Nitrowing

Thanks, found them here http://www.altecautomotive.co.uk/durite-86mm-tachometer-rev-counters-br-range-of-3-models-2732-p.asp - seems to be a better bet than flying one halfway around the world...

Your right I stood there with a blank face, realising that the PO has left just enough diesel in the tank to get it started and no more is when the bulb lit up to say "There's trouble ahead". I had no problem with bleeding the injectors apart from lack of battery power, which in turn was because the glow plugs were always on - a new battery and a switch solved that... leading to getting the engine running and finding it was virtually pouring out of the injector pump. The issue with the moorings... yes...I'm still not quite sure why the other boats are lived on but I got called to task because of having to do a weekend of overtime, something I made clear would be a distinct possibility from the start. Sending 10 nights in a row may not be the marina's definition of leisure mooring but then being given the reason 'the other boats pay more' is hardly a justification. Seeing as I was (and continue to be) working on the boat every night after doing a 10 hour day - I was seriously expected to travel the 70 miles to and from Cleethorpes after doing this? Surely, the quicker I'm finished and underway the happier we will both be? It's to be expected that there will be a few issues when buying anything, be it a new car that wont stop beeping because the seatbelt isn't plugged, to an old boat that has been laid out internally in a bizarre fashion. Trusting someone and getting toasted wasn't part of my plan.

How large is the opening in the tank? What volume would you like to remove? My tank is stainless steel and has a 3" opening so if I were to try this, I'd try mild steel blocks in there that could be removed with a magnet-on-a-string?

I bought this one and have had no issues with it http://www.transtools.co.uk/hand-tools/engineering-automotive/riveters/silverline-threaded-rivet-nut-insert-tool-4mm-8mm

I haven't complained about any of the information I've been given. If in doubt, ask. I stated that the sale was private. When you pay for a car MoT, do you expect them to go through your vehicle with a fine-toothed comb and find every fault? Oh, surprise, they do - that's the whole purpose of checking for safety. Incorrect cables and fuel lines (especially coupled together!) are a safety issue. I don't expect my hand holding, though that would be nice, I also don't expect to have my throat jumped down when I ask for advice. I addressed the battery charging issue - it had been wired up so the glow plugs were permanently on! Getting old engines to run is always fun, that's why I have old cars, at least there's a chance you can sort it out yourself, rather than spend an hour just taking all the plastic out of an engine bay to discover that you need to plug a laptop in to then find out some unspecified sensor may have an intermittent fault! In this case, I haven't drawn lucky. This is exactly the reason I didn't jump all in and spend big money on my first purchase.

It's a Rebel, I have 2 Kittens too

My engine will probably stop running as soon as any bar opens!

Yes RWLP, I did search google before calling in Sheaf and refurbed units are £300 - Sheaf also seem to have a good reputation and the mechanic that came down this morning was a proper good chap - he didn't even frown when he realised that he was going to have to modify a spanner to get the pump off.

I was thinking along the same lines as ditchcrawler. My ballast is a freezing cold collection of cast iron weights (so cold, in fact, I was considering keeping the milk in there!). Running a copper pipe along the skirting of the interior to a radiator sunk in amongst the ballast shouldn't be too difficult? http://www.screwfix.com/p/pvc-coated-copper-pipe-white-10mm-x-25m/34388

Has anybody tried one of these? http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TACHO-METER-HOUR-RUN-METER-GENERATOR-TRACTOR-BOAT-TRUCK-85mm-/111128051397?pt=AU_Car_Parts_Accessories&hash=item19dfbf7ec5 I like the idea of keeping track of what's going on

Northernboater, whilst I agree with some of your opinion, I think you should edit your post a bit further. I've been looking in to buying a boat for about 10 years. I can strip and rebuild anything from a 1969 Reliant 4-wheeler, Harley Davidson through to differential pressure transmitters and coriolis flow meters, make circuit board modifications to PC's and commission nuclear submarines - that is to say, if there is a problem with something I can bee 99% sure at where the problem lies. With this privately bought boat, the previous owner has studied the art of rolling a poop in glitter where it couldn't be polished. When a boat has a BSS less than 6 months old I don't expect to find: - incorrect diesel lines -missing diesel shut off valve -leaking gas pipe -under-rated electrical cables -glow plugs wired permanently live -oil sump leaking in to the cabin etc etc etc The problem with the marina is purely one employee. He's ex-army and a prime example of why I left the forces, he'd bust a nut if he ever got promoted to Traffic Warden! The director, conversely, is very pleasant and understanding. I will be moving on as soon as the boat is functional. Move back to land? lol! Are you trying to sound like a sea-faring salty dog now? The boat is a toy. I'm using it to get to grips with the waterways before I spend 'serious' money, the same way as I bought a £200 bike to begin with all those years ago before I spent serious money. No one starts with a Rolls Royce.

