BargeeSpud

OK, I tried searching for the topic before starting the thread, but used the wrong keywords obviously! Sorry. One question though, will we still be offered early settlement discounts?

Hiya, Today, I've received an email from Waterside Moorings about my mooring permit. Now I know the email address is genuine because the email server is @canalrivertrust.org.uk. However, this is the first that I've heard of this offshoot of CRT & I'm wondering whether anyone can tell me more about it as it seems that from Jan 1st I will be dealing with them plus they will no longer be issuing paper permits like the DVLA no longer does for road tax (bit of a strange comparison). So, what's the griff? Tell me more people. Cheers, Ade.

Just to add my little bit. Most stoves have a plate of somesort inside the firebox, just below the flu. This space twixt flu & plate will get clogged with ash etc. and, depending on your particular stove, may need regular attention as a build up of ash will affect the draw. My Squirrel is on 24/7 during winter, but I usually don't need to clear this space until the spring/early summer when I completely clean out the firebox ready for the next winter. Mind you, as mine has a back boiler, this is a difficult & very dirty job! The 1st time most newbies to SF stoves discover this space clogged, is when they have a stove that vomits smoke into the cabin whenever they open the door. Unfortunately all stoves, even ones you're use to, will operate differently so its all down to trial & error until you get it working how you like it.

I had a water ingress problem in the gas locker on my first boat, built on a 40' Arcrite shell, the floor was below the waterline. Fortunately, the holes extended to above the waterline, so allowed any gas to vent as intended. The problem I had to solve was to raise the bottles above the water so they didn't rust, which I did by laying some pieces of that plastic duckboard you can buy until the bottles sat above the water. Fortunately, there was still enough height in the locker to accommodate it all!

Very nice job. Are you certain thats a 1430? It looks exactly like a 1410 to me and all the 1430's I've found on t' interweb so far look like this one.

Same here, tho maybe not within 15 mins for the email, shame I haven't received the mooring permit I paid for in the same phone call 6 weeks ago!

That's part of the conundrum, do we only build to a standard that will satisfy a BSS surveyor, or do we do more to satisfy our own peace of mind? Whatever level of standard an individual decides to take his project to, we all know that the BSS/RCD is the minimum that has to be met & therefore anything done that exceeds the basic requirements simply has to be right. Simple. I think. Its those sorts of decisions that make build discussions between us so fascinating, interesting & sometimes a little testy!

Depending on your needs, try getting one or more of these. We've got one on board in the shower room & its great, no leccy to worry about, cheap to buy & a fiver for a pair of refills. You can also get them at Wilko & Robert Dyas. Not every piece of equipment on board needs to be powered.

And don't keep a full ash pan anywhere inside the boat, it will still be giving of Carbon Monoxide. I posted this article about my doing just this, which the OP might find interesting

Tony Brooks is your man for this really, but I've usually topped up the system & then run the engine for a couple of minutes after which I check & top up again if necessary, repeating if needs be.

The only difference, apart from a "nut & bolt" tightening action over a "screw" action, I can see is the lack of a screwdriver slot & most jubilee clips will take a socket or spanner anyway. Whether the action of tightening in 2 directions with this type of clip instead of 1 with a jubilee type is more of an advantage, I really don't know. Having said that, I believe that that type of clip is usually specified for use on fuel lines. I could be wrong on that though. Anyway, as I see it, if you prefer that type of clip, then use it.

If its a 1410 & less than 3 years old, it will, definitely - unless it has a back boiler fitted. Other models may be different, I only know the 1410.

Try entering its index number in The Boat Listing on the CanalPlan web site at this link. You might not get exactly the information you're looking for, the boat's actual age for example, but its somewhere to start. Edited to add: I've just typed in Eden on the site & amongst several results there are about 3 which are close to your boat's length, so with the index number, you should get a single hit. Good luck.

That's because, if its a Squirrel, the stove has a heat shield fitted to the bottom & to the back which are highly effective in reducing the radiant heat. On my previous boat which had a Squirrel with heat shields, I could touch the back of the stove heat shield & keep my hand there for quite some time (30 seconds or more) with no serious discomfort, whereas the areas without the heat shield were impossible to touch without sustaining a burn.

If you're fixing to plasterboard, then there is quite a choice of plasterboard fixings out there. My personal choice is the type that self drill & screw in, which are available in both alloy & plastic form depending on how much load you want to apply. For things like picture, coats etc., then the plasric ones will be fine, anything heavier like shelves & cupboards, then use the alloy ones. That is only one type, the following link will show you more & describe their use. Examples Those are from Screwfix, & there are some interesting types there, but you can get similar in B&Q.

