SUIGENERIS

Hi. I have always found a useful chart by googling " 12 volt Planet cable sizing " Cheers. Mick

Debdale Wharf is equiped for shotblasting and hot zinc spraying. And I guess all other types of coating too. They are on the Leicester Line about a days cruising from Braunston, so how about getting a quote for having the hull treated there and launching into the canal and having a nice little cruise through to your moorings south of Brum. I have used them over many years for launching and lifting out and supplies and they are always helpful and reasonable. Mick

My hull and superstructure (shell) was built to a particular style and design of my own by Nick Thorpe Boat Builders of Hixon. He was happy to build exactly what I wanted, despite the fact that it was very different to the norm, he built it very well and to his quoted price and exactly on time. I would recommend him without any reservation. Cheers. Mick

Update. Following my email to the seller asking him to re-consider ,he kindly agreed to proceed with the sale. He organised with the yard for the engine to be available and lifted for me, and I am very pleased with my purchase. I was pleased to have Paddles Up input regarding the seller, and it has proven thoroughly correct. Many thanks to all for their input, Cheers. Mick

My experience with Protective Textiles in Kingston on Thames was absolutely spot on They made our cover which was quite complicated from a scale drawing, at half the price quoted by others, and in only 2 weeks from order. It fitted exactly and is of quite exceptional quality. They have a website. Cheers. Mick

depending on to which stage you require building, then I can certainly recommend Nick Thorpe Boatbuilding who made an excellent job, on price, on time, for us in 2015. But we only wanted a shell, , but I think he does sailaways too. He has a website. Cheers. Mick

Thanks to Paddles Up for his reassurance about the seller. I have emailed the seller asking him to reconsider but he has so far ignored my request. So I have to assume he has accepted the higher offer and the engine has a new owner, who I hope will enjoy it! Subject probably closed. Cheers All. Mick

Rather like MtBs suggestion but wouldn't stoop quite that low! Well I hope the engine goes to someone nice ! It has apparently been standing around for several years and I only bid for it because I just love engines to be up and running ! Especially a £ cylinder with a 5" bore and 8" stroke ! My ex customs patrol boat has a cummins 470 and I had the idea that a slow revving baudouin would be far more suitable if I am going to use it on the inland rivers in a year or twos time. I must be mad !---- all that work just for fun!--- and to lose the sound of the big V 8! Will have to content myself with the soothing beat of my Ruston and Hornsby 2 VTH in our canal boat, and use up all that spare time on some of my other projects! Thanks all for your comments. Mick

Thanks Fellas. Commiserations accepted! I did have contact with him via ebay before bidding and his response was reasonable and his feedback, whilst only 9, did give him a good reputation over the last 10 years! I am guessing that someone might well recognise the Ken who listed the engine and will be wary of any dealings with him in the future. Who knows, he may yet change his mind and complete the transaction !! Glad too to know it's not only me who gets disappointed! Cheers. Mick

Hi all. Have a situation that has never arisen for me before so asking advice. I bid for a Badouin DK3 marine engine which is according to the seller in a boat yard in Rugby . My bid was the highest at the auction end and was of course above the starting price set by the seller. I have now had an email from him saying he has been bid more privately and will only sell to me if I match that price. There was no mention in the listing that it was advertised elsewhere. Am I being unreasonable to expect my successful bid to be honoured? What action do you think is necessary. Cheers. Mick

Trouble is that as one of the " do as you are told" and " abide by the rules" boating types, I just get on with life, enjoy what comes along and try to understand just why anyone ( be it BW or CRT ) really thinks that such extreme regulation is necessary. I could see that Cosgrove would be a popular spot to stop, ( to walk the old course to Stratford, or the Great Ouse in either direction, or the great network of paths and cycle all the bridleways ) but is there really suffficient cause to be SO restrictive ! Funnily enough our home mooring happens to be right near to Foxton, and I have seen how the restrictive signs have affected the atmosphere there, especially out of season, when there really is no real pressure on mooring space. Just how CRT get a sensible balance I just do not know, but surely it ought to be based upon careful assessments. I am beginning to think I should just work on the selfish basis of "I'm allright Jack" and being close to 70 now play the "old codger, didn't understand/notice the sign" scam, It seems to work for all the shuttle back and forwards in a tiny area brigade. Never mind. I hope the Buckingham Canal Society does well without my support. Cheers. Mick

