Kieron G

I only mentioned part numbers as it was said before that some parts might fit more than one engine. I haven't needed to look into that myself Yes, made in situ just long enough to fit over alternator pulley once made, feed it over the pulley rotating the engine by hand and then tension it with adjustment on alternator.

We have to fit a link belt on ours as there is no way of getting a full belt in. Just use a piece of string then add a bit more for length, you take the links out that you don't need to get to get the correct size. They have a direction of travel, I think the thin edge of the wedge shape goes first from memory.

I run a Coventry Victor HDW in our boat. The twin cylinder engine. I chose to put it in as i wanted an affordable vintage engine. As mentioned before the alternator will be driven by a link belt from the back of the crankshaft which you make to size. Re starting and reliability, ours is always a good starter using the dash pots and the decompressor with a small amount of throttle, I spin the engine up to speed with the starter motor then let the decompressor go. Once warm it will start with a flick of the starter, no need to decompress, personally I never use easy start. I have seen glow plugs tapped into the inlet on these but I haven't got that on the engine we run. For spare parts I've bought a couple of scrap engines off ebay very cheap, they do come up now and then. I had a few sets of head gaskets made by 'Gaskets to go' in Thailand, I sent a pattern over. They are excellent. Just changed leaking rear crank seal which I measured and sourced from 'simply bearings'. We take ours out on tidal Ouse and Trent so have complete faith in it, as long as the diesel is clean. The Coventry Victor site is dead but useful for part numbers, I even visited the address in Chipping Norton I think but the place was empty. To sum up I think these engines are great, hope yours proves to be a good one.

Glad the boat has been recovered and hope is not damaged. Been thinking about this. If a boat like that got stolen in this area I can only think of a limited number of places where it could be slipped onto a trailer. I think all of them except maybe one would need yard / marina owner to allow access, it wouldn't be too difficult to make removing from the water with a trailer a risky thing to attempt for a thief. With cruisers it seems to be more outboard engines at risk around here than complete boats.

There was a narrow boat high and dry on the mud bank right in the middle at Trent falls last week waiting for the tide about quarter of a mile up the Trent . I've always anchored next to the training wall but then I guess my anchor only weighs around 15kg. I thought he got caught accidently but when he waved as we passed he seemed relaxed enough.

I recommend the Chesterfield canal. There were 2 narrow boats for hire at West Stockwith when I was last there a few years ago. Lovely quiet stretch of canal with an amazing flight of double and triple locks at the end . Great pubs in Retford as well.

We stopped overnight on the pontoon for first time travelling back home from Torksey as a stepping stone to catch the full effect of the next tide to get up to Trent falls. There is a good café called 'Reeds' just at the top of the pontoon walkway. We got a hot sandwich to take out there and they filled out drinking water container for us in the morning. The lock is missing at the moment and gate was left open with an array of peoples personal padlocks fastened to railings. There were some kids chatting there at the gate till early hours but no problem, not even any rubbish left behind.

We just had a run out of Barmby barrage down to Torksey and met Neil there for first time. What a great guy. He stopped on till 6.30 pm to let us through. The new Lock keeper / grounds man ( not sure of official title ) at Barmby Steve is very helpful ( Environment agency ). He locked us out at 4 in the morning to get the tide. It makes a real difference having the staff live on site. Barmby barrage and the public toilets there are immaculate.

DeWalt seem to make good power tools. Mainly wanted it now to clear a path on Yorkshire Derwent through trees up to Elvington lock, have managed to get up there with a hand saw but there is still a lot more to clear for boats with a canopy to be able to make that passage safely. Especially coming back down with the flow.

Thanks. Really interesting

Some amazing pictures. I'd really like to make this trip one day. The Humber is a bit beyond my capabilities right now. Did you need to radio through to VTS while underway so they were aware of your position or contact them with your plan before the journey so as not to potentially impede commercial traffic ? I've only really used vhf with Ocean lock at Goole so interested to know about the radio use on possibly a busy river /estuary. Also will you be posting details of the return trip ? Thanks very much for taking the time posting this and all the links

If not already checked I would make sure the alternator and water pump bearings are ok. I've had an alternator seize and destroy the belt.

Thanks for feedback on these. I think rechargeable is definitely the way forward for me. Better for neighbours too. On a Sunday afternoon last thing folk want to hear is a petrol saw revving away while I cut up fire wood in the garden

Anyone experience of the rechargeable chainsaws? Thinking of getting one to use at home and to take to the boat. I realise that the batteries are very expensive

If the original doors are solid and look good from inside could you clad them on the outside by coach bolting a steel skin on them. If you use 3-4mm steel and strengthen it with welded on strips it could be strong enough to straighten the original doors when you tighten the bolts I guess.

I never accessed this before it was removed so don't know where or how it happened but has occurred to me in the past that having a rescue / tow boat moored on the Ouse maybe at Cawood on vhf might be a good idea with the speed of the water and amount of debris that float back and forth. I read in Goole times a few years ago about a narrow boat that grounded near Ouse bridge and was towed into Goole by Humber Rescue, travelling from Naburn he originally meant to enter Selby lock, Then missed Barmby. I think it was very windy and he couldn't turn around.

If you have a mig set you could temporarily tighten nuts to the underside of the holes with bolts going through and weld them in place. Access allowing.

Yes. Maybe you could soften the epoxy with a blow torch and dig it out with an old screw driver to get the alignment

Could you drill the original holes out in the deck flange oversize, re tap them and then open the lid holes out to the size of the new bolts / setscrews. I think it would be a lot more tidy than creating more holes and using epoxy.

Yes that's it. thanks

Browsing ebay and saw an interesting listing under heading 'Manual winch steering gear propeller'. Ends very soon but could be great for anyone restoring a barge I would think. Sorry I am unable to provide a link but well worth a look imo.

An hour or two within high water would get you to Barmby barrage. You could moor on the pontoon just inside on the Derwent and continue from there.

Personally I would always go with steel given the choice. I don't worry in a narrow lock ( or any lock) about not being able to protect the hull with fenders. I've clouted the bottom of this boat on hidden obstructions that I think would potentially have holed a fibreglass boat.

My little boat is only 1/8 inch steel ( springer kit I think). Any rusty sections were cut out and replaced rather than over plated. Also I can only insure 3rd party with 'Basic boat insurance' due to age and hull thickness.

The current state of the Aire and Calder is a whole separate subject which I need to get up to speed on. Have seen the work going on near East Cowick and the pilings collapsing in at Pollington.