musicman

We started with little or no knowledge when we put out boat together some years ago. My advice would be to start by thinking about all the things you want in the finished product and list these under headings - water system, electrical system, gas system etc. This should help you to work backwards in a fairly systematic way on each of the headings - for instance for electrics, what cable runs you will need to put in, where they will terminate etc and how early in the build you will need to install if they run behind panelling etc. Building a boat, which these days is a complex and time consuming project, is a bit like eating an elephant - it's best done in smaller bites! From memory, we started with electrics, then added the water system, then installed the bulkheads and panelling - but I guess everyone will do it differently. Philip

We lived near Mansfield ten years ago when we first had our boat. In fact, we moored at Redhill - just a hop and skip down the M1 from Annesley and with ready access to the TRent, the Tent and Mersey Canal, the Erewash and the River Soar through towards Leicester. After a couple of years we moved the boat to Shireoaks Marina on the Chesterfield Can just west of Worksop - again a quick road up the A60 from Mansfield. Although here there were fewer optio in terms of cruising unless you were prepared to take to the tidal Trent on a regular basis.

I did exactly the same a few years ago - just went to a local steel fabricator who made up a box for me to my measurements out of sheet steel (about 1/8th inch thick). I bolted it to the side of the existing box which is big enough for three batteries. So now the starter battery sits in its own box alongside the three leisure abtteries. Cost me just a bit for the welding - a tenner from memory.

I hear on the news tonight that the River Don has now breached near Stainforth. Is there anyone nearby who can provide a first hand up-date - especially for those of us moored just a mile or two away at Bramwith? Obviously, with more rain forecast for the weekend, I am getting a bit worried about how safe the boat is. Philip

I didn't wade round the corner to see if the aquaduct was down - but this picture which we took, from the beginning of the towpath lane, has the guillotines in the distance and they look as if the gates are in the lower position. Philp

Visited Bramwith today to find the River Don in flood - lapping at the road bridge which was closed and patrolled by two Police officers refusing to let anyone cross. The river must have been at least ten foot (maybe even fifteen foot) above the level of the Stainforth and Keedby Canal below. Several spots on the towpath lane were under water, and the lock was set with both top and bottom paddles open - presumably to drain some of the water from the Don and divert it through the canal. Looking at the moored boats, whilst most were on relatively slack lines which had allowed for the upward swell, a couple were listing because the lines were really tight. My guess is that, if the river rises much more, leading to a further rise in the canal level, then these lines might break under the strain. No-one would normally expect this sort of cloudburst over consecutive days in the lovely month of June - but it could potentially cause quite a bit of damage to boats if they break free of their mooring and get caught up in the swell. Philip

So BW will now be known as Aquantis from April 2007. My money has been spent on hiring focus groups that tell us we need a new brand! What a potty idea - and it cost BW money it hasn't got at the moment. I'll be sending my licence renewal off tomorrow with a little note attached "Please can I have a discount because I don't see why I should pay for stupid management decisions about branding when there is so much work needed on maintaining and developing the cut." And no, I don't feel any better having got that off my chest.

we did cromwell to West Stockwith in one hop this summer - it was fine, just needed to wait for half an hour at on the excellent pontoons at Gainsborough before making our way to West Stockwith. I agree that Keadby can be hairy - especially when there are ships unloading at the wharf. we found all the lock keepers were excellent - we used mobile phones to contact them. But doing it again, I think I would take a hand held radio along as this seems to be the universal means of keeping in touch on the river. There are some really nice parts to this stretch of river, but I have to admit that I find the first bit from Cromwell to Torksey and real chore.

Our boat is blue too. Over the past ten years, we've found many different shades available. The original paint used was a copany that went bust a few years ago, so we had no option but to change to another brand and realise that the whole thing needed a coat because the paint did not match the original. We also suffered the "paint peeling off" bit and found the best option was to use a good orbital sander to give the paint a good key.

Surely it is a matter of the type of cruising you intend to do. In the past I have hired seventy footers without a bow thruster, and we now have a 45footer of our own with no assistance up front. I can appreciate why bigger boats (dutch barges etc) feel the need so that they have extra manouverability. Call me a purist, but I have never really felt the need for a bow thruster and get a lot of pleasure steering the boat with accuracy simply with the standard tiller. Some might say that using a bow thruster is a lazy way - but that would, I am sure, be taken as an insult by some on this forum.

Having read up on Leicester before our Summer cruise, we journed through without a stop on the way south. This was August, when you might expect some on-lookers or even some trouble. However, I have to say that it was a totally uneventful passage. the only encounter of any substance was a grumpy cyclist who moaned at us as we moored up to prepare the lock south of town near the football ground. He was very nasty because we were holding our ropes, stood on the towpath - which he asserted was a cycle way (inferring we were hindering him passing)!! But the city centre itself was a doddle. I would claim that west of Leeds is far worse.

I have a kestrel unit. The black spring loaded button simply re-sets the unit so that it starts the charging cycle all over again from scratch.

