Baron & Mrs Boater
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Posts posted by Baron & Mrs Boater
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Now that, is a good idea !
:) :) :) -
We hired a boat on the Kennet & Avon canal before we took the plunge and bought Baron. It was an old boat, from Sally boats in Bradford on Avon, but it was clean, well kept and we didn't half enjoy it !
Great cruising, super pubs and things to see (Dundas Aqueduct / Bath etc).
www.sallyboats.co.uk
Where we are moored at Norbury on the Shropshire Union, Simon Jenkins hires out his small fleet of boats. They are comfortable (from what I have seen) and homely. My parents are taking Baron out in April, and their friends have hired off Simon - so I will be able to tell you more when they come back !
www.norburywharf.co.uk
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Do you use the water purifcation tablets at all ?
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We have tried curly non-kink hose, that wrapped itself around my leg and nearly pitched me into the canal - and it was awfully difficult to store in a small locker (like fighting a python back into a basket).
We have also tried a three ply roll flat hose, that seemingly dropped the water pressure coming out of the BW tap and literally took hours to fill up our water tank. This now has a hole in it, so it will be going in the bin.
What does everyone else use - we are not drinking the water that comes out of the tank, so I am not too worried about using catering grade hose - just something that is easy to store, and transfers water from the tap quickly to the tank.
I am sure I have seen a fellow boater with what looked like a fabric fire hose - has anyone got one - where can I get one ?
Ideas, suggestions very welcome.
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I have a generator, should the need arise, but it hasn't yet !
I have PM'd you re the moorings.
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Having owned a cruiser and a narrowboat, I think that the narrowboat is much easier to steer and doesn't get blown about nearly as much as the cruiser. That said, both are incredibly good fun !
Relaxed on the water, midges or no midges, is where I'd rather be anytime.
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We had this trouble with weed blockage on the Wyrley canal.
By using a hand pump, located in the strainer basket (nozzle down the inlet pipe) and with some very vigorous pumping we managed to blow / suck the blockage out - but not before we had overheated the engine !
Keep an eye on the amount of water coming out of the exhaust and buy one of the tube hand pumps - at six or seven quid they are worth the money !
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http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Eco-fan-narrow-boat-...1QQcmdZViewItem
Thought you might be interested !
Eco fan on ebay.
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I think it will be a lovely boat, and I hope you will be very happy living aboard.
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I have used an old remedy.....it has really worked for me.
Mix a stiff paste up of Brasso or other liquid metal polish and cigarette ash. Rub on the stain with small circular movements and dry off with kitchen towel. You may need to polish or re-wax afterwards, to get rid of the white bloom, but if you don't go mad with the elbow grease you should be OK.
This remedy also removes coffee cup rings - just need to find someone who still smokes. You need quite a lot of fag ash to make the paste. It really does work !
You could also try the following method, but I haven't used it so cannot vouch for its efficiency....
Apply a small amount of non-gel toothpaste to a damp, clean, lint-free cloth.
Rub toothpaste over the water spot.
Remove film with a clean, damp cloth.
Dry with a clean, dry cloth.
Polish.
B& Mrs B
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Our first boat was the "African Queen", a 1970 Buckingham 20 cabin cruiser.
We bought it to see if we would use it, enjoy life on the canals, and you've guessed it ~ we loved it !
It is now living in Peterborough, and we hope the new owners are having as much fun on her as we did !
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Tony,
If you ever find one available to buy- let me know - as after a few hours standing on the stern of Baron, I could do with taking the weight off by just perching !
We have an old high kitchen stool, but it doesn't half get in the way.
I had thought about having a go at making one out of a length of scaffolding pole and some form of bracket ~ it will probably never happen !
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I am also interested in this, as I have to rebuild my engine box very soon - having had it apart to have the recon engine fitted, is now vibrating like the devil !
I could just rebuild it as is, but I would like to improve it, so that I have better access to the engine - so as many photos as you have would be really helpful !
The existing one is lined in what looks like foil faced foam - any ideas where this can be bought from ?
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Not sure....but it tastes nice on toast !
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Baron
I had exactly the same problem with my BMC 1.5. and am listing below how I solved it. (I realise that some of this has already been suggested, but hope that putting it all together will help.
1. Fit a new pressure cap, I find that it needs to be replaced about every couple of years. It should be a 4lb short reach one. Halfords don't seem to stock them any more, but you shold be able to get one from any decent Motor factor (I have the QH part number somewhere if you need it)
2. Connect a length of plastic tubing from the header tank overflow into a non pressurized overflow tank, making sure the pipe reaches the bottom of the overflow tank. Most of the overflow water will be sucked back overnight, and as already suggested any surplus can be poured back in when the engine is cold in the morning. (my overflow tank comprises a redundant liquid soap bottle held in a baked bean can bolted to the side of the engine box)
3. Finally there is no dip stick for the header tank, but as a rule of thumb the coolant level should be about half an inch above the core tube and about an inch from the bottom of the filler neck (sorry about the non metric measurements) Put any more in and as already suggested it will just pee out of the overflow pipe as soon as the engine warms up and be wasted.
Hope that helps
Many thanks David.
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I think I will try the new cap first, I will let you know if it sorts it out. The heat exchanger has no marks on it, in fact you can't really see the water level in it because of the fins in it - I stuck a pencil down it as a dipstick.
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It's done it since we bought the boat ~ but that is only 9 months. The cap is a bit loose.
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Here's a thought - if the existing cap on the heat exchanger is US, could it be letting water out through the overflow by contracting when it shouldn't ?
Maybe I just need a new cap ?
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Thanks for your input - I will mull it over !
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Alan,
I do have a Bowman heat exchanger unit on the top, which always seem to be nearly empty, though it doesnt appear to be leaking from anywhere, other than the overflow when hot. The engineer did say I needed to cap it off, and use a tank off a scrap car with the radiator cap - but I've never seen one on another boat !
The skin tank dimensions, well I am not too sure, but it seems to run down the length of the swim.
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Its a useful site - thanks !
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we are losing coolant through the overflow on top of the engine, when we are running hot - which is a nuisance as it collects under the engine, and also potentially damaging should we run out, so I guess if I fitted a tank at least I could see the levels were right. That said, I presume I need some sort of pressure resistant tubing - if I am getting a tank with a pressure cap ?
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I have had my annual RCR engine inspection today, and the engineer suggested I fit an expansion tank to the cooling system on my BMC engine. Has anyone fitted one - what did you use - shall I go and get one off a scrap car, or is it just not necessary ?
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Mrs B and I went to the show on Thursday, and I have to say I was a tad disappointed.
So heavily biased towards caravans and motorhomes, the marine side was a lot smaller than that at Excel in London last year (when we went to that one). Having said that it was quiet, allowing us to have a look at the narrowboats on display (mainly Sea Otters with a Liverpool boat and a Stenson) without feeling rushed or pushed.
We picked up loads of literature on all sorts of things, and the odd accessory too - but I am glad we only live about 30 miles away or I would have been cross if I had travelled.
Alas we can't make Crick this year, there is always next year.
By the way, has anyone used Biomagic loo fluid ~ we bought some to try it out !
:) 
Drydeck equivalent
in Boat Equipment
Posted · Edited by Baron & Mrs Boater
You could try dek tek tiles - similar system, made in the UK and cheaper !
http://www.dek-tek.co.uk/
Or perhaps wooden "duck board"