Bod
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Posts posted by Bod
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13 hours ago, Poppin said:
The thing is, it worked fine a year ago... not sure why it's happening. Yes in series, how else can it be done?
What has changed in the last year?
Has there been any changes to the boats plumbing system?
Do the batteries have enough strenght to run the water heater fully?
Is the fuel supply to the heater good enough? No blocked filters?
Has the system been checked for air locks?
When was the system last serviced?
A whole heap of questions that need investigating, before an expensive solution is put into a possibly simple problem.
Bod
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10 minutes ago, BoatingLifeUpNorth2 said:
The guy ordered the shell for himself then had the brain wave to set up the company Adrift Narrowboats to build and sell them, from what I’m reading. His idea, so he’s been involved from the start, even though it appears he has limited if any experience building Narrowboats???
Looking at the propulsion system, it’s probably the worst part of the design. “may be the best development since the horse was put out to pasture, till it's tried who know?”
Yes we don’t know and neither does the builder, may work in deep harbours, but it doesn’t take the brains of a Bishop to realise the shallow weeded canals are totally different, far too many ports for debris/plastic bags to be sucked in.
A lot of work needed on this project and Shaun seems to be taking advise from people with little or non Canal boat experience, a prime example as you said “The motor/drive system, this was supplied by Vetus, possibly by the Off Shore division with no experience of inland waterways”
The original boat is sitting doing nothing at Rodley on the L&L, this may follow suit if the people involved don’t seek advice from builders of Narrowboats, as they seem to have non to little.
Shame as it could work as a building material, but with the team that Shaun has around him advising, I have my reservations, let’s just say “could do better”Yes as you say, the show was quite an eye opener for them.
Bod
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10 hours ago, BoatingLifeUpNorth2 said:
We know that Shaun has no experience and works for the HDPE company, as he has said so, the Naval Architect obviously doesn’t know Narrowboats, hence the iffy looks/design, but I thought the boat fitter was an experienced Narrowboat builder and it’s his company Adrift Narrowboats that are building the boat???
So now you’re saying some of the team haven’t seen a Narrowboat out of the water or basically been on one??
Maybe whoever is funding this and backing it, needs to go and speak to experienced Narrowboat builders and reassess the way ahead, before they start haemorrhaging money on someone’s fantasy dream.As with what you’ve said above, this project is going nowhere fast and is going to cost a lot of money to get a finished product that will sell, if at all.
It sounds like the blind leading the blind.🤔🤔🤔
To be fair to the Fitter out company, they are working with a new hull material, with a different shape, and time ran out, so an unfinished boat had to be shown, not the first at the show by any means, as a Crick moorer, the smell of new paint, the sound of last minute working the night before the show opens is quite remarkable, and is the same every year!
As to Adrift Narrowboats, input to the design, I an not sure at which point they became involved, it may have been very late on, after the hull was complete, and they had to work with what was there.
The motor/drive system, this was supplied by Vetus, possibly by the Off Shore division with no experience of inland waterways, having said that it may be the best development since the horse was put out to pasture, till it's tried who know?
Bod.
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Having spoken with Shaun and the rest of the stand staff at Crick, their company is a Plastic Fabrication company, rather than a boat builder.
As such, the building of boat is not a normal run of the mill project, various problems regarding expansion were tackled with the first boat, a Naval Architect was consulted for the second boat, the show boat. Unfortunately the Architect was not an inland water ways specialist. ( as we all know, these boats exist in a very small world of their own. Would you go to a canal boat builder, for a deep sea fishing boat?) Hence the overall look of the show boat.
One hundred and fifty years ago, a bright spark, felt iron might make a usable boat...."What do you know...iron doesn't float"
One day someone thought, I'll fit a lorry engine, the horse is dangerous, it bit me, and tried to kick me!
The Crick show was the first time some of the staff had seen a narrow boat in the flesh, out of the water.
The idea I put to them was for next years show, an empty shell, would show their skills off much better, as fabrication specialists, not fitter outers.
MK 3 boat would incorporate the information gained from the show and the trials of MK 2.
