Craig1

Thanks everyone for your input. I'll be getting a genny and I'll definitely read the instruction manual! I've seen these boxes you've debated so I'll do a bit of homework. The battery charger I've got is 30 amp - anyone know what generator output would be sufficient for this? PS Engine now fixed for anyone who's interested - it was the solenoid, all gunked up with oil. Boat remains liveable!

Good idea about the bags, good interim measure. Think I'll be buying a genny anyway. When things go wrong there's always a big stress. Continuous cruising with family on board definitely amplifies all problems! At least I'm not on a river. I hate breaking down on a river. Mega stress.

Thanks dmr, I'll have to check how much power the charger needs. I didn't consider that at all.

Thanks BEngo, should I not be able to fix it, I'll bear your advice on storing the generator and the fuel. As for being away from other boats, the ice is an inch thick here, so nowt I can do about that! Craig

I'm on the Macc. Bit of a shortage of engineers up here.

Hi all So my engine won't start. I'm stuck in the ice so not going anywhere, but still want to get the stove going tomorrow! (Morso back boiler pump arrangement means I've got to charge the batteries or move family and pets off the boat to somewhere else warmer!). So I'm not panicking about the situation, I suspect at best a fuel filter change is needed, or maybe the fuel pump has had it. Anyway that's for tomorrow. If I can't fix it tomorrow then I'll be hiring a generator to tide me over, buy I've not had one before - like I say I'll hire one, so what sort? Does it matter? And can I just plug it straight into the shore line socket and it'll just feed the batteries when I turn the battery charger on just like shore line power? Can't go wrong in the summer can it? cheers, Craig Craig

Thanks Tony, helpful as ever

I've just read through this all properly, and wanted to Thank you again. Tony, I'm glad to read what you say about the solar panel, that's great news. Peter, thanks for comprehensively answering the question, I've set the bmv up accordingly but appreciate what you and Tony stated, I won't get an accurate reading but I'll use the voltage and Amps for more accuracy. I've a back boiler pump that's continuously running in the colder months, so that will confound the thing somewhat. Tony you did pique my interest a bit despite me stating I wasn't interested in the complexities of it all - now I'm wondering about how to get that accurate voltage reading bearing in mind the running pump is always draining the batteries, as like you said, you read different figures on the internet about how low to let the voltage drop to. Any takers?

Thanks for all the advice. I know the bmv is not going to be 100% accurate but it's some guide, so thanks for all your help.

Hi No I'm not posting for dummies, I want some advice for myself and other dummies! I've this Victron battery monitor, I've 4 x 110ah batteries (18 months old), I've 200W solar panel on the roof (well once they were 200w). Think I did a factory reset on the monitor and want to set up again. Any of you wise folk care to explain what I'm to do to re-setup? I'm not after any complicated explanations here, nor any formulae, just tell me what to do if you would. If I can save some money on diesel here that would be good! I don't want to connect it to my phone, just nice and simple if poss. I know someone will go on about Peukert but that's all way above my head. Thanks guys for any help, Craig

Again, good idea. For me the main problems are that I've little free time (full time job, 2 home schooled kids and continuously cruising) and a lack of knowledge of just about everything! I've been on the boat 10 years, I've learnt bits and pieces but anything out of the box is just a mystery to me. I reckon basic understanding of engines, electrics, carpentry and plumbing should be mandatory at school. It would have my life much easier! Religious studies has never been useful to me yet, but who knows!

Sunny, I've no idea what you're on about. Lay off the methamfetamines. Tony, bloody good idea, sounds easy, I'll have a look into that. Cheers. Buying a radiator does sound easier though, but your idea is best.

I just knew someone would ask why! If you're really interested my boat is 70 ft long, Morso squirrel down one end and rads heated by back boiler, rads all down one side.....so, I want a source of heat under my bed (the opposite side to the rads) where it's coldest (and therefore wettest) in the winter, as every time any of us shower in the cold months it gets soaked under the bed. Now you see why I asked the simple question without the lengthy explanation, yes? I cruise throughout the year, the engine on will give hot water for showers and power this additional heat source and save my good lady endlessly getting everything from under the bed and mopping up. So, anyone got a better idea than a little radiator?

