James Owen

Almost certainly a HA/HB2. May be a HR but given the type of fuel filter I'm thinking not.

Hi all, I'm interested in finding out anything about this boat...whether she even still exists at all would be a start and also any history on her ? I've got an idea she was motorised and converted back in the 70's but little else since then...even if she's been spotted out somewhere I'd love to know ??

Yes obviously a HR is more powerful than a HW, of that there is no doubt. My post was purely meant to point out that it's all relative as four cylinder water cooled engines delivering 50hp in narrowboats are not uncommon these days. The crucial aspect in determining the engines suitability for a given application which is often overlooked is reduction gearing and prop size.

We've just finished putting a cabin on a customers boat which has an HW4 in it, I think it's around 38hp at 1500rpm. Given that a HA/B3 will give you 36hp and there's plenty of them in narrowboats which manage without raising many eyebrows, it doesn't seem too big in relation. As an aside, whilst they're being mentioned does anyone have any information regarding the River Class butty 'Hay'?

From experience, most hire companies will only require such a deposit in the event of 'same sex' bookings such as hen/stag parties etc...something about increased likelihood of alcohol fuelled shenanigans..??

No antifreeze as originally both RN's and Nationals were raw water cooled as fitted to GU boats.

Nothing springs to mind....

Genuine Lister silencers are pretty pricey if you can find one, S.H may be quoting to supply one of these. Generic 'chandlers-esque' silencers will not generally simply swap straight over without some mods...however if the current silencer has failed so spectacularly there may be little hope of any remaining exhaust components faring much better so a new system might, in general terms, be a quicker and cheaper solution.

Try using 'big' and 'little' instead, the terms 'Small' and 'Large' don't really work...unless we start referring to 'medium' boats in the same way.

The planks when fitted were poorly selected and/or not trimmed properly. Hence if a bottom joint fell on a bolt hole, whether it be on a knee or chine angle, then that was that. A bit of oakum wrapped around the bolt and in it went. Save for shaving a couple of inches off said plank(s) it apparently would have been okay. From what I can gather there were in excess of thirty such bolt holes which were doing very little to keep things together, add in zero preventative maintenance over several years...

The boat in question is the Argo. It currently has/had a relatively new wooden bottom (ten years ago ???) which was poorly fitted and saw very little maintenance afterwards, hence the material (Iroko iirc?) seeming okay. I believe R Farringdon is rebottoming it in steel as part of a process to, as archie said, halve it. A shame really, what was up until recently a presentable composite butty soon to be little more than a 'former ****' boat.

If you put the hours in and know how to boat efficiently, timed well you can cover good distances especially at this time of year...Preston Brook to Braunston in three days last sumer was hard work but good fun. Depends what you class as fun or indeed, dare I say, a holiday??

Having seen first hand the horrendous results from having the same draft reduction carried out by Malcolm Braine on another historic vessel I would certainly proceed withmuch caution and expect some hefty repair bills in the future.