

and Candy washing machine,

as well as further storage.

To port is the diesel range: a

Dickinson Adriatic. These stoves

are very expensive new, but

Brian managed to fi nd a second-

hand one at a very reasonable

price on a yacht on the south

coast. Running from diesel, it

has a hotplate as well as an oven.

It also has a 5kW output for

domestic heating, which runs

central heating in the rest of the

boat, as well as heating a coil in

the calorifi er, plus space heating

in the main cabin. It is very

easily controlled and produces

no mess, unlike solid fuel stoves.

The external fl ue might not be

as traditional as a coal stove, but

it still fi ts in well with the boat.

The range is surrounded by

white tiling, which enhances the

stainless steel fi nish of the stove.

Under the high worktop to

port are three large self-closing

drawers. These are far more


Roof prisms give lots

of natural light and are

backed up by LED units.

The two sofas

make generous

single berths, while

twin tables store

on the cabin side

out of the way.



practical than simple cupboards,

as they allow full access, rather

than meaning you have to grope

around the back, feeling for ‘lost’

items. Brian is determined to carry

on boating for as long as possible,

so thinking through how to make

life easier in the future has been

a key part of planning the boat.

BathroomThe walk-through bathroom is

entered through a frosted glass

door, made specifi cally to match

the boat. This allows light to enter

the bathroom from both ends

(there is a second glass door to

the engine room) and makes it

quite spacious. The entire fl oor is

composed of ceramic tiles, with

a decent, noticeable slope to a

centre drain point – this is a true

wet room. The shower sump also

drains the galley and bathroom

sinks, via a Whale Gulper pump.

The shower unit is mounted to

port, against a curved cupboard,

the lower part containing the

calorifi er. The waterproof wall

boarding, which is skilfully

curved around the cupboard,

makes the whole space easy

to clean. Heating pipes under

the fl oor ensure the tiles dry

quickly. There are also a large

radiator and a good-sized

sink, with mirror above.

Dominating the bathroom

is the large composting toilet.

There is no way of hiding its

bulk, as it does take up a lot of

space. Brian felt that, as you get

older, moving cassette toilet tanks

(around 20kg-plus when full) is

not a good idea – and a pump-

out toilet is not ideal for year-

round use. The composting toilet

should produce the minimum

amount of waste, and not need

special disposal facilities.

Some composting toilet units

are much smaller, but this tends

to be achieved by separating

urine from the rest of the waste;

they also have to be emptied

frequently. The large Envirolet

unit on board has a fan fi tted to

help draw air through, so drying

out the waste. Many systems fail

to work, as they are too soggy for

aerobic decomposition to occur,

so can make the boat smell like

‘damp woodland’ throughout.

However, by running heating

pipes under the toilet (including

those to/from the engine and

calorifi er), plus installing two

other fans – one of which is

turned on during cruising – the

water content is removed. Brian

also adds a scoop of accelerator

mixture every now and then,

which contains enzymes and

bacteria. After four months of

living aboard, a quick check

showed around 1cm of compost

in the tray, so it’s been a great

success. And there’s no smell!

Engine roomPride of place in the engine room

is a Russell Newbury DM1– not

surprising, given Brian’s previous

involvement with RN. This 9hp

single cylinder engine is not in

the usual dark green livery, but

the Manchester Red centenary

colours for the 100th year of

production in 2009. The engine

is mounted slightly offset by 5in,

to give greater space to pass by.

The PRM 260 gearbox has an

unusual 1.5:1 ratio, allowing it

to swing a 20in Crowther prop.

Cooled by twin skin tanks (so

allowing it to run hard up against

a bank, if required), the engine

also heats the hot water, and,

through a heat exchanger, can

warm up the cabin. This busts

the myth that small traditional

engines don’t run hot enough


The neat header tank by

the steerer’s feet gives

gentle warmth, without

the need to lug bags of

coal to power a range.

The hefty single cylinder

Russell Newbury DM1 engine in

centenary colours is ideal for

this boat and has been o� set to

create more walkway space.

There is tool and spares

storage under the fl oor to the

port of the engine.

The composting toilet is huge

compared to other units, but is

working very well without odour.

The bathroom has been

designed as a wet room, which

drains into a sump. The curved

cupboard hides the calorifi er.



to produce useful heat.

