Alan de Enfield

I do not understand what you mean ? The batteries should charge from the engine alternator all of the time the engine is running (for just 2 minutes or for 10 hours) What is the piece of equipment you have that switches off after 2 hours ? Do you have a mains (220v AC) charger plugged into an inverter ? If so, this would mean that you are using the power stored in the battery to charge the battery - that is a route to madness !

It has not got very far in the last 5 months (Lincoln to Langrick) A 60ft (18m) drifting barge has been made safe by members of the public after it travelled, without a crew, for more than four miles (7km) down the River Witham in Lincolnshire. Eyewitnesses said the abandoned vessel began its journey at Langrick on Sunday after its mooring ropes became detached from the bank. John Aston, a local boat owner, said stopping the "substantial vessel" was challenging. "It took between eight and 10 people to bring it under control and it was picking up speed near to Boston," he said. Mr Aston said the actions of the group averted "serious damage" to a set of lock gates outside the town. Kat Rushby, a boater on the river, said she had contacted The Canal and River Trust and the fire service to raise her concerns about the potential damage the vessel could do. "If it had been left to reach the lock, many of the boats along there are fibreglass and would have been damaged possibly beyond repair." Stephen Hardy from the Canal and River Trust said they had traced the owner and he was "on his way with some ropes" to secure the vessel properly. "It sounds quite dramatic and thankfully no one was hurt. Thankfully, at this time of year the river is a lot quieter than it would be during the warmer months," he said. Mr Aston said the vessel had been unoccupied at its moorings at Langrick "for some weeks". "I think the real owner is in Australia. There's someone looking after the boat for him," he said. Mr Hardy said he did not know how the vessel became untied, but he understood the owner was going to remove the vessel from the area. "He's going to take it elsewhere, off our network," he said. I wonder if that is pump-out or cassette ?

You just do not seem to understand the written word - do you ! I simply said that I had more 'life experience' and hours boating than you do, so will be more likely to have experienced more problems that you. Talking of "I'm better than you" - how many times do you remind us of the 13 patent certificates you have on your office wall, and that as your job is designing 'electronic things' - means you know more than others do !

It is called boating real life experience - something that you have yet to achieve, something that is only gained over time - not available in a book or a 'certificate' on your office wall- after 45 years boating, 18+ boats and 10s of thousands of miles I have probably experienced most things that could happen. A bit like driving you car 1000 miles a week - you are more likely to have a puncture or an accident than you are if you are driving 100 miles a week.

But if you were moored (say) starboard side to , did you take the mooring lines over the boat and tie off on the port side (meaning the baddies had to get onto and across the boat to untie you ?)

Exactly, as any sensible person would realise.

An example of where a fused starter motor cable may be advantagous. I had a 'boat fire' in that much of the wiring harness melted, black nasty smoke and bare wires shorting out. It turned out that the engine lifting eye had broken off / unscrewed / vibrated off and dropped down the side of the engine until it fell between the starter motor and the engine block causing a short. Fortunately, being twin engined with totally separate systems, allowed me to continue on one engine and get safely back. Would a fuse have reduced the damage ?

The inch ......................

If a narrowboat would fit into a suitcase - whilton would be on Peckham Market alongside Del ! Do your investigations thoroughly - whilton do have some good boats but they have also been known to lie about things - particularly the ownership of the boat. They have sold several (a small number greater than 1 and less than 4) that have sunk on their way to their new moorings. As Jen says - before buying a boat that you intend to rent out, read up on the laws and C&RTs requirements, eg you will need to have a boat safety certificate to a higher standard that a 'private' boat, you will need a commercial licence and commercial insurance. You will be classed as a 'landlord' and will need to have the boat checked and issued with a 'landlords gas and electical' certificate. Then there are conditions about having a permanent mooring, waste disposal facilities (rubbish and toilet emptying) etc etc.

The 16hp model Perkins "P-KMS" is listed here : Perkins Outboard Models and Manual Directory Manufactured 1959-1961 K = 16hp M = manual pull start S = short shaft (leg length) Manuals are available from the above link.

Just worth checking on your specific charger. I have a Halfords charger which 'just keeps going', I have seen it up at 17v, but now just use it on 'manual connect/disconnect' for equilisation (FLA) for a hour or so at high voltage (16v) but minimum current (<2amps)

That is so astonishingly unlikely to be not even worthy of consideration.

If your 'waste pipe' is blocked it becomes very difficult to have a 'dump' Eat more Bran !

And she surely doesn't want her "waste pipe choking" - maybe eat more bran !

You firstly need to ask yourself if you want to buy products that do what they are supposed to do, or, do you want to buy "Eco products".