RichM
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Posts posted by RichM
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How much should one be looking at to have a boat extended by 10ft and have it fitted out to include a dinette and storage space along with the new section painted?
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Thanks for the replies.
Have just done some searching on here and found that they're not rated well for reliability along with webasto's on boats, some say they don't like red diesel which would make sense given they're designed for trucks/campervans etc if I'm not mistaken.
If I were to convert to something else for hot water and heating, what would be the best way to go?
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Hi,
I have a Eberspacher on my narrowboat. It fires up for about 5 minutes and then cuts out even with the temperature set at 28c.
I know one of the batteries is weak as it does not hold charge for long. Could this be related? The problem also happens while running on a shoreline - the eberspacher will cut out after around 5 min.Any advice would be appreciated.
Arm
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We have a narrowboat on a wide 75ft canal where there's a few rowing clubs.
Despite the wide canal, quite often they will get in the way, they don't all pass on the right and they can be a hazard. I make an effort to keep out of their way and to anticipate their actions but it's not enough.
Are these people king of the canal or am I right in thinking that they should be passing on the right like the rest of us?
Cheers
Arm
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Evening all,
We have a 55ft narrowboat. Does anyone know why the original owner may have specified for it to be that length rather than let's say 58ft? What advantages does it have by being 55ft long compared to a more common 57-58ft boat?
I guess I may never know for sure but it will be interesting to hear of the possibilities. It's something that I've been curious about as I'm sure it's not some arbitrary value.Cheers
Arm
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Thanks for the insight. I think I will look for a new project!
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Imagine if there were no regulations in regards to "continuous cruising". You would end up with every other Tom, Dick & Harry buying a boat for the sole purpose to liveaboard in what can sometimes be considered low cost way to live. The canals would be immensely overpopulated, congested even. People would lose the freedom of actually being able to move. Imagine gridlocked. That's what it could be like if there was nothing to prevent it.
This obviously cannot happen so therefore, there are rules in place in attempt to keep the canals open. However, how those rules are enforced is entirely another argument and not one that I know enough about.
Arm -
Our boat lives in a marina and as nice as it is to have marina facilities, it feels distanced away from canal life. It's hard to explain exactly what I mean but I'm sure many can relate to this.
I'd like to invest in something and I like the idea of buying some canalside land perhaps on the K&A with space to moor my boat and perhaps have some space for a few more boats, which would allow me to let out the moorings, at least in theory..
Unfortunately, I do not (yet) know how feasible the idea is and I don't know where to look. Can I call on my fellow boaters here for advice and pointers?
Cheers
Arm
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I guess it depends whether or not you're willing to go to the dark side so to speak. Despite what people say here, renting boats for temporary living accommodation is possible and people do it providing they have the mentality that "rules are there to be broken"
The person we bought our boat from used to rent it out to people as temporary accommodation while moving house etc.
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I'd recommend a MiFI device (mobile WiFI) They are excellent and have many benefits.
- They can be connected to the mains/inverter/shoreline- They have in-buiit batteries, so if you lose mains power it will failover to battery power without any interruption to your internet - great!
- You can connect many devices wirelessly, without faffing about with awkward USB dongles which are limited to one device at a time
- They're small and don't take up much space - I keep mine fixed to a port hole- They're not permanently fixed so you can take them out/easily put them on another boat etc
- Top-end models can be connected to an external antenna for improved signal coverage (I don't need to do this though)
You can get cheap/basic ones free with a mobile data contract with most of the common mobile network providers. Though I decided to splash out and get a top of the range one, it's not locked to a network provider so you can switch between multiple sims for improved coverage. - though I get on fine with EE. (unless I need to call them, then it's another story...)
Here's what I recommend:
http://consumer.huawei.com/en/mobile-broadband/mobile-wifi/features/e5786s-32a-en.htm
It's not cheap but it's one of the best investments I've made for the boat.EE currently have the biggest 4G network though that's not to say they are the best in all areas, so I recommend checking coverage maps for your primary location via the main mobile network providers' websites. My internet connection on my boat is far better than my fibre connection at home and frequently get as much as 35Mbit down and 10Mbit up. Of course, location plays a part.
I think mobile broadband is the future for internet connectivity on boats and possibly also in the consumer space for homes. But failing that, there is also satellite broadband which can provide near fibre speeds. There's a lot more involved in setting it up and it will cost more and arguably has more drawbacks but if internet is of paramount importance (i.e. if you work from the boat like myself) then it may be worth considering.Arm
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Have taken into your account the points given here, thank you. With that in mind I've reconsidered my budget. Is it possible to get something reasonably good for £600-£800? Ideally 2500w+
Also; Would I need to make any other changes other than increase the number of leisure batteries?
Cheers -
Hey,
Looking to upgrade our inverter. Looking for something that's pure sine wave, 2500w plus for between £300 maybe £400.
Any recommendations?
