Obviously this question will upset some however after todays blinding experience it does raise  concern.

Early this afternoon we went through the Bosworth tunnel and whilst doing so we met a narrow boat coming towards us with a LED tunnel light.  Although the boat was 800m away from us the brightness of this light made it impossible for me to see where I was going unless I blocked the light with my hand. So here comes a happy chappy on his boat with enough light to illuminate Blackpool and all I can see is a bright light similar to the light an optician shines into your eye so they can see the back of your eyeball.

I slowed right down and was hard to the right to allow him to pass safely, then blow me down we heard the sound of metal against brick as he boat chiselled a new scar into the tunnel wall.

Not only that, he also had two additional LED lights just in front of the helmsman position.

As the boat went passed, being vey curious I looked back to see the benefits of the tunnel light and yes it lite the tunnel and yes you could see everything, however this is at the expense of boats coming towards not being able to see jack s**t!

So I ask the question again, are LED tunnel lights really necessary?

If you have a number of windows on your boat, then you will certainly know about condensation problems this time of the year. Double glazing will make a huge difference to the condensation on the windows as well as reducing heat loss immensely and cutting out the constant draughts due to convection. (See the double glazing thread if you want to know more LINK) That is just basic physics, but there is also the perceived idea that stopping the window condensation will increase it elsewhere. That is not neccesarily true, but is sometimes seen as such.

Any given mass of air will be able to absorb a fixed ammount of moisture before it becomes saturated. The higher the temperature of that air, the more moisture it can contain. The air volume of a boat is much smaller than a house, so the saturation point arrives quicker than a house would. As windows are usually the coldest surface of the boat and the biggest heat loss, they will reduce the temperature of the air next to them until the dew point is reached and the water condenses on the cold surface. If we double glaze the windows, the air will not make contact with the cold surface and the moisture will be retained as the overall air temperature will remain higher. The downside though is that the air will still contain the moisture as it hasn't chucked it on the windows, so is likely to deposit it on other cold surfaces.

Boats tend to be very variable in the quality of insulation, but generally, any hidden surface, under beds, behind furniture, inside cupboards, behind curtains, is going to have little access to the warmer air, which tends to rise. the colder air will reach the colder surfaces and quickly reach dewpoint giving condensation. As these areas are hidden most of the time, moisture will be absorbed into the surroundings, giving mildew and promoting rot.

So what can we do about it? Well there are number of things, all or any of which can make a big difference.

We need to replace the saturated moist air with drier air, so ventilation with outside drier air is essential. Naturally in sub zero conditions we tend to keep everything closed up, but certainly during the day, try to open the odd window or the hatch for a while, even if you need to boost the heat a little. A solid fuel stove always draws in air to burn, so a fresh air supply near the stove will bring air in, without creating draughts everywhere. Leave cupboard doors open where possible and leave air gaps behind furniture and under beds. One idea which works very well is to use very low power consumption computer fans to circulate air in otherwise unventilated areas. This will help to move the warmer air around the boat and prevent the closed in areas reaching dew point.

Any cold smooth area is likely to promote condensation, but one area which is often overlooked is water pipes. All year round, but particularly in the Winter, the fresh water pipes are extremely cold. As they are frequently run around the edges of the boat, they pass under beds, through cupboards, behind skirtings etc. They will be dripping with condensation if unlagged and are a large contributor to low level moisture. The dripping water will be absorbed into the surrounding woodwork and anything near them, giving mould, mildew and leading to rot. It can be stopped by using very cheap foam pipe lagging from any DIY store, over all of the pipes, hot and cold.

ALL smooth areas behind cupboards, under beds, lockers, should be covered with something like thin cord carpet, which should be glued firmly to the surface, leaving no airgaps behind. This should also be carried out on all closed in floor areas, to avoid the bottoms of boxes or stored clothes absorbing moisture.

Cut down on production of moisture, by only boiling as much water as you need. Don't leave the kettle on the stove all day, it will give you constant hot water, but also massive ammounts of airborne moisture. Boil the kettle when you need it and save any surplus in a large vaccuum flask. Try to have a window open next to where you are boiling saucepans or kettles. When possible, dry any towels or washing outside the boat. Don't let washing up drip dry, use a tea towel then dry it outside. All these things will save recirculating the same moisture.

