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tosher

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Posts posted by tosher

  1. On 25/05/2020 at 17:25, Mike Tee said:

    No, its not really funny - just another example of 'Trial by Media'.

    When / if  Dominic is charged and convicted (or just plain fined), then that is the time to demand his resignation or termination. The papers and TV just love getting someone on the back foot and filling their pages with innuendo - and I don't mean about him making the trip - he obviously did -  but whether or not he broke the rules. All I've read that appears to be provable is that his wife got the bug so it was odds on that he would get it, so he went to family for support for his child - and then isolated himself for 14 days very close by.

    If he has done more than that and broken any rules, let's see the evidence, and I'll be right at the front to get him out. Until then, he hasn't done anything that I wouldn't in the same circumstances.

    You couldn't they would not let you into 10 Downing Street for 6 hours having just left your wife with caronavirus symptoms.

    • Greenie 1
  2. On 02/01/2020 at 21:25, Bee said:

    Best thing is to make a project out of this and do it properly. Where is the tank?  If it is possible then cut a 6" dia. hole or so , drill a ring of small holes, enlarge them and with a cold chisel (Not a wood chisel) bash the disc out. then you can drain the gunge out and swab the rust and crap out and start again. Fix a plate over the hole, drill and tap bolt holes and with a decent gasket fix the whole lot back together. That is what I did. Its a horrible job but I can check every year now. If that is impossible then all  you can do is flush it many times and do the best you can.

    This seems like a good idea to me but will it have any implications with the BSS  like needing a second Pressure test with the new access hole plate in position ???????

  3. 12 minutes ago, Keeping Up said:

    Have they changed the formulation of Captain Tolley? The liquid in my previous tube was extremely white (like milk) and worked perfectly; last year it ran out and I bought some more. Not only was it a relatively clear liquid (still white but almost see-through) but also even when it had dried it was water-soluble and got washed away by the first rainstorm so it was totally useless.

    Mnnn.    Sorry but don't know the answer to that. Mine was bought about a year ago and is milky

     

  4. 4 hours ago, Tony Brooks said:

    Once again:-

     

    A while ago it was reported here than one marine insurer had said using non-marine approved heating devices while the boat s unattended invalidates the cover so please check.

     

    Personally I just run the tank and taps s dry as they will go, remove the shower mixer and leave all the taps open. I doubt anyone here can drain all the low level pipes fully. Been fine, even when the boat ass held solid in ice but there is always a first time.

     

    My personal view is that there is nothing wrong with using shoreline powered greenhouse tube haeters or oil filled radiators but i would not leave any other electrical heating running unattended.

    I sent an email complete with a photo and details of the green house type heaters I would be using to my insurers and they confirmed they are safe to use would not invalidate my policy.

    • Greenie 1
    • Happy 1
  5. Thanks chaps for all your informative comments, much appreciated.        When my boat was lifted just over two years ago I was surprised and disappointed by the amount of galvanic activity on the hull, I replaced the anodes and re blacked it myself doing a thorough job with three coats of Rylards Rytex.  I mentioned this to the staff  when I returned to my marina and they carried out a check of the shore side wiring and said everything was ok.   When my boat was lifted again last month I found the hull was showing the same signs of galvanic activity as before.  I do have a galvanic isolator fitted as do the other boats on adjacent pontoons. I have previously left the boat plugged in to the marina supply over winter so this winter I want to try something different hence my OP.   The heaters I want to use are earthed and I sent details and a photo of them to my insurance company and they said it's fine to leave them switched on with the boat unattended over winter as long as they are firmly secured (as suggested in post 6).  Thanks again for your advice.

  6. Hi all. I want to leave 2 x 120 watt tubular heaters (green house type) on my boat over winter but to avoid any possibility of galvanic corrosion I don't want to connect the boat to the marina shore power in the normal way. So I am thinking of plugging a lead into the shore power bollard and taking it direct into the boat, fitting two 13amp sockets on the end of it and plugging the heaters into these sockets.  This will keep the boat electrics completely isolated from the marina system.  This sounds ok but are there any down sides to doing this??? The boat will not be occupied over winter.    Any advice much appreciated.     Many thanks.

