Sea Dog

517066? Really easy!

On purpose or are you reaping the benefits of being a messy cook?

Interested to hear what happened to you as I stopped using yacht varnish on my exterior wood several years ago and changed to Ronseal 10 year woodstain. Its water based, but performs as well if not better in this application, although I'd give it 5 years rather than 10. Its much easier to use and... wash brushes in water.

Perhaps they're worried about being torpedoed?

Just for accuracy I actually said.... And I also said... And I also said... Which should have started "nor", not "not"! I still don't.

Funny you should say that... Thanks, you've helped.

I take your general point about the cable clamps requiring the fitter/purchaser providing their own solution to ensuring the cables are properly, although it's not an insurmountable issue. However, the installation here doesn't look highly professional, does it. The OP has provided another photo above where he's later used a patress to clamp the two heavy output cables, but the two lighter input cables and the ground here were much easier to bend gently and clip neatly to the bulkhead yet were also left trailing. Plus, he's mounted the unit further from the bulkhead than Victron's design made provision for as a "just in case" measure which exacerbated the cable securing issue. I think we could agree that Victron could have possibly implemented improved cable connections, but to run their products down when, to my engineer's eye at least, it's more the fitting that leaves something to be desired is a wee bit unfair on them. Anyway, I don't have shares in Victron, nor do I expect to everyone to meet the highest professional standards in self installations, not do I wish to give the OP hard times, so I'll leave it at that.

I'm sure you did think of it, but you haven't come up with a solution other than blaming Victron for poor design, which is not something I've seen in the Victron products I have fitted. That being the case, your cables remain at risk (which I can see you don't want) but there's more than one way to skin the unsupported cables cat. Treating them like flex into a plug top with just a cable clamp in the terminal isn't one of them though as it doesn't stop them flapping about and is probably why Victron don't offer it. By way of suggestion, since it may be helpful, fitting a raised batten to the bulkhead to support the clips might be one solution, whilst routing the cables at a reasonable bend radius back to the bulkhead for clipping might be another. The latter is how I've supported the Victron MPPT cables it in own boat.

Yep, cable clips. I can't imagine why, given you obviously realise there's an issue, you didn't do that immediately.

Nice to hear that - I'll put it back on the list!

Although if you use it to push you alongside, now you're sucking silt and debris from the edge through your thruster. Best not to do that for obvious reasons, and then you'll also leave your battery fully charged after you you moor up. If you use it a lot or insist on mooring with it, then follow @matty40s sound advice above.

I think we should also consider the security aspect here. What if everyone is used to seeing any Tom, Dick and Harry wandering on and off boats, starting engines, moving them, etc? If it's almost always the usual guy, the brass necked burglar or boat thief stands out to the staff or other moorers and quick check with the office will answer any suspicions.

I don't disagree with you, just answering your question. I think it would be rather lovely to preserve these stables (and the rest of salvageable Gas Street) as an oasis amongst the new development. One can often act as a counterpoint to the other and they end up enhancing one other.

Because there's no money in it and the council is bankrupt so investors for that approach will be thin on the ground. Birmingham's changing landscape is being driven by business and private investment.

Ok, I think I've come up with the ideal compromise from all the preceding advice: I'm going to use a cheap, easy to handle little Danforth with polyprop rope for false alarms and keep my ridiculously expensive huge ocean going yacht anchor with all-chain rode locked away for proper emergencies. Now I just need to get Geoff Cape's phone number on speed dial and I'm sorted...

Single post to his name too Tony.

£1100 a month for a mooring at Car Thief? Something amiss methinks. Either the sign writer was lost or this boat is mooring in Chelsea, not the S&W! Apart for that, those two (perfectly lovely folk, I'm sure) look pretty unlikely "free spirits" - or maybe they feel their new bus pass has set them free? Who wrote the article? They must surely be using an inappropriate stock photo for the text.

These statements are contradictory. Are we sure this post isn't "click bait"?

East Fife 5 Forfar 4?

I appreciate that Tony, and agree with your advice. The point of my post, based on my interpretation of the OP's poor outcome even after calling in paid 'help' so far, was to be just a little more cautious...

Not sure this is a good starting point with mains voltage electricity...

Your missing reading the context of my question! I haven't used it and I've got no idea if it's any good. If it is good, I'd have thought it would be widely known and frequently recommended is my drift. ETA. Ooh, the OP has posted while I was typing and has now given it a glowing report, so maybe we need to know more?

If this is a good solution, I wonder why it isn't widely known?

Methinks maybe this chap isn't worth his salt... Checking that power is reaching the immersion before blaming the element and changing it is an absolute prerequisite, so let's hope he did that, but not confirming that his repair has resolved your problem after the job is done is just plain daft. Cut your losses and get someone else in would be my advice.