Finally, you can remove some moisture from the air by using a dehumidifier if you have hookup or a plentiful power supply. Much cheaper, is a few breakfast bowls half full of table salt around the boat, which will absorb considerable ammounts of water. It can be refreshed regularly for liitle cost or even dried out and reused if you can dry it away from the boat.

I'm sure others will have useful additions that I have forgotten, but I hope that some of this will help to make the winter less damp and more enjoyable.

Roger

I am on the verge of buying a narrowboat but latterly a friend commented on widebeams as an alternative.

I live in N Wales very close to the Llangollen and shropshire canals (middlewich/chester).

Thanks in advance

FN

I'm still very new to this so I've still got loads of questions to ask and advice to seek.

Not that we've had a particularly warm summer but this will be my first winter having a boat.

How do I 'winterise' it ?

The cars sitting on the drive have been sorted by the garage but where do I start with a boat?

Water tanks need draining, heating bleeding and of course the engine coolant ??????

How do I stop it becomming a giant ice box ?

Condensation????

I'm not live aboard but can get to the boat in 10 minutes if the traffic is bad so I can start the engine etc whenever I need to.

It's on a marina supply and has an electric radiator on board.

Any tips from some of the more experienced boaters would be much appreciated.

Thanks.

I had to dismantle the flue and collar due to corrosion. Anyway, replaced all the bits I needed to, including a new plate and collar on the roof. The question is, when fitting the flue back into the back of the fire, do I use a rubber sealant (heat proof of course) with the fire-rope, or use a heat cement? I believe the flue will probably will contract and expand - so is the sealant the best option? 

Thanks

I am quite new to boat life and new to living aboard but I'm very much enjoying it. This is my first winter on my new build in a marina and I have a bit of an issue with the smell of wood smoke lingering in my boat coming in from my mushroom vents. My neighbours boat is constantly pouring out wood smoke day and night and I am smelling this inside my boat in all of the rooms. I have carbon monoxide monitors and these have not gone off yet (not the digital type) this is giving me a sore throat and it's very unpleasant. I would be so grateful if you could advise me on this as I am worried about my health. Thank you.

however looking to learn from your experience; good experiences ??

if I wanted a modern fully equipped new build 57ish live aboard (or at least CCing) NB, can I achieve that up to £100k with real craftsmanship .... and if so who are you recommending 

thanks 

Nelly Mac 

I have done an Internet search but can't seem to find an answer to my question. Does anyone know if you are allowed to trade from a wide beam boat on the canals of Great Britain? 

Does anyone know of a bilge cleaning company,  around Watford way.

Many thanks

Alex

The last time I used the fire, the expansion tank leaked and I replaced the
seal, since then, when the thermostat kicks in, the pump sounds like its working,
but neither pipe on the radiator gets hot.

When I've bled the radiater, water comes out, but no obvious air.
The expansion tank has been topped up.

Now it's getting a lot cooler at night, can anyone suggest anything I can do to get the radiator hot again ?

Cheers

were now proud owners of our own boat and would like to get down to do the london ring , what are the current requirements for the Thames element and do you need to entre the Thames with other boats etc ?

 We have dozens of photos of her but not one shows her reg number .fingers crossed someone will read this and message me . Mavis Cooper  coopermavis@aol.com.

I’m after some advice, I’ve owed and own a couple boats in my day but I’ve always done it alone it’s been my passion. I had a stroke in january and for the time being can’t be on the water everyday. So I’m considering a syndicate, I’d much rather start a new one and buy a boat we all want then join one that’s been going for years and I have to slot in to awkwardly arranged weeks. Does anyone know how hard a task it actually is to set up a syndicate with the intentions of buying a new build boat ? Any advice is greatly appreciated I really want to be out on the water but I can’t justify having my own boat 52 weeks a year when most of that time she will be sat there alone. 
 

thanks all and stay safe xxx

Thanks

The aim is to find a permanent mooring and occasionally travel some of the canal network, in a boat that will be less than 50ft. I am generally a fit, active and hard working person but wonder if a single person  could manage the physical side such as going through locks on their own. Are there boaters of my age, and above, out there  coping with the normal physical  canal life ? Any information/advice would be welcome.

My questions is: if the boat is not exempt from VAT then presumably the buyer needs to factor an additional 20% into their offer (one way or another)? Is it standard practice to offer a net amount with an additional 20% paid separately / directly by the buyer to HMRC? Am I understanding this VAT thing correctly? 

Thank you