rusty69

There is also the chemco product that one forum member favoured for wet tolerance, think it was Epochem RA 500m or summit. Yo Dr Bobs in da house. Happy new year @Dr Bob

Or go backwards. Going backwards puts fuel back in the tank.

I hear the familiar sounds of the ice creaking against the hull this morning and I can't help but wonder what damage it might do my lovely new epoxy when we start moving inside the boat. The boat will obviously rock from side to side, but will the smooth face of the ice gently kiss the outside of the hull leaving the epoxy undamaged as it rubs up and down? Or will it form a sharp edge, thus cutting into my rather expensive investment? Should I leap out of bed as I have in past years and break the ice with a scaffold pole? Answers before 8AM please, as that's when I'm getting up.

I wonder how critical cable selection choice, both size and type and the use of bootlace ferrules affects the clamping ability. I wasn't aware there was a torque setting, perhaps I should read the manual closer. If that is the case I can see a torque screwdriver on this year's Christmas list. Come to think of it, I have a small torque wrench I bought for the lithium terminal bolts. What's to stop one sticking a screwdriver bit in it?!

Is that down to user error though? Not clamped in tight enough maybe causing high resistance and subsequently heat.

We made one once using 630g pvc, width 2.5m, a hand cranked singer sewing machine and one of those cheap Hole Punch /eyelet setting tools. The cost was probably less than a hundred quid, and so far it has been in service about 6 years. It's OK. It's functional and keeps the rain out and looks like it will last another 10 years at least. It probably took four hours to make, and is passable. What it isn't though is anything like as stylish as these multi panel jobs with windows and zipped opening. However, with a little more effort our version 2 cover could be something approaching that. We have also repaired the spray cover on the other boat. These things both cost many hundreds, if not thousands of pounds so I can see why you might like to have a go at making your own, particularly if you already own a heavy duty sewing machine. Good luck with it.

I'm looking for the most cost effective solution to prevent the pipes/backboiler from freezing next week. Currently the system just has water in it. I guess car antifreeze would meet the criteria, which seems to be 2 or 10 year, but if the flomasta stuff is also 10 years with the added bonus of inhibitor, I will go for that.

Holly thread revival. Would you happen to know the lifespan of the flomasta stuff, I.E how often it needs replacing to retain its antifreezing capabilities? I presume the antifreeze component and inhibitor degrade at different rates.

I reckon if this thread continues much longer, the shackle will have rusted off, fallen in the water and discovered by detectorists in the year 2086. The OP could have built an angle grinder by now.

The first time we experienced flooding was in around 2001 on the Great Ouse, so it is nothing new, but is getting more frequent. Luckily we had a couple of huge trees to tie to, and some long scaffold bars to keep us off the bank. The guy in front of us had no poles, so put out a large anchor to keep his boat off. The carpark where the winterised boats were kept on chocks flooded, and the water level came up high enough to lift them. Unfortunately, as one of them lifted and started floating it snagged our electric lead and eventually pulled the electric post with it. That week we had to get in the dinghy each day and row upriver to get to higher ground in order to get to work. We later moored at a marina, where I thought the flooding thing would be a thing of the past. How wrong was I. It has flooded a number of times,each time with poorly tended boats ending up sunk. Lines are either left too tight, and the boat leans and fills, or too loose and the boat ends up getting caught on something as the wind blows it, and sinks when the level goes down. I spent one christmas day some years ago cutting lines and levering boats off pontoons/pathways. The owners are usually oblivious to these things, returning in spring to go boating as if nothing has happened. Flooding and boats sinking is nothing new, and is here to stay.

Did I just get called stupid, or perhaps overly sensitive? 😂 Ok, I'll take the stupid bit.

That is exactly the attitude I had with a recent enquirer of the boat I have for sale. Before even viewing it they asked for 10K to be taken off the price. I was like, goodbye. If you are going to ask for a reduction, at least view the boat first, or have a survey to give credence to your offer.

Sounds a bit like hoomans to me

Probably two or more if evri had anything to do with it.

You sure it wasn't a dodge charger or charge dodger?

Ah, yes. Forgot that one. Thanks.

Pay attention, its not facebook, but the rubbish forum residents infighting,messing about and making off point comments. Oh, wait, I think I might have done exactly that with this comment. Bugger.

It Is likely that at a bare minimum, the non mains loads will be pumps (water, waste water, bilge, toilet flush, heating ) and lights. You may also have some 12V sockets,and possibly a heating device.

And what a lot of the reviews say about it on playstore.

A lot of it isn't extra victron kit though, it's kit that you would buy anyway. You, yourself said you have some victron stuff. Perhaps it already came with the van/boat, and wouldn't have been your first choice if buying new. So, as I mentioned earlier, the addition of a 20 quid raspberry pi, some homebrew cables you have a workable system for not a lot of money,depending on what it is you want to monitor/control. Obviously you can chuck as much money at these things as you like by buying a cerbo for example. One reason I wanted it was not for remote access, but the Bluetooth range in the boat is limited, and as such a more reliable signal is achieved through the WiFi /Internet.

That's good to know. I remember playing with TeamViewer about 10 years ago with limited success. Whilst useable it was not without user intervention. Maybe things have improved since then.

Installing victron venus OS on a raspberry pi i found really straight forward, an I am in no way geeky. I haven't as yet connected the JBD to the pi, but believe that is pretty simple too. However, if you system works for you, without the need for manual intervention /rebooting the remote phone etc, that's great. Will be interested how you get on with it long term.

I'll give it a try. Ta.

Bit thinner than duct tape?

A lot will depend on the material and condition of the screw, if steel and rusted, it's likely to shear if screwed into the steel? cabin side more readily than if screwed into a wooden batten beneath. The resealed window frame will only be as effective as how well the screws can be retightened, and the condition of the wood beneath. When I first did ours (over 20 years ago now), I used slightly bigger SS screws that had some bite into the cabin. I have recently done them again due to some leaking and opted for screwing and taping the cabin and using butyl rubber tape. I think if doing it again though in 20 years I will use the neoprene tape. I have had limited success with captain tolley on another boats leaky window frames. At best, it might buy you a couple of months until the better weather arrives, but is not a permanent solution. If all else fails, you could try duct tape on the outside.