darbon

Well, I was practically sunbathing today and the sunny sides I measured over 20oC with my laser thermometer. Unfortunately it's also going down to -3oC tonight. I'm only doing midcoats, but decided reluctantly to leave it. I just can't risk the under layers to the freezing. Could have got away with it, but hey. It's warming up next week, and also starting to rain....

Hi all. very tempted to do some coats of primer and undercoat to my NB over the next few days. The temperatures during the day 11-3pm are nice and the steel yesterday was relatively warm. I'm just concerned about the freezing temperatures at night. If the paint has had enough time to go touch dry before the temp drops, is it such an issue? Cheers

Many thanks for the informative reply!

Hi folks, I've got a small fuel leak that i'd like a little advice on. I believe it's coming from around the anti-stall screw. It all started after i bled the engine and possibly overtightened the bleed screw on top of the anti-stall screw and turned the whole assemblyl. Anyway, it's all covered in paint (see photo) but the leak is coming from where the paint is chipped away from what looks like a broken seal around the outside of the largest hex. How would one go about mending/replacing this? I tried turning it but it appears to just turn in the housing rather than tighten/untighten. I may be just imagining things, but having messed about, it seems like the engine is running faster?! As a side note, anywhere I can get a guide on how to tune the injection pump? I'm struggling to decipher the original repair manual that i downloaded from calcutt website. Cheers Dan

Er? Reported! Really? Anyway I've edited the OP

The boat is near hormead wharf, westbourne park station area. Point taken about proof of ownership, everything can and will be verified in private message to anyone who is able to help.

Hi folks, Not sure if this is in the right section I'm in a bit of a situation. I had to go to Scotland for a family issue, and I left my boat in the (not so) capable hands of a friend. He's since run out of fuel, tied to some railings and abandoned the boat and won't answer his phone. (He's now an ex-friend!) CRT are obviously chasing me, but there's not a lot I can do for at least another week. If somebody is passing through paddington arm, I would be very appreciative of a tow to the nearest visitor mooring. I will be happy to pay a small sum for your trouble. If you can help, please message me and I'll give you more info on the boat and location. Thanks Dan

Hi, I'm looking at the wiring for my bow thrusters. I have a 12v starter/domestic system on board, charged using a Sterling Alt/Batt charger. My bow thrusters are 24v, so my plan is to site 2x 12v starter batteries (in series) next to the bow thruster and run the switching cables back to the stern. My big question is the best or cheapest method of charging the 24v bank? Both 240-12v or 12-24v chargers seem pretty expensive. I'd also imagine that a 12-24v charger would also require some heavy cables. Any advice would be appreciated! Thanks

Sorry, make that 130 amp alt-batt charger Good idea that man!!

Yes, I have a 30amp standard alternator at present. I have a triple crankshaft pulley from Calcutt boats, so each would be driven separately. I'd heard that 70-80 should be around max for a 10mm V. But I've also read that a 100amp alternator won't crank nearly that amount at idle/low revs. In case it makes any difference, I have a 180amp sterling alt-batt charger. I'd quite like to use as much of that 180amps as possible! Cheers

Hi all. I'm looking at a 100amp 12v second alternator for a BMC 1.8. Would this amperage Alternator be ok for the engine? Suggestions welcome. D

Hi all, I have a 6mm cable running the length of the cabin (12M) to water pump. It just isn't quite enough, as complete run is 13.5M including tails either end. Can I run another 2.5mm cable alongside the 6mm to create 8.5mm total? Or does it not work like that. Cheers Dan

Is there a reason why more boaters don't use spray guns? I've seen a lot of very nice finishes on boats but it still doesn't compare to car paintwork. Do boat paints not spray well?