Hi all I've a victron Phoenix 12/3000VA inverter. I want to power a 700 w oil filled radiator. Is this feasible if it's on whilst the engine is running? And what's the highest wattage unit I can run off this inverter? Thanks in advance for imparting your knowledge Craig

Thanks for the comments. I did speak to Craftmaster who said the owatrol should be fine, but I think I'll buy their thinner for the next coat. I like the paint and that Speight feller knows his business. Thanks for the advice about the polytunnel humidity and heat concerns, you're probably close to the mark there, the heat levels change just like that and I reckon that caused the paint to separate. I didn't want to go to the effort of another coat without picking your brains, so thanks to all those who read the question, I'll embark on more back breaking work on the cut this time. Cheers all, any more bright ideas let me know. Craig

Hi all Another paint question I'm afraid.......I've just had my boat in a polytunnel for a week. I put two coats of craftmaster high build undercoat on, then two coats of the craftmaster coach enamel in graphite grey. I thinned it with owatrol. It was applied with a mini roller then laid off with a brush. The undercoat went in fine but topcoat came out streaky all over as you can see from the photos. It wasn't caused by the laying off, it was like the pigment separated all the time. I stirred that paint plenty with that drill stirrer thing and kept stirring all the time to no avail. So, I'll be putting a third and hopefully final coat on at some point this summer. How do I avoid this happening again? Was it the heat in the poly tunnel? Is it a problem with the paint, or have I simply offended the Gods? I know some of you guys know your paint, what do you reckon? Cheers for any help, Craig

Thanks for the replies all, I reckon the glue never came off properly. I white spirited it, then used petrol but thought that did it. It didn't look quite right though and I wondered if the bloody stuff hadn't all come off. I hate that tape. We got the boat 2nd hand and the original owner paid 100k and still got the tape. Rotten stuff. I shall give the adhesive remover a go, any other ideas or advice please let me know. Cheers Craig

Hi everyone hope you're all doing ok, I'm painting the boat sides this year. I'm doing it on the cut. I've already removed that horrible tape stuff that's used as tramlines, I've filled in loads of cuts, scrapes and dents, and undercoated both sides. So now when the boat gets wet, I can still just about see some bits of those tape lines. Damn it! Now I've not the time to sand it back all down again in the hope I can get rid of said lines, but if I paint it in high gloss I reckon they'll stick out and look rubbish....so here comes the question....what top coat do I go for? If it's not high gloss what are the options to obscure these lines? I know I could paint lines over the lines but I'd rather not. Any help appreciated (unless it's a lecture about why I shouldn't paint on the cut!) (or about why I should take it back to bare steel) - if it was just me in my boat then sure, but with work, family and cruising these aren't options for me. Cheers all Craig

I'm north of Thrupp on the Oxford. What about you?

Thanks for the photo luggsy, you're engine's looking very tidy. I've got the antifreeze, now I need time to do the job! Thanks for the photo luggsy, you're engine's looking very tidy. I've got the antifreeze, now I need time to do the job!

Hi all, I know there's a lot of info already about antifreeze. All I've ever done is topped up the system. I'd like to empty it, flush it and refill. But I've no idea how to do this. My skin tank has a stop cock on it that pisses out water when I'm doing engine service yoga and I know where the calorifier and expansion tank are. That's the extent of my knowledge on this subject. I read other posts and it scared me off the job as I had no idea what people were on about! Can anyone explain to me in terms I understand what it is I need to do? My barrus manual tells me to top up the system 50/50 with the blue stuff and that's it. It doesn't tell me how to change all the antifreeze. If anyone can explain it well enough I'll bake you a cake. Good deal eh? Cheers all Craig

right, heat gun or hairdryer it is, thanks for the help.

Thanks, I'll give it a go.

Hi all Title says it all really, I need to remove the tape tramlines off my boat. They won't scrape off, so I thought either heat gun or chemical. Not sure how hot the gun gets as don't want burning paint. Any thoughts?