Murflynn

many thanks, I'll put that high on my shoppylist.

there are so many batteries marketed as "sealed - no maintenance". However in many cases it is a simple matter to pop off the cover and then you can check the levels and maintain them in the normal manner. This particular range of batteries appears to have a cover that can probably be levered off. I have done just that with some of my batteries (electric powered boat - heavy cycling when travelling). It gives peace of mind when you can check the levels.

Sailing is not the same as canal boating. if you really mean sailing as in sails, wind etc. then there are plenty of forums where you could get guidance. ............... but the best place for advice is the sailing school where you are taking the lessons. most folk starting to take lessons will have similar questions and the school will be experienced at letting newbies know what is needed.

yeah, thanks. I too have searched the web - now I'm looking for real-life reviews like wot luggsy posted. . great, thanks. I'll put that one on the list of likely candid dates. There are so many gennies with good quietness ratings, but are they all based on the same test criteria? it seems that dBa at 25% load at 7 metres is the most often quoted scenario.

I have found several 'incredibly silent' generators for sale, from a £190 2 stroke by Widmann/China, to the Honda 2000 suitcase at the opposite end of the price spectrum, with the Champion and similar somewhere in between. My use will be just as a standby to charge my batteries when an EA charging point is unavailable, while cruising the Thames in my leccy boat. Probably won't be used more than 20 hours in a season, but I do want comparative silence. Any recommendations?

how many molecules of water are there in a cubic metre at 10 degrees C and 1 bar atmospheric pressure? if we knew that then we could weigh a molecule of water and multiply it up. ........................ mind you, we'd need to know if there was any heavy water component (deuterium oxide) in the cubic metre we might have under consideration.

not quite sure about the sea views and the sound of lapping waves in that particular mooring location. more like being stuck between a housing development and a the hull of a yacht that spoils most of the view out of the windows - which would only be the view of other (much prettier boats) in stagnant water that depends on a bit of tidal movement (or is it behind a sea lock with no water movement whatsoever?) to clear away the inevitable scum and god knows what else that gets dumped into the marina when no-one is looking.

I would take bets on whether the apparent proliferation of isolation switches (that I believe were mentioned somewhere back in time of this thread) are not all properly labelled as required by the BSS and the locations are not all obvious to the emergency services if they had to isolate all electrical circuits (which I understand to be one of the principal functions of those switches. (or would they see one label, isolate the power, and then assume the boat was safe?).

................... and a boathouse is ????? I think you missed the point there Alan, possibly because this new format hides most of the post being quoted. I've just now edited my earlier post so that the relevance is more obvious. I s'pose it would be like comparing a car-space and a space-car. Perhaps an estate agent just might understand the distinction even if he was not a sci-fi nerd.

journalese or estate agent's ignorance ?

nowhere did I say design drawings need to be available. And by the way - a wiring drawing is not a "design drawing" on an existing boat - it is actually an "as-built drawing" in the case that the owner has any technical knowledge and understanding of its importance. If they do not have such knowledge then one wonders how on earth they are going to manage their boat as they cruise on the waterways miles from any help if things get difficult. The wiring diagram is no more than an aid to checking the system - any serious deficiencies in the wiring diagram should soon become evident when a few random checks are made, whilst any deficiencies in the wiring of a system that has not been documented will probably not be identified by the examiner among the mass of unmarked wires on most boats. Having spent a lifetime in the oil and gas construction industry I can assure you that it would be unthinkable not to have a wiring diagram for any installation, whether it be for a remotely or automatically operated valve, a cathodic protection system, or a full-blown pumping or compressor station - and one that was kept up-to-date with as-built revisions - to allow fault finding and safety checks. Her honourable ladyship would have had no problems had proper professional standards been applied by the highly paid specialists who have dicked around with her boat's system from time to time. Saying that the opportunity to refer to a wiring diagram is "outside the scope of the checks" is the viewpoint of a luddite IMHO. Do you suggest that luddites should set the standards for BSS checks?

makes one wonder whether the BSS certificate for her ladyship's boat should be invalidated if the presence of hidden batteries was not declared, not known, and therefore not inspected. my boat was certified a week ago and the availability of a wiring diagram and particularly evidence of how the isolation switch was wired up was critical.

exactly. caveat emptor applies, or should do for anyone of average intelligence, although I can accept that a genius (genia in this case?) might not feel the need to .................... (NOT !!).

Tardis, innit?

as the owner of a lightweight camping cruiser with electric propulsion on the Thames, the biggest benefit and the raison d'etre from my viewpoint is the silent progress as opposed to a vibrating tonky tonk that just ruins the whole experience.

I think if you read your attachment you will find your statement is not quite true. carbon monoxide is not a greenhouse gas. a diesel will produce more CO2 (per gram of carbon burnt) than a petrol engine (where incomplete combustion is the norm), so a diesel will produce MORE greenhouse gas.

ah! the valiant chivalrous knight comes to the rescue of the confused and hapless young maiden. PS : is Lady G's electrical saviour actually Sir KK ?