Horace42

Thanks. I have replied to the PM.

You are right about using them the right way round. I didn't realise this until I used them the wrong way round.

Thanks for your kind thoughts. I am under full care of the medical specialists....it is something that cannot be cured by specs (they say) so I have to live with it. Although in the course of time I expect advances in computer aided vision devices would cure it.

I improvised mine using a straight length of wood bound with tape to the long side of the safety pin.... but only partial success...the wood was a bit too thick and stopped the pin going through the gap - especially when blocked with weeds. I guess an 8mm rod would solve the problem for both of us. ...and also as a refinement... as I found the pins could somehow become un-hooked and slip out during use (weird geometry of angles, pull and height) I twisted the pins so the hooks were at right angles to each other. .... I used a blow lamp to get the shaft of the pin red hot... and then to make a left- and right-handed pair ... that then are used front and rear to suit which side the boat is moored.....

........And the stinging nettles on the knuckles...!

Well that could explains 'weird' things happening when mistype as I often do. I've got a close-up double vision 'thing', so I see 20 fingers and 2 keyboards overlapping and displaced by about 1/2"). I suppose that is a 1 in 4 chance of hitting the right key....l perhaps I should say 'write' key. Even so, I did not know anything about notifications, and clicking where Athy said in #215, I get dozens of them. Sorry if the 'notifiers' are waiting for a response from me.

That was an interesting link. Can't say I have heard of Narrowboatworld before.

Yes, I worked on a fire damaged building. The real cost was in repairs to electrics caused by water damage - not due to the the burnt bits. But isn't fire and theft excluded from basic CRT insurance requirements.

Some insurance companies won't accept comprehensive cover for old boats with rusty hulls, even fire and theft are excluded from the basic cover. Is there a 'special' wording used to ensure salvage is included in basic cover. Like "wreck salvage" being spelt out - as mentioned by carlt #41 above, hat .

How are the costs of things like this covered by insurance ------ is it in the minimum required by CRT ?

...that reminds me of National Service square bashing days doing rudimentary 'battle training'. One lad was up before the CO being AWOL from camouflage classes. "I wasn't absent Sir! I attended everyone lesson Sir...". "Well noboby saw you that's for sure...." said the CO. "That's not my fault Sir! - I learn fast Sir!."

Same question as me. What were the circumstances leading to the boat sinking. ....and if no fault of the boat, and due to the river conditions, why did luggsy not sink as well? Puzzled?

Thanks for raisin' the issue .......

Personally I am grateful for all the help I can get. On balance, I think volockies do a good job. The personal touch is what makes life interesting. I let them get on with it, and thank them when leaving.

Can't answer with a definite yes or no. The engine needs fuel and will run without a pump if the fuel can reach the engine without a pump... in which case the engine will run when the pump fails If a pump is needed to get fuel to the engine, then at some point in the operation cycle the engine will stop if the pump is fails.

As Boater Sam says, the pump is to get the fuel to the engine....and once running the engine will keep going until the fuel supply valve (mechanical or electrical) on the injector pump is shut.... or worse if the fuel tank empties - the engine sucks in air and stops. You will then have to go through a messy procedure to 'bleed' the air from the injector pump to get the engine to start again.

Thanks everybody! I will settle for Bradford...I have not been there by boat - must be a trick of memory.

Thanks. I will settle for Bradford ..... but hasn't colour photography always been around - pictures we have of long ago are black and white because everything in the world was black and white....

The place in this pic from cover of Waterways World email news letter looks familiar, I seem to recognise it, but can't quite place it. Any ideas please?

You could be right, perhaps no money changes hands until completion, in the sense that the seller does not get it, but I think you will find the deposit (something like 10% as a token of good will) or as you say, could be the deposit, at least for the first time buyer, that qualifies for a mortgage, that has to be paid to your solicitor ready for exchange of contract, or your solicitor will have to give assurances that you have the money to complete (like the guaranteed proceeds of a sale in a chain) that for the first time buyer, there is no house to sell, so they won't give assurances unless the money is handed over. That you will get back (less expenses) if the chain breaks for any reason up to the time of exchange. So the OP could be a first or second time buyer depending how the boat could be used as security.

It is a bit of a long-shot, but what chance of finding someone who wants sell their house and buy a boat to live on.... a sort of part exchange. Apart from that, you seem to be in the position of every first time buyer (you need enough ready money for a deposit on exchange of contracts - which means you lose it if the sale falls through because the chain collapses - yet still liable to pay the full price on completion. So it is not a good idea to exchange contracts until you have money for your deposit - possibly by way of a 'guaranteed' loan with your boat as security - where the mortgage lender will almost certainly want you to find a buyer 'ready, willing and able' to enter into binding legal contract - then you become part of a chain - thus much the same if your boat was a house.

Only when they argue.......!

I fitted mine to counter milliamp stray leakage because my boat is seldom used and moored at home and permanently plugged in to mains. I haven't the faintest idea of the fault current capabilities of my cheap GI. ... but you have got me thinking ... When I have a moment I will dust off my multi-tester and check-out the whole boat installation and RCD tripping times...thanks for the tip..... and useful to think about if anybody wants to make their own...

Very much the same as mine. When called 'bridge rectifiers' you can make your own basic unit for circa £10. When bought ready made and sealed in a box and called 'galvanic isolators' they are circa £80 - £150 depending on the 'extras'

I don't know what it will do to a Galvanic Isolator, GI, or vice versa - I don't know what is 'inside' a PAT tester - but I vaguely recall a simple boat type GI is nothing more than a couple of power diodes connected in the earth wire. The experts will be able to tell you. I am sure you are doing the right thing by going on a training course and it will be a good thing - all part of the audit trail if things go wrong.