Bacchus
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Posts posted by Bacchus
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2 hours ago, Tonka said:
On the Thames there used to be some really nice converted lifeboats.
Paragon was the name of one. Think they were of metal construction though
I had a lovely old clinker (larch on oak) ships lifeboat conversion on the Thames at Henley years ago. Aspen Lady. Raymond Baxter approached once to get the serial numbers to investigate whether she had been involved in the Dunkirk evacuation, but sadly an empty wallet forced me to sell her (to a complete dick as it turned out) before we could go down that path ☹️
No photos, but a good friend did a very nice water-colour of her
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47 minutes ago, Tony Brooks said:
Only an idiot would put any pump under a tanked floor. Whilst not ideal, there should be enough room in the bilge to one side of the compartment, or even through the bulkhead in the engine room.
The Linssen has an access panel in the after cabin - I haven't actually lifted it yet (new boat...) but I would be amazed if it isn't for the shower pump.
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I have what I guess is a very similar boat (Linssen 32) which has a wet-room/loo adjacent to the after-cabin. It looks like a gravity drain to (I am guessing) a sump with a whale gulper on the midship side to pump the grey water through a skin-fitting. I don't know what the sub-floor is built of, but the flooring is lapped about 4" up the side of the walls to form a sort of integral tray, which is exactly what I did on my camper with fibre-glass (except that is gravity drained to a tank). If I was doing it from scratch I would be tempted to source some proper marine ply rather than WBP, but the latter will do the job for a good few years.
The shower area has a curtain to separate it from the loo, but you would have to walk through it as mentioned above (by @Ken X ), however I have found in the past that can be mitigated with a slatted mat type thing like this
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I don't live aboard (and I have a steel cruiser rather than a narrowboat) so my opinion may be of limited value, but from what the OP says, he (she?) won't be living aboard either; it's an extended holiday boat so some of the full live-aboard "must-haves" may not apply? They don't say whether they will be retaining a land-dwelling somewhere, but by suggesting that the boat could go on the hard for the winter, I would assume that to be the case, so they won't need space for the entire toolkit and family heirlooms, and a smaller boat might be easier to start with? Also could probably get away with something like a diesel-powered central heating if not living aboard during winter - can be set on a timer for ease of use during cold spring/autumn mornings but doesn't necessarily need to mitigate prolonged snowy weather. Also bigger windows to take in the views without worrying about winter heat-loss
Making up a bed for six months might be a pain, and big tankage would help. I was looking at narrow-boats before buying the current cruiser, and from what I saw cruiser sterns seem to sell more readily.
I would say buy a cheapish boat with a good hull and engine, cruise it for a couple of seasons and take it from there. A well-priced 48-50' cruiser stern is usually going to find a buyer quite readily when the OP has a better idea of what they want and decides to move on.
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I do actually think this is a genuine request rather than a bot. I assume that the engine of said barge is fubar, and the snorkel comment is to swim along pulling the barge, however the lack of information isn't really conducive to serious or helpful replies, and the choice of username doesn't help the OP's cause if he/she is making a serious request for information.
3 minutes ago, Tony Brooks said:What needing to start his hose is about, I have no idea
My take is that this is probably a typo - house won't start
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2 hours ago, Mangina said:
Hi , my partner died and left me a Thames barge , I have been told that to move her I will need a snorkel or engine replacement. Can anyone offer any advice pls ?
"her" - your partner or the barge?
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1 hour ago, magnetman said:
I've not idea as have never had any land property but are the proper wooden ones a lot more expensive than the terrible plastic rubbish?
Maybe its just a marketing problem and people buy these awful things because someone suggests to them they might need the product.
I put beautiful, individual pane, Georgian bar timber double glazing in my "marital" home - they looked stunning and worked brilliantly, but they were a pain in the harris to paint every few years...
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10 hours ago, Alan de Enfield said:
We asked C&RT if we could use our horse that SWMBO uses in carriage driving to pull our NB and they refused stating (weirdly) "the canal towpaths are not suitable for horses as they were never designed to be used by horses".
They must really be scratching their heads wondering why the cycle-tracks are called "towpaths"
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2 hours ago, seegull said:
First question, are there any forums/sites for Dutch Steel owners?
I am not aware of any specific Dutch steel forums (would be interested to hear if you come across one), and I don't know how the admins here feel about mentioning other sites, but the forums at, what my son used to call Y Bother Working (Yachting and Boating World) cover a lot of inland and coastal stuff. It's easy enough to see that some members here are members there too...
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17 hours ago, seegull said:
Intention is Inland waterways - including rivers - Rhone/Rhine upstream possibly, with perhaps some inshore coastal around Netherlands if we fell brave later on.
I would probably be looking for at least a hundred horses for that sort of use. I had the Ford that @Alan de Enfield mentioned above in my last Dutch steel cruiser (a 36' De Groot) which was very well balanced for that sort of usage. I have just bought a Linssen with a 100 horse Volvo (TMD31) which is a very sweet unit. I cruise mainly tidal and non-tidal Thames, but am planning on going a bit further in the Linssen.
