starman

Doesn't even have a mooring.

Don't look at the bridges, look at the front of cabin handrails for evidence of how widebeams have bashed things - notably bridge arches.

They do run a hire fleet so they have better boatyard back up than many marinas. I guess in the season it has to fit in and around the hire boats.

It's a good marina if like us you have a dog; a lot of areas to walk including a couple of enclosed meadows. And Napton reservoir adjacent and ideal for walking. The Meadows basin is prettier and (again if you have a dog) benefits from wooden gangways rather than steel gridded ones. If you just want to park your boat between trips, then there are plenty to choose from but if you want to spend weekends up there, hanging out on the boat and dog-walking then it rates highly. The staff seem friendly to us and there's a good little chandlery. Only downside is that there are wide locks either side.

Knowle Locks done. Not bad at all after I scared the helmswoman Mrs B into their perils. Volokies on the flight helped a lot. Paddles certainly very heavy though.

Well that's the worst over with - Curdworth to Catherine de Barnes. And it wasn't bad. It wasn't good either though. The Curdworth locks were fine - an excellent stretch of canal. Minworth were okay with a couple of dodgy paddles and even the first bit of GU down to Garrison Locks was pretty decent for an urban canal. But the last couple of locks - vile with bags of rubbish and hundreds of floating kebab/burger/chip trays. Why aren't they banned? No boating problems as such bar a few bursts of reverse to clear the prop. No sign of any 'closed towpath' either despite the CRT alert. Our only problems as such were at Camp Hill locks. One of those laughing gas cylinders got caught behind a lock gate and we managed to get wedged half in and half out of the lock. A CRT man was already on the flight sorting low water levels and between us all we got things sorted after a bit of wrestling. And so on to the easy run to CdB. Not quite so easy; the top end didn't seem to have much evidence of dredging; it was slow going with a fair bit of reverse to clrar the prop. And so many tree branches floating around everywhere, from virtually telegraph pole length downwards. Why I just can't imagine. Plenty of rubbish too; we must have passed 20-30 gas cannisters - the local lads must be high as kites. But we are here; 8.30 start and 6.30 finish. Would I do it again? Probably not. Not difficult or dangerous just not very pleasant and a bit dull. I'll go North Stratford way next time.

Maybe he’s only got basic third party?

Have I missed something or are you just telling me to keep a general check on them?

I’m just being complete-ist really — Garrison Locks and down through Knowle is one of the few stretches we haven’t done. Central Birmingham is not on the wish list for this trip.

Indeed I am very familiar with Calcutt - and a boat called ‘Firefly’ 😉. Thanks to you (and all) for the tips. Things are rarely as bad as they’re painted in my experience but it’s best to be prepared.

We’re heading up the North Oxford so fancied trying the Warwickshire Ring. We’ve been through Birmingham many times but never done the Garrison Locks, Bordesley, top of the GU route back to our Calcutt base. Any top tips welcome. Are the Knowle Locks as tricky downhill as up? (Our dog doesn’t enjoy being bashed about!) He does make up for that with scary barking but even so save-ish overnight stops appreciated.

I can even see it marked on the map in my old Nicholson’s Guide.

The rest of the system is all bandaged up so I’m a bit loathe to unwrap. The system comes off the manifold in a swept elbow similar bore to manifold IIRC then about 10in straight flexy about 21/2. In short the rest of it is bigger bore than the 8in of tailpipe. I’ve always been a bit wary of painting stainless … and of my metalworking skills

Our DM2 exhaust is a bit of a one off. It comes off the manifold via the usual flexy pipe into the ‘silencer’ (just an open expansion box) then exits through the roof via a 2 inch internal diameter pipe. This has a sleeve so it can carry a 3in stack. It’s all a bit fussy but the chief question is - is that 2in bore outlet pipe large enough? Second question: does anyone make 3in stacks (not in stainless)? The MC ones are horribly cheap and flimsy.

You did indeed Tony. It’s curiosity really about the coupling and whether (as i suspect) it’s a one-off or maybe a Les Allen speciality. It’s been replaced by what appear to be chunks of rubber or leather.

Has anyone come across a driveshaft coupling like this one? It’s on our ‘80s Les Allen with DM2 & PRM150. it smacks to me of being a one-off - possibly put together out of a few bits around the yard. Reason for asking is that there’s play where circled between the tailshaft and centre shaft. Everything will have to come apart to investigate and maybe the coupling should go at this stage too.

We met up with a couple on a boat drawing 36” who’d made it to the end of the canal but admitted it was hard work in places but okay for the final 3-4 miles. We draw 30” and it was reasonably ok to Stoke Golding and horrible through the Babbington bends. We turned around and headed for an easier life. Now on the Coventry…where it’s almost as bad in spots!

You can get ones with rechargeable batteries (or wear a head torch) 😉

We have a gloomy galley with just a porthole each side and a central bulls eye in the ceiling . There’s also nowhere really for cooking condensation to escape except a badly placed mushroom. So I could replace the bulls eye with a solar vent and fit a roof prism either side. Or have a medium size opening roof box made (in steel), lined and with double glazing. Can’t decide? Anyone got any thoughts?

Personally I wouldn’t worry - We thought it so awful we only managed a couple of minutes before switching channels.

Engine running and pumped stopped. Hooray and thanks. Volts reading 14.4 at engine and 14.1 at pump. PS to MtB and JiW I did check bilge and PRV last night too.

Thanks all Will do the engine running test tomorrow and hopefully that will provide some answers.

But is this connected to the pump not turning off?

It says max 4.5a on the pump. Based on that the 12v Planet calculator said 0.5a. Now you’ve got me alarmed!

I must admit it does baffle me: the cables are 4sq mm along 30ft which should give about .5v drop and the connectors are crimp at the fuse box and Wago at the pump. I’ll check it all tomorrow.