Ex-Member

Thanks for your reply but yes the engineer, Justin, has tried all that (apart from the damp bit) He went back to the boat yesterday as he was servicing another boat's mukuni, he swapped the control boxes and theirs worked on our boat but ours did not on the other but showed the same fault so Justin emailed this morning to say he believes it is the control box that needs replacing. I agree with you, I am loath to spend £300 for a new box, I don't suppose you have a contact for the used one you bought?

That is how our's is installed and there is a slight drip evry now and again however the surveyor 'recommended' that we take a hose out through the hull. The previous owner has never had a problem and I check the automatic bilge pump regularly so again I am in the 'if it aint' broke don't fix it club'.

The week we bought our boat, in November, we cruised for a week or so & had the stove and/or the central heating on which must have woken up the 8 or 9 wasps which appeared over the next day or so. Even though I am one of those people who go ito shock if stung we did not kill them, we either 'guided' them to an open window or put a glass over and slid card underneath so we could put them outside. I am not sure if they survived, having woken up early, but at least we gave them a chance. I am naturally very nervous of bees/wasps/horseflies but they all do some good, especially bees which we all know are crutial to pollination.

Thanks for the advice but..... dare I ask... what is a scrabbler??

The Makuni heater failed on our last day over Christmas/New Year and coincidently we had it booked in for an annual service today by Justin Greene. He said that normally a service rectifies any faults but he rang to say that the control box indicator kept showing there was a problem with the glow plug, even though he had replaced it. I know these heaters can be troublesome and they are like marmite but I also read, on here I think, about the control boxes not always showing the correct fault. Before I rush out and buy a new one (approx £300) does any one have any experience of this kind of fault or can advise? If I have to buy one is it something that can be fitted easily i.e. DIY?

I want to repaint the top of my boat however the previous owner 'gritted' it by mixing sand in with the paint. He didn't cover the whole roof but 'shaped' it which looks ok but I would rather have the whole roof the same or, preferably remove what is already down. Is there a way to do either so I end up with a neat job?

by concidence we live in Brecon so we did some investigations when looking and £2000.00 would kill it. ps..... there is a guy who runs Dragonfly Cruses (Dave I think) and we chat to him a lot when we walk the dog. It was the fact that the M&B is not connected to the network that put us off but he says he knows a few people so it may be worth speaking to him.

With that in mind has anyone ever used a rubber strake band rather than (or with) fenders??

I emailed the previous owner, lovely guy & very helpful, he said that they used to black it them selves every 2 yrs with Intertuf but the last three times they had it done at boatyards, the last one being Fox's at March, which was last year about 6 mths before they put it up for sale. They always insisted on minimum of 3 coats but admit they were not there to see it done. The surveyor (Craig Allen) told me (& I can only say what he said to me) was that it was a c**p job and would need to be done again this year. The previous owner made a reduction to cover the cost and he also said that they never had the bottom plate blacked. Apart from the blacking there was nothing else significant in Craig's report. The hull & sides still measured between 10mm & 10.1mm & 6mm & 5.9mm respectively and although there was some pitting it was in very isolated spots and measured max 0.3mm on the base and 0.9mm on the hull. Considering the base plate has never been blacked and also no galvanic isolater was ever used athough always based in a marina I think for a 14 year old boat that is pretty damn good report. As a newbie I am tending to overthink matters it is like the galvanic isolater debate, after much researching and consideration I got one, have I wasted my money/time and effort only time will tell but not in my lifetime me thinks. We have had a quote from the marina we are based, hull only, for £1000 but that also includes painting the gunnels with a matt black and repainting the two colours at the stern and the decorative part at the bow. They have a proper set up and I assume, being based at the marina, they would do a good job, plus it means thay can do it whilst we are not there and saves us travelling elsewhere. Difficult one blacking isn't it or is it we are making it difficult.

