THE BUILDING OF 'SLOW PACE'


A 60’ semi-trad, reverse layout, bespoke designed narrowboat with shell built by Reeves
and fit-out by Heartwood Narrowboats.



This is a blog of the building and fit-out of the Narrowboat Slow Pace from base plate to launch.
The more recent postings are pictures taken during our cruising.






Worktops & Tiling

7 November 2008

The galley worktops and bathroom vanity top have been made & fitted by Roann / T Foley Interiors. Our thanks go to them for their helpful service and an excellent job done.

An early posting showed our paper concept templates, wooden ones produced by Heartwood followed and we now have the real thing!


The worktops are made of 30mm quartz (Prestige Spectrum Black). The undermounted sink & and hob have been fitted.


The cupboards below were made to follow the shape of the worktops. A breakfast bar extends into the saloon.


Maria has laid the slate mosaic floor tiles in the galley....


.... and, apart from the grouting, completed the tiling in the bathroom. The vanity top is also made of quartz. The tiles above the vanity, which are also laid on the foor, are a blend of travertine and marble.


A curved corner cupboard is being built to follow the shape of the step that leads from the bow into the forward bedroom.

The gas pipwork & fittings are all in place.

Dinette

24 October 2008

Our L-shaped dinette is taking shape.

The space below will be used for two footstalls and storage. The calorifier is housed under the return section.

Some nice curves!

The removable back rest makes the conversion to a double bed.


More paint & progress.

10 October 2008

The undercoat has now been applied and work inside the boat is progressing well.







The control panel has been fitted and awaits connection.

The galley cupboard doors are now all in palce. The ones here will be below the breakfast bar.

The fridge & microwave spaces are tested!

The sink & hob holes have been cut in the worktop template.

The bathroom tiling is almost complete.

Work on the beds continues. This double cross-over bed has drawers with further storage behind accessed by a lift up panel.

The two single beds in the 2nd bedroom are designed to have lift up tops, allowing for plenty of storage!

These wall cupboards are being built in both bedrooms.

Green to Grey and soon to be Blue!

25 September 2008

The initial coat of green primer put on by Reeves has now been covered by a few coats of grey primer.

Ian puts the final touches to the last curved galley cupboard door!

Galley & Beds

11 September 2008

On our latest visit to Heartwood we find the galley is progessing and a start has been made on the beds and wiring up the electrics cupboard.

The galley takes shape.

The doors are being hand made and curved to match the wortop template profile.

Our oven is in place!

Small, but perfectly formed!

Port side carcassing has been started.....

....and so have the beds!


Installation of the electrical equipment has also commenced.

Bathroom, Propeller, Batteries & Engine

22 August 2008

Our latest trip to Heartwood is followed on Saturady by a visit to the IWA Festival.

The bathroom wall cabinet has been made.

The vacuum toilet pump assemly & cassette positioned in the vanity unit.

Access for removing the cassette has been made in the bulkhead.

The first of the galley carcasses take shape.

We have a propeller.....

.... and four AGM batteries!

Installation of the engine has commenced.




Following our visit to heartwood we spent the next day at the IWA Fesitval, which was held this year at Autherley Junction on the Shropshire Canal.

Bathroom & Galley

08 08 08

Our latest trip to Heartwood gives us a chance to see the progress of the bathroom tiling and agree the final layout of the galley.

Maria has started tiling the bathroom walls......

..... and the floor!

We decide the best position for the WC pan!

Paul transposed our 'concept' paper galley worktop templates onto plywood.

These were then positioned at the correct height, which allowed us to make any changes necessary to the size & shape from both a practical & aesthetic point of view.

Now we have agreed the postion of the oven, hob, sink, fridge & microwave, the work on the carcasses can commence. The doors of the base units will be shaped to follow the curve of the worktops - a Heartwood speciality!

The plumbing starts

25 July 2008

The plumbing in has commenced and the electrics cupboard has been formed.


The washing machine is in postion and the calorifier, which will be under the L-shaped dinette, has been plumbed in.


The elecrics cupboard is sited above the washing machine.


The shower waste pump has been fitted.

This bathroom vanity cupboard will also house the toilet vacuum cassette, which will be accessed from the lobby.

The strainer, pump & accumulator have been plumbed into the water tank. The cables seen going out the bow doors will be for charging the bow thruster battery.

Our control panel has arrived!