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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.

I expect greater understanding of boating issues and better management of the limited resources they have.

And used in conjunction with an amphour counting meter like a BMV can be used to accurately assess battery capacity.

Midland should provide you with a means to get rid of the old one: https://www.gov.uk/electricalwaste-producer-supplier-responsibilities ETA: I think I took the old one to the council tip recycling centre. They didn’t ask what voltage it was. Further ETA: https://www.midlandchandlers.co.uk/weee-policy

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

Are we saying Dan will go to prison if the Forum IT wizzos don't go through the site and remove all trace of your bums. Actually I would be more concerned how they got there.

But Athy you are a man. Its demeaning.

That's only for everyone elses satisfaction, you can be nasty and keep em shut, when they ask what it is just tell em it's a crap jap just running on 2 out of the 4 cylinders...oh, and the turbos broke too

I'm curious as to why they're still often referred to as Swindlers? Customer service is some of the best I've experienced and recently.

The actual ratio is irrelevant - the fact it was underpropped for the ratio is what matters. Most of our boats are fitted with 3:1 boxes; it's more fuel efficient and there's less shaft & stern bush wear, but they're not revving their heads off at cruising speed. Sound does play a big part in perception though and of course everyone is building things as quiet as possible. Back in the good old days it was noticeable that you were far more likely to get shouted to slow down with a 3-clyinder Lister than a two-pot even if you were doing the same speed. I imagine (if any ever makes it a viable proposition on the inland waterways) that the problem will get even worse with electric boats as the only sound they'll hear will be their breaking wash We have a data logger under development which will also have the function to put on a red light, followed by an annoying squawking if the revs are left to high for too long, however that feature is useless for anything other than the day boat, as there are plenty of places the rest of our fleet gets where the use of higher revs is entirely justified, and on occasion essential, e.g. the Soar, Trent, Severn, Avon, and Thames.

1 asking how many CaRT contractors does it take to change a light bulb? 5 explaining how light bulbs were always changed much more quickly when there were Lengthsmen who carried a few light bulbs with them. 8 omplaining about the new CaRT slogan being put on signs everywhere "It's Brighter by Water". 2 saying that when you phone up the non emergency CaRT number to report a burnt out bulb the person on the other end doesn't know what a light bulb is, 5 people saying that light bulbs will be banned and how the waterways will be completely ruined without them. 4 people saying that LED's work just as well. 5 people saying that they don't care and will continue using light bulbs. 4 people saying that LED's will mean the end of light bulb jokes. 5 people complaining that the kids today don't understand light bulb jokes. 4 people saying that this is a good thing as light bulb jokes were never that funny anyway. 7 complain about light bulbs being put in tunnels, like at Newbold and how this has ruined the tunnel. The same seven later complain about burnt out light bulbs in tunnels not being replaced and how this has ruined the tunnel. 9 saying that light bulbs are much better than LED's for tunnel lights. 1 asking if a tunnel light is the same as a light in a tunnel? 15 explaining the difference between a tunnel light and a light in a tunnel. 1 complaining that the 15 are being really patronising. 15 saying that no they weren't. Another 15 saying that yes they were. 1 mod banning 31 members. 7 people saying the mod was being too zealous. 7 people saying that the mod wasn't. 1 mod resigning. 5 people saying that they are leaving CWDF because of all this fuss. 5 people posting on CWDF a few days later. This is a purely imaginary CWDF thread. Any resemblance to actual threads and members is purely coincidental.

Probably the only way we will get around on CRT waterways in a couple of years. Grounded, switch the Capper on.....sorted.

Just seen what Bee said about it not being the sender. When a BMC oil pressure relief valve starts to get sticky the normal thing is that the pressure keeps on rising (as one would expect) until it opened the valve. The valve, being stick, then sticks open. This gives a low hot oil pressure and not much more than zero on hot idle. Generally I would suspect the sender long before a PRV stuck closed. In this case the apparent poor sate of the engine makes me wonder if a bodger has been at work.