Georgina

Has anyone experience of polishing sides using electric buffer and polishing pad? If so, which sort of buffer - orbital or dual speed.

Thanks for all that. Trouble is compared with you lot I am old - 83 last June. Had the op four weeks ago and things going along reasonablyb well but just seeking re-assurance tat I do not need to hang up mu lock key!

Has anyone had a full hip replacement of one hip and, if so, how long to get back to working locks etc? Obviously there would need to be more care, particularly in winter with ice about.

Yes, all is fine now thank you. I have logged in a couple of times to make sure. No idea why it wouldn't work, it was not for want of trying. There only remains the minor issue that I do not appear on te list of members. I shan't lose any sleep over that. Thanks again for help. Malcolm

Thank you Martin. I do not know if you have the magic touch or if someone saw your 'report' and acted very quickly but all is now sorted. After two days of trying, logging in and out, turning off computer, kicking it, I gave it one more go. Low and behold it suddenly worked perfectly and all is now up and running. Many thanks to all

I have been trying without success for two days now to change my e-mail and password. I have completed the process of 'forgotten password' and retrieved the answering e-mails from my old Tiscali account. Following this trail I can then sign in to the main forums under my User Name 'Wilma' by pasting the newly given password, a jumble of letters and numbers. I can then use the forums - as I am now.. However I need to change to my new BT address and also make a new password. Clicking on the link at the bottom of the second e-mail I was sent this simply takes me back to the sign in page, user name and password. Complete this and I am back in the main Forums. I have now tried many times and am simply going round in circles, with no chance to change my details. I have tried clicking on the drop down menu beside my name at the top of the forum page. This gives me the opportunity to change my password and e-mail - but the result is the same. I simply wind up on the main sign in page. I also notice that although I have been sent e-mails quoting my User Name of Wilma I do not appear on the list of members. I am doing this this way in the hope that this will find its way to someone in Technical Support who can help.

I find Vactan very good. It is expensive but goes a long way. It looks just like any other rust remover but leaves a fine epoxy coat when dry. I have left it unpainted for several months without any problems, then painted it with undercoatand topcoat in the usual way

Accepting the desirability of taking an RYA course how do you think those of us who are old managed to learn to sail? I began long before the RYA introduced their courses and continued until about four years ago when anno domini caught up. Difficult to use a sailing boat if you cannot pull a rope. So I sold the sea boat and bought one where I can walk ashore. In those days one began carefully and in sheltered waters, concious of the fact that if you got yourself into a difficulty you had to get yourself out of it. My first dinghy sail was in Shaldon Harbour. I went out - then found I had little idea on how to get back. Answer - down sail and row. You had to swallow your embarressment and learn. Later, still with little experience, I moved with a larger boat on to the Bristol Channel - an unforgiving bit of water. Again, take it carefully, slowly and read it all up. Our boats then were converted lifeboats with no guard rails, no radios, no electronics and compasses which were ex-R.A.F. One advantage of the Channel was you could not get lost. Wales one side, England the other Ireland in front. All of the small boat sailors of the era 1930 to 1960 were self taught and possibly better for it. Nothing focuses the mind better than terror and the fact that the problem is yours and yours alone. So, yes, it can be done with a cautious approach but a proper course is a good idea. Sailing at sea remains one of the Englishmans few remaining liberties, and long may that be so. Only insurance to protect other people is a must. Even that is not legally required.

Hi, Tim, Yes my boat was built 1996, so that is why this type of tank set up was used. Easy for builder but possible problem for future owners. Apart from the new water trap and filter I intend to use my long syphon device to take a sample from the bottom of the tank and see what it is like. If bad I will syphon some muck off the bottom and ditch it. Still no ideas forthcoming as to why the fuel would not come out. Spoke to diesel engineer today, admittedly cars, and he has never heard of this happening. Malcolm

Thanks again. However my diesel tank takes its fuel direct from a tap at the bottom of the tank, about an inch up. I have had this set up before on other boat tanks. I am not happy with it because of the possibility of taking in sludge and water from the tank bottom - but that is what I have got. Having said that I have never had a problem with this type of set up, even on sea going boats where tanks are shaken about. We relied on water trap primary filters - which is why we were doing this job. I suppose it is possible that my present tank has an internal pipe going up and down but I think it unlikely as it would be an unnessesarily difficult way to build a tank. So I am back to my first question. Why did the fuel not come out? Judging by the silence seems to have baffled everyone. Do other people have this type of tank set up?

