IanR

Ooops, 1979 Honda Accord Ian.

I too fell foul of this as my boat failed on a non fireproof filter. I fitted the Fuel Guard jobster although my inspector did say I could keep the old one if I put it in a fireproof boxing (biscuit tin or similar!!) I didn't fancy that solution as it would be open to failure by the next inspector that looked at it. Be careful though as it might not be a simple swap. The inlet and outlets on the existing installation in our boat were the opposite way round for the Fuel Guards fittings. I fitted it backwards on spacers off the bulkhead just to get the job done. Not the most elegant solution and I'll probably replumb the system to make it all 'pretty' again. Ian.

I have some nice bits of oak, I'll have to see if the engine is liftuppable, it'll surely be better. It isn't that bad really, just another thing on the list of things to do. I may be in more of a position to do some work soon, just very, very nearly completed on the house which would bring us closer to the said Ruston! Ian.

I'm hoping there is a chance that the universal joints on the prop shaft would allow the engine to be lifted by the thickness of the hardwood packers, how thick would be recommended? I doubt it'd be possible to retrofit lower bearers without rebuilding the boat! Ian.

I'm not denying that its a big engine, but 'far too big' is a bit dramatic! It makes it great for stopping and manouvering, plus towing a butty workshop which is the long term plan. To me it makes a lovely noise since it is on tickover most of the time, admittedly this causes premature coking up though. Ian.

Thats where it was N, it's now in Stone on the T + M. Tony, the engine is a 1946 4VSH. The main issue we have with it is lumpy running through a narrow range in the throttle. High revs (or should that be less low!!) is smooth, and tickover is pretty good, but a small bit in the middle and it shakes a bit. Number 2 cylinder we think may be the problem as the exhaust manifold feels cooler when its been running lumpy. I reckon we might never get rid of some of the vibration as the engine is rigid mounted to the bearers with no hardwood spacers presumably dampen some of the lumps. I've been reading up about the setting up and servicing, its been suggested that number two pump might need a tweek. And therefore numbers 3 and 4 need an opposite adjustment to keep them the same. Does anyone else run a VSH of some kind, whats in Casper Casper ? There are a couple of Ruston shunting locos with the 4VSH in use still, one in Ireland and another I think in Yorkshire, but does anyone know of any more in boats? Thanks again folks. Ian.

How did the survey go then Pipistrelle? Looks like a boat with potential! I notice it says 'deposit paid' on their website but know the survey might not have been done yet as we bought our small Woolwich from Narrowcraft at Alvecote earlier this year. Steve Hands was our surveyor, though we were more than half expecting bad news!! Ian.

Cheers for the replies folks, much appreciated. The issue isn't so much smoking, though it does because they do, its lumpy running at a certain throttle setting. The issue may be cured in the set up of the pumps, valves etc, but since the boat and its engine is new to us it seemed a sensible approach to do a full top end service since we know its prone to coking up. Thanks again, Ian.

Sorry to bring up this long lost thread, but as current custodians of 'Water Willow' we are more than slightly interested! Has anyone ever seen a picture of Water Willow. I've seen a copy of a BW brochure of the period but sadly it didn't mention the boat. Here's hoping!! Many thanks, Ian.

We had a good couple of bursts on the Trent from the Erewash to the T+M which worked great, should have done it at night as the 'fireworks' show would have been spectacular! We are a few days away from a river so not an option at the moment. Cheers, Ian.

Hi folks, before I take the heads off our engine for an overhaul, its been recommended that we can add a 'product' to the fuel which will help to decoke things a bit til we get to the strip down. Has anyone used such stuff and can you recommend one in particular? Thanks in advance, Ian.

I thought that too, that is clearly a left handed ladder. We have the same narrowboat plan on our schools computers, I've been using it to plan the internals for our boat. I'm very grateful to whoever it was that drew it up, saved me ages! Ian.

I've only been here a short while, but your posts were always filled with great information and for that I thank you, such a shame but hopefully you'll be back. Many thanks, Ian.

