tjh82

Thanks for your responses. We're hoping to install a new stove that comes with a 'balanced flue' set up to improve draw as we're surrounded by high flats. The special flue system they make is 150mm so i guess we'll have to get a collar specially made (with sufficient space to add rope and sealant. Thanks again

Hello We're fitting a new stove to our dutch barge. The new flue is going to be 150mm diameter - does anyone know where i could source a cast iron collar with an internal diameter of this size please? Everything seems to be 127mm Thanks a lot! Tom

Hi rusty69! When you say "resealing properly", what would that involve please? Fresh sealant around the glass/wood join has done nothing. Cheers

Hey These are wooden framed skylights - definitely rain rather than condensation. Ta

Hello The skylights on our old Dutch barge love to leak. The frames are wooden and the glass double glazed. I've tried removing the old sealant and have smothered in new stuff but they still drip. Lots. Does anyone have any advice/brands/magic links to leak proof sealants that'll sort this once and for all? Many thanks Tom

Thanks for all your replies! Pearley - That was my first thought but there isn't a mains changeover switch apparently Alan - My knowledge of boat electrics is pretty embarrassing to be fair...more of a wood man! That picture is the style of panel we have - thanks for the suggested checks, i've just picked up a multimeter and will try them this weekend. Bizarrely we had no power yesterday when plugged in (inverter was 'on' but low battery light was on and nothing worked) but when we came back to the boat last night we had power even though we had taken the cable out! I guess the solar had kicked in - that saw us through last night then when we then plugged in the cable this morning we had power again! All very strange but guess it must be the batteries Cheers

Hello Any advice or tips on the following energy problem would be much appreciated! We recently bought a dutch barge that we've just cruised down to it's new mooring. On the way down the the inverter only worked occasionally, most of the time the 'low battery' light was on. It has a 'Victron Energy phoenix multi plus' inverter with a 'Victron multi control' panel. I assumed the batteries were spent, but we'd be fine once hooked up to shoreline (32 Amp) And we were...for a few days. All was well but we no longer have any power - the inverter is once again just showing 'low battery' So....does shoreline bypass the batteries making it irrelevant if they are in good condition or not? (making it a problem with the inverter?) And should we still have the inverter on when using shoreline? (The switch options are 'on' 'off' and 'charger only') Thanks for your help, sorry if it's obvious!

Great stuff, thanks very much for all input!

Hi all I'm looking at getting a Henry vacuum cleaner to try and tackle an epic dust problem as i'm essentially living on a floating workshop! The model on amazon is 620 Watt, would i be able to run this off my generator? I thought it would save the batteries rather than use the inventor as i'll need to use it for pretty long blasts. My generator is a Kawasaki GA 1400A (4.55A - 5.2A if this helps?!) Thanks in advance, sure there's some clever equation or summat to work out if it'll blow up. Cheers

Hi Chewbacka, I'm thinking of getting a Hobbit stove. How do you find yours? Also just out of interest did you use the flue fitting kit Salamander also sell? Thanks a lot

Thanks for all the input, reckon I'll use 2 coats of Bonda-primer on the bare steel followed by the 2 undercoat and 2 top coats. Would I also prime the sides that will just be the current paint job sanded (rather than going back to bare steel) or would i just undercoat them? Thanks again for all help!

Hi all, I'm hoping to repaint my steel narrowboat this September. She's 56ft and after a painfully slow 2 year internal refit it's almost time to give the outside some TLC. So my plan was this: ROOF: The roof is a right state, i was going to take this back to bare steel with a rotary scabbler. I was going to remove as much rust as i could with a wire wheel on an angle grinder or maybe a needle gun. I was then going to treat the whole roof with Fertan then sugar soap and wash. I was then going to treat with 2 coats of Red Oxide. SIDES: Sand back with a random orbit sander. Remove rust patched with angle grinder and again treat with Fertan, then wash and coat with 2 coats of Red Oxide. Once I've done this i was going to apply 2 coats of undercoat then 2 coats of top coat gloss. (I was thinking International Toplac) Sorry if this is going over old ground but and tips would be much appreciated or just a general nod if this plan doesn't sound too stupid. This bit might though...i'm hoping to get all the prep done asap then do all the painting in the fist 2 weeks of September. Thanks a lot!

Nice one Dave you've made my mind up...Godin it is! Thanks all

Thanks a lot for all the input. I wish i had room for both Dave but unfortunately not. It is going to be a liveaboard...my heart agrees with BlueStringPudding, if this is the one time i fit out a boat i should just go for it! But then come January when the old polystyrene insulation is letting most of the heat sneak out i might regret not getting a more efficient little number!

Hi all I'm currently renovating an old 56ft narrowboat. After removing the old knackered stove, flue and chimney I'm getting a new set up installed next week. I've picked up an old Petit Godin top loading stove that I always liked the idea of using but now i'm having second thoughts! (Heard they can fill boat with smoke when loading, maybe only when cold though) As this is (hopefully) the one time i'll have to install a new heating set up would i be better off getting a new, modern efficient little black box instead?! I'm torn between the Petit Godin, the ever popular Squirrel and the narrowboat specific 'Portway marine stove'. Any advice/stories/tips and general words of wisdom much appreciated Cheers

Thanks a lot for all the advice and stories...seems a pretty even split!

Hey New to boating and new to the forum so apologies if this has already been discussed a million times, but.... I'm currently renovating a 56ft narrowboat and one of the jobs on the list (it's a big list) is replace the stove. It was mentioned when I'm doing this I might want to add a back boiler. Thought this sounded like a good idea, free heat and all that. But then I was told they are loads of faff, unreliable and not to bother. The stove (will be) about halfway down the boat and was thinking of a gravity fed system running to a radiator at the bow end where the bedroom will be. Looking at the Morso Squirrel, so just weighing up if I'll bother with a back boiler too. Any experience, tips or advice much appreciated. Cheers