Sea Dog

Could you expand on that please? Which maps are you using to achieve excellent results, as so far I've not seen any package without limitations that put me off. I'm not having problems navigating by Nicholson's, but if there's something better out there...

Ah, then you need to drive to where you're gonna moor tomorrow - then you'll be where you left your boat today!

No doubt the advice you have received is entirely correct. However, you can't quantify it or know even roughly how much you need to supplement your solar with engine/generator running without a battery monitor. Insufficient charging will goose your batteries, too much will waste fuel (and bother your neighbours). Either way, you'll recoup the BM's cost over time as well as gain a warm and fluffy feeling.

Sorry you didn't get any advice about the new unit Tim, maybe noone here has one yet and you're breaking new ground? To be honest,although I'm scared I may be tempting fate, my Eberspacher 4 is now 7 years old and going strong. I think the installation is very important, so if your install isn't good you may have similar issues with the new unit - I hope not! Also Ebers, but probably all these units, need to be worked hard and it's the short cycling that kills them off. So, don't fit a 5kW unit where a 4kW would do and make sure it goes off once you have hot water and a warm boat. I use mine for 1 hour at a time and listen for it dropping off load. After that, the stove is back up to speed and the day ahead stays toasty whilst the Eber sleeps it off! Good luck with your update!

Is it me, or do we have a thread here that turns a rather good news "no increase in licence fee" announcement into a "Conspiracy! CRT Bar Stewards" rant?

Only a suggestion Ricco, but have you thought about leather patches for the high wear corners, etc? Perhaps a sandwich of fabric outside, leather inside, but sewn right through with sailmakers' thread rather than glued.

Are you aware that a fully featured TomTom for Android can be tried for free on your phone? I know you've tried phone nav, but this will let you discover whether you like TomTom (stand alone or otherwise). You get 50 miles for free and you can dip in and out of it so it gives you chance to try it in a host of situations. If you like it you can either buy a stand alone or subscribe on your phone for 15 quid (iirc).

You got 5 posts with people doing their best to help you within 24 hours. I would have thought that quite a good response from a minority interest forum, particularly if you're asking a technical question on a specific engine. One of the responses led you to ring Beta who were helpful. You now know exactly what's wrong and how to solve it with the correct part, again inside 24 hours. If this was the AA, which you would have had to pay to join, you may have had a beef; as it stands, you've got free advice quite quickly from folks with nothing but helpfulness as their motivation and you look a wee bit ungrateful from where I sit. Edited to add: I read this post (for the first time just now) because I saw Beta 43 in the title and wondered if I might be able to help.

Now how did you find that out?

Although you may find it needs more revs to achieve cruising speed than a more powerful unit. You may therefore find it noisier or buzzy. You'd need a test drive to judge.

Might be useful for those who use their boats over window and have uninsulated gas bottles to report any problems they've had using propane in low temperatures. Then you'll be able to see if you're trying to cure a genuine problem. To start you off, I haven't had any such issues.

Some of the content of that other recent thread with such references, it would seem that, if not exactly carrying on to your destination, you ought to be able to create enough steerage to get to a place of safety. It might be an idea to practice if you have the mudweight anyway, although I'm not going there's not still a case for an anchor. Give it a try whilst the river's quiet OP - it would be interesting to hear your results.

Perhaps Nissan are using battery leasing as a risk mitigation measure here in order to offset customer fears about uncertain battery life, unknown replacement costs, etc, during the introductory phase.

Only because you speak so warmly of the area, as recently when someone was Bumblehole-ing! As a fairly frequent visitor to those waterways I have to say I agree. Some of the local pub recommendations have been well worth a visit too, so if Tim & Pru have encouraged more to visit the area I approve!

Really? I'm surprised... and others, for instance Dave Moore I'd guess from recent posts, will be mortified! Have a look at the stoppages and set sail asap! I can't say I relish a visit to the city centre shops, but it's a great area to cruise with so much heritage and things to see and do. That's before we even start on beer and some of the Black Country pubs! Not exclusively Black Country pubs either before I get myself into bother.

If it is a paper element, someone will know whether you can change to a mesh whilst you're at it. Worth a check?

Hi Kirsty, Well, you've already listed quite a few more disadvantages than advantages, and you aren't going to buy it without looking at it are you, so it might be worth a nosey whilst you don't have stars in your eyes if Droitwich isn't too far. In terms of your listing: 1. Can't tell what's going on there from a photo - could be mould or even a shadow as Athy said. 2. Kitchen one end and lounge the other is a bit unusual! Kitchen by the steering position can be an advantage for loading groceries, as the first place the dog stops and when you need a cuppa on the move. 3. That should be at least 3-4 annual oil changes, but its much easier to say the oil's been changed than to really do it, so at least it looks honest! Maybe it hasn't been anywhere since 11, or maybe the last professional service was in 11 and the owner has done the work since? 4. Most do! If it's out for a survey and you like it, then would be the time to do it - but the steel is too cold now for a decent job imho. Nick at Droitwich Spa Marina does do a decent job if you wanted it doing there this spring (I've seen him at work). 5. That's not really a negative - why would it have been done recently? You'd probably want your own on a boat this age and you'd be remiss to accept someone else's anyway!. 6. Athy answered that in terms of Liverpool Boats. You pay more for a quality fit out - just don't pay too much for something that's not worth it and remember that you have to live with it, so don't buy if you're not happy. I've just spotted you've newly added that your budget is £38k - you may be fishing in the wrong pond as 10K can make quite a difference! All boats are a compromise, but if you intend to live on it full time then your compromises need to be well chosen. The saloon to kitchen displacement wouldn't work for me, for example. Good luck!

An adjustable spanner is a tool which will fit a variety of nuts and bolts equally badly. An expensive adjustable spanner is......

That's a helluva proposition for a degree project! Your research should really have found quite a lot that has been attempted or is out there already. Whilst you're here, a search in the forum may also make interesting reading. Speaking as a Chartered Engineer and former mentor of other Chartered Engineers and Graduate Engineers, my advice would be to find a different project for your degree and tackle this separately if you're intent on it. It's your choice though, of course, and others may think differently. I apologise if this appears negative, but I would offer that the over-riding aim here is for you to achieve your degree. Best wishes. Edited to add that it's a really interesting subject and, if you pull it off, I hope you keep us informed.

Why should that make it a good candidate to be towed? If it might sink, I would have thought it far more likely to do that whilst in tow with no crew aboard. And, this being the case, you surely wouldn't put a crew aboard?