some people mind find this helpful https://www.promain.co.uk/?utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Promain%20-%20Brand%20MM&utm_term=promain%20uk%20ltd&utm_content=Promain%20-%20Brand%20MM

Hello folks I am researching the above, in obtaining quotes most people only quote for blacking of the hull and not the base, if you want the base plate done that is an extra cost and you have to specify that you expressly want it carried out. One marina who has its own hire fleet NEVER blacks the base of their boats and IHO thinks unless you are going to be permantly based in a marina of using rivers it is a waste as it will be scrapped off. So as a commericial/business outlook it is ok to let the boats be totally exposed to corrosion/damage; althogth he does black the hull every year therefore I assume he inspects the base. Whilst the hull is subjected to 'wear & tear' the base is not ammune, very often I can here all sorts of debris being stirred up and hitting it. My own marina I am now guessing from his set up, dry dock very low to the ground, who have quoted will not be doing the base and they never disussed any options; perhaps because he has none with his set up. So it begs the question if and only if the base plate does not need blacking why do we need to do the hull other than for esthetics; are we just putting a surface on to scrape off again? I know there is a lot of previous threads about blacking but I feel the above is enough to get some head scratching.

Our dog has always had home cooked stuff a variety that includes: chicken/tuna/mackrel/sardines/soya/eggs/veg/rice/potatoes/lentils/pulses/barley ,,,,you have to balance the meal for an average aged dog 50% protein 25% carbs 25% veggies. I think of it as on-going thing like our meals so I do her grub (make a big batch or one meal) when I do ours,shove in any left overs from the fridge,,,tins of tuna are cheap and store well,,,,as a treat once a month she gets fried sauages and eggs! Buying in can be very costly, for decent stuff, and from experiance with other animals in the past biscuits make them drink more therfore they wee more. 2nd post bcos my partner is a bigger numpty than me!!!!!!!!!

That's what I was thinking but I wouldn't do it yet, they have bookings available in April & May so once I have decided I will book it. The other good thing is that it can be incorporated into a trip instead of just there and back.

Yes I have spoken with him today & he obviously knows his stuff. I am debating whether to let them do it or hire the DIY and do it myself as there are other jobs on the outside I want to do. I like the fact that they jet wash the whole boat, not just the sides, which is included in all their options. I would love to have the fully monty, grit blast/zinc spray etc, but that is £5k which is a bit too much at the mo having just bought it, maybe next time. The DIY is also interesting as I am not afraid to get my hands dirty (and it can't be that hard, can it???) plus we can stay on the boat (with dog) while we are doing it......... decisions decisions

Hi has anyone used Debdale Wharf either to do the blacking on their boat or have used the DIY facility ? If so would you recommend them? or have any comments? Thanks

Our dog is an 8 year of miniature schnauzer. Just my own beliefs but I think all pre bought dog food is rubbish, most 'wet food' contains 80% water. Prue will eat anything but lettuce or banana. We pre-make her food with rice/carrots/any veg/bran and then add either cooked chicken thighs or a mixture of tuna/sardines/mackerel, raw mince, olive oil etc. I admit we spoil her, but she is not a spoilt dog-she does as she is told. She gets a bit of everything we eat even though we are vegetarians, you should see her eat a string of pasta (home made of course). She likes pitta bread, with or without humous (hmoc), feta cheese or any cheese, yoghurt, fruit, avocado, basically anything that is going. We trained her from a pup that she is 3rd in line for food by one of us pretending to eat her food first, then the other, then her. If you put her food down, or a treat, and tell her to wait she will, even if you go out of the room. She is in lovely condition and everyone seems to be drawn to her, she loves the boat running up and down the roof and sitting in the lifebuoy. I guess you can tell we love her, substitute child I guess, but so what I say. The phot shows Prue relaxing after a hard day on the locks!! ps. sausages and eggs is her favourite !!!!

Well I agree every morning I do 40 press ups....... then I do the other eyelid...

