Paul Chapman

Yes very happy with her and loving living on the canals, however that is not to say I would not like to have another go and make some changes.

It seems to me some people are missing the point about Mel Davis. He is able and willing to produce boats of a variety of designs depending on customer requirements.The only thing he does not do is produce a poorly made boat. My boat Harvest, the gas job, is one extreme of a customers requirements with Venice at the other end. I required a great deal of input from Mel however the design, particularly how she looks I suppose, and any actual or perceived faults are purely the customers, my, responsibility. One can say the same for Venice or any other Mel Davis boat. As to reliability and honesty I have absolutely not any hesitation in recommending him.

Interesting to know there are other people looking into this. I have been researching it myself for some time and am waiting for a reply from a USA company that has its Europian HQ near to where I live in Germany. http://www.idatech.com/ The hydrogen is not the problem as one can run them from LPG with a reformer but those prices you quote are pretty horrendous. From who were those prices and what sort of power output? I think I might just go for something a little cheaper. If and when I get a reply from IdaTech I shall post the result.

Does anybody have experiance of the use of fuel cells? Either on or off a boat, as either main or auxilary power supply. I believe there is or are boats on the cut with fuel cells and would be very interested to hear of peoples experiance with them.

Thanks Marc for that Isotemp web site. I did in fact have a look at it I remember but it did not click at the time that it was Isotemp that did the caloriier with the heat block. When I rememberd that Isotemp was the firm that did the heat block I forgot the web site! Old age you know. I shall drop them a line and see what has happend to the heat block calorifier though from their site it does not look to hopeful. Paul.

spelings wurse than myne.

Chris I was intrigued also by these diagrams. The top one right (they are not well identified) is in a 'LPG resistant material' whatever that is. What is there that the bottles will settle into and not leave space for gas to collect and will not be lost to the canal without polluting it. The only thing I can think of is water. The diagram D seems to relate to no other diagram though it says 'side view' as if it was of the diagram before it which it is not. Paul

Arthur far from having it 'all sorted' I have a pile of problems needing solutions. And it's very interesting in areas about which I have very little knowledge, if any at all. Very interesting though. Paul.

Idiot I am I have a link to the Boat Saftey Scheme already! Thanks anyway. Paul.

Yes sorry about the confused thread my fault for picking up on the flooded gas locker on page 2. I do intend to have a gas fired generator, ideally I would like a fuel cell, there are already boats out there with them I belive, I remember being at Reading Marine a few years ago when they were building one, I think the first on the cut. Should I know about the little red book.? Presumably not Chairman Mao's he went by foot. Boat Saftey Scheme at Watford? I try both on Google and see what I come up with but thanks for the info I shall follow it up. Paul.

I have a copy of the Code of Practice 18, bloody expesive it was to. The main thing that I took on board from it is that it is a good idea to have the gas system above water line. Indeed the gas bottles must be above water line with an exit for spilt gas. As I am having an electric motor to power my boat and she will have a midships wheelhouse it will be possable to have the generator in its own compartment under the whellhouse, like the gas locker, with a gas spill hole over the side. Through the side. I think also that it would be a good idea to run the main feed pipe on the outside of the boat. Adequetly protected of course. Paul.

As to the risk I do not see that more bottles are more of a risk than a less bottles. Either gas should not be used at all on a boat or it is safe. Assuming the whole system is correctly designd, instaled and maintaind, also with a gas sensor it must be foolproof. I take your point about the inspector, I think I have to talk to one before I lower anything below the waterline. Thanks, Paul.

But nobody has an idea about my initial query as to wether one can store the bottles partly imersed in water! Any offers? Paul

Thanks lads but it still seems to be unobtainable any more. I shall keep looking though as it is such a good idea I can not believe that is not produced somewhere. Shall let you know if I find something of interest. Ta, Paul.

The regulation about having a vent for spilt gas at the bottom of the locker and that it should be completly sealed from the accomodation I am aware of. My reckoning makes it cheaper to run on gas than on normaly taxed diesel which is bound to come, and quite rightly so. Wheres my tin hat. However I have been known to get my arithmetic wrong before and no doubt some will say my prioritys! ok ok AND the spelling. One of my reasons for wanting to use gas is that it is environmentaly better than anything else available at the moment. Interesting comment about the bottles on their side, I had not thought of that. It does seem odd because one can only fill the bottles 80% to leave space for gassification at the top.