MGDuff Blog: MGDuff Protects Floating restaurant
MGDuff has designed and supplied a novel protection system for The Glass Boat, a restaurant situated in Bristol Floating Harbour. The glass boat, a 105 ft Charles Hill Barge was originally built circa 1924 in the Charles Hill Boatyard which is now the site of Abels boatyard. Abels boatyard are carrying out the refit on the site where the barge was originally built and includes completely replacing the hull and building a dining extension at the aft end which will be glazed with glass.
A new hull is being fabricated from steel and, when this is completed, the existing hull will be dry docked on to the new structure and welded to it. The void space between will be filled with foam concrete, this has a lower density than normal concrete which will add to the buoyancy to keep the vessel afloat.
MGDuff recommends the use of magnesium anodes in fresh water environments as these anodes have a higher current output compared to aluminium or zinc and therefore, can be used in high resistivity waters. The new hull will be protected in fresh water by a series of magnesium hanging anodes which will enable the anodes to be replaced without the need for expensive dry docking and thus enabling the restaurant to remain open.
The refit is due to be completed summer 2007.