Theo

It's the thermoelectric effect and I would think that they use a thermopile. (Lots of units connected in series) Nick No one has mentioned a stirling engine yet. NIck

Topping idea!!

One very useful and very cheap bit of test equipment: 40' length of black multistrand test lead fitted with a 4mm plug at each end and a croc clip for each end too. Ditto Red 1 12v bulb with test leads attached in some way. (I soldered mine on) also 4mm plugs and croc clips. The plugs plug into the croc clips that I have. They are just little ones. I have but this lot together because there are going to be times when I am going to have to test the continuity of a wire that starts at the fuse board and ends in a light fitting way along the boat. Nick Edit for typo

Alternatively you could fit two sockets, one connected to the shore and one to the inverter. the boat circuit connects via a plug to either of these. No possible chance of connecting to them at the same time. I have seen it done with the big blue commando plugs/sockets but I don't see why you sould not do it with 13A stuff as long as you can be sure that you are not going to overload them. Nick

They're a crabby lot there too! Nick

I think that I know the winding hole that you mean. It will soon be full of trees if they don't do something about it. Just up a couple of locks from Kilby Bridge there is a winding hole which is rather shallow. I just, with about 2" to spare, managed to turn Theodora around. There is a poignant reminder of a previous attempt. A length of boat pole, brightly painted, sticking up from the reeds. I suppose that the user of this pole tried to lever the bow of the boat around. Nick

By the time that we found Theodora a previous viewer had dropped the cratch on to the lamp and had smashed it. We used an Ikea table lamp held up by my mate, Steve, to go thought Crick Tunnel. Quite good enough. I think that a good system would be two fog lamps angled well out so that you get the sides of the tunnel really well illuminated. (And don't forget to leave the cabin lights on too!) Nick

The lady who answers the phone at Watford is always most helpful and kind. Nick

I am more than happy to be a little exclusive in that the common herd does not notice the canals and I do! Seriously, though, I am not a great lover of the rash of signage that is blighting our roads and I thought that I discovered the first signs (sorry about the pun) of it while we were bringing Theodora home. The winding holes on the GU (Leicester section) are marked with rather nasty signs and I would not like to think that we were going to be afflicted with more of them. Can we not recognise a winding hole for what it is without the use of some sort of logo. NIck

I did a double take on the small cruiser. At first glance the landing stage looks like a miniature narrowboat sunk into the mud! Nick

Theodora is like everyone's boat, the boat of our dreams! What really attracted us was her rather graceful lines and the 12' long hold at the bow. This is covered only by cloths and so will make the most wonderful sitting out area or extra sleeping space. The next unusual feature is the fact that the engine is mounted back to front. There is a belt drive to the prop shaft which then runs under the engine. Most odd and the only reason that I can think of for its being like that is to decouple the engine from the prop shaft to reduce vibration and overcome alignment problems. If anyone else knows a reason do add a comment. Theodora is 60' long so there is plenty of room for living and the hold space mentioned above. Her engine is under the steering position just as in a cruiser stern but the stern actually looks a bit like a rather elongated traditional. The tiller bar is a bit unusual in that it is angled as it comes off the gooseneck. This means that you cannot use it without the tiller pin inserted, not that you would want to anyway.

What arrangement did you use to allow it to rotate, John? Nick

I had a look at Fluke since you have eulogised them in another thread. I was a bit horrified at the price, though. What price do you think I will have to pay for a Fluke? Nick One further thing. The specs don't ususally mention the resolution which is a nuisance. Nick

36" seems a bit long to me. Won't you bash it on bridges? BTW I lost my chimly. It blew off in the gales. I have hunted down the sides of the boat with a magnet bu without success Nick

I am certain that someone with much more practical experience than me will be able to point out the important features that I need to consider. I have already found from a previous thread that I need a 0.1V resolution if it is to be useful in determining the charge state of my batteries. TIA Nick

I use Paint Shop Pro which has a clone tool. If your photoediting package has one you could make a very reasonable job of getting rid of it. Nick

I think that tugs look beautiful but their practicality worries me slightly. I have never set foot on one though so my comments are deeply uninformed. The two points that I would make are: 1. The foredeck often has quite a camber and is often used for sitting out. How often do owners fall asleep on their chairs and find themleves over the side? A rail around the side might make it safer but IMHO ruin the appearance. 2. Is the space under the foredeck easy to use and what do people use it for? I have seen pictures of beds under there but with the lack of headroom I would have thougt that it is quite an althletic job to make the bed. Do let us know, tug owners! Nick

During an extended cruise the chore of setting up the bed every evening is a real pain. It may, of course be that you could alter it as you stated and then leave it permanently set up as a bed when you don't need the room. Nick

The environmental problems caused by bagged crap are worse than the crap just left about. At least that will rot away reasonably quickly. Nick

I can't see how any monitor can give yo an accurate idea of Ah remaining in the battery bank. It must be calculated from the Ah used and the supposed capacity of the bank. This must depend on the condition of the batteries. Or is there some cunning magic of which I am unaware? Nick

Could it be a governor problem? Nick

Can't do that I fear. A perforated pipe is elbowed down into the mud box. Can't think why. I would have thought that you would want to take the water from as high up in the box as possible to ensure that there is as little sediment as possible drawn into the system. I would think that a plumber could lend me a die to thread the end. I would think that it would be a standard sized pipe Very soon. I could wait for that. There are some other odd bits of welding that I need as well. Nick

Just had a read of the "Winterising" thread. It occurs to me that I I add the tee as above I will be able to use it to facilitate a drain down. Then I won't need to pollute any more of the cut with bits of antifreeze.

Many thanks for all the good ideas, especially the warnings about propping the stern up on the cill. In view of all this I will not think of it again! I have not yet investigated the end of the steel pipe from the mud box. I don't know if it is threaded or not. The polythene sheeing idea sounds good. Just in case something goes amiss I will borrow a large rubber bung from the lab technicians. I amn not too concerned as the head of water is only an inch or so. Just to answer the query from further up, the mud box has a clamped on cover rather like a smaller version of the weed hatch. As a further modification I am thinking of fitting a tee to this pipe with a funnel arrangement of the end. I will use this to introduce antifreeze into the raw water as necessary. At the moment I have to introduce it throught the mud box and, since the volume of the mud box is quite large I feel that there is considerable waste. With the tee and funnel arrngement I will be able to reduce the use of antifreeze ot abot 1/20 (a wild guess!)

The reed switch idea appeals. I had already decided on the ball valve arrangement. The reed switch interlock may have to wait, either until I have less pressing things to do or until forgetting to turn it on brings it to the top of the list! I imagine that a stainless ball valve will do the job nicely. Is there any way around drydocking to do the job? Possibly using a lock cill to lift the stern a tad? Thanks all Nick