Kantara

Helpful, thanks! I'll look into the manufacturer's requirements. Their website's not helpful, but I have the manual - not sure it covers installation, but we'll see. Thanks for that. My gut feeling has been all along that the vents are overkill at best. I think the problem pair at least will get sealed.

Nope, it's the original engine, water-cooled. I take your point about the air filter intake. Thanks for that. Indeed! If I have to keep the vents, then I'll get something much more durable welded across the vents. But I'd rather lose them altogether if that's feasible. Indeed! If I have to keep the vents, then I'll get something much more durable welded across the vents. But I'd rather lose them altogether if that's feasible. I have sealed batteries, so venting them's not an issue - thanks. That thought had crossed my mind, too! :-)

No, it's the original, water-cooled engine. It's a solution, but I'd rather get rid of them altogether if they're not essential. Thanks for that. I have sealed batteries, so venting isn't required for them.

I attach the photos of the vents in question. The one with the taped-on grille is the port one, the other side of which are the batteries. The other photos shows the other side, and it's the right-hand vent in question. Note the other two vents on that side. The smaller one is right next to the engine air intake.

Thanks, yes, I've contacted Alexanders, and they said I should contact Riverview - who turn out to be no more.

Many thanks to all of you. I thought I'd got no replies, since the email notifications didn't happen! I'm so glad I logged in this morning. Very helpful, all of you. ...and I'll post a photo of the vents later today, if that's going to help.

Our Alexander/Riverview semi-trad has two grilled vents into the engine compartment, one on either side of the hull. The grilles of both of these are subject to regular accidental removal, mostly from catching against the armco at moorings. One of them is directly next to the battery bank, the other opens into an empty space. There are two other vents into the engine space as well. Do you think they're likely to be essential for the cooling of the Barrus 2000 engine, or would the other two vents be enough? I've seen numerous boats with apparently no vents to the engine space. Any thoughts, please?

I'm sorry, but you've lost me. The problem I am referring to is with regard to the domestic isolator - it is clearly connected to the domestic bank, whether or not it works. I'm at a disadvantage here now, in that I am no longer with the boat, since I've returned to land for the winter. I'll keep all of your replies, and check things out when I return. Many thanks. I now have a professional coming to the boat in February to attend to another wiring problem, so I'll probably refer this to him.

I have three as well - domestic, engine, bowthruster. All were turned off at the time. I'll check that - thanks. I'll check that, thanks, but my money is on the solar panels now - see above.

No, sorry, but it is - I have no doubt about that. Ahh! It could be my solar panels! Thanks for that! Thanks, battery charger was off - landline disconnected.

I thought I knew the answer to this question, because it seems kind of obvious, but when I switched off my domestic battery isolators today (and the starter battery and the bowthruster battery isolators too) I found I still had domestic battery power available in the boat - the lights could be switched on. What's wrong here, anyone - please??

Yes, thanks, I'd heard that term used, but I always thought pilings were just the vertical beams which are driven into the mud. Thanks, yes, I've heard that word used for it, but I've always thought that pilings are the upright beams driven into the mud. Now I've never heard that one! Any idea where it comes from? What's it got to do with camps and sheds? Ah! Now that makes sense. I like "waling"! I'm going to test these suggestions in conversation with other boaters, and see if anyone understands me! I'd not heard "campshedding" before this thread, I'll try it out in conversation, and see if anyone knows what the heck I mean! "Piling" does seem to be favourite, though. How about "bent nappy pins"?

...of the metal strips along the towing path bank, used for mooring boats on. We refer to them as Armco, after the similar-ish structures down the central reservation of motorways, but that's a trademark, and I'm pretty certain that the company does not make the canal ones. So what are they called? Oh, and what are the "hooks" called that we use for mooring to them?

It seems that I have caused annoyance to some of those contributing to this thread. I did not start it in order to argue, or to anger anyone, and I apologise for doing so. Many thanks to those who have given me information, and improved my awareness of the issues.

Thanks for that information, Tony. I have no hard and fast facts - I think they would be very difficult to gather. One reason for me starting this thread was to see what experiences other boaters had had, and to see if anything could be done to change the move to FAME, if it really is the problem many say it is. The evidence IS largely anecdotal at the moment. I really can't believe that Dominic M and Idleness expect anyone to come up with a body of hard evidence at this stage. Such evidence has to be collected and organised over time. No doubt it will be available as more engines are repaired from FAME-suspected damage.