Having just been in Stoke Bruerne, and stopped over for the permitted times, It was noticeable how few boats stopped near the pubs and canal museum and (from chatting with them) how the non boating public were surprised to see so few boats or movements going on. Then, having decided to support the Buckingham Canal Society Festival this coming weekend, we proceeded into Cosgrove with the intentoion of finding a mooring for this week. What we found was that the entire Cosgrove enbankment was reserved, insufficient depth to moor between the Iron Trunk and Wolverton. And the final nail in the coffin was the sign "maximum 14 days PER ANNUM" in Cosgrove ! So on through to New Bradwell, good mooring near the New Inn and we and our visiting guests will be supporting the New Bradwell Street Carnival on Saturday instead of the Buckingham Canal Event, Certainly an own goal in my opinion. Cheers. Mick

Hi Casper. Thanks for listing the injector pump . I bought it yesterday as a spare !. Pleased to hear you found a suitable engine. Cheers. Mick

What looks like a nice unadulterated Ruston 4VSH with generator on ebay now with what I consider a brilliant buy it now price of £1000. But its listed incorrectly as a RUSHDEN HORNSBY. So type that in to find it. A bit big for me though. Mick.

Hi Casp. Did you see that there was a new 2VTH crankshaft on ebay now at £ 300 in Lincoln. Maybe thats enough of a find to make the 2VTH worth doing. Hope I don't ever need to look for one for mine one day ! Cheers. Mick. PS. What's the intention with the 2VTH if you give up on it?

This is who made ours. They did it all from a detailed scaled drawing and it fitted absolutely exactly. Only two weeks turn round time too! Excellent service, and beat other quoted prices by almost 50 %. www.protectivetextile.co.uk/ Cheers. Mick

Hi Casper Sorry to hear of the possible demise of the 2 VTH. I have an identical engine in my boat, They are really good engines, used to be put into cranes, and run for years, totally ignored ! And quite light too because the cylinder casings were of ally. The injectors are Ruston's own make (type 37) and are not water cooled, they just drop into the appropriate bores in the cylinder head, Sounds like perhaps the cylinder head gasket has blown, That could explain your problems. I think Ray Hooley still has some. Certainly don't scrap the engine as they are getting a bit scarce now. Cheers. Mick

I would suggest you would be best with 2 proper steel piles (Tubular) driven into the river bed and the pontoon mounted between them in collars so that it floats up and down with the tide, then form a bridge from the river bank to it. This is how they are done on the river Blyth in Southwold harbour. The tide there is just about she same! Try googling Southwold harbour and you may get some photos. It would be a professional job though. Cheers. Mick Sorry.Ignore my previous post, wrong thread. Mick

I would suggest you would be best with 2 proper steel piles (Tubular) driven into the river bed and the pontoon mounted between them in collars so that it floats up and down with the tide, then form a bridge from the river bank to it. This is how they are done on the river Blyth in Southwold harbour. The tide there is just about she same! Try googling Southwold harbour and you may get some photos. It would be a professional job though. Cheers. Mick

At Alan's previous encoragement on another thread I did fill in the consultation re Marsworth, particularly having experienced the desolate appearance of Foxton, There's hardly ever any boats about in the bottom areas, and that means the pubs there are not as well used, and the main one ( Locks Inn ) is very often closed in the evenings during the week, The proprietor suggested she thought her visiting customers were surprised to see so little boat traffic. I just hope CRT listen and consider our responses. Mick

THink the link was wrong, try this one. Search Results We have no right to our rivers while Richard Benyon's interestswww.theguardian.com › Environment › Rivers 4 Apr 2013 - George Monbiot: The environment minister is being permitted to ... Could it be because he owns fishing rights on the River Kennet and the ...

I have the feeling that Publc Rights of Navigation ( PRN) are generally under threat. If you read up the matter, especially the campaign of the canoeists, there is little doubt that there was a far greater public right in former times than is now supposed to exist.( which is a similar story to the public rights of way over land). See http://www.theguardian.com/environment/georgemonbiot/2013/apr/04/right-rivers-richard-benyon-interests. If there is a merger or transfer between EA and CArT then there is a chance for "new " legislation that might legitimately divest us of those former rights, excatly as has happened with the 2026 (extinguishment) cut off date for land based public rights included into the 2000 Countryside and Rights of Way Act. BEWARE! . Mick

Shoulder of Mutton at Foxton has just re opened as a steak house, not tried it yet but that's because the Black horse just does the beast Sunday Roasts imagineable !! And a Curry night on Tuesdays when you can eat as much as you like !. Friendly atmospher too. Think I am saying too much about my eating habits ! Mick

If you have already a deflector over the door, these usually do not stop water dripping off the bottom edge of it and on a previous boat I used a section of aluminium lorry body gutter , projects about half an inch outwards, and has a upstand about an inch high, I used Stixall mastic to glue the upstand bit UNDER the lip of the deflector and that channeled the water to either side of the hatch and that helped the situation. Our new boat has well constructed fully welded channels down both sides, and a good slope on the lower edge to direct all water away, and it does!. Cheers. Mick