Opener

I think my tank was a bit neglected until a couple of years ago when I spend a number of jolly hours sitting on a cushion in the dark (in the tank!!). Used to get bits of crud - never enough to obstruct flow but I like such things to be clean. Replaced it well before tank refurb though. New filter has a transparent bayonet crud chamber so easy to clean. No crud in your filter? Maybe YOUR rust was in better condition than mine 🙄.

The circled item is not your pump. It is a separate component which is screw mounted onto your water pump, hopefully the input side It is a simple strainer comprising three main parts. One part attached to the green hose/white connector. One part, the cup shape with the label. Sandwiched in between is a metal filter disc. The two halves bayonet fit together. If your picture is of the filter as was ie leaking I'd suspect it was not correctly assembled. See that tab at the ten-o-clock position next to a cutout? Grasp the end next to the pump while moving the tab/this end clockwise. That should tighten the two halves together. From what you say you may already effectively have done that if the leak has eased. I used to have one - never liked it. Need to take it out of circuit to clean it and always lost a fingernail or two trying to split the two halves. REPLACE IT!

Sorry - haven't read all they technical responses but .... Long, long ago (!!!) I used to use a product called Bat-aid. One tablet - think paracetamol on steroids - per battery cell I'd swear used to revitalise aged car batteries (dynamo - told you it was long ago 😁). Google Granville Bat-aid. Apparently Hallfrogs still sell it. Surely, anything that doesn't work wouldn't still be for sale 50- odd years on ......

It's not often I'm right but I'm wrong again .....

I'd guess the tap will still actually be there but totally non-functional. From what I recall it was set into a stone wall in pretty good nick. Removing it would have destroyed the wall - easier just to leave it and forget about it. No sensible boater would notice it or try to use it ......

Not sure they 'sold out' - round about our last visit we were asked to sign a petition relating to a proposed nearby housing development which would have prevented car parking/access. I recall a ladder/stile to access their entrance from the cut.

Hey-ho. Told you not to trust me! My sighting probably goes back about five years. Even then it looked a bit lonely and neglected - I did not need to use it. Would be useful to have up to date confirmation on status. Ahhh! Puffer Parts - sadly missed. A right little Aladdin's Cave.

OK - don't hold me to this but I'm sure I've seen a very anonymous tap in the wall to the right (Eastbound) literally just after the Bar Lane bridge in Riddlesdon. That was a wee while ago and it could be non-functional - I didn't need water so didn't need to try it out. Assume you have spotted the two locations in Skippy. Snaygill is a non-starter at the moment - rely on a borehole which is running dry.

As far as cleaning is concerned, do you need anything as sophisticated as a wire brush/pipe cleaner? I had concerns about the curved pick up toob in my water tank. Got some flexy curtain wire. Removed the plastic covering from one end and opened up the spiral a bit. Other end in my drill and fed the bare end into the tube. The wire is nowhere near a decent fit diameter-wise so whips around randomly and scrapes any loose crap out of the tube. Feeding the wire through a bit of tubing can control any excess whip.

Just received our CRT email confirming the continued closure of locks on the L&L between Gargrave and Wigan area. Confirms there is still plenty of water to use the pound between Gargrave and Bingley 5 (and beyond). A bit ironic since we had also just returned home after an abortive visit to find our narra well and truly on the bottom on our moorings with the water level well down. Not a total loss 'cos we managed to repaint the bottom band of our tunnel colours which is normally well in the water 🤨. Apparently, there are enough feeds between Skipton and Bingley to compensate for water going up and down Bingley 🙄 - feels to me like pouring glasses of water into a bath with the plug out.

Obviously, not all handovers are up to standard. We've just had a hired widebeam run aground opposite us, but just off the bank. My crew advised them to use the gangplank to go ashore then push the stern out. "We haven't got one" 😟 My crew, pointing to lump of flat wood on their roof - "That thing". 🥴 "Well, they never told us we had a gangplank!!" 🙄

According to the internet, it's all the result of a failed attempt at crossing bikes with lemmings.

Strangely, I noticed that error, but couldn't find an 'edit' option this time. Decided just to leave it to provide pedants such as myself a source of gentle amusement. Worked, didnnitt?

Can I propose a complex and highly technical diagnostic technique? If you are able, start with a dry bilge. Line as much of the area as you can with newspaper - Telegraph or Times are best - at least a couple of sheets thick. Leave - no need to sit and watch. If the problem/leak recurs you will end up with an obvious damp patch. That should give you a start on localising your problem. If you suspect a vertical surface, masking tape a sweet into position. If it's a confined space, stuff crumpled paper into position. Good luck.

Did two tours of a branch of Halfrauds recently without tracking down a single belt. Apparently they don't stock them any more "cos there are too many different sizes". Interesting business model 🙄.