Cheers Junior, I think we passed around Barlaston weekend before last? I nearly shouted for you to stop as I wanted a tipcat and a bow fender!! Ian.

Passed through again yesterday, looks like a temporary permanent repair has been done, using wooden wedges to hold the stone in, presumably till the work gets scheduled. Ian.

Yes Junior, it was there for a few years without doing much apparently, I 'google earthed' the area and found the boat. I'd do a screen grab if I knew how! https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.6271424,-0.4923395,31m/data=!3m1!1e3 Ian.

Here's our boat, Indus Too, we've only been custodians for the last 3 months or so, before that it hadn't seen too much love for a few years. Since then it has been refooted and rebottomed, plus some much needed mechanical servicng and fettling. We are hoping to get the outsides and back cabin up to scratch first, then begin the undercloth bit sorted soon(ish) afterwards. We are also going to drop the Too bit of the name eventually. Jane and Ian.

Indeed it does Nick! The lock is a narrow one, I don't think the boat would have been able to capsize in it as the port chine and stbd back cabin roof would perhaps have jammed, but the boat slipped off the 'shelf' before it got that far. I remember seeing the top right corner of the cabin and its proximity to the lock wall and thinking you wouldn't want to have been stood there!! When I'd gathered my thoughts and went to push the stone back in I did notice that there were at least another set of marks on it so it seems someone else might have had the same thing happen. I think we were lucky in that the stone picked us up half way down our length so it was an even roll, if the boat was shorter and it had been picked up fore or aft then the results might have been more drastic. Ian.

Thanks Laurence, reported. Ian.

Coming down the Meaford Flight on the Trent and Mersey. In lock 32, all going well, lock emptying quickly, all of a sudden the boat starts to roll to one side. Shouts to Jane to close the paddles which she does, but by the time they are closed the boat is at what seemed like 40 degrees! The port side was out of the water, stbd water level was a few inches off the gunnel. The back cabin top corner was close to the wall on the right. Then there was an almighty spadoosh as the boat slipped off the obstruction and it became obvious what had happened. About halfway down the length of the lock, a stone had become washed out from the side wall. This stone was about 30" long, 9" thick and perhaps 12" depth, the trouble was it was hanging out by 9" or so and the boat had hung up on it on the way down. I was amazed just how quickly it all happened and even more amazed that boat didn't whack into the walls when it fell off the ledge. With the boat floating level again, alongside the stone, I managed to lever it back in using the short pole against the wooden gunnel, I pinned a quick note to the top lock gate warning to stay right on the way down and we carried on, thanking our lucky stars that it wasn't anywhere near as bad as it could have been. Is there a specific C&RT number to report this to? Ian.

Sounds like the very same, this Apollo has been stripped out ready for some love. Interestingly it has a bow thruster!! Ian.

Is this the same Apollo that now resides at Roger Fullers, Lime Kiln Basin? Ian.

We've not been boating for long so we've only managed to find one thing, a bad boy low profile 215 65 16 car tyre, blurry thing was the wrong size for my Mondog too so I chucked it back in but I kept it as a souvenir. I don't think its wall thickness meets the EU minimum however. Happened approaching the right hander into the bottom lock at Atherstone on the Coventry. The big Ruston stopped dead. I remember someone saying try in reverse, this just seemed to have wrapped it figure of 8 style. It was wrapped good and tight and took a fair wrestle to free it. It wouldn't come through the weedhatch so its perhaps not even an eligible post for this thread! After a fair of patting my own back (the missus thought it safer to bugger off and leave me to it) we carried on only for the propshaft rear u/j to dismantle itself, flinging its components along the bilge rather splendidly. All the bits found and reassembled, of a fashion to get us back that was certainly a learning expedition for sure. I'd learn't a bit more... Ian.

Nice to speak to you today, I look forward to picking the Epping up when you get back. Many thanks, Ian.

Tried to get through on your phone, I'd like to do a deal and pick one up this weekend if possible, price dependant of course. Many thanks, Ian.