Doodlebug

Hi all, long time no see been busy working We have just bought a 12v fridge - finally!! It is one of the tiny models that has the 'radiator' hidden behind the fridges outer shell. To me this seems somewhat inefficient at transferring the heat. I assume there are a whole load of pipes behind that move the heat into the outer shell. Has anyone taken off their outer shell in order to improve the efficiency of the fridge? Another thought - there is the option of fitting a 12v fan that will cycle with the compressor. However will this improve the efficiency enough to warrant doing so. If the fan is drawing .5 of an amp the fridge would need to turn on for quite a bit less time to make it worth fitting it. Many thanks! Doodlebug

Sorry for the delay seeing this - catching up after a lot of work elsewhere. Yes we did have that system for some time. There are a number of positives. 1) all smell diverted outside 2) no chance of spilling the cassette inside 3) seemed cleaner and more hygienic 4) takes up less space 5) spare jerry cans cost £20 each 6) jerry cans are easy to empty Downsides: 1) Uses slightly more water 2) Needs plumbing in 3) Need a way for the jerry can to vent the air (ours was crude) 4) Harder to tell when full. We actually used a macerator due to the length of pipe it had to go down which worked well. It so happens that now we have a mooring I wanted to go for longer without emptying so now have it connected to a tank thereby creating a pump out. Just seemed less hassle now i'm not able to move the boat so much.

I am planning to use some tex screws (with a hex head) to secure door hinges to our boat. Problem is that will leave me with doors which are very easy to undo with a spanner. Does anyone know of a tool or method to round them off once in. I imagine there could be a tool that goes in a drill which might be used for rounding off rivets which might work. A slow method might be to grind off each corner with an angle grinder Thanks!

Well if the motor could move the ship (even if it managed 1mph which is ridiculous) the tide might be moving at 5mph leaving you at -4mph. It was an odd analogy anyway.

Thanks for all the replies, apologies for not replying sooner. I'm going to do some practical experiments to see what i can find out. What about the tide?

We went for a candy from argos. It is full sized frontwise - 80cm high and 55cm wide but it is only 40cm deep and so fits fine on the boat. Best thing we bought. People talk about twin tubs as being better for saving water but they use almost 50 litres for each 'rinse' - because the clothes have to float in the water. Our candy uses 55l over the whole wash. Reason being it knows how much you have put in and fills up until the clothes are sodden rather than covered. Was £220 reduced to £160. Pm me if interested and ill find out the exact model. Plumbed into the hot water feed so just stick it on a cold wash and let it fill with hot.

Because if I explain the whole system people will start talking about how the batteries won't cope or how it would be easier to do it a different way. But I don't want to know about batteries. I want to know if the outboards will push the boat fast enough. Equally I don't want to be told outboards are no good at steering narrowboat a because a) that's not the question and because I know fully well that they work perfectly well. I'm not sure how battery capabilities or charging ability, mounting, steering or suchlike have any bearing on the overall speed. Hope that makes sense. I did explain the whole system in a previous post but never got down to the speed of outboards. Please could you explain your reasoning as to why it won't work? It's no good just saying it won't work. So far some people have said it will and some have said it won't which is really useful when explained in context. But bear in mind that someone said 10hp is not enough (which we have at the moment and works perfectly well). So I hope you appreciate why background info or testimony helps. A while ago I was told that my wind turbine would be far too big and could blow the boat over. Nothing could be more from the truth. The boat hardly rocks in the strongest of storms. Let alone the nightmare scenarios suggested by some people here when I asked a few years ago. But that was based on people's gut instinct which I have come to realise is very unreliable! Still eager to hear more opinions!

Everyone seems to be doubting the ability of an outboard to push a narrowboat. Can I clarify we have no rudder and have lasted most adequately with our 10hp engine. Can easily upset boats by going too fast (if we wanted to!) and can stop in half a boats length going into locks. If anything we have more control since we have direction in reverse. I can do the equivalent of a hand break turn and swing round in one boat length! Not sure where the confusion has come from.

True true. But my topics usually go off on tangents. If I explained the complex version people would say it's too complicated to work. Thing is that it's a very simple system but with a back up component for every aspect of the design. If I explain the simple version people say "what if" It's like me questioning whether direct drive is a danger to canal users - what if you break down and can't stop? What if you run out of diesel. Or the rudder breaks? Desperately trying to stay on topic but Power comes from an engine in the front.

A good point but bear in mind we would have 6 times more power than you have. Again I didn't want to over complicate but since emergency stops are an issue - I plan to have the current 10hp petrol (or maybe converted to lpg) engine mounted in position linked with the morso control. When needed the outboard would kick in. Again I won't explain exactly how in this thread but have worked out a way to get it on and in gear within 1 second automatically.

