Dave McBadger

Yes, The "big book of Augusta" gets referred to quite a bit, although despite the instructions I have not been game to try and use the fuel level sphygnomanometer type arrangement for the fuel, favouring the stick with notches ... Must add a "do not go lower than here" mark now I have found it. I may even add an inch or 2 to be on the safe side. The petrol generator box is now storage as the second owner had a diesel gen, and the diesel stove was replaced before I acquired her with a Squirrel, which in turn was replaced last year for a new Squirrel. New fridge and stand up oven and a perpetual bathroom renovation which hopefully should be completed this decade but there is now a shower, a composting head and a washing machine where the rusted pump out tank used to be (it was a lovely job cutting that out, NOT) ... Thank you, she is a lovely boat and I hope I will do her proud. Please visit if you are ever near the Thames&Kennet marina. Cheers, Dave.

Update as promised. The wonderful Seb from RCR came out and I now know how to bleed my fuel system and also what the decompression lever does! (Well I knew what it did but my arms are not long enough to operate it from the tiller position when i'm turning the key) The problem was an air in the lines and so now I also know to keep the tank well topped up when on the Thames as (especially now in flood) there is WAY much more sideways movement that in the canal... (DUH) Thanks again for all the comments and I especially like @dmr idea of finding a kind powerful boat to tag downstream with just in case. I am hoping that Osney marina has diesel and that a top up will stop any recurrence of the problem but a safety blanket sounds like a very good idea. Cheers, Dave

Thank you all for the replies. Firstly I will call out RCR in the morning. @captain birdseye is quite right; There is a lift pump and I am hoping that it is just crud. I have located said lift pump and consulted the RN instruction manual (It's no Haynes!! but a lovely piece of writing nevertheless). I'm handy enough with a wrench and wd40 but need more detailed instruction if attempting to undertake any tinkering myself. Will update after RCR visit. Thanks again to all. Dave.

Hello forum. After a far longer than scheduled, and still not complete trip from Milton Keynes to Reading my DM2 has decided to not start any more. It has always taken a bit of coaxing, time and libations to the goddess thumpera to get her going, but once there will, as advertised, run forever. My current problem is exacerbated by being stuck at Osney lock and not having any access to decent power after days of forced stoppage due to water levels, although I have rented a generator to keep crankers and leisures from dying completely. OK that's enough of that, to the problem at hand: Please forgive my lack of knowledge and ropey terminology but here goes an attempt at an explanation - Until today, whilst in the process of starting there has always been puffs of smoke from the stack whilst the starter is cranking, and then she will splutter into life with a wollop more smoke and then settle down to burn pretty clean. What I noticed today was none of the usual smoke when cranking and there was no indication that she was ever going to start. I gave up after a while to try and preserve battery. I know that's not very much to go on but does it sound like anything obvious? To my mind it's fuel starvation. I have checked the diesel level and there is plenty, however I don't know where to begin looking along the fuel line to see what's what. I don't want to touch anything without an expert eye around in case i make things worse. This is the first decent run that the engine has had since I bought the boat and I really should have had a service before departure however I am a numpty and didn't. As previously mentioned she has run fine on the 6 travelling days to get us this far. I have RCR cover, however I don't really want to call them out for something that may be able to be cured by forum... If you know of a likely cause, or a good RN engineer in Oxford, I am happy to pay whatever it takes as we are still 2 days from home, I'm stuck on the layby by the lock so the nice EA chaps will want me gone as soon as it is safe to do so and I really need an engine to do that. If you have done, thanks for reading. Cheers, Dave.