The engine is fed via a day

tank, which holds enough to

supply the engine and diesel

range for three days. The

main fuel tank is a U-shaped

1,200-litre unit that takes up

some of the space under the

furniture in the back cabin. The

fi ller cap is inside the port door,

which means that it is secure

when left, avoiding fuel theft.

There is a useful calibrated

fl oat gauge on the tank.

A 90-amp alternator is belt-

driven directly from the fl ywheel

to give a good ratio of speed

to the alternator – useful when

the engine is running around

400rpm while cruising – and has

made the engine 9in shorter than

a conventional mounting. The

charge is into a set of 2V 680Ah

traction cells (plus conventional

start battery), giving large storage

from the engine – topped up

by the solar panels (through a

Victron MPPT controller). As

the alternator takes around 2hp,

the engine is started and allowed

to run for a few minutes before

the alternator is switched on.

This defi nitely puts the engine

under load until the batteries

are up to around 14V, meaning

slower cruising fi rst thing in the

morning or a wait of about 30

minutes. The Adverc charging

system makes sure the alternator

gives its best output – essential

with the true traction batteries.

Domestic 230V electrics are

provided by a shoreline connecter

in the engine room for the odd

times when moored in a marina.

Most of the time a Victron

Multiplus 3000/120 combi will

give up to the 3kW of pure

sine wave power required by

the washing machine. The 12V

batteries are monitored with a

Merlin Smartgauge, which is more

accurate than a simple voltmeter.

To port of the engine is a lot of

space under the fl oor to keep tools

and spare parts out of the way.

Back cabinThe back cabin is the main

sleeping accommodation and is

not a replica of a working boat’s,

but a far more pragmatic space.

To starboard a long, raised side

bench makes a comfortable

single berth. There is also a

drop-down wide double berth,

with cupboards above – making

the whole port-side a long bank

of cupboards. The space under

the forward part of the berths is

taken up by the fuel tank, though

there is still plenty of room.

The fl oor is raised, but the use

of a single-lever throttle and gear

lever, rather than separate push-

pull gear change and speedwheel,

means that the reduced

headroom is less head-bashing

than many back cabins. Doors

separate the engine room from

the cabin, though these swing

open to give good access forward

– needed when heading to the

toilet during the night. Heating is

by a pair of 22mm copper pipes,

which lead to a large header

tank aft by the steerer’s legs.

Brian no longer wanted to lug

25kg bags of coal around, so

the lack of stove in the aft cabin

is made up for by the warmth

from the header tank. Four

shallow steps also make a much

easier climb up to the stern,

aided by the large hatch. Access

to the weedhatch is thankfully

though a deck hatch, rather than

requiring the more traditional

crawl under the counter.

UnderwayThe single cylinder engine has a

distinctive note, and a very sweet

sound. At tickover, especially

under the alternator load, the

DM1 blows smoke rings until it is

warmed up; however, the exhaust

is remarkably clear after that.

Vibration is almost non-existent,

with plenty of power in reserve for

tidal waterways – though Autarky’s

engine is probably nearing the

limit of go-anywhere capability,

despite the massive torque of the

1.3-litre cylinder. The tiller is a

good height and the long swims

give superb handling as well as

very little wash. The bow cuts the

water well, and the single lever

engine control makes the boat

arguably easier to control, as long

as you don’t rush gear changes.


The electrics are logical

and well installed.

WW’s VerdictAs a self-su� cient boat for one man and his

dog, Autarky certainly lives up to its name.

Using a 100-year-old hull to form the

basis of a new boat requires far more work

than most of us could ever contemplate.

But Brian is a very experienced boater, who

knows what he wants. The result is a craft

that perfectly meets his requirements. What’s

more, it has been achieved for the cost of a

bog-standard, low- to mid-range 57ft boat.

The modest length of Autarky is almost

all useable cabin space – so has the feel of

something much larger. As well as being

extremely practical, a homely feel has been

created without the excess of traditional

embellishments that some boats have. While not

for everyone, it is a fi ne piece of craftsmanship,

with a top-notch engine, fi ttings and layout.

We wish Brian all the best for many

years of cruising on Autarky.

The back cabin features

a drop-down double

berth plus lots of storage.

Copper pipes give

background warmth.


new boat, historic hull

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