There's no existing stove in the boat, just a pair of gas rings and I have an aversion to gas ;-) I read the information incorrectly, it's only for new boats. I like the look of the Boatman

Mike, I did a google search on the guy and he seems to have a reputation for walking away from older engines! Nick, if the boat was near my home, I'd do the work myself and then pay a fitter to fit it and time the pump! Buying this boat has really left a bad taste in my mouth, the attitude of the marina employee and the hidden bodges refurb of the previous owner are only just balanced by the peace and quiet of being on board and the friendliness of the other boaters!

I'd like a little stove, the only thing I'm not understanding is the cost of the 'extras'. A Pipsqueak costs £200 The Boatman is £300 A Frontier is £150 Clarke Pot Belly £120 All look quite reasonable but... I thought a double skinned flue was a BSS requirement now? How much is that going to be? Then the outlet through the roof and the chimney cover... add to that a slab of concrete for the base and insulation and skin to protect the bulkhead... Is this coming close to the cost of a Weber/Eberspacher unit?

I've had a diesel specialist look at my injector pump in situ - it's nearly pouring diesel out underneath - but he doesn't want to get involved with the job. Sheaf http://www.sheafdieselservices.com said they will pop down to do the job as they're only a mile or so away. My only problem is, they told me to expect a bill around £500 What are my realistic options?

Boat height is a concern for me also, I'm considerng a canopy for the back and I'm 6' tall - so the inside will have to be 6' 2" meaning the extrnal canopy height would be 6' 4" I'll measure the deck height above the waterline to see what overall height this totals to but knowing a definitive height to work to would be great!

I'll try jumping it with a car battery or my Goldwing if I can get it close enough (40 Amps!) - thanks guys

Well, I've gone and done it now. There's not enough power in the battery to start the engine! I have a leisure battery charger but it only puts out about 6~8 Amps and there's 3 batteries hooked up (about 300Amps). I'm considering putting a dedicated starter battery but at the moment I am stumped - how do I start the engine to charge the batteries when the batteries are dead??? Can I just hook it up with jump leads from my vehicle or will the leisure batteries try frying my vehicle electrics? Buy a small petrol generator to charge the batteries?

If these are all 12V panels then you should have all the positives connected together and all the negatives together (parallel) as this increases your amp output.

It will be fine junior - I'll only be visiting it to do a bit of work and learn how to steer!

lolol! Thanks for the heads up Alan The boat already has a current BSS, thanks Chalky I'm not really comfortable with someone else on board at the moment, the boat is OK for me to stay in but it still needs a good dose of nails internally and hence a little scruffy (I wouldn't let my lady on board in it's current condition). Hiab sounds the best, if most expensive, option. I've contacted Newark Marina already and am waiting for them to contact me. Thanks

I don't have the time or experience to attempt this trip on water so, at the end of April, I'd like to put the boat on the back of a truck and have it taken from Victoria Quays, Sheffield to Kings Marina, Newark. One company has quoted £500 for a hiab or £350 for a standard lorry (requiring a crane at both ends). Is this a good, bad or normal price?

When I registered my boat, I got a different set of numbers than was already on the boat - a pity because the other numbers are on a nice raised plaque.

Experience of boating... 3 weeks. Amount of locks navigated.... 0! The boat has a BMC1800 which the PO left an egg cup full of diesel in, I need to charge the batteries and bleed the system - it's jobs like this that take my time after work and obviously I can't try doing engine work after 8pm. Alan - Thanks for the information on King's Marina - that looks like a good location for me, about 50 miles from my house with better access to the country than the end of a canal in Sheffield! If that's where I go, I'll get the boat put on a lorry again - there's no way I'm going on the Humber