pete.i

LOL no chance we get everybodies rain up here in Yorkshire. Pluto. That sounds plausible. How would they use a weir to lower the levels. I am not suggesting you are wrong but I do not know how they would actually do that.

Yes they do so they would be closed against any flow from the canal into the river. So that looks like what they are for. That brings up another question from me though. How on earth do you lower the water level on a river. There is a weir downriver from the lock and another weir upriver at Beale lock. Both of these would require maintenance at some time presumably as would the lock gates at Beale and Haddlesey but how would they lower the river level to do that. I can't see BW waiting for the river to go down naturally so how would they do it?

No the plaque is just something that, basically, advertises British Waterways. Says something like "This is Haddlesey lock. British Waterways." or some such thing. Next time I go down I will take a picture of that. The small plaque on the top of the gate(?) also does not say what the gates are for but it does have a date on it. I have been to Haddlesey lock loads of times and today is the first time that I have actually noticed these gates.(?) I think your explanation is probably the closest MJG. If the river level drops then they could be used to stop the Selby Canal emptying into the river Aire or as you say for maintenance. I would have thought the main gates would have done that though unless they get broken for some reason and having to wait for the river to fall to a low level before any maintenance is carried out doesn't seem plausible to me butg I do stress that is said in a questioning way because I reeally don't know.

Okay. Can you explain what a breach gate is please. Probably I'm thinking that you mean breech gate and I'm guessing that a breech gate is there in case the main gates get breeched i.e. overcome under flood conditions but I don't know so an explanation of either spelling would be appreciated. To be honest they do seem a little small to be breech gates. I'm not even sure that they are even gates to be honest. There appears to be a hinge at one end and there are two of them., one each side of the canal so, presumably when they are closed. they would meet in the middle. Pete Ah right Thanks Theo. Yes that could be what they are. Still not convinced though. I do admit that I have no idea what they are for so I could be totally wrong and you both could be right. It just does not seem to be a relevant place to have stop gates (planks) Pete

Hi all The flood gates at Haddersly at the end of the Selby canal have what appears to be smaller gates on the canal side of the main gates. The tops of these gates are just above the water level. As far as I am aware these have not been used at any time recently. There does appear to be a hinge at one end and there are two gates, one each side of the lock entrance. As I say these lock gates (the main ones are really flood gates as opposed to lock gates although they operate in the same way as lock gates. I think you can see the bits that I am asking about in the two piccies. Does anyone know what these gates (?) were used for? Cheers Pete Umm hope those pictures work.

I changed my wimpy, UM Jabsco I think it was, rotary type shower pump, for a whale Gulper and whilst I do agree with Ditchdabbler about the noise it copes admirably with the water. My shower is in a small waterproof room on a 30 foot boat and whilst the floor does slope down slightly to the corner where there is a sump the door has a two inch wooden step and the water has never reached that. Pete

Hi Yes mine is the same as Richards although my engine is a BMC 1.5 I have that stage between the ignition light coming on and activating the starter. I hold the switch against the spring pressure for 30 seconds in this weather and then turn it the rest of the way which activates the starter. Pete

Hi all. Happy New Year to one and all. HHHHMM I have been looking at these limescale prevention devices for a while now. A lot of them revolve around using neodymium magnets. The prices vary wildly but all the ones that I have looked at give a money back guarantee. There is a dealer on EBay selling 8 magnetic units for £30 plus a quid for postage. I have to say that I am very sceptical about these devices but I wont be losing much if I buy the 30 quid ones so I think I will give them a go. My scepticism is because I cannot see how a magnetic, super or otherwise, can affect what I think is a non magnetic material, aka limescale. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/WATER-SOFTENER-CONDITIONER-LIMESCALE-DESCALER-REMOVER-/110317636359 That's the link to the EBay page. Sorry if it does not work but sometimes I find inserting links and such on this forum beyond me but I'm sure someone can sort em out.

