Chewbacka

I have an 'old style' moving coil (analogue) multimeter on my boat as back-up. For measuring voltage and small currents it is great as no internal batteries required, and so always reasonably accurate. Normally use my digital meter, but on occasion I do use it.

Midland Chandlers sell it - where I got mine. http://www.midlandchandlers.co.uk/store/product/hs-362.aspx £40 for a 1000x600 sheet. If not in a rush, wait for their occasional discount Friday.

If you clean all the joints that may be weeping and spray this developer powder on it will show if there is a leak. http://www.amazon.co.uk/30290-AA-AMBERSIL-DETECTOR-DEVELOPER-COATING/dp/B017WEP664/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1452522022&sr=8-3&keywords=AMBERSIL+FLAW+DETECTOR But the surfaces must be clean and dry. At work, I used to use a different brand - a few years ago now - but I can not remember which. But it is basically it sounds like the same stuff.

Assuming it is a 'Private' boat then the BSS has been updated and this is more use http://www.boatsafetyscheme.org/media/268789/ecp-private-boats-ed3_rev2_apr2015_public_final.pdf Added See section 2.15.2 Which basically requires no evidence of heat damage and also contains this :- "NOTE – this check covers all types of exhaust system componentsincluding those on ‘wet’ or ‘dry’ exhaust systemsincluding those parts of ‘dry’ systemsthat are lagged or shielded. Advice to owners – ‘Dry’ exhaust systems, or those parts of ‘wet’ exhaust systems not cooled by water, located in ‘walk through’ engine spaces or cabins/deck spaces or other areas where normal crew movement about the vessel can be anticipated,should be effectively lagged, shielded or otherwise protected by craft structures." If yours is NOT a private boat the 2002 version of the BSS applies.

The sensor has expired and you buy a whole new device :-))

Mine has a use by date on the back - worth a look. When you get a new one it may be worth writing the expire date on the back or if it has replaceable batteries inside the battery cover with a marker pen.

If the ballast is below the water line then it will reduce the tendency to roll, if you were to put it on the roof then it would reduce stability, but not to a level that matters with a narrowboat. You see boats with loads of stuff on the roof, coal and such like which must weigh over 200kgs and even more when the boater is up there as well. So don't worry, enjoy your boating.

Not sure about Li batteries, but NiCd will only last 2 to 3 years even if you don't use them much. So 2 batteries is a bit of a waste of money if you don't have a lot of work planned. If you do, then 2 or even 3 with a fast charger make for a happy life.

hI would Have a look at the spec sheet for the gas heater and see if the output from the pump meets the min flow and pressure required.

If you want 'good' professional stuff then this would be my first choice http://www.diy.com/drills/dewalt-cordless-18v-li-ion-combi-drill-1-battery-dcd776c1-gb/765799_BQ.prd If you want small, light duty then this http://www.diy.com/drills/bosch-cordless-108v-li-ion-drill-driver-1-battery-psr-1080/608674_BQ.prd I use a 12v NiCd Dewalt most of the time, and a Bosch corded drill powered by my inverter for big holes. Fitted out a sailaway, amazed the little dewalt drill is still working after all the work it has done.

To comply with the BSS the gas locker MUST have a gas drain at the lowest point. As the water is not draining out, then either your drain is very low and below the water line - which I doubt - or you don't have one. Either way it will need sorting. As to a slight list, it is probably inevitable on a self fit out, as the sailaway builder can only guess as to the ballast distribution when he fits the ballast. My sailaway had a couple of changes from the original idea which meant that the ballast was not correcly distributed. Rusult was a 5 degree tilt. Rather than taking up the deck and moving/adding ballast I added about 200kg of tractor weights. Fixed then to the 'walls' as this is where they are most effective. Dead level now. Added - they are in cupboards/behind the shower so not on display :-) even though I did paint then a nice glossy black to stop them rusting. Eventually I will add some radiators for heating and will then remove a couple of weights to compensate, so having a few weight which are easy to move will help in the future.

When I did mine I was advised to wet it a bit as it makes it 'stick' to itself while fitting. The simple straight pipe I did dry, but on the bit coming out of the silencer going up and round to the skin fitting I needed 3 hands, a bit of water from a spray bottle was enough to keep it in place while putting the stainless tie wrap on. I also went for a 50% overlap.

I also have and use the UT203 it seems reasonably accurate. However as I have blade fuses in my switch panel, I also use one of these http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Automotive-Current-Tester-Circuit-Meter-Standard-ATO-ATC-Blade-Fuse-Car-Vehicle-/400433639239?hash=item5d3bb46f47:g:pBMAAOSwPhdVBuki also saves finding the correct wire for the clamp meter and avoids other current carrying wires being close to the clamp meter jaws.

All my upstairs cold taps come from the cold tank. If I wake in the night wanting a drink I use the nearest tap. Probably many do. Certainly everybody cleans teeth with it.

If you intend to buy decent exterior gloss paint rather than boat paint as it is lower cost, I suggest you avoid any water based stuff. The other challenge you will have by doing it yourself is that if you do not hire a covered wet dock you will get dust and insects etc on the paint, which will not give a perfect finish. This does not unduly bother me, but if you are going to the trouble of lots of sanding, filling and more sanding to prep the boat, it seems a shame to then paint it uncovered.

He was being funny in explaining that he was failing to achieve only the minimum requirement. Sarcasm is said to be the lowest form of wit, but I quite enjoy it.........

Now i have googled "red tee" I can smile.

But which was better????

Temperatures exceeding the diesel flash point on the Thames? Even with global warming it's not going to happen during refueling. See what you mean about theory over reality.

Even if it is an informal 'business' arrangement, if your 'friend' were to get injured he may stop being a friend and convince the courts that he was under your supervision etc. Whilst not a boat incident ,this happened to a guy that made the local news which is how I knew about it. To save opening the link, he had to sell his house to pay the compensation awarded against him. http://www.standard.co.uk/news/44500-bill-for-helping-a-friend-7203493.html To save opening the link, he had to sell his house to pay the compensation awarded against him after helping a neighbour with a building job that injured the neighbour.

Thanks - I missed that.

I am thinking of fitting a diesel boiler and in planning the rads I looked at a similar product to the op link. This has a heat output of 170W/m with a water temp 60c higher than the air temp. For 3kW of heating I wood need about 17m or less if mixed in with a couple of rads, but it looks too expensive as they don't give a price on the web site - always a bad sign - and I don't have a long clear run of wall to fit it on, so I shall stick with rads when I fit my heating system.

My tank is integral and I suspect you are correct in that the brown stuff is rust, not good to look at but not toxic, so no rush to fix it.

I can not remember the name of the place that made my split mattress - but I will try to find it - but there a few places that sell 'cut to size' foam matress with a memory foam topper and they are much cheaper than the boaty places. Try putting "foam mattress" "cut to size" topper into Google.

My boat is 4 years old, but the water runs a bit brown when the tank is almost empty, so later this year I shall open the tank and have a look. As part of that job I will flush the pipes through with a bit of bleach. But so far I have never sterilised the tank as per your thinking, but I am also very careful to keep the filler pipe clean. British utility water is pretty low risk, but if I was filling from a private bore hole I would sterilise every year.