The reason I asked was because I came across a lady on one yesterday morning. I admired her spirit, as she certainly wasn't in the first flush of youth, and she was going at some pace. The problem was that initially I didn't see her behind me and, although I wasn't going too fast, I was certainly above tick over. Then, when she passed me, she turned round and went the other way, she did this about 4 times (obviously she had a measure) but it meant I had to keep a low speed as I didn't want to cause too much of a wake. The thing is she was 'tied' to the board and I thought if she, or anyone else, came off one it could cause a serious accident and, although it looked fun and she was obviously good (and fast) at it I think there are safer ways to exercise than this.

Dare I ask what are people's opinions of the above??

I may have given the wrong impression, although I admit to being a bit (well more than a bit) thick after a couple of hours radio I did put the fuse back in for the bilge. Woke up this morning at Fenny Compton to a frozen canal but by the time we were up and dressed two boats had gone by so now cruising down the canal in their wake. So I guess there is a tentative link there to Titanic.........

Thanks for the link....... the manual does not include it and for some reason when I searched for one I couldn't find it..... not called numpty for nothing you know, taken me a long time to get to this level!!!. Anyway it made no sense till I read the German bit and Hey Presto fixed!!!! Actually it didn't but it was very helpful. The problem is that it isn't wired for a car so there are all sorts of extra connections and plastic boxes, and it is permanently connected so it keeps it's memory, but I persevered and I found traces of fine copper wire protruding from one connector so I shoved it in there and Hey Presto fixed!!!! well not really....... Last resort I checked in a cupboard I remember the owner telling me there were two 5amp fuses, one for the bilge pump and one for the radio and yes, you guessed it, the fuse had gone, so I swapped it for the one in the bilge and I am now sat comfortably listening to Radio 4.Problem is I have no spare fuses so I am just hoping the bilge doesn't get filled. Thanks for all the help and comments. Major Points earned and no further ridicule (on this point anyway)

mmmmm Don't you think I would have had enough sarkie comments from my partner???? but ok it's deserved er....... I will defo give it a try

Ok taking into account recent comments regarding the content of some questions and whether they are in the correct discussion forum I trust that I have not breached either so here goes....... Firstly there is no need to comment on my intelligence, or lack of it, I have already been verbally abused and assassinated over that by my partner who has also questioned my sanity. Nevertheless this is a forum where questions can be asked and someone may not only forgive my ignorance but perhaps even be able to help. I have a Sony CDX DAB500u Radio/disc player in the boat I have just bought and to all intensive purposes it is OK however recently it started cutting out intermittantly sometimes asociated with movement of the boat. So I decided to look at it (first mistake) and took it out of it's housing (second mistake) and lo and behold I found a loose wire!!! Problem solved I thought until I saw the mass of wires and connections that pulled through with the unit. It is a black wire (that helps doesn't it?) but I cannot determine which connection it joins. It hasn't snapped, it is just loose with about 4mm of copper wire showing. So here's where I need help. I could try to explain further but that might make it more complicated or I could take pictures and load them OR some one could ask me what they believe are the relevant questions and I will do my best to answer. I am hoping that this is just simple ignorance on my part and will save me the cost of calling out an electrician who will a) make me look stupid (massive extra points to my partner) and cost a ridiculous amount for a 2 min job (massive berating from partner which, as it is only Jan 4th, could be used against me for many months). Anyway if you haven't got fed up reading this any help would be appreciated especially if I can get it going before we return to the marina in 3 days time. Many thanksps...... I don't know why it has inserted a cool guy emoji as I certainly didn't put it there

Thanks again. I am useless with modern technology. I have been reading the booklet for the DAB Radio and it might as well be in another language At home we have a Panasonic Smart Viera linked to a Humax box and then to a BOSE 321 system. Before Christmas I moved the boxes whilst cleaning and some wires came out, now I can't get On Demand on the TV. I spent hours but eventually gave up. I really don't know why I bothered as we don't watch that much TV anyway........duh!