Markinaboat

"Phill said to keep a lump hammer by the stove and leave a floorboard up." He told me the story of trawler men returning to harbour after a period at sea in forward gear only. They would circle around the harbour until they could knock the shaft back into reverse with sledge hammer. Indeed, there was one under the cabin boards when we had 'Enid'.

Did you miss my post somewhere above re Phil Robbins in Nineveh, Kent. Took over all the Kelvin spares from Kevin Whittle a few years ago.

Phil Robbins in Kent took over the Kelvin spares group from Kevin Whittle. He has tooling and can make parts, he's highly knowledgeable and a thoroughly nice chap. It's been 5 yrs since he manufactured some new water pump parts for me so not sure how pro-active they are now but worth a go .. phil@greatnineveh.org.uk You can also try Dick Goble who is 'Mr Kelvin', based in Stoke on Trent bit travels. I can pm his number if required although a google will find him.

poxy is an understatement then! ? I'm the same, in poxy house in Oxfordshie and want to be on the boat in Harefield.

why is your house poxy?

So very true Dave. The older I get (64) the more and more this becomes apparent. Follow your dream and with your experience and attitude you wont; look back I'm sure.

especially when the boat name is my surname!

I was moored in a very narrow marina/cut for 9 years. I noticed my isolator red light on one day and we traced it to the 12v bilge pump in the neighbouring boat being faulty. So the stray 12v DC current was finding it's way via the AC earth.

Would this (galvanic corrosion) not only apply when connected to a shore line though? And if so. an isolation transformer or galvanic isolator would interrupt this process?

All of the above. As mentioned, try and find the cable coming into the boat from the shoreline connector (unless the connector is already in the boat as is sometimes the case). The insertion point of the isolator should, ideally, be as close to the shore connector as possible. However, as long as the isolator is anywhere inline between the input from the shore connector and the cables first point of contact/connection in the boat, then this will be fine (i.e. the earth coming into the boat must not have been connected to anything else before the isolator). The only slightly awkward bit is using a nice sharp Stanley or craft knife to carefully split the outer cable insulation to expose enough cable to allow the earth to be shortened (without actually cutting into the earth/live/neutral wires!) and then connected to either end/terminal of the isolator. The remaining live and neutral wires can then be neatly wrapped in insulating tape to protect from chaffing etc.

Great Heywood confirmed to me that she's been sold although they generally leave their advertised boats as 'available', no doubt to get you to call them!? https://www.greathaywoodboatsales.co.uk/shop/gertie/ "Only other thing keeping me off the network is my elderly horse, 27 this year and looking half that!" Why bother with a classic engine, you already have the ultimate horse-power! ?

You should have gone for Gertie. I went to view but another couple were waiting and put a deposit down after I left. She was immaculate inside with a pristine 2LW. I ended up putting a deposit on another ( 60ft classic trad from a top builder but advertised as a 62ft) but it had too many issues (3 x Victron AGM batteries knackered due to misuse of charging, the 5 other batteries no doubt suspect and with serious (hydraulic) bowthruster issues and a 2LW that really hadn't been looked after in recent years - chain not been adjusted, suspect type of oil with a whole bag of cat litter chucked under the engine). Paintwork getting tired etc etc. The owner (of just 15 mths and barely used it) wouldn't accept the reduced offer via the broker as he thought the boat/engine et all was in perfect nick!). But then he was ensuring that the inverter AND charger were turned on when cruising! Lovely chap though. Good luck with your quest!

It's ....... BATCAT!

Apologies, my memory lettign me down again. They posted a link in their emails this week which directs to https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/enjoy-the-waterways/safety-on-our-waterways/coronavirus/coronavirus-and-boating-faqs We’ve put up hundreds of posters across the network and have made the poster available online, so boaters can print it off and display it in their windows. Around 1,800 have been downloaded – thank you to all those who have helped. Please help us communicate this information, but under no circumstances should anyone place obstructions on towpaths. You can print off the poster here - thank you for your help.

quite scary actually!

There are CRT posters stating 'Do not walk past boats' at all access points as well as on trees/posts near to boats (CRT sent these via email to boaters authorising them to put the up). We went for a walk to one of our local towpath's today on the Oxford (opposite the Pig Place). There was a boat moored up just passed the swing bridge so we stopped short of it. The guy was pottering outside and we struck up a conversation (at a distance). The towpath is quite wide there so I asked him if he minded us passing and he said "of course you can, you're the first people to actually ask", he stepped away and we had considerably more than 2m between us and without anyone coughing! He mentioned there were 3/4 boats further up and we said we'd turn around before we get to them. He went on to say that the people form those boats wouldn't mind as they were down chatting to him earlier. What's happened to common sense to be applied with the rules?

Can't say I've not noticed this with 'Marine 16 Diesel Fuel Complete'.