Liveaboard Boat, 36 Foot X 12 Foot Converted Ships Lifeboat

Charlotte is a 36 foot by 12 foot Empress class ships lifeboat that has been converted into a comfortable live aboard house boat. Originally a fiberglass 100 person ships life boat hull she has been converted by the addition of a plywood superstructure. The accommodation is as follows: Entering the boat by the hand rail (steel welded construction), Wide side decks run along side the wheel house, large open deck space fore has the raised fore cabin, mooring bollard and anchor windless, escape hatch for the fore-cabin. The rear deck has the raised cover to the engine room, mooring bollard, door to the gas bottle locker, door to the rear cabin escape hatch. Once raised the engine room hatch cover leads down via a step onto the engine which is used to step down into the engine room.

The engine is a six cylinder Ford cargo with mermaid heat exchanger, water cooled exhaust and marine gearbox. The engine is located but needs lining up to the prop-shaft. All the raw water equipment is available but needs fitting. A single 70 gallon diesel tank is located on the starboard side. This has most pipe work in place and has 60 ltrs of fuel.

To the port of the engine is the 30 ltr hot water tank with immersion heater and tapping to heat from the engine or heating system. The hot water system is connected and working through the immersion heater to supply hot water to the rest of the boat. Further along the port side is located both battery locations. A battery box containing 3 x 110 amp-hour deep cycle battery set, this feeds and is charged by a 5.5 KWH inverter charger, The shore power line runs through this unit. Most of the 12 volt domestic wiring is completed for the boat, the work remaining is to connect up the gauges for the engine.

A separate 110 amp-hour battery is located below the domestic battery box to start the engine. The wiring is avaliable for this but has not been fitted as the boat is on hard standing. The 240 volt fuse box is located next to the inverter/charger, all 240 volt wiring is completed. Two auto/ manual bilge pumps are fitted and wired. The gas bottle locker door opens to the locker which is sealed from the rest of the boat and has two bottles and a bubble test device fitted to the system.

All the gas pipe work is completed and appliances working. Navigation light and running/deck lights are fitted and working. A door from either side deck leads to the wheel house. Forward mounted is the steering position. The wheel is fitted and connected through a teliflex system to the rudder.

There are two morse type leavers fitted for the engine speed and gear control, These are fitted with the control cables running through to the engine room but need connecting to the engine. Domestic battery isolator, fuse box and switches are located at the point along with some gauges. A full set of gauges exist for the boat. VHF radio is fitted. On the starboard side the galley is located with SS/ Sink and draner, Neptune two gas hob, grill and oven.

With storage. To the port seating is located. A raised platform area leads to the fridge/freezer, storage cupboards, microwave and TV. The wheel house floor and platform are carpeted, the wheel house ceiling is painted tongue and grove with inset lighting, and two mushroom vents. A hatch and doors lead down to the forward cabin.

Ladder leads down to the cabin level. A double bed separate single bed and storage is located in this space. There is a vast amount of storage under the two beds. This space is usable but needs finishing off as the roof is not yet lined and the wiring and control cables are exposed. Double doors lead through to the head.

To the starboard is a sink with tap and cupboard unit (Tap plumbed H/C and pump connected) forward is a chemical toilet, port side is a bath (not yet plumed but will all fittings. Escape hatch leads to fore deck. Head linings and plumbing to be completed. Forward again is space for two large cupboards, one for the anchor chain and warp ( on the boat but not fitted) and the other for towels. A Hatch and doors lead down to the rear cabin.

Ladder leads down to cabin level. Starboard side and under ladder is storage for cloths. Port side is a double bed. Above is a hanging wardrobe / escape hatch which leads to the rear deck. Rearward is a door to the head.

To the starboard is a sink with storage under. To port is a full size shower. A chemical toilet is also located in this space. The rear cabin is lined and the lighting is completed the space is also carpeted. All plumbing and pumps are located and working.

From the rear cabin a door leads through to the utility / tank room. This is not a full standing height space. Located in this space is the washing machine plumbed and working. Tumble dryer which vents to the port cabin side. And three 110 ltr rigid plastic water tanks which supply water to the boat.

The main fresh water pump is also located in this space. The space is usable but needs the head lining and lighting to be finished, there is also scope to add much storage to this space and line the hull sides. The history of the boat: Charlotte is the last known empress style ships lifeboat. She was built by Mills and co in west midlands and was one of 840 boats built to this design. She was sold to Harland and Wolf and saw service on a cross channel ferry.

On each ship lifeboats were placed to port and starboard with the forward of each set being a motor boat, Charlotte is the last known motor lifeboat from this class.The class ran from 1956 through to 1965 describes the hull construction, dimensions of the craft and the davit hangers which are still fitted to the craft. After this time the design changed as did the class name. Empress class lifeboats were the largest fiberglass vessels that it was possible to build at that time. The hull is constructed in two halves and is bolted together with well over 150 bolts and a massive forged davit hanger and 'D' hoop at each end. These are capable of holding eight tons of craft and 100 people as they are lowered into the sea.

After this time the design changed so that the craft was made in one piece but the mold was in many pieces. When her mother ship was scrapped she was sold to be converted into a fishing boat and saw service out of south wales ports until eighteen years ago when she was taken under her own steam to Stourport upon Severn where on hard standing she was converted to her present form. We purchased her two years ago as a bare hull and superstructure and have fitter her out to the present level and moved her back down to the coast.Mooring:If you choose to, you will be able to approach the boat yard owners to maintain the mooring. As you can see we are on hard standing at the moment, with this boat yard there are a choice of three locations when you slip her. The yard has a lift and a crane so moving her or slipping her is not a problem once the winter storage boats have gone.At the moment we are on residential terms, so the mooring / hard-standing charges are as normal, the yard charges a residential supplement and council tax is liable if you choose to live here.

Electric is by prepayment meter.Hard-standing charge is £156.00 per month. Residential charge is £25.00 per month.To complete the boat:Engine is on its bed but not lined up. Diesel is partly run to the engine, the return pipe needs doing. The raw water strainer needs fitting and connecting up, same for raw water outlet. Exhaust needs fitting.

These parts are mostly available as part of the sale.Forward cabin. Some woodworking required to finish off fit out and box in the wiring, controls from the helm. H&C pluming to the bath + the waste.Gauges need fitting to the helm.Side decks need to be glassed to make them fully watertight.We are happy to email more pictures if you need them. Please do come down to see her. Payment by cash or bank transfer please.