I didn't know that. I assume that this is a U shaped tube going upwards. What is its purpose? I have sailed for nearly 50 years and used numerous sea going boats and they do not have one. New to canals though. New to son-in-law as well - and he is a qualified and experienced engineer. Is this idea one of those which only apply to inland waters - there seem to be a lot of these. Many thanks for the information Malcolm

One for those with degree in Physics. Two of us went to Georgina last weekend to make new fuel lines to both engine and diesel stove. The stove one went without hitch and works fine. Feed from the main tank to both stove and engine is via two ball type fuel cut off valves which are new, and both have been working perfectly. The replacement of the engine line involed removing and scrapping the old copper tube and replacing it with a single new length to a newly purchased manual fuel suction pump (to facilitate bleeding), then a new water trap type filter and a new flexible line connected direct to the base of the engine lift pump. All made and connected and look beautiful. However actuating the new manual pump sent fuel the wrong way and was heard to pump air into the main tank. Much cursing. Pump appears to have been incorrectly assembled in factory - but this another story of no interest here. Solution, so as to get things working again, was to take new assembly apart, remove pump, and reassemble with the line going directly to the new water trap filter. This was done but no success with trying to bleed engine. Disconnect pipe at filter - still no fuel. Disconnect pipe at cut off valve and turn on valve - no fuel come out. Long, fine screwdriver through hole - no fuel. Even longer cable tie poked in and wriggled about, no fuel but cable tie comes out wet! So we have a tank full of diesel, checked and dipped, tank full, fuel level about 18 inches above fuel cock. Other fuel cock to stove working and passing fuel. Fuel cock for engine immediately beside other cock, turned on but no fuel. Air bleed to tank checked and OK. Why no fuel? Matter resolved by reconnecting copper pipe then poking other end of line into seperate hand syphon pump, making crude seal with rag, and working syphon. Result - fuel gushed merrily. Reconnect system, bleed and start engine which works perfectly during test run of several hours. Question:- why no fuel out of tank when tank full and fuel cock turned on. Answers on a postcard, please.

I've just read this lot. To try and balance the review I have to say that I have been at Welton for a season now and am very happy with the place. I have found the staff helpful and, so far, everything which has been done in the line of repairs has been OK. Yes, if you go outside and listen hard you can hear the motorway - but this is not the only marina that this happens and you can hardly blame the operators. Maybe I am very easy going and easily satisfied. So be it. But there are probably many others out ther who are like me and do not want such harsh standards. And, No, I am not Sarah-Jane in disguise. She has probably read this and does not rate it worth a reply - especially as the marina is full of satisfied customers, many of who have been there for centuries

Has anyone tried to fit a new thermo couple to an Old English stove, 1995 era. My problem is that I cannot get the old one out and am not sure how it is fixed. Seen from inside the stove the tip of the thermo couple protrudes into the fire through a tube, and the end of the tube has a nut tack welded. The thermo couple is threaded through that nut. Obviously I cannot undo the nut with a spanner and there is not enough of the Thermo Couple showing to get pliers on it - fragile in any case. Any one had this problem before? If I get it out how do I put the new one back. The new unit has two nuts on a threaded body. At the back of the stove all you see is the end of the tube which is part of the fabrication of the outer casing, with the copper tube disappearing inside it.

