BEngo

Do you know which vehicles the engine was fitted to? If so a good starting point would be to see which carburettors were fitted to those. I doubt Watermota would change the carb on a packaged Ford engine or go through the process of deveoping a specific carb model for their engines so an automotive base seems likely. Once you have identified the base carb, probably by Solex or Zenith, then you need to look at the various jets, to get the right sizes. Alternatively swap them over from your current one. N

In my experience ( Epoxy coating HM's war canoes above and below waterline and owning a narrow boat since 1980 and since 2010, a grit blasted and epoxied narrowboat, with regular overcoats of epoxy) epoxy will stick beautifully to abraded epoxy. Weed scrape, then a decent pressure wash ( 3000psi at least) followed by wire brushing to shift the grey layer give an adequate key over existing epoxy. Mechanical damage is best if treated with an abrasive disc for big areas to leave a profiled surface . Pits should be washed out by a pressure washer, leaving bright spots. Surface and damp tolerant epoxy can be worked into the pits with a brush soon after washing, though a blow dry with an airline first helps. Fail to do the prep and new epoxy does indeed not stick to the old. N

From the bore and stroke given in the link, it is neither a model K, P or R. The sizes do match for the Model J. A Kelvin J4 is 44 Hp at 1000 rpm, Direct drive gearbox and about 6 litres displacement ( you could work the exact numbers out from the bore and stroke). More details on Mike Skyners Kelvin Site. He also has, or had, a running J4. N

There appear to be sufficient details on the website to identify the base industrial/ plant engine(s). Following that, some directed research will identify who supports the base engine in the non-marine field. If you have a an actual example marinised engine , things like the OE engine number are often exposed. Marinisation equipment ( manifolds, heat exchangers, water pumps, fuel or oil filters etc.) can be more difficult, but is usually somebody's standard item. Again, the art is to identify whose catalog(ue)s 0the marinisation parts are in. N

There are various courses available - maybe worth looking at these. The RYA Inland Helmsman is fairly popular. N

The filler strip shrinks for England. The thing to do is fit thd strip to the window and leave the ends about 25% too long. Then wait 12 months, remove and refit, finally cutting to a tight fit.

The damaged lock is also pretty close to the narrow bridge at Warwicshire Fly, so there is not much change to the practical navigation restrictions for boats over 12ft 6in. How many would be affected between 7ft and 12ft 6 I don't know.

Simpson is usually as quiet as anywhere is in MK. There will almost always be a moored boat in sight from Fenny ( or even "Talbot's" ) to Cosgrove and beyond. If you moor near Fenny Lock it is handy for Fenny Station and the train to Bletchley.

MSC always have a good selection of abrasive, including a range of 25 mm wide tapes. Online or phone orders. Lookout for their Advantage specials on the website. Their delivery is normally next day. Usual disclaimer, I have always had good service from them. N As well as emery you may find a fibreglass pencil ( Frost Auto Restoration) useful, particularly for deeper pits. N

A BSS exam as part of the Survey ensures that the new owner can negotiate a compensating price reduction if there are any areas where the previous examiner had a different interpretation of the requirements, something we all know is common. It also reduces the likelihood of 'surprises' when the handed over BSC expires. N

The no fuses in battery boxes is a US origin thing, I think. I cannot remember the acronym, ( not UL) but their requirement is for a master fuze close to but not in the battery. The standards behind the EU RCD/UKRCR may also have somethibg to say. I am sure AdeE will be along with the detail, if any, dreckly.

I expect minimum orders reflect the costs of staff time to deliver the diesel and do the HMRC paperwork and the fairly low levels of net profit on red diesel. That said, 50 litres would not fill my day tank.

Pre- Survey Check with the surveyor as to whether he will do a BSS exam as part of the survey. Some do. If so this will update the BSS expiry date and save a little money.🙂 Pre-survey, get a CRT login Post survey get some insurance arranged. Craftinsure get good reports and are online. Depending on age of boat insurers may want to see the survey.Pay money.☹ Find a marina you like, with space. Arrange a mooring. Pay money☹. Post Survey Get on the CRT site with your login and apply for a new licence. You will need your insurance details, your mooring details and the boat index number but the BSS should be automatically provided. Have the BSS paperwork handy in case you do need to type it in. Pay more money☹ Cruise to your new mooring.

It worked OK last year. So it must be fixable. It has a twin coil calorifier. Does the other coil ( engine fed?) warm the water quickly? If so I suspect a good calorifier descale with central heating descaler will help. Also check that the temperature at the webasto outlet is what its meant to be. If the water at inlet to the calorifier is not hot enough, it willl take longer to heat up. Finally, where are you checking the hot water temperature? Many set ups have a Thermostatic Mixing Valve in the hot water line. If this is mis-set, or has failed/scaled up the hot water will not be at the right temperature. N

Have a google at lamps direct boatlamps ring automotive N

This is a special engineering arrangement. Known as either a "rattling good fit", or " a fit like an old wellington". Highly unlikely to sieze and works well when water lubricated .🙂 If it steers OK and the tiller is not clattering and juddering when going along leave well alone, except for making sure you black the inside of the tube the vertical bar disappears into. N

Look up the AMD 659 filter on inline filters website posted by KIB. That will give you the key dimensions. Use these to find alternative filters. N

Yes. There is one on the Corinth Canal. I have been through by water.. The deck does not fold , it just descends vertically into the canal until there is navigable depth above the road. I have no idea how it deals with silt. As for the original Q, I would think the starting point might be some sort of user spec. Span, width, traffic details ( land side and water side, site constraints, etc. An engineering analysis of the options would follow. N

The first incarnation of "Willy No Name" had a wooden, flat floored "trailer" for the owners 2CV. Embarkation/disembarkation was by steel ramps, with the trailer moored end-on to the bank. The wooden trailer ended its days in Aylesbury basin as the ACS work flat, until it rotted out and was replaced by an all-steel copy built by Ivy Bridge Marine. This steel version continues in use. N

As Tony says, the new packing will contain a lubricant, but it will make life a bit easier to lube the shaft and the shaft oside of the packing with some stern tube grease before you fit the new packing. You may want to reduce the packing size a little by gently tapping it with a small hammer, on a clean surface, so it is easier to get into the gap. N

Ir is next door to a Lidl, which may be a preferred option for some. N

When you are talking to potential lifters the term you need is "contract lift". That transfers much of the onus, risk assessments, lifting plan, CRT needs, paperwork, slinging requirements etc. to the crane company rather than you. The downside is that the crane co may ( if they have not been there before) need to look at the lifting sites and satisfy themselves that they are suitable, and that will cost more. I would start by talking to crane hire companies. Have an estimate of the weight of your boat hand. Find it from beam x length x maximum draft ( all in metres) which will give a crude, overestimated, answer in tonnes. The crane company may well have already done a road to water or water to road lift in the area. They will probably also know of a suitable truck. Dont be too concerned by a longer road haul if it makes the lift easier and you can still boat to the lift point. Crane and road transport costs are not much affected by distance but more by time, in minimum units of a half day or whole day. One potential outfit is AB Tuckey for crane and truck, or Ray Bowern. N

BW tried something similar with designated mooring wardens at long term and casual mooring sites. HMRC took a dim view, declared these folk to be BW employees, receiving a (taxable) benefit in kind and needing such things as employers NI contributions. BW dropped the plan, smartly. N

Seems to be a thing for many male steerers. He stands at the stern holding on to the tiller, glued to the deck by his footwear while the female half winds all paddles, opens and shuts all gates and makes tea between locks. N