PhilR

I agree it sounds like the pump. Is this an intermittent fault? I have had two micro-switches pack in. Does a clout with a rubber hammer start the pump working?

That was a very sad day - it is still a real *bone* of contention with me and more than a few *fiddles* must have taken place in the council offices. (maybe a few backhanders too?) What we really need is a national network of canal users to monitor planning applications for canalside developments such as that. We could then all object on the basis that existing use of the canal environment should take precedence over any new development. NIMBY is OK as long as people are not seeking to change an established use.

The purpose of a flexible coupling is not to *snap* but to cope with any *slight* misalignment AND mainly to isolate against shaft transmitted noise & vibration.. Having said that it is not a good idea to rely on a flexible coupling to cater for misalignment - far better to line things up properly in the first place.

How long have you owned the boat? and have the windows/ports leaked previously? Just a thought - Are there drain holes at the bottom of the frames? If so, these need regular cleaning as they can easily get blocked

Did working boatmen ever use horns? - I doubt they did on canals, but it looks a nice bit of kit

We didn't have the tipcats on at the time. I think that answers my question, thanks.

IME shower mixers are easier to control with instantaneous gas heaters.

The important lesson to learn here is WHY the rudder got trapped in the gates and what you will do to prevent it happening again. You can rarely rely on crew 100% of the time.

I know several people who were not happy ..................

I'm only guessing that the water was probably above the cabin floorboards when he left the lock. Maybe he will qualify as a runner-up for the Darwin awards? Loose weedhatch? Very low engine vents in hull? I would imagine the flywheel would be splashing water around the engine bay long before they abandoned ship.

Did you intend to type *winding paddles up* ?

Just a drop of tap water ;-) No, seriously, IMHO there really should be some standard format for describing engine (crankshaft) rotation on boats. I am sure there have been many expensive mistakes over the years by people miss-interpreting instructions. Phil (edit) Just read Yodas post - is that gospel? If so that is exactly what I wanted to hear - thanks.

I'd love to know your reasoning for that statement. Are you a paid employee? Phil

Apologies if I am going off at a tangent here regarding engine rotation. Propeller rotation (left or right handed) is easy enough to understand, but when engine rotation is discussed people usually refer to rotation when viewing the flywheel end. This can be very confusing as some engines have flywheels on the front, some have them on the back and some have them at both ends. Is there any recognised format for describing engine rotation? A left handed prop (which seems to be the standard rotation for most boats) rotates anti clockwise when viewed from BEHIND the stern of the boat. ............. I'm going to pour another drink, I'm sure some of you know what I am getting at? There should be some easily definable perameters. It is a pity that port and starboard are not terms generally used on the canals ............ (nice malt) Phil

In your original post you were following 2 boats. Where did the other one come from?

One thing that hasn't been discussed on this topic is WHY some boaters dawdle at 2 mph and frequently refuse to allow other boaters to pass. I reckon in many cases it might be due to: 1. They might lack the experience and knowledge of HOW to let a boat pass safely. 2. They have probably run themselves aground several times when doing so on previous occasions and probably don't realise/won't accept that might have been due to their own incompetence or lack of experience. 3. Sheer bloody-mindedness.

What is the difference between a ram's head and a swans neck?

IMHO a centre rope tied to the roof has two uses: 1. To hold the boat whilst proper mooring lines are secured. 2. They can be very handy when working locks single-handed. Others have mentioned that bollards & rings are often in the wrong place for a boat of (insert a figure!) length. It might be worth considering that the problem is often that with most boats there is no choice of where to attach a rope - Most only have one Tstud and 2 dollies/cleats. IMO the answer is to have several substantial attachments points on the boat. Large through bolted eyelets are ideal for this. This also makes it easier to set springs. Phil

Hi Val A word of advice form someone with no experience of 240 volt electrics on boats. Use an electrician who is competent and experienced in electrical installations on boats. There are too many issues with boat electrics that a domestic electrician probably wouldn't be aware of. Phil

Sounds good. But as a temporary measure has anyone tried using a parasol base? Cast iron or water/sand filled plastic?

I read Dave's post to mean he would like to find an official residential mooring (and we all know how difficult they can be to find). Failing that he wants to get an ordinary mooring permit. Dave - if you manage to get a mooring permit and do a bit of cruising within the mooring rules I am sure you will have no problems from BW. There are thousands of people on liveaboards who pay no mooring fees and try to get around the continuous cruising regs by bridge hopping or just ignoring the regs. Those are the boaters that BW are targeting. To put it another way, those are the people who live aboard purely as a cheap housing option and probably have little or no genuine interest in the waterways. Good luck. I hope you achieve your dreams. I hope I haven't upset too many people ............................... Phil

OK - just had a thought ......... a bit of lateral thinking here (after a drop or two of scotch) ............... a cyclist's drinking bottle (the type with a clear plastic tube, or a used 1 litre gear oil bottle would do the job (but cleaning the latter out might be a problem). Cut the plastic tube to the required height level above plates and you will have something that will be even easier to use than an old fashioned battery top up bottle. Have I gone bonkers? ............... By heck Alan. I hadn't read your post before I made my previous post. My idea looks even better value now. As you said, that is an eye watering price

What price are they now?. Many years ago they cost peanuts. They can't cost more than 5 pence each to produce.

3 years!!!! That is amazing, whilst boat builders are going bust everywhere I suppose that really does say something about their shells ...................