Billypownall

We intended running our Webasto on Kerosene for reduced maintenance and maybe more reliability. Seemed the obvious thing to do as we have separate tanks. However Steve Smith of WECL Heating has told me that this would invalidate the warrantee and that the unit should be run on red diesel onlybut that this should be properly filtered.

Is paraffin the same as Kerosene ???

Oh dear this quite serious subject really is degenerating into some real rubbish now. I really do think some of these posters have never used a thruster at all. To say they are wholly frivolous is just quite crazy. The sensible arguments as to whether one's money could be better spent is one thing but to anyone thinking of having one I can say for absolutely certain that they are extreemly useful. Not neccessary but useful for sure. To the so called experts or traditionalists or call them what you will who have a real down on bow thrusters I say you go your way and we'll go ours and we will find it easier.

Best thing about your postings Tam is the name of your boat. Wonderful place for sailing,I have had many holidays there over the years and love it. Heh I think you are mellowing a bit .However I'll just have one more tilt at you. A bow thruster may not have made any difference to your boating but it has to mine and many other owners who are competent in every way. Furthermore I never suggested another poster would NEED one twice a day. I suggested one may be USEFUL twice a day. I would think in a full days cruising thats about how often ours is used. I am going to say for one last time (thank goodness you say !!) that a bow thruster is a really useful bit of kit and if you can afford one go for it. Even if you dont use it very often you will not regret it and in any case your boat will sell easier if you come to part with it. Best wishes Tam let's be friends albeit with a different opinion!!

Your latest effort makes little more sense than your first one. My first dozen or so cars did not have power assisted steering,anti lock and power brakes, central locking, automatic choke and so on. We managed without them. So your boats were not equipped with a bow thruster and you managed without. It's called progress and a bow thruster is progress. Who the hell is relying on a bow thruster and is 'up the creek without one' ? No one. Your 24m boat has one and indeed it sounds as if it has in fact been useful. I am afraid you are spitting against the wind. A bow thruster is a useful addition to any boat whether you like it or not. Furthermore the fact that a boat is so equipped does not mean the helmsman is any less competant than yourself.

I just cannot believe the this writer has never had an experience where a bow thruster would have made a situation easier. I would say at least twice a day would be a fair guess. Sometimes I will make a six point turn to prove a point but why go to the trouble when pressing a button will achieve the same result. So the two seem to go together do they. Maybe it's the other way round and the more skillful and experienced will specify a bow thruster knowing their obvious benifits.

As well as the excellent and interesting postings on this site I suppose we have to expect a certain amount of rubbish. This one really does take pride of place. I have been at sea and on the canals for nearly 60 years and for 55 of them my last thoughts were a bow thruster. I'll take anyone on at helming a boat without one. However lack of agility by an aging crew and possible convenience made us specify one and we are now on our second boat with one. Both have worked fine although the first one a Vetus did have a bit of bother with the brushes sticking in their carriers,a common fault I am led to understand. The new one now a year old works a treat. It can be used for a minute at a time, the wiring does not get hot, and the two batteries which make 24 volt will last a week. I doubt the writer of the above post has ever used a thruster. It's like most things you can manage without one for sure but they are a really useful bit of kit. Alright they wont spin the boat round against the wind but they are certainly useful in nudgeing the bow in or out and getting the boat round a really tight turn. Maybe on a limited budget you could spend one's money wiser but that is a completely separate argument.To slang one off as being a total waste of money is plain stupid and smacks of sour grapes to me.

Over the years we have had problems with Eberspacher,Webasto and Mikuni. Our new boat has the luxury of a separate tank for the Webasto Heater, The Webasto agents will not accept that red diesel is the cause of their probems as has been well documented on this site. However I now have the chance to run our heater on White Diesel or Paraffin. From all the previous postings this should alleviate probems. Questions are Will it ? Which one to use? Can I start topping up the tank with Paraffin? i.e.will it mix with the residue of red remaining in the tank?

Another web site mentions that Triton of Eccles Manchester are in trouble. Does anyone know anything about this?

Is kerosene the same as parafin ? Can either be mixed with red diesel. It seems to me from my past experience and reading the present and previous posts that Webasto and Ebespacher are both trouble on red diesel, I have a separate fuel tank for our Webasto and would like to start topping it up with kerosene or parafin. Have I got to empty the tank of red first?

Never had a drip of oil from my Technodrive which Dor says are crap. From these posts one wonders about the reliability of gearboxes. They certainly take a fair old hammering with canal use.

