Kae

Me too! I do like my pump-out!

Oops!

Look forward to the updates, hope you have a great time!

Your batteries shouldn't be appreciably warmer after charging. Have you tried running your infrared thermometer over the batteries to see if one is getting warmer than the others? Could be the first sign of a duff cell.

I actually rather enjoyed those

Some insurance companies will require a hull survey for insurance cover above third party only for hulls older than their idea of "old". This can be 15, 20 or even more years. You can get third party insurance for any boat without a survey. Have your insurers requested a survey?

Sounds like you may have boated through a diesel slick perhaps? It's surprising how much damage this does to your blacking at the water line.

For hopper type windows, you could get stiff fine mesh cut to shape and then just put it in front of the window glass in the opening... not sure if that makes sense but wouldn't be difficult to do as you can just cut it with scissors. Something like this: http://www.meshuk.co.uk/index.php?option=com_ixxocart&Itemid=121&p=product&id=3&parent=6 Also, a circle placed in each mushcroom and a piece over the hatch and you're good to go.

blunt flat chisel for me!

Sounds ok to me.

Genn - I've never seen them. I've only ever seen either welded pipe which has then been ground off smooth, or as David has suggested above. Personally I've got the traditional brass fittings and had no issues (yet!).

My tank developed little leaks in November last year, oh what a horrid time that was. Fortunately it was a free standing tank, but still had to be cut in half to remove. (then I cut out the contaminated floor and ballast). Removed that tank and fitted a plastic one in its place. Touch wood, so far so good.

You masochist!

Yes, they were in the bottom of his dog walking bag

Perhaps they've done a reverse-Maffi and they're convinced they're in the bottom of a bag?

I have the 4 pole version of this, wired in such a way that it isolates the battery charger/immersion/towel rail when the inverter is selected.

Is this a possibility? I've had it saved in my favourites for a while: http://www.reuk.co.uk/200W-12V-Immersion-Heater.htm

Personally if you want any sort of holiday time (time off from boating), I wouldn't want to do either the Cheshire Ring or Four Counties in only a week! Two weeks for either makes it a nice trundle round with time to stop, but I wouldn't want to do either in only a week! I'm based in Anderton and have done bothe the above in my annual "two week" holidays. Next year it will be the Llangollen

Gas central heating is a daft idea for anything other than emergency use. During a mild winter you'll use roughly a bottle a week (£26), in a bad winter you could be using two or three (£52-73). That's an astonishing amount of money to spend heating a small space like a narrowboat. On top of that, you have the handling of the gas bottles on a weekly basis to consider, and if you're not local to a supplier, the cost of transport getting them to/from the boat. My personal preference is a wood/coal stove (full time use in winter) and diesel system for backup/brief morning/evening heating in autumn/spring. You don't have the old issues of burning red diesel in these small heaters anymore either, as red diesel is now just a dye added to road diesel. I'm stuck with an Alde heater until I can afford to replace it with a diesel heater. It takes up valuable space in the kitchen, and is too expensive to use. I won't remove it though as it's useful to have as a backup.

PhilR - Unfortuantely it doesn't matter how good the filtration system, it won't handle a proper diesel bug outbreak. There needs to be some way of keeping the diesel "good". Reducing and keeping the water content as low as possible, and the use of a suitable biocide should do this.

Where would you like responses sent?

Maybe these as an alternative? Small disk of neoprene between magnet and paintwork would protect the paint from damage. http://www.first4magnets.com/threaded-stud-magnets-t182

I personally use Marine16. From the "tests" it appears to be one of the best for both prevention and cure, but these are never completely unbiased.