JayCee1969

Hi Mark, I did end up being the proud owner of a 4LK with a 60' trad attached. Just replied to your message as well, apologies for the delay. JC

Hi Ampen, yes your assumption is correct, one of them is Kestrel. I'm looking to get back into narrow boating after a 15 year gap. I did some research and really couldn't see the logic in a 4LK. Your concerns about i) getting past moored boats at tick over speed and ii) spares difficulty were exactly what I was thinking about! I envisaged glazed bores would also become an issue (?) I posted because I was wondering if I was missing something or had flawed logic! Also, I would like to say "thank you" to everyone for the replies and view-points... much appreciated! JC

Hi I'm looking to buy a 60 foot plus narrow boat and have found three potentials for the short list. All have been on the market for a while and all have Gardner 4LK engines. My research seems to indicate that for a narrow boat, a 4LK is going to be a liability in two ways, and would really appreciate the views of those with more experience of the subject! My concerns are: 1) Is it the wrong engine for the job, i.e. over powered and needing to work at a far higher rpm that a narrow boat would require of it? 2) It would be a maintenance nightmare, i.e. beyond simple oil/filter changes if anything else is needed the parts situation is difficult or nigh on impossible? The boats I'm looking are great, but I'm not sure about how big a liability a 4LK is these days. Thanks in advance for any advice and thoughts!! JC