NB Willawaw

Beck, We have a thermostatically controlled valve which mixes some cold with the hot supply, to keep a constant hot water temperature. Would that solve the problem ? Mark

Not being a welder and having limited knowledge of welding, can somebody explain to me what is meant by the term V-weld and what the advantage or application of a V-weld is ? Best Regards Mark NB Willawaw Banbury - Oxford Canal

Beck, I might be a bit thick here, but I am having trouble visualising what your current arrangement is. If I understand you correctly you have a gas powered boiler which is heating a circuit via the calorifier and has another circuit running through radiators (or is the same circuit ?). Both Alde and Paloma are well known names. Certainly, I see Alde heaters everywhere. Do you have the room to accommodate the tall, thin Alde installation ? I would imagine the main problem in a retrofit installation like yours is to be able to replace the system with a minimum of structural re-working ? Best Regards Mark NB Willawaw Banbury - Oxford Canal

In my opinion, they are not essential. We have one on our 62ft narrowboat and use it probably once or twice a day, mostly to manoeuvre into lock entrances when moored at strange angles or close to the entrance gates. My wife and I work the boat (and the locks of course) with just the two of us and it gives us another pair of hands so to speak, from time to time. Its a Vetus and we have a little rocker switch just below the hatch coaming within easy reach of the helmsmans (sorry persons) fingers. If you have one, you do tend to use it more and more and probably, if I went to another boat without it, I would miss it, but isn't that true with all labour saving devices. If I bought a new boat and had a limited budget, there are other things that would be on my shopping list over and above a BT.

One of the things that puzzles me (and there are many) is: As bottom plates aren't blacked, why don't they corrode faster than they do ? One forum contributor remarked recently that their 10mm bottom plate had only reduced to 9.8mm in 10 years (or something similar - sorry I forget the exact figures but I think I'm close). You would think that bare steel permanently in water would rust quite fast. Is it the absence of oxygen ?

v.good article. please note mastervolt are launching a new combi in 2005, which was the one I referred to earlier in this thread - presumerably being launched to compete against the Victron referred to in this website test.

Heres the link http://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php...topic=660&st=40

I won't pass comment on the grounds that I have only ever personally experienced the traditional "screw-down" lube style, but have you read the threads around Stuarts boat Dusk-to-Dawn which is a Liverpool Boat Co hull with a (Vetus I think) dry seal stern gland. You might like to read the comments of others.

The Mastervolt one can handle a shore power input, but its no good if you have a genset as well. I'm not sure about other makers without checking. Combi basically means combination inverter and charger. They are fine for UK narrowboat use but tend to be replaced by separate inverter and charger arrangements on sailing boats or boats operating in hot climes like the Med.

Combi's are normally combined charger and inverter as opposed to two separate units.

After the hull, a large part of the value of the boat is labour. Many people buy a sailaway, which means that the boat is actually usable ( a bit like camping in a boat). You can then sail the boat back to your mooring or fitting-out base and then add lining, bulkheads and all the equipment. As my boating colleague mentioned, you can buy them at different stages of fit-out. For example, you can buy the boat already lined out. Have at look at the threads of Stuart who has bought his own sailaway (NB Dusk to Dawn) from Liverpool Boats and is doing a great job of fitting her out in the B'ham area

Done Mark NB Willawaw Cropredy, Oxford Canal - Southbound

The new Mastervolt Mass Combi 12/2000-100 2000VA Inverter/100A Charger is priced at GBP 1622+VAT ? Presumerably, the yards price, which is higher for a lesser inverter, includes a fitting charge ?