Just what is your experience with Technodrive gearboxes for you to say they are crap? Our last boat had a Technodrive box which I must say sounded a bit agricultural as it clonked into gear. When I voiced my doubts about this I remember the installer saying they were bullet proof and he had never known one fail. Furthermore as a gesture of his confidence he doubled the warranty. Although we only did about 900 hours the geabox gave no problem and this is the case under new ownership another year down the line. I know Catweasel has a similar Vetus Technodrive setup and when I last spoke to him on this site his gearbox was still clonking with no problems. Our new boat has a PRM 150 which certainly goes more quietly into gear. I hope it is as reliable as the Technodrive as some have mentioned oil leaks with the PRM. As an aside I have to say that the Mitsibushi engine with the Technodirve seemed a lot quieter than the Barrus Shire 40 we now have. Whether this is a basic fact or due to the installation I am not sure.

We had a good sea going boat moored at Boston in the 70,s for some years and got to know the Wash really well. We now have a narrowboat so know their limitations. The weather is going to be the major factor in any crossing of the Wash and although weather forecasts are much better these days they must be treated with some caution. In any case from my experience there are not many days when I would venture forth and then only with another boat in company together with someone with plenty of sea going experience. Caution is the watchword here,

With a 100 amp output limit am I right in thinking that the NASA BM1 cannot be fitted by me as we have a 3000 watt inverter which we use to it's limit at times ?

It might be even more difficuilt to find the struggling marina. Let me know if you find one I have been looking for ages.

I may be missing something as I am not so bright when it comes to electrics.(Although having a narrow boat makes you learn quickly). We use our electric 2000 watt kettle when moored with no problem at all. According to my arithmatic it will only take 3-4 amps per minute from your 12 volt batteries. Say about 10 amps total for a boiling.

I think your boat is underpropped for sure Redfastlad . Our 58' boat with a shire 40 was supplied with an 18 x 10. It needed nearly 2000 r p.m. for 3.7 m.p.h. We have changed to a 17 x 14 which is much more suited to the boat which now cruises at 1600 r.p.m. It is quieter and definately more economical. The boat will still hit the 2600 r.p.m. which is maximum quoted for it's 40 h.p. Your 45 h.p. would be fine with a 17 x 14. and whatever r.p.m. you are cruising at now would come down by 300 or so. I think some boats are like driving in 3rd gear and that uses more fuel than being in top. The same must apply to a boat. Barrus will supply you with a prop. Incidently our last boat was overpropped and at tickover was going too quickly with the usual torrent of abuse from moored boats and cruising at about 1300 r.p.m. was not putting enough amps into the batteries. We had to change this prop for one with finer pitch which lifted the r.p.m. It seems to me that this propellor business is a bit hit and miss,

I agree with all you say Tony. Their payment system is just too complicated. I too was told to use Orange in France but could not get any connection. I have given up on their helpline as I cannot understand them. One last complaint is that if you "buy in" too much Broadband useage this expires in 28 days and you lose what's left. In the boat it all seems to work fine nearly all the time but I have to say this company seems very difficult to deal with.

Dont worry too much kay my 3M Dongle works fine on our boat although I have bought an extention lead from Maplins for when the signal is a bit weak. However Biggles is right I enquired whether I could use their Broadband in Jersey (you cant !!)and the reply came from a person obviously foreign who was almost impossible to understand.you need to telephone them if you have a query as you will only get an automated reply from the internet site which is also impossible to understand.

Thx !!

I was really impessed with the Fuellock but have had to return it as it was too small for the filler on my boat which I suppose is 1 3/4 " Maybe this is unusual which is a shame. If they bring one out to fit I will definately be a buyer.

Our new Barrus Shire 40 in a Narrowcraft was smokey. A new thermostat which boosted the running temperature by 10 degrees has virtually solved the problem.

Why not post all known diesel prices on rad56mail-diesel@yahoo.co.uk, They will then appear on http://diesel.fibrefactory.co.uk/ This site deserves further use and would help everyone.

Hello Magnerman. Telephone Noisekiller Accoustics on 0161 6527080. They are very helpful. I have soundproofed the engine compartment on our last two boats and have been very impressed with the results. Buy the thin lead sandwich sheets which are a doddle to fit with the self adhesive backing. Fit the underneath of the hatches with this. You can use the egg box type under the rest of the deck . If you want to go further line any areas of exposed metal to stop reflected sound. The materials are not cheap but the reduction in noise will be surprising. Billy

Surely this is nothing to grumble about. Seems to me that some at BW is doing his job for once.