This is quite a common problem with outboards - even ones which use clean sea water, not canal soup. I have had it happen twice and spoke to Yamaha engineer about it. Answer - remove the little jet which is screwed in to the tell tale apperture, then pass a tiny drill which is just a bit larger through the jet hole and replace. The cause is that the manufacturers expect their products to be used in pure tapwater and make these jet apertures far too small. Don't make a massive hole - just get a drill bit that will just not go through the existing one.

Interesting, Jim. I had some cut at Timpsons and they didn't. They wouldn't even go in to the lock. Close inspection showed a different thickness on a ridge on their blank to the original. They gave me my money back and said that it was a security key, they could get the blank but it cost them £7 each. I seem to remeber previously people have had some cut and they didn't work so its a bit of a maybe. Glad to see the bit about e-bay keys as I have just bought two

I have checked back on ths question and cannot find it has been raised before. I have a Kabola Old English stove fitted, manufacture circa 1996. I think that the thermocouple has expired and, after talking to Karunda, they have supplied a replacement thermo couple. The end of this that sticks in to the stove and gets hot is a small narrow bulb which is attached to a screw thread about an inch long and has two nuts. Obviously the idea is to undo the nuts on the old one, pull it out, and put in the new one, tightening the nuts to hold it in. I tried to fit this a couple of weeks ago but was unable to undo the front nut which is visble inside the stove when the burner pot is taken out as it was too tight and threatened to turn the whole issue, breaking the old one off but leaving it in situ. I need to get at the rear nut but cannot find out how to do this. Has anyone else had this problem? Karunda say that there were various models about this time and can only suggest taking out the air valve at the back of the stove and seeing if I can get at it that way. Very difficult to do as the chimney is in the way as you lean over and the rod of the fuel control vale sits on top of it. Ideas, please.

Just to answer a couple of questions. I am actually at Weltonfield and yes, I do plug into mains when on board. The battery charger, a funny French thing, was also designed for two batteries, not four, but over a thirty hour period it will bring all batteries up to full charge. When I leave I disconnect the shorepower and turn off the batteries at their dedicated switch and turn off every switch on the main panel, When we come back, even after being away for several weeks, the batteries are still pretty well up - again by using a hydrometer. As I have said I have spoken to Beta and they can provide the necessaries for a larger alternator, but its fairly costly. They would not commit themselves to exact figures until I could give them the engine number and other details but I would be looking at several hundred. Yes, the engine is a Kubota base. I am thinking of going down the line of solar power but it is item 304 on the shopping list! While we have shorepower to run the immersion heater when at Welton and the engine while awy from there it has a low priority. Thanks Bob for the gen on tests - I will do that. I rather like Bizards idea of dividing the four batteries into two. I can see several advantage - not the least that one duff battery will only drain another one and not three. As I have said I have used this system on campervans and it has the advantage that it is a manual changeover and not a funny electrical thing. Having said that, could it be worked that the existing split diode made sure that the engine battery received the primary charge the switched to the leisure batteries (as now) but a further splitter controlled the charge to the two pairs of leisure batteries, thus charging up one pair on the 55amp alternator before switching to the other? I am full of good ideas but very little knowledge! Malcolm

Many thanks to all. There are now several things to think about. Firstly - the belt is correctly adjusted and secondly, as I said, Beta can help with a bigger alternator but all of their new ones use the flat belt system and that means new pulleys and belt. Add a new alternator to that and you have a hefty bill - hence the 'What else can anyone suggest' question. Unfortunately the boat is near Braunston and I live in Cornwall so a 'quick nip down to the boat' is not on. We are going up at the end of this month so I will be able to get full details of the existing alternator, check its output etc. The batteries are dated July 2009 so should be OK. How charged are the batteries after runmning the engine? certainly not fully charged. About three quarters the first day' but they never rise above this. I have been checking the amount of charge in them in the morning with a hydrometer but I also have a meter. Our only electricity use is a Shoreline modern fridge RL47, a couple of lights, shower pump and water pump and radio sometimes. I have been trying to find out what the fridge takes without success - I suppose I can ring Shoreline. Their Instruction book does not say. I know very little about the split charge even if we have one - all I can see in the line is a black box about 2 inches square which is definately a relay and is in the charging circuit. Yes, I could use the battery switch to divide the bank into two - I have experience of such a set up with campervans. I think by electricity usage is about average and I have no concerns about keeping batteries usable if we move each day - its what about if we stop for a couple of days and then try to bring the batteries back to an acceptable level which I can't seem to do. However, I will think further, get more info off the boat and bring the subject back. Malcolm

