Morningmist

Reply to Tony. Yes my tank drain does have a tap fitted with a screw in plug, also when I fill my water tanks that are located in the bows the boat sits pretty level, I will have a go at drawing off some diesel tomorrow. Thanks to ever one I have taken note of what has been posted I will start by draining the tank but I also have other options to choose.

Thank you Tony, draining off the bottom of the tank makes sense to me as it will remove the water that causes the bug, I did wonder why my BSS examiner asked me to show him the tank drain off, I am now realising its importance. Thank you both for you advise..

This is my first winter afloat with my self fit out live board narrowboat, do I need need to add a fuel additive to my main fuel tank to help prevent diesel bug or anything else nasty? I have a new Beta 43 and I don't want to damage it either way, any advise would be welcome.

Bungee attachment makes it a one man clearing operation, even better; Screwfix here I come. Getting the painting scheme right in awkward areas is a challenge not only physically but also on the pocket. epoxy tar at one end and International Interzone 954 at the other, more than likely something in between. Even considered anti corrosive zinc phosphate treatments. I am trying this system on my old wheel barrow that lives outside and a test piece left half submerged in our small garden pond, and to be honest since the last Crick Show my test piece has fared quite well. Decisions! Decisions!

Excellent idea with the chain, so simple and logical when the idea is there in front of you. I am planning to have the bilge area sand blasted and then epoxy primed and painted as I realise its one part of the vessel that once the floor goes down that's it. Outside paint work is easily monitored and maintained but I don't intend lifting the whole floor ever!! That's why I am so grateful for your advise so that I can try to get it right.

Thank you all so much for your advise and help, living so far away from the canal system its good to be able to gather other boaters ideas on my concerns, I am not happy with the sump arrangement and the advise over the limber holes has been a revelation thank you all. I shall visit my boat builder with a renewed confidence and ask him to make the alterations. Thank you its really been praying on my mine since my last visit just before the holiday.

There are no limber holes in the frames I assumed the bilge water ran under the un-welded part of the frames, but I would prefer to have dedicated limber holes, thank you Murflynn for your advise, and I agree with Scholar Gypsy that the sump is an unnecessary inconvenience.

The hull is being built as a trad with a small tug deck and a mid engine room. I have a sealed bulk head just aft of the bowthruster, then nothing until just before the stern gland where I shall presumably catch the drips. The engine will sit on its own self contained engine bed. Any water will presumably be able to drain from the front of the vessel right to the back, presuming the usual aft trim and no lean to either port or starboard.

Apparently the skeg will run from behind the sump, but even if a skeg did start before the sump, I still feel that's its vulnerable to damage and is a sump really a useful item to have, I understand a bucket and sponge is all that it needed. This is my first boat so I have no experience and any advise would be most welcome.

Still in the bilge, My hull builder has cut a 4" hole in my base plate in the engine compartment! he says this is a sump for a bilge pump. Is this a good idea? I am concerned that as this sump projects out below my base plate by some 3" that it will catch on any junk in the canal and given the boat momentum and weight if I hit something really solid that the whole thing could be ripped off leaving a very large hole in the boat bottom!!