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I really don't get this tosh about not having a vintage engine in a livaboard boat unless you're part of the Fred Dibnah fan club. Unless a blow lamp is involved, it's generally a turn of a key to start the thing, and funnily enough it will carry on running until you stop it, much the same as a brand new one. Ok, every few days you might have to put a few drops of oil on something you may not understand, or put a blob of grease on a thingy wotsit. But it will make your boat move, and charge your batteries whilst adding interest when you get to busy locks etc. If it's in good condition when you buy the boat there's a good chance that apart from a yearly service it won't need anything. If it ever does require major work there's plenty of specialists around, and because they're also enthusiasts there's less chance of you being ripped off than calling the local Beta agents. (How much for a starter motor!?) Powering a narrow boat is like being on holiday for a Gardner, sitting there all nice and clean with a sump full of classic 30. You wouldn't believe the state of the inside of some that I've stripped down that were still running fine from road vehicles. If you want a boat with a 2LW in it then buy it, I'll pm you my number and you can ring me every time it won't start.

I see Selby stoppage not open now till the 30th, Ferrybridge now closed till 13th, Goole closed till further notice. Now no routes out of that area. I would of thought CaRT would of put Ferrybridge back till at least Selby was open so boats coming up the Trent have somewhere to go in York/Ripon. Really bad planning by Cart.

But arguably tends to be inaccurate while the batteries are on charge, but unlike most other types puts itself right after a bit of discharge. The BVM provides an accurate ammeter as well as a voltmeter and the Ah discharged is accurate, but the other scales will, in most boaters' hands, tell larger and larger lies until you ruin the batteries by consistently undercharging them. If you read, fully understand the manual, and ensure you regularly FULLY charge the batteries and then recalibrate the BVM then you will minimise the inaccuracies though. Personally I would keep the Smartguage for % charged and volts and to compliment it fit a decent shunted ammeter to decide when the batteries are as fully charged as is reasonable.

Mine needs a bit of load to do that well, Not a problem as we normally cruise every day. But the easiest way if you have an immersion heater is not bother with a 12 volt one but run the 240 volt one from the inverter while the engine is running or even if you have loads of solar

Last month we did the journey from Ellesmere Port Boat Museum to Liverpool. Here's a summary of costs and requirements we had to fulfil. Certificate of Seaworthiness £60 Pilot Stuart Wood £125 and he had the VHF radio, so you wouldn't need one. MSC from Ellesmere Port to Eastham Lock including locking onto the Mersey £73 Brunswick Lock into Liverpool £20 Salthouse Dock - free of charge for 7 nights, then £20 a night thereafter. Ignore much of the criteria in Peel Ports induction pack because much of it you won't need, navigation lights for example. The seaworthiness certificate is quite basic and is mainly just checking that your boat floats, has a suitable anchor, a couple of fire extinguishers, a working horn, and that you have a life vest/jacket. Our surveyor Mike Carter (he is on the Peel Ports approved list) is based in Northwich so we met him there and avoided paying his travelling costs. The certificate is valid for a year. Booking too far in advance may not be allowed. Usually they say 3 to 5 days in advance. It's tide and weather dependant and also may be slightly changed at short notice depending on shipping traffic. Eastham control or your pilot will advise you of suitable dates if you give them a call. You will have to email Peel Ports with your insurance certificate when you make the booking and pay the fee up front. The pilot Stuart Wood is brilliant. You drive the boat and he is there to advise you as you go along. It's also like having your own tour guide as well. I've put his contact details earlier in this thread. He will also answer any questions you have in advance of making the booking. It's a great trip whichever direction you do it in. It took us about 2 hours and despite being against the tide our old BMC 1.8 engine coped easily with it. It was much easier than some of the previous tidal waters I've done such as the Ribble, the Thames Tideway, the Trent and Yorkshire Ouse. By the way, if you want to do the whole length of the MSC I think the fee is £178 plus £30 to lock up or down to/from the Bridgewater Canal at Pomona Lock, Manchester.

Thanks everyone. After a long and hot day, starting early but having to queue at 6 locks, we found a lovely, shady spot to moor near Bramble Cuttings and enjoyed a beautiful summer’s evening.