I'd laugh but I've done that myself! There but.....etc.,etc.

Forgive me, but I don't see what point you're trying to make. I read nothing in that article that hasn't already been raised here. In fact it confirms what I've said regarding BS8511.

Interesting, but BS 8511 is a code of practice (Isee you've correctly referred to them as "recommendations") which does not seem to be a requirement under the BSS. HOWEVER, the BSS does give BS8511 the caveat that "The code isn't compulsory, but will always be referred to if an accident occurs". The bottom line is that you, me, the OP or anyone else has to do what they feel is right for them. If that means sticking rigidly to BS8511 or ignoring it totally, then thats great. All I've been saying is that there are other materials out there that will do a great job. You pays your money & takes your choice.

I've had Masterboard on 2 boats now with no apparent issues. In fact, on my 1st boat, I rebuilt & slightly enlarged the original fire surround and found the underlying wood behind the masterboard had no signs of scorching from the stove, even where it was about 10cm from the surround at the stove rear corners. I will say however, that the tiles were made by Stovax & had been fitted with silicon blobs - an absolute b*****d to get off, so maybe the small 2mm or so air gap between the tiles & Masterboard helped even though there was no ventilation. Anyway, I was lucky to be able to get some more of the same tiles & fixed them to the new masterboard & surround with a silicon adhesive as before. Personally, I think that any really effective air gap would need to be so large as to have too much of an impact on the cabin space & the OP's guide is talking about 35mm + any backing board & decorative tiles which could easily double this to 60mm +, far too much IMO. My own fire surround is 30mm which includes 15mm backing board, 6mm Masterboard, cement & fire resistant tiles, which to me is just about right. I also have to say that Masterboard is used by a lot of boat builders & is really good stuff in my experience and I'd have it as a 1st choice every time, so don't rule it out.

Fair point well worth raising, we've all been distracted whilst getting the stove stoked back up & found it roaring away later. However, you can take safety to extremes if you allow for every potential eventuality & you can make the installation highly impractical (& hideously expensive) as a result. You have to weigh up the chances of hazard & if you think risks will be too great, then leave well alone. As an aside, the 6mm thickness of Masterboard is claimed to withstand fire for 30 minutes, so I guess it would be reasonable to suppose that the time increases incrementally with each successive layer. I'd be interested to know how much this time is increased, if at all, when the material is covered in fire tiles.

Fair enough, I stand corrected, my summation was based purely on observation under the stove settings that I normally use. Your figures still indicate, IMHO, that a single thickness of Masterboard covered in fire tiles will provide more than adequate protection to the underlying wood provided that the recommended distances from the sides of the stove to the surround can be achieved.

Most stove insulation on boats is done using Promat Masterboard which is available at TP at a reasonable price & you should be able to double up enough for your surround to give a thickness of 12mm from a single sheet if thats what you want to do. Most of the time a single layer is used which is then covered with ceramic fire tiles which is adequate as the objective is to prevent heat from the stove raising the temperature of the underlying wood to its flashpoint which depending on its type can be between 200 & 300 degrees C. Now under most conditions when using a solid fuel stove on a boat, you will be able to get a kettle sitting on top of one to boil, but not to boil so that its screaming its whistle out, it'll be more simmering than boiling, so not getting much above 100 degrees C. Therefore, I would suggest that a normal 6mm layer of Masterboard covered in fire tiles is more than adequate. The same applies to the hearth & there shouldn't be any need beyond doubling the thickness of the floorboard for any extra floor reinforcing, In fact building the hearth from a standard 15/20mm ply board should do it. Don't forget that all these guides for installing solid fuel stoves are as for installing in a domestic situation & tend to be over "engineered". Edited to add: Forget the air space. not only unnecessary, but wastes a lot of space. See my point re the kettle above, you'll rarely get your stove up to full output if ever. I never have after nearly 20 years of using stoves on boats. Edited again to amend my kettle example!

No reason for the layout not to work if that's how you'd like it. I would suggest that it will work best with a cruiser or semi trad stern boat & there are loads of examples of the galley at the stern & bedroom at the bow out there as you would have already seen If that's the layout you want, no boat builder worth his salt is going to try & talk you out of it & if they do, go elsewhere. The only issue you might have is fitting it all into the length of boat you want, but if boat length is not an issue, then you'll be OK.