musicman

An external 4G antenna to improve wi-fi

If running costs is an issue, then I think that solar thermal would provide an abundance of piping hot water. The downside is that this option is only viable from April to Sept!! We have solar thermal at home and it is fantastic. Many, many deep baths provided courtesy of the sunshine. Cheap to install evacuated tubes and pumping station - just need a coil to run it through a storage cylinder to heat the water. Simples.

I agree - my windows let more light in than portholes, but they are not so aesthetically pleasing

I attended your course Tony about ten years ago - excellent weekend and I still have my annotated handbook to refer to. Invaluable source of information. Thank you!

Many thanks for your help! Philip

Just posted a question in Cruising - as we are due to come through this section later this week. Any chance you know how long the section is likely to be closed? Philip

Hi I received a notice from CRT about the river section of the Trent and Mersey at Alrewas being closed until further notice. Can anyone tell me what is the chance of this being opened again later this week? I am working my way up the Trent and Mersey this week from Shardlow. Thanks Philip

I got one this morning! Thanks for clarifying what it is

I put a Smartgague in our boat three years ago and have never looked back - it does what it says on the tin. Never once has it let me down and we have NEVER run the batteries down too low and been without power. It has my vote every time! Simple to install, simple to read, and simply great!

A sump type shower emptying thingy-majig. You know the sort that has a float switch at the bottom that always gets stuck and a small bilge type pump that never empties the tray fast enough - so inevitably it overflows into the bilge because the lid is not sealed and you spend half an hour to an hour bailing out the lowest point into a bucket (or three). Definitely don't want one of them ever again. Give me a gulper every time!

I did this job about ten years ago - identical bearing. And yes, I did need a puller and a very heavy lump hammer! The tiller collar was tapered on mine and no amount of hitting/shocking it would shift it. I shall be eternally grateful to another boater who moored near us who had far more patience and tenacity than I had. We eventually had to cut the old bearing off the rudder with an angle grinder. Removal - difficult. Fitting a new one was simples by comparison. Philip

Hi Traveller I used http://midsummerenergy.co.uk/ Git a great deal including a reasonably priced MPPT controller (EMPO-NI) at 99 pounds. We just use solar to keep the leisure batteries charged and cruise just a few weeks a year. Philip

If you can, isolate the valves at each end of the radiator. Then, with a shallow bowl ready to collect any water they contain, undo the union coupling (the big nut nearest the radiator body). Water will come out - but only the contents of the radiator itself. Once empty, lift the radiator off it's brackets and take outside. You need a fair amount of water pressure, but hold the rad so it is upside down and fill from the rad coupling at one end until the rad is full. Then watch what comes out the other end - usually lots of very thick black water! One it runs clean, turn the rad the right way up, allow to drain empty and do the exercise again. Once this rad is re-fitted, proceed to the next one in line and repeat the process.

I am wading in behind the Bose Sounddock as well. I've had mine years and the sound quality is awesome. A really great piece of kit - I am not sure how Bose get that kind of quality out of such a small unit as this - but as a musician that is VERY picky about the way my music sounds, this is quite simply the best. Although I agree that the dock change is an issue, mine allows you to plug in any device through a mini jack plug, so you're not just stuck with one particular iPod or phone - lots of other sources can be attached, including my aged Sony Mini Disk player!

I don't understand the comment made to you about your Alde heater. I have an MPPT controller and run a Smartguage alongside it. I have all the information I need.