Cheers
Arm
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Hi all,
I have a 55ft narrowboat and often cruise solo. It's based in a rather exposed marina and it can be tricky to get out of it if it's a little windy.I'm considering having a bow thruster fitted to help with this and also because I like my toys. The boat was built with the intention of having a bow thruster fitted, so it has a hole for it (for lack of proper terminology) but the original owner later decided not to have one fitted, for a reason unbeknown to me.
Does anyone have a rough idea how much it would cost to have one fitted?Cheers
Arm
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So we've learned that they have put in a HLF bid to complete the next phase. However, they put in a bid back in 2012 and it was rejected. - So what's to suggest that the current bid will be accepted? Does anyone know what their plan B/contingency plan is?
Surely the HLT assessors will take a look at the CCT website, where they're likely to draw similar opinions expressed within this thread and surely this poses a risk of losing the bid in itself? Their website should play a very important role, especially if they want to win bids, attract media attention, encourage more volunteers, increase revenue from memberships and equally; to provide information, particularly key milestones as mentioned by others in this thread. - It is after all, the face of the project. -
The canal society have just put in a lottery money bid which if successful will mean that you will be able to boat to Stroud in the foreseeable future.
http://www.cotswoldcanals.net/phase_1b.php
Tim
Thanks Tim. I will have a look at that website. At a glance, it looks much more insightful than the tired looking official one!
Cheers
Arm
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Hi,
Does anyone know when the Stroudwater navigation/canal will navigable between Saul Junction and Stroud?
When Googling it, I found lots of information about the history behind it, what they're doing and what they have done thus far, but nothing in terms of timelines and completion dates. I've also checked the Cotswold Canals Trust's website and found a map (linked below) containing what appeared to be useful information, but then I noticed it was published/uploaded in 2010, over half a decade ago...
http://www.cotswoldcanals.com/media/Cotswold%20Canals%20Map%202010.1.pdf
Any info would be appreciatedCheers
Arm
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Thanks all
Well, yes, they are irritatingly loud, I have one in my truck and the noise irritates me. How much hot water do you need at that time in the morning?
In one hour the Eberspacher heats enough water for one shower in the morning and a few hours of hot water for the dishes. It seems quite convenient for the most part but I wouldn't call it economical.
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I am currently moored up in a marina with pontoons separating boats, with two boats in each bay. I am half deaf so my perception of loudness is different to the norm.
I can heat my water via the engine or Eberspacher only. Does anyone know if an Eberspacher is generally too loud for use earlyish (6-7am) in the morning in a marina? I don't really want to annoy other boaters!
Cheers
Arm
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It depends exactly what you're referring to. If it's a 4G dongle then it will be problematic or at least more hassle on the boat unless you go to lengths with USB cable. (pun intended)
If you have a MiFI router on the other hand then you should be OK. I have just attached mine to a porthole and it's held on with velcrow, meaning I can move it around and store it with ease if I need to, though usually I can get a 4G signal wherever I am on the canal without having to move it around.
This is the one I use
http://consumer.huawei.com/uk/mobile-broadband/mobile-wifi/features/e5377-uk.htm
But this will do the job:
http://ee.co.uk/ee-and-me/why-ee/out-and-about/4gee-wifi/Though maybe not the cigarette lighter one unless you have one of those on your boat?
They are very practical as as they're not intrusive, you just connect to them via WIFI on your laptop/phone/whatever. It runs at 12v normally but also runs on batteries which is ideal if you have a power outage. -
At the end of the day, he's the one with the chain saw so unless you have a gun or something, it might be better to ignore it!
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Sorry this is a genuine question but I assume stretching an existing boat is both expensive and very disruptive so why not just sell up and buy a bigger boat ?
Fair question.
The reason is because we're looking to perfect what we've already got. The boat is perfect for us in every other way but could do with another berth and some storage space to go with it
My view is that I will always find a flaw with whatever boat I've got, if it's not a lack of a berth & storage then it would be something else. So it makes sense to spend money on perfecting what we've got rather than end up with another boat that may fall short in other areas.
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I live in the South.
It's not common, but it is an acceptable practice. Just google "boat stretching" to get several options. Streethay are probably the best known for doing it.
Thank you, that's most helpful.
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Hello fellow boaters,
I have a 55ft Narrowboat, it's perfect except one thing. - It would be helpful to have another fixed double bed and some extra space. So I would consider extending it to 10ft, to make the boat a total length of 65ft.
Does anyone know of any boat builders who do this kind of thing? Not sure if it would be practical, but we're just considering options at the moment.
Thank you
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Hey,
Thought the title might attract attention, sorry!
The horn needs replacing on my narrow boat. I have to go through a lot of manned bridges and ideally could do with a louder horn. Would anyone recommend an extra loud 12v horn?Thanks!
Dongles
in General Boating
Posted · Edited by Armitage Shanks
3GB is nothing... I can get through that in a day with moderate use. Unfortunately 4G is not cheap. Personally, I just suck it up and bite the bullet. Someday it will be cheap as chips, but perhaps not in 2016.
I also use EE, they have the best 4G network in the UK but people should still compare coverage maps for their locality. I have fibre in my house, though my 4G connection is often faster on the boat!