Barge fitting out?

[ladylola]

A friend of mine is looking to buy a barge in "sailaway" condition. Sailaway means the boat is essentially a hull and engine , working but not fitted out i.e. no cabins, kitchens or the like. The hull is steel.
Now my friend has asked my advice about fitting it out as he wants to do as much of the work himself as possible.
He is not a big fan of the paneling normally found in these barges and would prefer something more like what one encounters in a house and to this end asked me if there is any reason why the inside couldn't be plasterboard and skim?
Now I admit my knowledge here isn't complete but I feel that the plaster wouldn't stand up to the shock of being in the barge more than anything else. There will be bumps with locks and quays and expansion and contraction and flexing of the hull which I think would leave a lot of skim on the deck. My friend then asked if wouldn't the foam insulation on the inside of the hull protect it. I'll admit to not being sure here.
I also thought that maybe there may be problems with moisture, it being in close vinicity to a large body of water but is the inside of a barge really any wetter than a house?
Based on the gaps in my knowledge I wondered if any body has any sort of definitive answer.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

does this help;
http://www.barging.co.uk/diy-fitout.htm

 

[wotan]

I don't think plasterboard has any place at all in this type of environment, as it's easily damaged, and is susceptible to damp, marine plywood or at least exterior grade plywood, would be my choice.

Wotan

 

[ladylola]

I agree with you about the plasterboard being easy to damage and I'm thinking that the damage would come from the hull itself rather than the boats occupants?
The plywood is what is customary used but my friend is not keen on the visual aspect of it and I understand what he means. I've seen many boats that have ply interiors that are stained and don't do much to make the boat look bright inside. He is looking for something that will have a smooth surface that can be painted or coloured in a pale colour.He is also keen not to see the grain througt the paint, moisture resistant mdf may be an option but I;m still not convinced.
Someone else has suggested plastic paneling. They have had their bathroom done in this ( I forget the trade name), panels are around 1 foot wide and click together. To be honest I wouldn't have this myself. Yes it's smooth, modern and easy to clean but it seems just a little bit to clinical.
Any other suggestions?

 

[wotan]

On some of the high quality boats we have hired on the Norfolk Broads
some of them have been lined with what is best described as corduroy, with the ribs horizontal.
This would have to be glued to a plywood backing surface.
I would imagine there colours available to suit most tastes.

Wotan