Bod
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Post a picture of the rudder top bearing, (the bit where the tiller arm goes down through the back deck.), There's not many variations of this, ther may be an easy solution.
What "Hull works" are needed? Repaint, or holes welded up?
Engine, make and model, any idea why it won't run? It may be an easy fix, if we know what it is.
This sounds like an old boat that has been neglected for a long time, there is a rule in narrowboating, a job will take at least 3 times longer than expected, and cost twice as much!
Bod
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13 hours ago, Andyaero said:
Vetus 42, 50 hrs service.....
So common opinion seems to be that the first service is oil and filter only, but the vetus manual say oil and fuel filter, so that's what I plan to do. Anyone any experience on this engine as to whether it's easier to remove the oil from the sump plug or one of those pump things via the dipstick?
Cheers
Our Vetus M414, much older model, required the Head bolts to be re-tightened at 50 hrs, as well as the filters changed.
Check the hand book.
Bod
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1 hour ago, David Mack said:
Not forgetting that there is a broken off dipstick somewhere down in the innards.
Yes, that dipstick needs to be found!
It may not be the main cause of the problems, a problem waiting to happen.
Bod
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Ohh, keep it polished!
Bod
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The Wharf, Welford, ate there less than 3 weeks ago, enjoyable, no complaints, good beer.
Bod
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Try "Copperslip" grease, combined with movement, screw and unscrew, once a year.
To prevent too much build up of rust.
Bod
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1 hour ago, Lauren whitlock said:
Honestly I'm so sorry for how little I know! And I want to start by saying thankyou for any advice and help you give me. How would I find out or where do I look to find out which of there i have please or is there anything I can take a photo of and upload ?? X
TIA
As you are so new to this boat, could ther be an "adjustment " needed.
1. How many turns does the steering wheel make from Lock to Lock?
2.When the steering wheel is at one lock, is the rudder fully over one way?
3. When the steering wheel is put on the other lock, does the rudder move fully over to the other side?
4. If the answers are all yes. Set the steering wheel to the centre position, by counting the turns from lock to lock, then setting it to halfway. the rudder should now be straight.
5. Normally there is a marker of some sort at the top of the steering wheel to show the centre of the steering, but if you have several turns of the wheel from lock to lock the marker will not always be central to the rudder position.
There may not be anything actually broken.
Bod
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On 24/04/2025 at 14:04, Bonkers said:
Hi All, my new boat is being shown at Crick this year so I will be put in the water at Crick for the first week. I have the choice to stay at Crick or move to North Kilworth which is also on the GU Leicester line. I will stay in a marina for a month or so doing snagging and getting used to single handing in this lock free section of the GU. Looking for suggestions on which is a better place to moor up for a few weeks, crick or north kilworth.
Crick, for the simple reason if you need the builder/fitter out, to attend, they know exactly where Crick marina is, (The show ground) and how to get there!
This is a narrow beam boat? If not then any of the marinas mentioned will mean a lift-out and lorry to move the boat off the summit. Not to mention there is NO cruising ability's for wide beam boats.
Whilst you are on the boat, Crick village is a short walk, to the Post Office, slightly longer to the CO-OP, and pubs.
Bod.
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Smartgauge web site may hold the answers.
http://www.smartgauge.co.uk/index.html
Quite large, but very informative regarding Smartgauge and narrowboats.
Bod
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14 days as far as I know.
Bod
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Get a spot above 18 early, as you are not the only one with that idea.
Quickest walk is not the tow path, but the footpath from 17, across the bottom of Crack hill to brige 13, then tow path to the show bridge.
Bod.
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I'm fairly local to that area, although not been up there this year.
The towpath from bridge 17 to 18, the marina bridge, is signed No Mooring. Marina entrance. Beyond 18 mooring is free during show weekend.
Show mooring is usually from Crick tunnel to bridge 15, double moored. 15 to 17 the edge is in poor condition, the walk to the show is quicker from 17, directly to 13, then to the show bridge.
Bod.
