Sea Dog

My Eberspacher is fed directly from the batteries (through an inline fuse). Pretty sure this is in the installation instructions (along with minimising the cable length) and is based on removing any additional resistance being imposed by having any switches, fuse panels, isolators in the circuit. Even the marine versions are voltage sensitive, so if yours is also an automotive version you're really up against it!

Well I probably wouldn't go quite that far...

Hmm, anyone unable to manage that probably shouldn't really be fiddling with anything mechanical.

So, you removed 1.4L, filled with 1.3, removed 1.3 and are still measuring it as overfilled? Theoretically at least, it should be pretty much empty but the oil cooler does need accounting for if you're trying to do it by capacity. Did you check the dipstick beforehand? Personally, I'd press the reset button by draining down using the sump plug, then you'd know it was truly empty before you start. Next, it's an absolute b'stard to read the dipstick, with or without the blue roll, and it doesn't help that new oil hardly shows when the right level is achieved. My early issues stemmed from filling the box with the right amount, not allowing for the cooler circuit. The dipstick always came out with some oil on it, making it look like it was somewhere near when in reality it was a fair bit short, so I was adding a tiny amount at a time. Eventually, it became a tiny bit more obvious that I'd started dipping oil, not just getting the dipstick damp. Once you're past this, you'll be a bit more confident next time. Iirc, mine takes 1.9L. Lastly, use the dipstick lower mark to check as you fill - that way you can sit it in to test the level rather than screw and unscrew every time. Further to @Machpoint005 point above, I use a 4pt milk bottle with a hole cut out - on my boat, nothing larger will come out once the old oil goes in!@Machpoint005

Which is a shame, as I never had a sextant tell me about a "useful shop" or a pub serving food that closed down a year before publication.

Well, you also need a fair bit of canalside land, considerable groundworks and CRT permission (and fees) to make it accessible from the canal. Once you've got that in place, see how you get on getting "scrap railway stuff" and "an old winch" over the H&S hurdle and the regular load testing. These things ain't as cheap or easy as those with a few miles on the clock remember from the good old days.

Plus, on first start up it's likely your alternator(s) will be presenting quite a load as the depleted batteries draw their heaviest current of the charging cycle. Mine typically starts first thing with a draw of around 100 amps. Whilst this drops away fairly quickly with lead acids, a few revs is needed to cope comfortably with that initial heavy load.

Maybe try reporting it twice next year?

Turners of Wheaton Aston at the southern end of the Shroppie is one of the Mecca's for keenly priced red diesel. They're right by the road bridge, serving canalside from the garage shown when you zoom in.

Well, sound power and actual electrical power appear to have a very strange relationship, but a straightforward 2 X 35w is 70w, which would be almost 6 amps - if there was no other consumption. I think 5 to 10 amps is a more typical range, but, even if it's only an amp as you suggest, I would still stick with my more versatile Bluetooth speaker. Just my own opinion - others are allowed.

It may not suit your purpose, but I and many others use a rechargeable Bluetooth speaker and stream radio or music from a mobile phone. More versatile, no additional wiring, no drain on your batteries when moored up, recharge as you cruise. A 12v car stereo can draw quite a heavy current.

Passed that one a couple of weeks ago and thought it was a fake, even hurtling by on tick over, towing a water skier.

As others have said, fire rope and Envirograf, which will withstand up to 1200c. However, do make sure your fire rope seals all possibility of flame contact first before sealing the remaining gap with Envirograf. The instructions specifically mention that, if exposed to flame, Envirograf will burn with a barely noticeable flame. Incidentally, Envirograf smooths very nicely to give an excellent finish to the top of the collar. I used clear, which blends perfectly with my flue once dressed with Stovax stove blacking.

That's true, but "midfield player" doesn't rhyme with "score", whereas "Moore" does (if you're a Cockney doing rhyming slang).

Hmm, I'm not so sure about that re the fashionable crosses. Someone was telling me the other day that these are now typed into F1, F2, etc, hybrids, which seems to me to be just as selectively bred as a pedigree. I'm sure someone here knows more about this subject.

With a picture on one side? I think you'll find that's a jigsaw and you'll need to find a toy shop, not a DIY shed!

So your telling us that 2 sawbucks is a Bobby? (Bobby Moore - score)

I wouldn't pay to change my dog into a small horse whatever her chip said. Too much work and cost involved in keeping a horse.

Gotta say they look good, but then there didn't look to be anything amiss with my bus window that was leaking. Capillary action doesn't take much of a gap - but if that is your problem Captain Tolly's will work for you, albeit somewhat temporarily. At least you'll know either way then, eh.

Same frames as I have - Caldwell's I believe. My boats previous owner had also added silicone in the corners, but water drains out from there, not in. I took the manky looking silicone out and my portholes don't leak. Where I have had small leaks on a frame, Captain Tolly's and a strip of electrical insulation tape does the job til the weather is ok. I then took the frame out and replaced the old boatbuilder's gobber with closed cell foam strip as often recommend and additionally used a mastic bead to seal any gap left between the frame and the paintwork. A few years later, when that leaked again, I used automotive butyl rubber strip. Job done. (If you use butyl, don't think it needs to be warm to stretch, compress or stick, cos it goes claggy and gets more difficult to do a decent job - if anything it's better to apply a bit cold.)

Why don't you just move onto the water and let this friend make his own life-changing decisions? The best way you can assist him in making such a big decision without twisting his arm is to let him see first hand how you get on.

I'll give you first refusal when it's time to hang up our windlasses...

I'd suggest that, for the average boat in the average marina, £3k per annum won't be too far wide of the mark as a round figure for a working estimate.

In that case, we have a rather posh LeCreuset stove top whistling kettle. 1.1 litres, all hob types (including induction for those with wide beams ). Cost (iirc) about 14 quid from TKMaxx - 10 years later it's still good as new.