Engine make isn't the be-all and end-all choice, most well maintained diesels will give fairly good service, but some seem to be better reputed than others. Personally I would try to avoid early mercruisers or Mercedes, but you can still get excellent examples of either.
If you find something you are interested in, I am fairly certain that there will be someone on this forum who can give you specific advice, but I would say look for the boat you like first. "10 to 15m" covers a VERY wide range of boats, from pocket cruisers like my Linssen to sizeable little ships.
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I would say that a suitable mooring can be harder to find than a decent boat, especially in the small cruiser market.
Leeds and Liverpool is a "broad" canal, so you would have plenty of choice of vessel, and you will get some good advice on this forum, and in the marina, and I know plenty of single females who can handle a boat (likewise males). It's one of those things - when you can't do it, you can't do it. When you can, you can. There's a bit in between where there is a fairly steep learning curve, but even when you've been doing it for years there's always something to learn, and always plenty of opportunities to make a fool of yourself.
Go for it. It's a wonderful lifestyle choice, IMHO.
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4 hours ago, seegull said:
Hi,
I'm currently looking at dutch steel boats - 10 to 15m. Engines somewhere between 75 and 175HP
There are a range of engines that they come with, but I'm not sure what are the better ones and what are the NOT so good....
I realise it doesn't just come down to brand, but is a Ford diesel as good as a Perkins etc.
Most seem to be fitted with DAF engines, which I'm told are reconditioned truck engines.
The Volvo Penta engines seem to be sold as a plus point.
A for Cummins, VM Detriot, Sole and Yanmar....I've no idea.
Peugout engines, like the cars I will probably avoid.
Any advise on what to value and what to avoid is appreciated!
Thanks
What are you going to use the boat for? Pumping around in fast tidal streams would suit a different engine from footling around on inland waterways in the summer.
3 hours ago, Alan de Enfield said:I have twin Ford engines, 6 litre, 6 cylinder and downrated to about 110hp each, they are the engines used in the Ford Cargo trucks. Spares cheap and readily available.
Downside - they do seem a bit noisier than the Twin 6 cylinder 6 litre Volvo Penta engines I had in a previous boat - But the Fords are a fraction of the price of the Volvos and Volvo parts are very expensive - I wanted some steering oil, the Volvo brand was £30 for a litre, I got the EXACT same specification on ebay for under £20 FOR 5 LITRES.
Volvo = expensive if anything goes wrong - I had Turbos blow on both engines.
Are you looking to have a boat built or buying a secondhand one ?
If buying secondhand I'd suggest that you get the engine the boat is fitted with.
twin Lehmans? Terrific engine (especially if they've had the injector sump conversion...)
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Surely we can beat these AI beggars at their own game? I asked ChatGPT “How would a moderator detect generated content on an internet forum”
The response was:-
Detecting generated content on an internet forum, such as content generated by automated bots or AI models like GPT-3, can be challenging but important for maintaining the integrity and quality of the forum. Here are some techniques and strategies a moderator can use to identify generated content:
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Review User Profiles:
- Check the user profile for suspicious activity, such as a high volume of posts in a short amount of time or a lack of personal information.
- Look for signs of automation, like generic usernames or profile pictures.
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Check for Repetitive Patterns:
- Analyze the content for repetitive or formulaic patterns. Generated content often follows a template or lacks the nuances of human language.
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Unusual Behavior:
- Look for unusual behavior, such as posting at odd hours consistently or posting the same content across multiple threads or forums.
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Inconsistent Responses:
- Ask questions or engage the user in a way that requires a deeper understanding of the topic. Automated responses may struggle to provide coherent or contextually appropriate answers.
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Language and Grammar:
- Evaluate the quality of language and grammar in posts. AI-generated content might have occasional grammatical errors, unusual phrasing, or overly complex language.
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Content Quality:
- Assess the quality of the content. If it's excessively generic, vague, or doesn't contribute meaningfully to the discussion, it could be generated content.
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Reverse Image Search:
- If the user is posting images, perform a reverse image search to check if the images have been reused from the internet.
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Check for Plagiarism:
- Use plagiarism detection tools to see if the content has been copied from other sources, including AI-generated text.
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Monitor Posting Frequency:
- Keep an eye on how frequently a user is posting. Bots and AI models can post at a much higher rate than humans.
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Use AI Detection Tools:
- There are AI-based tools and services available that can help moderators identify generated content. These tools can analyze text and patterns to flag potentially automated posts.
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Community Reporting:
- Encourage forum members to report suspicious content. Users can often spot generated content based on their experience.
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Compare Against Known Models:
- Some moderators may be familiar with common AI models used for content generation, like GPT-3.5. They can compare content against the output of these models to identify similarities.
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Manual Review:
- Ultimately, a moderator may need to manually review content that is suspected to be generated. This can be time-consuming but is often necessary for accurate detection.
Remember that while these techniques can help detect generated content, no method is foolproof. A combination of human judgment and automated tools is often the most effective approach to maintain the quality and authenticity of an internet forum. Additionally, it's essential to have clear forum rules and guidelines in place to discourage the use of automated content generation and ensure a healthy online community.