I've used kurust in the past on cars and boat. Seems to work quite well, but how can you tell? Would probably have been ok without it. My current opinion is that it's a waste of time and money. I'd be very interested to hear a more enlightened opinion than mine. Iron requires oxygen to form iron oxide (rust) water merely speeds up the process. It cannot oxidise without access to the air. Rust starts under paintwork because of a chip or scratch that allows the iron access to oxygen, the reason it spreads is because the rust begins to lift and crack the paintwork around it allowing more oxygen and water in. Left unattended will gather momentum. Now a good brushed/sanded/primed/painted surface has no access to oxygen so why need any chemical reaction to convert the tiny traces of rust left? Personal opinion of course Dan

Thanks for the replies all. I'm pretty sure I want to use Le Tonkinois varnish. Would you recommend also using it for the edges and backs, or would cellulose sealer or international sealer etc be better?

Thanks, That's put my mine at ease that I'm not making a classic mistake! As far as construction goes, the boards will be battened and won't touch the floor. Leaving a 10mm gap which will be covered by solid oak skirting. I've heard that international do a good clear primer/sealer. Any other recommendation for the edges? Also, is it prudent to also seal the backs of the boards? Dan

Hi I'm looking to fit out my boat in Oak faced ply. I've found a supplier with reasonable prices but I'm concerned by the label "interior" I appreciate that good marine ply is hard to find and generally very expensive, but I can't seem to find any oak faced exterior ply. Will interior ply with well varnished edges etc still get destroyed? What do the commercial boat builders use? Cheers Dan

Any material that is strong enough for a tiller, you won't be able to bend without the machinery. A hollow tube could possibly be formed with proper bending apparatus, a solid steel bar would require forging! Easy, if you have a forge...

Ok thanks. Well it would appear that I am going in reverse then! Will probably do for the mean time, I'm not travelling far. Interesting to know that you can change them around, I'll look into that one. D

I'm slightly amused by what a basic question this is, and my inability to figure it out!! I've looked at the technical drawings and looked for marks on the box itself, but i can't work out which way the lever should go for Position A (forward) or Position B (reverse) Yes, i DO know which way makes the boat actually go forward or reverse! Currently in my configuration, pulling the lever towards the stern propels the boat forward (opposite to what i'd expected) I'm just trying to work out: Whether i'm using reverse gear to go forward? Whether or not a ZF gearbox minds being driven in reverse for long periods? Unfortunately the gear ratio for reverse is not the same as forward. please note, this is a temporary arrangement before i can afford a new matched engine, box and propeller. I just got my current lot on the cheap! D

If you've lost that much oil in a month, and two litres of oil isn't kicking around your engine bay, then you'll be burning it. Is your exhaust blue? Change your filter regardless, it's cheap and easy. Sounds like a stuck pressure valve though, that in itself can cause you to burn oil D

Thanks for replies, Think I'll just isolate it then. I'm not planning on using any battery charger in the future as this is only a starter battery, just didnt want to overcook it! D

I personally use a 4" grinder with a paint/rust removal head, they're about £7-8 from screwfix. They'll cut through paint way quicker than sanding discs, but do wear out quickly. I'm in a similar situation where i'm about to remove all the paint from my NB, i'm probably going to grit blast the whole lot to be honest, it gives the best surface for paint as well! D

Hi I've finally got my BMC working, but i have a problem with the alternator wiring. The terminals are 2x B+ and 1x D+. These i know what to do with. However the alternator has another wire protruding out which comes from the inside. As it has no visible terminal i'm unsure what it is, it looks like its possibly a modification. My guesses are that it could be either: Battery Sensor Regulator wire or an Aux wire for a relay setup. I'm not bothered if it's an Aux wire, as i only have one battery (starter) connected. How can i tell if it is a battery sensor wire? If it is, and i don't connect it, am i in danger of overcooking my battery? Cheers Dan (sorry, can't seem to upload a photo from photobucket for some reason)

Thanks Tony, As my engine has a mechanical stop the only high amp draw from the ignition is the glow plugs. I think i'm going to opt for a relay system for the glowplugs. However i'm unsure of a couple of things. If the max draw from a BMC 1.8 is 75amps, why do you recommend a relay rated to 180amp? Surely a 100amp unit would suffice? Is it ok to bolt a relay unto the engine? (ie between plugs and positive terminal on solenoid) or is engine vibration an issue? cheers dan