pog

What is the power usage in watts of the tele? That would surely be the best indicator? I'm running a 19" LCD that uses 60W, runs fine all evening (and all night if fall asleep with it on , oops) from our 150w invertor. We have 2 x 110ah domestics. We also have a 13" Meos that we run from the invertor. Our living room is too far along the boat to run it off 12v due to the voltage drop. It's rated at 15W. Mate of mine does have a HUGE tele (think about 40" mark too) mounted on saloon wall with sofa opposite, ie across width of boat. Think using that would give serious eye strain!

Little red light on end of ciggie? That, or develop a whistling habit.

We had a massive rat on board last winter. It got behind the walls which confused to dog no end, she spent most nights running up and down the length of boat trying to work out how to get to it. Tried a humane mouse trap, then found the dropping. 1/2" droppings, no way was the bugger going to fit into a mouse trap! It goy out then tried to get back into the nice warm boat by way of the cat flap (now removed ). Borrowed a proper "snap" rat trap from a local pub owner, went with a mighty "whack" at 3am, had got him. OH took a photo the next day, the body without tail was 12" long at least!!! That was our first rodent experinece in ten years boating. Did have a mate who inherited a mumified mouse on a boat he had for 5 years, it was wrapped in a map of somewhere he had never been so must have got there when the previous owner had the boat.

Great tanks . Waiting for my membership details to come back as need to login to get manuals.

Hi. I've managed to find one at Marine Engine Services but wondered if anyone had one that is surplus to requirements that I could buy/have? I've downloaded the operators manual online but need the workshop manual instead. Thanks, Pog

Hi Magnetman, I had looked at this one and liked the "engine start" feature. Think will get it. I have a van as well so something that is multi purpose sounds the best way to go. Thanks.

The genny is a 650w cheapo and my domestic battery bank is 330A. The genny has a 8.6A 12v trickel charger in-built which I thought to use on the starter to keep that at a reasonable level until the engine is fixed. This isn't going to be my main charging method, just whilst my engine is being repaired and when the genny is on for other things like small power tools to use the 'spare' electricity generated. Having looked at some old posts I'm thinking that the genny will only power a 20-30A charger?

Hi, I have a small, quiet (quieter than my engine anyway) genny for use with power tools etc. My engine has just packed up and I was thinking of using a battery charger off the genny to keep the batteries topped up as a short-term option whilst its being fixed. I have a budget of £50-100 and am wanting to get as much charge in as poss for a few hours charging. Can anyone give me any pointers? Thanks.

Hi, I have just purchased a new (old) stove for my back cabin. It's quite small, approx 50cm tall/deep and about 30cm wide. It's marked Bluebird on teh front and it enamelled in shades of grey. Anyone have any ideas of who made it, age, etc? I've tried the internet but no joy. Thanks.

The charger is definately big enough for the laptop. Charger is rated up to 160W and 9A, laptop only draws 65W and 3.12 at 19v. Think is either the batteries or the socket, then. The charger does work fine in my van. Am going to do best to recharge the batteries (hoping they are not dead as only about 3 months old), then if there's still a problem it's got to be down to the wiring/socket. Unless I've missed anything?

Hi, I bought a similar one of these from Maplins (the 70w, 3.2A version), but it broke. It got really hot and melted (I only noticed when the charge light on the laptop went off). I took it back thinking maybe it was broken or wasn't powerful enough for the job (although I had checked with the shop when I bought it). Maplins kindly swapped it for the higher power one (160?w, 8A) as this was reduced at the time. My laptop only draws 65w and 3.12A. This one then got really hot, so I stopped using it. I tested it in my van and it worked fine. Then I took a multimeter to it! My boat socket was giving out 11.2V, my van socket over 13V. I then checked my batteries and they are flat. I then started the engine and the alternator seemed to be charging them OK. Am I right in thinking that the input voltage from my boat socket is too low, making the charger try to work too hard, then dying? As you probably gathered from the above I'm not too good at electrics... If its a voltage drop on the wires to the socket (no markings but look quite thin) then I take it I need a new socket wiring up? Any ideas for how best to fix this as I bought the charger so I wouldn't have to use the invertor to run my laptop. Thanks for any help that can be offered!

This is our website that we've just got up and running. We specialise solely in fenders and other ropework and are happy to make up specials to order. All our fenders have an all-rope core (not old tyres/carpets) and are made to traditional methods. If anyone wants to take a look and has any feedback, we'd be delighted to hear from you. www.ropefenders.co.uk

I know of someone on the K&A with just this kind of setup. The rear engine boat is also a workshop. As the owner is an engineer I assume he did the bulk of the design himself. Google for "narrowboat + emily + bronte" Engine= bronte butty= emily The way it is coupled together it looks as if it would behave in the same manner as a single, longer NB.

I'm thinking about constructing a cratch over my front well. I'm happy I'll be able to make the cover myself, it's the cratch board I'm concerned about. Having looked on a couple of boats, some have a pair of rings sticking out of the metal where the actual board then slots into (a bit like a bed headboard!). Then the plank attached to the roof would act to strengthen it. I would like to sort the can either fold completley away on the roof (like on NB Zinfandel), or that comes away and lives in the garage for the summer. Has anyone got experience of building a cratch, or can they steer me towards any good books/websites?

Not been back home yet. Hope everything still here. We had to rescue a NB after Friday night's winds. The stern pin had come completely out (luckily they had the type with a ring so still attached to rope). Boat was almost diagonal across the cut. The OH clambered aboard and managed to get the rope back to me to re-peg. Will probably get back and it'll be mine