Car hire companies aren't responsible for their customers speeding or otherwise breaking the law so why should boat hire companies be? It's a ridiculous proposal.

Hello, I would like to pick your brains please. I have just bought my first narrowboat which is something I've been wanting to do for quite some time. However, it is currently moored up near Whitchurch and I need to get it down to Northampton at the end of the month (yes, a wee bit short notice I know). Unfortunately I only have a 1 day hire boat experience under my belt (though I am doing an RYA Helmsman course this week). I think it will be a great experience to bring it down, but I have a limited window of time to do it in so would like to have someone reliable to help if possible. I have tried many boat movers but they are all booked or away, I did have someone lined up but regretfully it did not work out, and others who have agreed are never to be heard from again. Does anyone have someone trustworthy and reliable the could recommend please? Many Thanks

Luckily the Northern canals aren’t as congested as the Southern network, but this year I have noticed a greater influx of Southern boats coming up and their frustration of these closures limiting their places to visit in their planned holiday cruising schedule. If you look at a canal map of the North and close Ferrybridge, Selby, the end of new junctions to Goole, you will see a very restricted area to cruise and places to visit.

I expect a little better planning at the busiest time of year. Selby was supposed to be open tomorrow the 20th, Ferrybridge closed today 19th, no problem boats could get to York and Rippon. Now selby put back till the 30th, so just move Ferrybridge back to close on the 1st, there’s lots of boats coming up the Trent to visit the Northern Canals, unfortunately most are now turning around and going back. I know the pressures CaRT are under especially down South, but if they just thought about the situation once Selby was delayed there could of at least been a route out of South Yorkshire instead back down the Trent.

Yes a combination of smartgauge and BMV 712 is about as good as it gets. Well unless you have lithium batteries of course. I now have one redundant Smartgauge!

So why is it still there Athy? Its not what I would expect of a forum moderator, should you not be reconsidering your position?

A nice chap from the EA just rang me. They are expecting replacement parts Thursday/Friday at their depot and will then arrange installation. It feels like progress - 😆🍺!

Why is it funny that people might find this avatar demeaning @Athy? It seems that I am not on my own in finding it inappropriate.

Hope you didnt break that lot too, we need to come back when we've paddle boarded the Nene.😉

There's a low railway bridge in Durham, South Carolina, that has it's own YouTube channel. A while back they jacked the bridge up by 8 inches, but it still catches victims, like this one:

Please sir, please sir I know of one 😁

I was able to spread butter within a minute of taking it out of the fridge

Once again duff information. The gearbox would normally be installed by the mariniser so they can supply the whole power unit and BMC 1.5s have been fitted with TMP hydraulic boxes, PRM hydraulic boxes, Borg-Warner hydraulic boxes, PRM mechanical boxes, Hurth mechanical boxes and Technodrive boxes. That is without the BMC/Parsons A and or B type mechanical boxes that you really do not want to get involved with these days. I make that at least six different boxes and all would have been available with a variety of reduction ratios. I am not sure why you are concerned with the gearbox bearings on anything other than planet gear boxes like the A and/or B type (not sure about the TMP) because the rest will throw oil around inside when the output or input shaft is turning. I do appreciate that you may want a mechanical box so you can lock the prop when sailing without having to install a shaft brake but please, for long life, forget Hurth. I would use a mechanical PRM and ideally one of the larger ones. You also seem fixated with Thorneycroft. By the time they were marinising 1.5s they had little to do with the original Thorneycroft company and were just marinisers. Other marnisers were J G Meaks, Newage, Tempest, AMC, Lancing Marine plus a host of hire fleets and Freds in Sheds doing one offs. I susepect there were more up on the Broads.

You wouldn't really expect an engine manual to cover the gearbox, Marinisation of engines did not involve the gearbox and the choice of gearbox would be left to the installer, and a variety of adapter plates were commonly available. You know the make / model of the gearbox so try and find the relevant maual

Discussed on another thread - it appears that whilst looking at risque stuff he has taken a 'bug' on board.