We weigh 6 ton and are 33ft long. I can easily get the boat going at canal speed just by pulling the ropes. Obviously if someone is catching up with us we let them overtake. And going into locks should be done slow anyway. Never had to put it into reverse and rev hard. I enter locks at tickover then flick it into reverse as we get to the gates - maybe due to being an outboard we have good steering in reverse. I then hop off and tie up. Any idea what power rating? Stupid question but what does S/H mean. Been a long day.m Edit- it means second hand!

See you say that yet we currently have a 10hp engine and I have never maxed it out and usually have it running just over tickover. That suggests 10 is more than enough.

Interesting. Wish I could get in contact with him! When you say slow progress. Do you mean slower than walking pace. I have noticed that our top speed at the moment of 3mph is easily dwarfed by a lot of boats so your idea of slow may be different to mine! Power source is sorted out. I feel I shouldn't go into detail yet to avoid complicating the topic! My topics usually go off course within a couple of comments!

Interesting question. My grandad mentioned a couple of years ago having seen one pulling a boat. Personally I think it would be great to see them more often. You need a long pole to lift the rope over boats.

I first posed this question in the midst of another topic but now I am planning out my next project properly so looking for points of discussion. What are the pitfalls of using a 86lb trolling electric outboard motor to power a narrowboat. Two of them. I am trying to work out if the idea is feasible. I know they will push the boat but the sticking point is will they push it fast enough. I found this video made by rob bolwell and although I tried contacting him I have had no reply. Anyone know of him? https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=wjA17Fb-WXM It seems to be going at a reasonable speed and our boat appears to be pretty nimble so I suspect it may work better on ours. But this is all speculation and am looking for last minute issues before I bite the bullet and buy some. I don't plan on going on any rivers by the way. Thanks! Doodlebug

I have found that half the time (depending who I am sharing locks with) I am quicker working the locks as a single hander than with others. More so on a lock flight. I can arrive and tie up with the gates open quicker than a lot of boaters can get their crew on board and back off again. Having crew seems to only make me marginally faster.

5! I could never get up at 5! I feel like death warmed up until 6.30 which is as early as I would ever leave. I'd be surprised if no one had a go at me for starting before 7. But good to know I can get going earlier. Whether I actually will tomorrow I don't know. It's a tough call. One lock or a 20 minute lay in!

Cool. Good to know!

It's a question I've always wondered and never thought to ask. Obviously you can't run engines for charging batteries until 8am but when is it ok to start cruising. Or does it not really matter? I've seen boats travel all sorts of times?

Ok cool. I think I'll need to have a good think about what to do. I'm going to have a final attempt to clean the tank sky I don't get black stuff on my clothes whenever I empty the cassettes (left over bitumen that has half dissolved) and hi from there Thanks! Will let you know how it goes.

Thank you for the opinions. Much appreciated . I've decided to set off today giving me 4.5 days to get there. I am now sat waiting to go through the marsworth flight after bulbourne so if I have a good crack at tomorrow and can get past leighton buzzard I should have three very relaxed days to do. Thanks for making me reconsider! Will head up past Buckby wharf I think as per advice. Thanks!

Been there. Done that! Not keen.

Hope I'm ok posting this here. Next week I need to get our boat to Long Buckby by Friday leaving from Berkhamstead Problem is I will be single handed - so figured that if anyone else was heading north next week we could share locks for the some of the trip. The lock flights would be much easier with two boats. My current plan is: Berkhamstead to Leighton Buzzard Leighton Buzzard to Cosgrove visitor moorings Cosgrove to Long Buckby If anyone is doing anything similar do let me know. I could break it up over five days but if I'm on my own I'd rather be in busier places overnight. Thanks! Doodlebug From canal plan: First full day of trip On the the Grand Union Canal (Grand Junction Canal - Main Line - Gayton to Brentford), at Leighton Buzzard Bridge No 114. This is 14 miles, 3½ furlongs and 24 locks and will take 9 hours 54 minutes. You will pass through Marsworth Locks (rise of 42 feet and 3 inches) and through Seabrook Locks (rise of 20 feet and 4 inches). Second full day of trip On the the Grand Union Canal (Grand Junction Canal - Main Line - Gayton to Brentford), at Junction with Old Stratford Arm. This is 19 miles, 1 furlong and 7 locks and will take 7 hours 26 minutes. You will pass through Soulbury Three Locks (rise of 20 feet and 3 inches). Last day of trip On the the Grand Union Canal (Grand Junction Canal - Main Line - Norton to Gayton), at Buckby Lock No 9. This is 22 miles, ¾ furlongs and 11 locks and will take 9 hours 15 minutes. You will pass through Blisworth Tunnel (3056 yards long).

Am I not right in saying it needs a vent. Surely sealing it is a bad idea. Or is there more to a vent than meets the eye. What stops a normal pump out vent from stinking? I'd just padlock and seal it so it can be opened for inspection.

Right have attached two photos. Might help explain it. Let's say I do use the tank. How often do people repaint the tanks?