Hi/Welcome, Never heard of Powermaster. You usually get what you pay for with inverters. A lot has been written about inverters on the forum, but basically BE CAREFUL. Firstly, what do want to drive with your inverter ? Many devices need a pure sine wave and even then, the term "pure" has many meanings from different makers. If you want to just use a kettle, the cheap kind are fine, but if you want to run TV, VCR, microwave, etc exercise care. I have always sworn by Mastervolt or Victron which are similarly priced, but generally at the top of the price range. With lesser (cheaper) inverters, you may need to test different appliances to ensure that they will work with the AC waveform coming out of the cheaper inverter you are looking at. Finally, the builder will usually have one or two makers they are comfortable with and can get good terms on. If you come up with another maker, they might not want to fit it and will try to charge a lot to change. Best Regards Mark NB Willawaw Cropredy, Oxford Canal (southbound)

We normally do Kensal Green/Little Venice overnight and then keep going up the Ducketts until we get to Stonebridge Lock on the Lee. Stonebridge is a bit secluded, so if you arrive just before its dark and get going first thing the next day, you should be undisturbed. We don't usually sleep safely until we are outside the M25 limits (Waltham Abbey). The main problem is finding moorings in Little Venice, but I would guess this would depend on the time of year ? Never tried Limehouse, but that could be a good solution ! Moorings are no problem on the Lee and Stort. This is home turf for us, so if anybody needs advice on that stretch of water, just let us know.

The canals are very addictive. Driving these days, with the advent and widespread use of motorways, has become very predictable and regulated. Most motorways avoid interesting scenery and are just designed to get people from A to B as fast as possble (don't start on about the traffic jams). However, canals are the complete opposite. Every day something different happens on a cruise and even if you cover the same stretch each day, the passage is marked by a different event; different boats seen, different anglers remonstrated with, a wide and varied range of objects cleared from the prop, different lock gates jammed, etc only joking. Seriously though, canals are the opposite of most things we do today in so-called modern living. The speed forces us to take time to speak to people and they are not built for profit or efficiency (not by 21st century rules anyway) - this is why I think they appeal so much.

Sorry can't help as not in the area now - was in Tring a couple of weeks back. Don't be afraid to ask a passing boat. I passed a moored boat when I was working my way through the stoppages on the GU and he waved me over as I went to pass. I came abreast of him, midstream and he explained that he had no engine and was trying to work his way up a couple of locks. Apparently, he was up against a deadline and had been bow-hauling along the towpath until we came along. I towed him as far as I could and he went on his way (bowhauling again probably !)

Not quite sure what Sterling mean by that. If the sine wave coming out of the inverter is clean enough and has sufficient power, it should be able to drive any AC device. I can only suspect that maybe the waveform is not totally sinusoidal and the combi unit is picky about its supply. Have you tried running the combi at home on the domestic mains ? does it work there ? Have you got a more detailed explanation from Sterling or a response in writing about the rectifier problem ?

Alan, You already did ! Vetus have obviously got it seriously wrong ! I have only ever known Magnesium anodes on the cut. I thought they had found something new ??

Straight quote from the Vetus catalogue: QUOTE For vessels, which mostly cruise on inland (fresh) waters, we recommend aluminium anodes, since aluminium has a greater difference of potential with other metals than zinc. This is very important, as fresh water provides a higher electrical resistance than salt water. For sailing on salt waters we recommend the use of zinc anodes. Although aluminium anodes would perform a perfect job at sea as well, they would be sacrificed much more quickly. We do not recommend the use of magnesium anodes, as the difference of potential with other metals is too great, which could cause damage to the hull paint especially when sailing in brackish or salt water. UNQUOTE MG Duff, makers of anodes, say: QUOTE Not all anodes are suitable for every environment, for example the surface of an aluminium anode will if left in fresh water for some time become covered with an off white crust of oxide which effectively seals the anode and stops it working even when returned to salt water. The consequences of this passivation of the anodes are that they cease to provide any protection and corrosion can then occur! It is therefore very important to check Aluminium anodes after any trips into fresh water and if necessary clean off or change the anodes. UNQUOTE Is it getting late or are they directly contradicting each other ?

Is anybody using Aluminium anodes ? Everybody seems to use Magnesium anodes, but I heard that Aluminium are better in fresh water as their potential difference isn't so great as Mag. Comments ?

Only Autocad Lite 2004, not a full blown version, but yes it is a licenced copy (supplied and paid for by work on a work computer).

Stuart, Its not the capacity of the alternator that counts, its the setting on the regulator. You can never get these exactly the same and you would have to be "fine-tuning" them every day to try to keep them together. One will always catch first and end up doing all the work

Steve, If you get them done, lets have a look. I'd be interested. I've got Autocad.