At last someone has said that. "we all contribute to the coffers after all"

Yes Chalky is right. They used to be fitted to CRT televisions. Modern tellies probably have something similar but I haven't fixed tellies for a long while. Anyway my point is that they used to be a regular cause of problems. Usually when they blew they would take out the mains input fuse as well but in a lot of cases that component just blew for no apparent reason. Having said that Chalky is correct in that they can also blow if it cannot handle the transient. Pete

Hi all. Yep agree with all of that but as a boater (non live aboard) who contributes as much as anyone just how do we express our concerns. I am not being pendantic I genuinely do not know. Pete

Hi Yep I have the puffin as well and as far as I know it still has the same glass that it had when it was new and that was in 1981 ish. The little metal tabs that held the glass in finally gave up the ghost last year and I stuck the glass back in using heat tolerant silicon mastic stuff and, so far, it's been great. Cheers Pete

Hi Exactly. To be honest it is the best we are going to get and I do not see anyone trying to change the governments mind on this issue (including me). So we have to make the best of it. What I can see is building firms clamouring to buy land that the canals are on to build houses, bearing in mind that there is a massive housing shortage, and that, IMO, is what we may have to guard against in the future. Some have said that the housing shortage is a good thing for the canals as the government will chuck those that cant afford to buy houses on to the canals in boats. I, in all honesty, cannot see that happening but I can see canal land being used to build cheap housing. Cheers Pete

Pete - cut the expert thing please. I fully subscribe to the has been little drip thing and I KNOW there are far better mechanics than me out there. Maybe I can explain but that does not make an expert. Hi Well in comparison to me and, no doubt many others, you are an expert on these matters. that remark was meant sincerely even though I did put a "LOL" in at the front of it. The LOL (Laugh Out Loud in internet parlance) was in respect of the fact that I saw you were reading the thread and in no way was meant to add belittleness to my "expert" remark. Unfortunately due to the lack of any sort of inflexions in the way things are written/said especially on forums it did appear that that was what I was doing. Being an experienced internet and forums user I should have realised that when I wrote it. I aplogise if that caused offence and as I said what I said was said in all sincerity.

I did reply to this but it got lost dunno why or how. Sometimes the way this forum works is as much a mystery as engines and electrics LOL. Anyway I ramble. I was discussing this very topic today with the mechanic where I am moored and this is how he described it. The thermostat is closed when the engine is first started and the coolant is fed around the engine only bypassing the radiator. This allows the coolant to reach the engines operating temperature quickly. When the coolant has reached the engine optimum operating temperature the thermostat opens and the coolant is then circulated via the radiator so keeping the coolant at the optimum operating temperature of the engine by cooling the coolant using the radiator. If the temperature drops below the optimum operating temperature of the engine then the thermostat closes again so bypassing the cooling effect of the radiator untill the coolant reaches the optimum engine operating temperature again. That cycle repeats itself so keeping the engine at an optimum temperature. Well thats how it was explained to me anyway. If anyone knows different then I am up to being enlightened. Cheers Pete Umm so the thermostat is the bypass circuit or at least the bypass device. The rest of the cooling cirtcuit is the same whether the radiator is bypassed or not. I think. LOL I see Tony Brooks is reading this so we will get a expert explanation soon I hope.

Hmm yes a good price. I couldn't see whether it was 2 stroke or not though. I searched the web site, but I probably missed that bit of info. Anyone know? Cheers Pete

And here www.seamarknunn.com/acatalog/info_MTAK1550.html This is a UM blow up, blow out whatever that type of diagram is called. I have taken mine apart and there isn't a lot in it. As was said take the blue ring off and remove any blockages or replace the diapragm if it's that that has gone. You can get a repair kit from chandlers. I suppose if the motor has gone then it would have to be a new pump. Hope that helps. Pete Er sorry that didn't come out as a link dunno why. Copy and paste it.

Hi MJG. I cannot answer your question but I do apologise for not coming down for a quick chat while you were getting diesel at Selby today. I was up to my neck in the engine ole replacing my throttle cable when you came passed. I did come down to the diesel point when I had got the cable on but you had gone. You must have filled that damn tank quick. Ah well see you next time you try to get to York. Why did you abort your York trip by the way? Next time you want to go to York come to Selby and moor up, give me a pm, and I'll take you there by car, it's much easier than braving that damned River Ouse LOL. Cheers Pete (Keb)