Canal Boat – July 2018

70 July 2018 Canal Boat canalboat.co.uk

BACKCABIN

bonnets of certain sports cars in that,

generally, shorter is not good. Remember

that, when thinking up a range of trad

designs for the front, that the foredeck of a

carrying boat, and therefore the bend below

it, is well over six feet long.

If your boat has a cruiser stern and lots of

windows I think that one panel, going the

full length of the cabin is enough. It’s almost

inevitable that dividing it up will look

contrived since the panels will be entirely

dictated by the position and size of the

windows rather the actual shape of the boat.

Something simple that is well presented

works wonderfully well.

If a boat is what is known as a ‘trad’ there

should hopefully be portholes, at least at the

back end of the cabin. This allows more

freedom in the placing of panels, although

aesthetics dictate that one big panel, with a

smaller one in front of it, leading then to one

long one going along to the front, is the most

tasteful way – if you want the whole cabin

side panelled that is.

Better to my eye, especially if the boat is a

good replica of working boat, is what I’ve

come to call an ‘all or nothing’ scheme. In

such a layout, the back end of the cabin is

panelled like an old carrying boat: a large

panel at the back, a smaller engine room

panel including the doors, and a very slim

panel in front of that.

Equally well, the doors could form a panel

of their own. From there forward, you simply

settle for a continuation of the handrail with

the remainder plain, and perhaps a different

but complimentary main colour, or carrying

a thin line – preferably the same colour as

the handrail, not necessarily the same colour

as the ‘coach’ or ‘stress’ lines around the

panels at the back. That really looks the

business as long as the plain bits are well

finished. Then you can go to town on the

for’end and ‘cratch’ board.

So you have a gloriously lettered and

decorated chunk at the back (one third of

the overall cabin length is plenty)

preceded by a lovely elegant saloon, or

whatever, all announced by a beautifully

decorative for’end.

Of course, there’s always an alternative! A

boat of elegant proportions and style can be

painted with almost severe simplicity.

Colours don’t have to sing, they can also

whisper. Just remember that the plainer the

layout, the fewer places has the painter to

hide.

If you are going to paint a big boat in a

plain but highly tasteful way, and it can

produce a truly stunning result, you will

have to paint it well. Very well.

One last thing, make sure the shapes you

create suit the shape of the boat. Don’t

impose a layout just because you fancy it –

square pegs, round holes etc.

TECHNICAL

A smooth finish provides

the perfect key

Flaking paint must be removed

CAreful masking for panel painting