Just enjoyed a beautiful sunny afternoon on the South Yorks navigation - blue sky, little by way of wind and just touching 10 degrees - fabulous. Philip

I thought this was more about water running downhill and eventually meeting the sea. There must be something about the cycle of water - you know evapouration, creating water vapour in the atmosphere - clouds that get blown over the land mass and give off their load in the form of precipitation!! That's how the reservoirs generally get filled anyway. I'd be looking in Encarta or some other similar encylopedia for the answer. By the way - how do you get water to run uphill? Now there's a good question to answer with next time they ask! Philip

We had a houdini fitted from new in the galley area. It's excellent way of ventilating when the heat from cooking gets a bit much - both in summer and winter. Although this has been in our boat for ten years, I can't say we have suffered much from either condensation or from an leaks at all. But the bonus of having that extra escape route if required coupled with a splash of sunlight into the cabin area is great. If we were building again, we would certainly go for a houdini hatch - no question. Philip

We have just finished part of the East Midlands ring in our 45 foot narrowboat. Just two of us and always glad to have the help of another boat in the wide locks. Our technique ascending is to hold the middle rope aroud a middle pin on the lock side so that the steerer has the means of holding the boat tight against the lock wall. If the paddle on the same side of the boat is opened gently at first, it tends to allow the incoming water to ricochet off the opposite wall and hold the boat where it should be. Opening both paddles just causes the boat to drift all over the place. On some of the locak, we both got off and did the lock work together and held the boat with a front rope near the gates. Whatever - it's just not the same as when we too had a crew of three teenagers running ahead and enjoying the exercize whilst we sat at the back of the boat serene!!

A agree. A lot of twoddle talked about when it comes to batteries. My advice is keep it simple. I have two 110amphour batteries running similar range of equipment to what you describe. They have never let me down. All they need it a watchful eye on the electolyte level and topping up with ionised water perhaps once a year. I would recommend a decent bit of kit to help manage your alternator though. Whilst the starter battery is easily re-charged in a matter of minutes, it is worth investing in a management system that allows you to fully charge your leisure batteries properly. Philip

I filled up at Farndon Marina on the Trent on Friday for 47p a litre

So here we are - safe, but somewhat shaken. We had taken all the precautions - anchor and mud weight at the ready, life jackets on, planned to travel with three other narrow boats from Keadby to West Stockwith. Then, late in the day, the lock keeper decided to lock out three boats first, leaving us to be tail end charlie - fair enough - we have done this stretch before and knew what to expect. Trouble was - by the time we were locked out (half and hour had elapsed) the front party was long gone and we were on our own. Half an hour into the journey it began to spit with rain - get the Berghaus out - don't bother with the brolley because there is clearly a storm to our left with some thunder and sheet lightening. then it began - what can only be described as a tropical storm - strong winds enough to create quite big waves and stair rods. It took about three minutes to soak me through to the skin. Then the thunder storm headed our way and landed straight over head. I put up with it for about an hour, but at West Stockwith, decided to pull over and lock up into the basin for a rest. A beautiful summer afternoon with a millpond of a Trent had turned out to be worse than any river journey I have ever known. By the way, we don't have VHF - and would you believe it, neither of our mobile networks had a signal for much of this short journey. The moral of the story - rivers are dangerous places for narrowboats - especially when you visit them without company. Was anyone else caught in similar conditions on Saturday afternoon? Philip

--> QUOTE(andy b @ Jun 22 2006, 08:10 PM) 64916[/snapback] Exactly how many fire extinguishers are required on a 46ft narrowboat. (oven, hob,woodburner). Had conflicting views. Is only 1 fireblanket required? Is there a minimum size requirement? My boat is 45 ft and passed three BSC examinations with three 1kg fire extinguishers and a fire blanket. However, I decided I needed a bigger dry powder extinguisher near the engine after hearing about an engine fire that took alot more than 1 kg to put out. I now have a 2Kg dry power extinguisher near to the tiller just in case!

Carrie you're a star! Post a picture to me. I'm in no real hurry - but it would be good to fit before the end of the Summer. Philip

Fascinating thread. So if I were looking to add a pidgeon box over my engine room - where would I get one from? Any ideas much appreciated. Philip

We made our mud weight out of a coal scuttle - set a length of strong chain in it with a bolt horizontal across the botton link and poured in the afore-mentioned concrete. It's heavier that perhaps I was thinking, but now it's been painted with some roses and squirley bits, it sits inside the cabin and also helps to trim the boat when we are carrying a bit of a list!! I've never needed to use it yet - perhaps just as well as I haven't attached the rope yet and it might be a bit difficult in a hurry! Philip

All the accumulator does is equalise the pressure in the water system - it matters not one bit whether it's vertical, on it's side or even back to front!! I simply consists of a bladder that you plow up to the required pressure - usually within 5psi of the water pumps pressure switch. It basically helps the pump by reducing the number of times it cuts in to keep the pressure level.