Sorry to go back to this everlasting subject but I cannot find the answer to my question by research. I have an engine battery and a bank of four leisure batteries, all wet cell. Orginally the boat had just two 110amp batteries but the previous owner added two more about a year or so ago. He did not increase the alternator size so I have the four batteries, plus the engine one, charged by a 55amp alternator. The engine is a Beta 35hp of 1996 vintage. I now find that, while the mains charger will keep the batteries charged on shore power, when out cruising and using the engine for about five hours a day I cannot get the leisure batteries fully recharged from overnight use. The engine battery is fine - I am pretty sure it is a split charge system. It appears to me that the 55amp alternator does not have enough output to fully recharge in the five hours running. If I stay anywhere for two or three days I will need to run the engine stationery for several hours - not acceptable to me (or the neighbours) My thought are to get an alternator of about 70 or 90 amps. The drive is by conventional V-belt so I do not think I could run a greater alternator without changing the pulley and belt system. I have spoken to Beta who are helpful but really only suggest a new alternator, plus mountings and belts etc from them - costs real money!! I have read in this blog about people using car alternators of about 90amps. My question is :- how can they be fitted? are mounting points and brackets universal, because I don't think they are. Are electrical connections the same? Any help or suggestions would be appreciated Malcolm

Many thanks to all. It seems I will have to try and get the plastic cover off without breaking. Two points arise though. There do not seem to be many other makers of these controls TX, Teleflex and Morse are now all the same company. Secondly I came across the 'U' bolt advice elsewhere in a Yachting blog. Seems the guy was given that advice by Teleflex themselves!! I agree, I don't realy like it - but the same effects would be caused by amore acute bend in the cable. Slowly the inner cable would cut into the outer and you would be back where you started. I let you all know what happens.

Can anyone help with this. I have a Teleflex single side mounted throttle control working on my Beta 1305 engine. It has a red central button to select neutral position and the lever is held in place by an Allen screw acting on a spline. I have recently bought the boat and inherited the problem. The lever control works correctly up to just over tickover speed. As one increases revs as soon as I let go of the lever it drops back to just over tickover. If I accelerate through this 'slippage area' the lever grips again and holds the speed - the problem is that I am then at full speed and travelling at 3 to 4 mph. It means I have an all or nothing situation without cruising speed. There must be some sort of friction clutch but I cannot find it. Whoever designed this mounting cleverly put the access panel on the back of the pedestal leaving a two inch gap between the pedestal and te side of the boat - and secured it by slot head screws! Even if I get this out it will be very difficult to see inside except, perhaps, with a mirror, and working on it even worse. I can see the cable attachment from underneath via the locker on which the pedestal stands. If I attack it from the front I can remove the lever easily but am then faced with the plastic cover which does not seem to want to come off easily - it may be paint stuck or else is on some sort of snap fixing. I am wary of force as I do not want to break the cover. Does anyone know how to get inside these, is there a friction device, and how does the plastic cover come off?

Correct nautical use of springs - Normal bow and stern ropes to bollards on bank close to bow and stern. Then one long rope from bow to bollard on bank at the stern and another long rope from boat stern to bank at bow. If you use centre cleats it tends to pivot the boat around the centre point rather than limit fore and aft movement, which is the intention. Springs can also be used to swing the bow or stern out in order to get off the bank or out of a tight area. Trouble is I doubt if any of us carry ropes long enough to work this properly - a seventy foot boat will need two ropes at least eighty feet long! Malcolm