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9 minutes ago, Danzy said:
Correct with the FIU. 😁. Someone did mention to me, that the bearings in these w pumps are different depending on the engine size, fuel, whether it's turbo or not. Omg I'm just concerned about getting the thing off without that thrown in. This pic is out of stock obviously 😬
It is clear from the above post that the belt in your photo is the water pump drive belt (fan belt in old terms)
This will have to be removed, along with the cam Timing belt, under the yellow cover.
To prevent major engine damage,”Timing pins” have to be placed in the engine to prevent any and all movement in the cam shaft and crankshaft before the timing belt is touched.
A simple service job, if you have the tools and knowledge!If I recall correctly, it’s the screws that hold the water pump in place can be”difficult!!” to remove.
As a matter of course, replace the timing belt, it has a limited service life, failure of the belt will destroy the engine.
Bod
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18 hours ago, Steve_ said:
I've paid about 80% of original estimate already. Issue is new costs keep being added on. I do understand removing it will cost and I'd rather not. I'm really just looking into this option in case I have to go down that route. Ideally I want to come to an agreement with the current builder but he wants to increase labour costs by 75% several months into the project bc he realised he forgot to quote for something in the original agreement. This is on top of many other problems along the way. I can't just keep nodding and sending more and more money. The relationship is very close to breakdown and I'm just working out what my other options might be.
With all the hidden extra costs, we’re now looking at ending up around 50% over the original estimate—which is a significant increase. The labour cost is just one example. It’s only being added now because the builder forgot to include a commission for himself on the fitout. He brought in a contractor to do the work, and it was this contractor who gave me the quote. Between them, they overlooked the fact that the boat would be sitting in the builder’s yard during the fitout. Since the friend is only working part-time, progress has been slow. I’m not being unreasonable—I might have agreed to cover this cost if I hadn’t already been forced to pay many unexpected extras already.
How far will your remaining budget go towards finishing the boat to a moveable standard?
What jobs could be left undone/unfinished, to be done at a later date as funds allow?
Bod
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New gas bottle has got gas in it?
If so is the valve open?
Back to basics.
After that, it's looking to stop taps and giving time for the air to be pushed out by the new gas.
Bod
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My only advice, which has nothingto do with BSS. is to have at least 2 coats of gloss paint put on top of any primer/undercoats, supplied by the build yard.
Colour at this stage is not important, it's just to prevent/lessen the rusting that will come through, as you work on the inside, making the final outside painting preparation much more difficult/expensive.
Bod.
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Renting a property out.
Only consider doing this via a Letting Agent, they will do the legwork of finding, checking, a tenant. Keeping up with legislation is a job on it's own. Limited deposit amounts, deposit safe keeping schemes, not to mention credit checks, boiler servicing, smoke alarms, CO2 alarms, etc.
Yes, an agent does cost, they have the contacts for repairs, tradesmen who rely on on the agent for work, so are not likely to over charge. A good agent has the "nose" for a bad tenant, and will not take them on, and is prepared to have conversations with the tenant before things get out of hand.
Periodic inspections of the property by the agent are normal, and to be expected, every 3-6 months to start with, shortening or lengthing as the tenancy progresses.
The difficult part is coming to accept the property is not your home, but a working business asset made of bricks and mortar.
Do not leave anything of value to the tenant, you will lose it!
Oh and whilst it's empty, you are responsible for the Council Tax.
Bod.
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7 hours ago, Emilyandrose said:
No the cap is flat. No spring
I have just retried with one with a spring, but the pipe inlet blocks it.
It might be possible to replace the entire neck, speak to a vehicle radiator repair company first, they will require the manifold to be removed and taken to them.
The brass neck will fixed to the cast manifold, soldered?
Bod
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20 minutes ago, KezzerN said:
I have had another couple of them go previously. I need to find a supplier for them as nowhere that I have tried so far stocked them.
https://www.bedazzledledlighting.co.uk/
Try these people.
Usual disclaimers, I'm a happy customer.
Bod
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Oh oh that looks expensive
in Boat Building & Maintenance
Posted
"aviation creeping oil (American, brilliant stuff beats WD40 any day,) "
@Mike on Sea Hustler Could you name this fluid, and is it available in the UK?
Thanks
Bod