Am I now part of the problem???
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Review User Profiles:
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12 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:
Would you rather he passed a boat that had items installed that were "not according to requirements / regs" ?
He couldn't find it in the manual. He had to phone home to the BSS central, but they're obviously going to err on the side of caution. He only questioned it because he saw a for-sale sign on the boat and was worried that a surveyor might not agree.
The annoying thing is that there is no cock at the bottom of the fuel tank (which, personally, I would say is more of a safety issue?), so I will have to find someone who can drain the fuel turning a ten-pound job into a two-hundred pound job. C'est la vie. "Bring Out Another Thousand".
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Mine told me £200 including VAT on the phone but has just invoiced me for £211. He was an hour late and took half an hour to fail it on a slightly kinked balance pipe between the fuel tanks...
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1 hour ago, Nightwatch said:
Just visited the Brit Stop web site. You have to buy their guide first. £30+. A bit of a disappointment to me.
I would happily pay that if the information was available online; paper guides have their place, but are out of date the minute they're printed, and are not as easily searched as a database
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1 minute ago, MtB said:
The way to ask it to report the post, and ask Team Mod directly!
Ta, I will try that...
Edit - reported my own post 🙂
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Can this be merged with the 7-page thread we had on it recently?
https://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php?/topic/119056-boating-etiquette
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As one child of the sixties to another... I don't think you can put a number on age... I "semi-retired" a few years ago and have more time for exercise, more time for healthy eating, and less stress; I feel the youngest I have felt in twenty years. Quite happy to single hand my boat all day every day, but I am Thames based, I think it's easier than the canals (usually, obviously it has its own issues when in spate, but I know it fairly well)
friends of mine have just gone off on their boat for a (Thames) cruise both aged 79.
I was part of a small group which took a party of visiting Americans out last weekend. One of their number, a seemingly agile chap in his late sixties jumped from the quay --against the instructions of the skipper-- onto the swim platform of the small cruiser in front of me. Only a couple of feet, but he landed awkwardly and fell into the river. The screams of pain as they hoiked him out were because, as it turned out, he had broken a femur in two places. Proud of the NHS - the ambulance was there within minutes, and not, as they would stateside, asking for his credit card or medical insurance before treating him, but filling him with morphine and getting him to a hospital. Skipper says the screams will still haunt his waking hours...
So how old is too old? Only you will know, but as you get more brittle, take fewer risks...!
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1 hour ago, system 4-50 said:
with superb access to HS2 East Midlands Hub?
So... nope.
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1 hour ago, Tony Brooks said:
If you think DC stands for Dawncraft than I suspect the add is wrong. I don't know for sure but I am sure those boats that we had on the fleet had nothing to do with Dawncraft the canal cruiser builders. It seems it is a Broom hull, although Dawncraft might have bought the moulds.
It's Dawncraft of Wroxham - a completely different company from Dawncraft the narrow GRP builders, and the DC30 is certainly not a narrow-beam. Yes, Broom hull, and a very excellent one too - the DCs were fitted by Broom, Dawncraft, and Aquafibre, probably amongst the best of the single-level cruisers but the OP seems to know better.
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Cheap Broads-style cruiser project on the Duck at the moment @W+T
https://www.apolloduck.co.uk/boat/dawncraft-dc30-for-sale/739251
I quite like the DC30s, they have a cute "face". And the hull must be one of the most versatile ever moulded, used in the (ubiquitous) Broom 30, Broom Skipper, and the Dawncraft/Aquafibre/Broom DC30. One of my neighbours has a 30 which has crossed the channel a number of times as a support boat with the ADSL and navigated a huge portion of the French Canals.
Don't know whether it has a weed-hatch though...
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I was thinking more train - I had a contract in Swindon when I lived in Henley and did the journey for a year or so. Maybe an eBike to get to the station? Or something like a Brompton to take to use at the other end?
3 minutes ago, Tony Brooks said:sounds expensive to me.
Life is at the moment. I don't know many people who aren't suffering (apart from a handful of minted "boomers" who are relishing the interest rates on their vast savings...)
There are also good ("blind eye"?) moorings at Lechlade - I looked at a barge there earlier in the year. which is only half an hour's drive from Swindon. I am not going to repeat all the "don't CC on the Thames or K&A" arguments, but I strongly feel that the OP would be better off looking at a mooring for living and then cruising for pleasure. The area and choice of craft are simply not conducive to the CC lifestyle, and anyway it isn't cruising - he already said it's to live and work in a fixed area
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Reading to Swindon is an easy commute - somewhere like Thames and Kennet Marina might suit? A lot less hassle than trying to CC an aircraft carrier, but you could still take it out and annoy people at the weekends? Or for the whole summer?
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Lifeboat liveaboard
in Boat Building & Maintenance
Posted
Cheers, yes, one of my treasured possessions (along with another half dozen or so of his paintings... I try to encourage him to do more but one of those people who's always busy...)