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Sawley has for years been just one of those places you drift by, maybe a short stop, but not for long. Now, however it has become the destination of choice for the discerning boater with its fantastic facilities and attractions making longer stays more enjoyable. Listed on Trip Advisor by happy folks are.... 1. Unlimited time on the pump-out. Once you have they key you can empty and rinse to your hearts content. 2. Plenty of space to turn so you can go up and down in long ovals all day long. 3. Lots of boats to look at. 4. .........

We do include fuel in the hire price and our fillers are all locked to prevent theft - it happens, particularly to hire boats and in the most unlikely places. The key for the locking filler is on the boat key ring - vital if the boat is on an extended cruise. "Don't forget that a narrowboat can turn tighter when accelerating, so starting slow then accelerating will do it." - nope, as speed picks up the rate of turn decreases.

Some emery and wire wool later! The seal was straighforward to fit. Driving flanged fitted and toqued up. Thanks for the help.

I also read that but still went with single skin. Neil

Funny enough I have been consuming some of your excellent Suffolk Beer , Adnams , does it get any better ? Don't we have a Beer Thread on here ?

Indian summer just before we go into autumn

Reading through this thread so no specifics....does the word "historic" cancel out fugly?

Been reading this thread and can't help thinking it's a bit of a wind up. I fail to see how anybody can live on a boat for some time and not get a bit of a grip on the basics like battery management or things like knowing what the pump in the bilge is called. It's as if the OP has been running his boat by magic and had now run out of Faerie dust. Phil

I've just bought half a dozen, free range.

"You dried your hair with an EcoFan? What is that exactly?"

Noooooooooooo not poxy diesel!! Simply buy a morso squirrel. Infinately adjustable, stays in an absolute minimum of 24 hours when needed superb bits of kit.

Could I politely request you post your reminders a week earlier in the future, many thanks. At least a bit of sunshine today to redo the job.

I recently wrote to Paco Systems, enquiring about drying times for Vactan, and received a very helpful reply. I had experienced some problems with small areas of paint bubbling only a few weeks after it had been applied on top of the Vactan treatment, despite adhering to the 2 hour drying period advocated on their Technical Data sheet,. However, I did not experince the problem when 24 hours was left between applying the Vactan and applying the first coat of primer paint, and wondered whether this is a more sensible time regime to follow My initial response referred me to the Technical data sheet, but a second, more detailed enquiry by myself produced the following helpful response from their represenative Paul J Piggott. I thought others could find the reply useful. "I agree wholeheartedly, and as one document used to say: Allow coats to cure hard before top-coating to avoid bleed through into the topcoat. Curing time may be the next day in summer or may be a few days in winter, and thicker patches will take longer to dry than thin patches. Blowing warm air greatly speeds up curing time. Recoating time may be within a few hours after drying at 20’C, however it could be the next day or longer if colder. Unfortunately whereas paints are designed to be used under specific conditions, when it can then be predicted as to their drying and curing characteristics, Vactan is not a real paint neither purely a chemical, and it is used in many diverse locations and conditions, where temperature, humidity, air movement etc can vary, as well as the thickness of the rust being treated, not to mention the experience of the user. My personal opinion would be that, if possible, leave for 24 hours to ensure a full cure and then check that the coating is hard before proceeding with a top coat." The period of time betwen my initial enquiry and the second response was less than two hours, so well done to Paco for a good internet support system.

Result!

... Flood boards on the exits so you can watch the reds and yellows alternate.

Surely with a hire boat the company is the owner and so entitled to declare the split.

Dump it in the cut at Minworth

I am just wondering if Mr S has booked his xmas dinner yet at the steamboat ... just in case Rick

They are rather depressing. I told my wife of your gloom over the red boards and she suggested an image of you sat on a deck chair, starring hour after hour at the water level boards.. can’t get it outta my head now lol .

Your lucky, it could have flettoned you.

Thanks Phill, I really looked into this and I would say 98% boats are GRP and styled like something that Barbie and Ken would own. Just not me I'm afraid.

I'm sorry, but I can't believe she even wears the boatwoman's bonnet when blacking a baseplate. I doubt there is a historical precedent for that one!

I follow the life of Spay and I couldn't even consider putting that much work in every year with nether skill or time

If you train yourself to steer from the other side of the tiller you should have a pull on the tiller instead of a push, ie ( Weather helm in sailing boat parlance) much more comfortable than your ( lee helm) which is highly dangerous in a sailing boat and not good in a motor boat. Like in tiller steered sailing boats one should be able to steer equally well with either hand.

Oh, and for completeness, the decompressor is a lever on the front of the valve chest, the alloy bit on top of the engine Richard

Two potential solutions for your friend there. Great innit?

It is slightly worse than a basic valve, it's a double sided valve with a seat on both sides. There's also two valve seats in the stationary bits We have a puller and a selection of used parts for the FR Richard

That not a decompressor. The engine is a Lister FR2 and it does have a decompressor, it's the small lever on the end of the rocker cover. The assembly you've highlighted is a compressor change-over valve, used to change the compression ration for starting, By "smoking" do you mean that smoke is emerging from the valve, or that the engine's exhaust is smoky? I'm guessing the later. The FR was the last Lister engine to have compression change-over valves and the design used is notorious for leakage problems.The only way to cure then is to remove all the sealing parts of the valve (which needs special pullers) and clean them and grind the valve seats. Even having done that, the cure may be temporary. My FR2 has the valves welded up in high-compression mode, which has given no problems with the engine and a complete absence of leaks. Cheers, MP.

Alan you may not be aware, but the person asking the question remains a part of the conversation. Hope you feel particularly smug and intelligent. Well done you. Hey maybe I even know more about some things than you do. In which case I will try and remember to laugh at your lack of knowledge.

Next question may well be "what's a BSS ?"

I am quite happy to pay an increased fee, it is my choice to have a 14 foot beam boat so I pay the penalty in both where I can cruise and what it costs me - just as it is my choice to have a 2 tonne dirty, diesel gulping, 4wd vehicle. Everyone should just quit moaning and get on with life. If you don't like it sell up and get a NB.

Is there a petition we can sign to agree with the proposal..

I've used Hammerite Smoothrite for many, many years. It lasts as long or longer than so-called bilge paints. You can put it on quite thickly and it will still cure, and doesn't need perfect preparation. Range of colours, but white is good for seeing things in the dark corners.

I suppose his fellow drinkers must be cursing themselves that they didn't see John home safely , hindsight now of course

Eggsactly. Snowflakes & others may not see it that way tho'.

Johny Foreigners rip off innitt.