KJT

Just a quick query before I do something stupid. I have just purchased an LED tv for my boat and wish to run it from my 12v DC system The input voltage of 19.5v DC is supplied by a mains voltage unit supplied with the TV. The power consumption of the TV is around 35w. I have a 12v power supply with various selectable output voltages which would seem to do the job but the nearest voltage which can be selected is either 19v or 20v. Would either of those make a difference? 19.5v seems very precise. I don't wish to damage the TV the first time I plug it in. Thanks Ken

Thank you for confirming the very sad news. The cut will be a poorer place without him. RIP Allan.

I have been trying to contact Allan, who has done some excellent cratch and roof box covers for me in the past, but to no avail. He operates a cratch cover repair business from his boat 'Pengalanty', usually around Milton Keynes. I last had contact with him in May, but recent emails and sms messages have gone unanswered, which is very unlike him. Someone mentioned to me today that they heard he had been taken into hospital and sadly passed away in June. I sincerely hope this is not the case. Can anyone shed any light as to whether this is true or not? If so, that is very sad news. He is/was a real gent. Ken

Hi Mags. Welcome to the forum. There is a mine of information here, and a lot of very knowlegable people who will be only too pleased to offer advice. If you have any specific questions just ask. Good luck with the survey tomorrow. Ken

Unless you cruise pretty much every day April to September, or are on shoreline, I certainly think they are worth it. As liveaboards/cc'ers for six months of the year and heavy electric users, with our 680 watts we can moor up for days on end and rarely need to think about running the engine or genny. That is a direct saving of at least £3 a day in diesel, to say nothing of wear and tear, noise, vibration and pollution. Ken

The chandlery at Wharfehouse Narrowboats, Bottom Lock, Braunston sell purpose made roof top boxes. Ken

I have heard differing opinions on Eldonian Village. When we went down to the docks last summer the CRT lockie working the Stanley flight advised against mooring in the Eldonian village basin overnight unless there are several boats. There have been isolated cases of trouble with youths in the adjacent park. We moored up there during the day on the return from the docks and it was very quiet, but we didn't moor overnight. We found the canal very pleasent pretty much all the way, with some lovely mooring spots all the way to bridge 10. Bridge 9 is the first that requires advance notice to CRT who open it for you. We usually moor between bridges 11 and 10 which is a nice country mooring and usually there are other boats moored along that stretch as well. Ken

Where will you moor the boat? If you have the possibility of electric hook-up then you can have an oil filled radiator or similar to heat the cabin.

There are both visitor and long term moorings (adminstered by CRT I think) in the Burscough area. Ken

Six days is pretty good going! Glad to hear you enjoyed the trip. If you start a new topic re moorings around Rugby I am sure you will get some useful pointers. Ken

As reg above has said, yes it is possible. If your panels are pointing in different directions, in a 'pitched roof' arrangement on a roof box for example, or one panel is in shade and another in full sunlight, then having each panel go through dedicated a MPPT controller will be more efficient. Though not neccessarily cost effective. Ken

Yes, in the 'purchase a permit' section the first option of type of permit is '3 day return - £20' http://www.bridgewatercanal.co.uk/boating/payonline/default.aspx Ken

I used Tim at onboard solar to supply and fit mine. He is very helpful and can advise you what you would need depending on your own particular requirements. http://www.onboardsolar.co.uk/index.php Another couple of suppliers are Onboard Energy at Springwood Haven http://www.onboardenergydirect.co.uk/shop/solar-pv-panels.html Also Sunshine Solar http://www.sunshinesolar.co.uk/catshow/Sunshine_Solar_Crystalline_Range/CrystallinePanels.html Ken

That's a terrific idea, Ray. And brilliant in its simplicity. I can't think of anything that could wrong. As luck would have it, the boat is coming out of the water next spring for blacking. Your suggestion is now at the top of my 'to do' list. Ken

Ah, OK. It did seem a bit too simple to be a practical disabling device. Ken

Presumably, if you pulled the 'choke' out when leaving the boat, would that prevent the engine from starting? That might be a simple and cheap way of disabling the engine if you concealed the 'choke' lever so it wouldn't be obvious. Ken

That would be a very good candidate indeed. But are there not several 'residential' type moorings directly opposite? Wouldn't they have noticed if a boat was secreted in there? And down at Great Heywood services, just a few hundred metres away, there was a poster of the stolen boat. If the tracker incorporated an intruder alarm then even if it was eventually disabled, which it quite probably would be, at least it would give an immediate warning of an intruder which would limit the search area considerably, to minutes rather than days. Ken

Yes, there are moorings between bridge 191 and 192, very close to West Drayton railway station. I seem to remember there is enough space for abour 10 boats. There is also a Morrisons and Aldi suoermarket by there as well. If those moorings are full there are more before bridges 193 and 194 as well. I haven't been that way for about a year, but I would think nothing much has changed mooring wise. Ken

Is it just for water heating or would you also require radiators as well? If you need both then there are several options both gas and diesel on the market. The water heating can be used independently of the radiators Ken

That's very good news. I am sure you are both very excited to start your new adventure. Ken

Thanks for the update YotC. A great outcome! I am sure there are lessons to be learned by all of us regarding our boats security. I hope Chris and Graham will come on here in due course and fill in the many blanks to this story so we can all be wiser and hopefully reduce the risks of it happening again. May I add my thanks for your outstanding contribution to the boats recovery, and also to the many others who contributed to the search. A congratulatory pat on the back to everyone involved. Ken

That's great news! Nice looking boat, I think you got a real bargain for £1500. Thanks for sharing the pics.Sorry to hear you are stuck at Plank Lane bridge. CRT were going to open it at 2pm this afternoon (Saturday) to allow boats to pass and will be opening it again on Monday at 2pm. After that is anyones guess as they need specialist parts to repair it. I would think that by now you are through Plank Lane and there is a large Tesco two miles from Plank Lane at bridge 11, which is the start of the Bridgewater. Another few miles further on, at Sale, you will find a large Tesco and Sainsburys very close to the canal. Convenient moorings are to be found immediatly beyond bridge 35 (which is by the Kings Ransom pub and restaurant). Keep us posted on how you are getting on. Ken ETA location of Sale moorings for local supermarkets

That's excellent news and well done to all concerned. I do hope the boat was not damaged or the interior trashed in anyway. I look forward to an update fron Chris and Graham in due course. Ken

They do 3, 4 and 5 rung variants. The 5 rung one would seem to fit the bill. Ken

I think one of these would be easier to use, and the hooks and arms fold flat for storing on the roof. http://www.force4.co.uk/force-4-aluminium-ladder-5-steps-h136xw35cm.html?sqr=Boarding%20ladder.V6Ogd7xLOrU Ken