  7. If anyone is interested --- I have two engine driven alternators 110A & 75A charging my 3 x Elecsol 270AH batteries via a Sterling Alternator-to-Battery charger. All fitted when the boat was built 12 years ago. We are out in the boat for about 4 or 5 months throughout the year and normally cruise for about 3 or 4 hours per day moving most days with the occasional day off. The batteries usually fall to about to 90% after an overnight stop and maybe down to 80% after a day without running the engine. These values have reduced considerably in recent months and the volts drop under load as the batteries die. Most days when cruising the batteries are recharged to 100%.

    When we are not cruising the boat is left unattended in a marina with all electrics switched off.  In the summer months I leave the shore power lead unplugged to prevent any chance of galvanic corrosion but in the winter months I plug in the shore power and leave a battery charger on.  I have a Smart Gauge which I think is the main reason for my batteries lasting so long as it gives a very good indication of the state of  charge of the batteries. I always try to keep them as near to 100% charged as possible but other than that I just keep them clean, well watered with the odd bit of maintenance.  At present the engine running hours are approaching 5000hrs.   

    Sorry if I have bored you!!!!

    • Greenie 2
  8. Hi all. I am looking to replace my dying 12 year old services batteries with 3 new Varta LFD 230AH sealed lead acid batteries. The spec for these seems ok but shows the max number of cycles down to 50% state of discharge as 200 which seems a little low.  My question is ------ In our normal cruising mode the batteries never fall below 75% so does that mean that the number of cycles would increase to 400?    My reason for choosing the Varta ones is that they are a direct replacement size wise for my old Elecsols so no alterations to wiring or fittings will be required.   Many thanks.

  9. I was moored in Salt House Dock that day and watched it all unfold. The video doesn't really get across the seriousness of it, There were many non swimmers and young children on board the Duck and hearing their screams for help will live with me forever. The narrow boat crews were absolute heroes and saved many lives that day.  Look at the timings on the video and see how long it is before other help arrived, a fire engine & ambulance and it was about 20 minutes before the first rescue craft arrived. If it wasn't for the narrow boats they would have been recovering bodies. 

    • Greenie 1
  10. 32 minutes ago, LiveAndLetLive said:

    The engine is an Isuzu 42. I haven't got the filter number with me right now. Fingers crossed DMR that we haven't done any damage!

    The old filter came off really easily. I was surprised because oil changes on cars in the past have always involved a real struggle.

    I have an Isuzu 42 and the oil filter number I use is --- Isuzu 5-87610008-0.  Not cheap but the genuine article.   

  11. Advice please.-------- I want to paint the inside of my combined Gas/bow locker. The floor is very rusty due to the constant inflow of water through the gas vent holes at each side of the locker at it's lowest point. These holes are quite close to the water line and whenever the boat is moving a small amount of water is always present on the locker floor. The gas bottles stand on rubber mats clear of the floor.    What is the best paint to use for this job please?   I wondered about using blacking?       

  12. What about the use of mobile speed bumps????  CART could issue a pair of such things to every licenced boat along with a couple of warning signs. The mobile bumps to be installed across the tow path at the bow & stern of your boat and secured in place with a mooring pin at either end and the signs to warn cyclists and walkers alike. They could have luminous strips on them that glow in the dark.  Just a thought

  13. On 30/09/2017 at 23:16, RichLech said:

    We've had one made for our semi-trad. Wouldn't be without it. Gives us an extra room when we moor up for the night and with two dogs that is important.

    Couple of things that we specified to make it convenient. Firstly, front screen can be completely zipped out so that with side screens removed as well, it just provides a canopy for shade or shelter from showers. On wet days on the Thames (where bridges are higher) we can cruise with the canopy up.

    Secondly, to ensure that the stainless steel hoops do not obstruct access to the boat, the hoops are on sliding rails on the sides of the semi-trad. Hence when the canopy is laid down the hoops slide forward, keeping the whole thing clear of the access hatch.

    Ours in canvas. more flexible for folding down.

    When we moor I can have the whole thing up, screen and sides fitted and water-tight in about 5 minutes.

    Ours was made by Tim at AM Marine Trim, based at Windsor Marina. 

     

     

    Couldn't agree more, ours sounds like the same design with the sliding rails and we use it as you describe. The best thing we ever bought for the boat, just replaced the cover after 10 years service. Ours was made to give me standing headroom (6ft) so we had it made a little bit longer to keep the proportions right.

      

     

     

     

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