nb Stockton

Hi everyone. I am starting to repaint my boat as it has been looking really scrappy on top. It has a GRP top (harborough Marine). Got a 'man who does' down for a day earlier in the week and he sanded down all the loose paint and painted primer onto the patches where the paint had come right off and bear fibreglasss was showing. He then painted undercoat over the top. Looks much better now. Unfortunately, where the paint has come of and revealed the fibreglass, there is now a fairly obvious drop in level (0.5mm or so) and also the surface has a neat criss cross effect on it. Is there anything I can do to help remove this problem. Options I can see are 1. Filler 2. Paint on the top coat very thick where needed 3. Start over again and take all the pain off first Any thoughts from you experienced people? I like option 2 best! All the best Richard

Hi there, Not totally sure as mine has a timer fitted, but in my book a switch is a switch is a switch. Any switch from Halfords or your local chandlers should do the job. Just make sure it is hte correct ampage rating. Richard.

No worries. Also check the water flow pipe or the body of the unit to see if you are getting heat. If you are not getting any heat after a minute or so then it could be that the glowplug has failed and you are blowing diesl out of the exhaust. Just a thought. I did some work on my exhaust recently and used Gumgum to seal the joints. Unfortunately used more than I should and almost blocked the pipe. Thats how I found that one out. Best of luck Richard

Dear BlueStringPudding, I had exactly the same problem last year with my D5W. It freaked me out something rotten as I was convinced it was going to explode. Firstly, with regard to starting, the blower motor should start within a second of turning the switch on. If it does not then check the switch is actually switching. Secondly, the white smoke. I spoke to a guy at Eberbasto (found him on eBay for spares - 01502 519198) and apparently it is perfectly normal if the unit is dirty in the combustion chamber. Slightly strange if you have just had yours serviced. It is only water vapour mixing into the exhaust gases and is fine. If the main heat exchanger fractures the unit will go off on overheat anyway. The solution is to run it for about 15 minutes and it should clear. It can also happen if the exhaust outlet pipe gets restricted by soot etc, has any work been done on the exhaust recently? Espar in Marlow (Eberspacher agents) are also very helpful. 01628 471368. If you need any more help just let me know. Hope that helps Richard

Hi Ian, I have the number for a guy who moved my 42ft narrowboat from Reading to Yorkshire at home. He did a great job at a reasonable price. I can PM it to you if that helps. It is only a flat bed lorry though, but I am sure he could sort something. With regard to lifting, I can highly reccomend Mike at Reading (Thames and Kennet Marina). Has a 50 tonne crane on site at approx £6/ft. Did a great job with mine, depends on how heavy yours is I guess. Uxbridge Boat Centre might be able to help as well. All the best Richard

Hi, I need to move my boat from Reading to Yorkshire in the next month. Can anyone reccommend a transport company with a low loader suitable for a 42ft narrowboat. I have access to cranes at both ends. Thanks Richard

Hi Shazza, Don't know the answer to your question, but she was moored on the sales pontoon at Thames and Kennet (about 50 yards from my boat). Not there any more so something has happened. Don't know what though. You try calling the sales guys at Thames and Kennet Marina and they might know. I did have a look at her one day when they had an open day, inside was stunning but in my opinion the outside just looked wrong. To flat on top and had a back end like a bus. Anyway, happy hunting. (sorry if I have offended the new owner!) Richard

I use the bed. For ironing that is. It works really well, takes up no more space than usual and does a grand job of my work shirts. Just fold the covers back and you are sorted. Warning - tends to melt cheap duvet covers if too hot, be warned. No idea how I found this out. I try to do as little ironing as I can, but work shirts just have to happen every morning. Richard

Is the licence in the same place on both boats? I guess he could still have still just changed the licence, but it might give us an idea. All these little details can only help the hunt. Richard.

Something does not sound right to me. In my book you would need to be in a pretty bad way to leave your car at the hirer, credit card details and an empty house, all so as to start a new life on the run on a stolen narrow boat? Just does not add up. Unless the photographer can confirm that the 'owner' looked like the hirer I still smell a rat. Of course, if you wanted to fake your own death and escape from the mafia then this might be an option. I am on the Thames, will keep an eye open there but I guess he may not come this far. Hope she turns up safe soon. Richard

Hi Stonehenge, I got the BW pack on Saturday. It all looks rather difficult because they will only allow you to put your name against 3 different mooring sites. I guess the best way of doing it is to talk to someone who knows at BW and find out which have the shortest queues, then apply there. Lookin gat the list (they rank them by numbers weaiting) the shortest waits are for crumby spots with no power or facilities in the middle of nowhere. Strangely, I know of a site in the north east with what looks like several spaces but they claim there are 10-20 boats waiting. It overlooks a chemicals factory, and has nothing going for it except a good pub! I find that slightly strange. Best of luck hunting, hope you find something. Richard.

Hopefully someone on this forum is abit of a wizz with Eberspacher water heaters. If so I need alittle help as it is rather cold at the moment. I brought an Eberspacher D5W off eBay about 2 years ago and fitted it to my narrowboat. It has given me 18 months trouble free use and has been excellent. I know that they get alot of stick for unreliability but this has been great. I believe it was taken from a Ford transit or similar as it comes fitted with a Ford fuse/relay box and a large Lucus silver box of tricks. I have changed the very simple timer for a nice Eberspacher 7 day time clock via a relay and that is brilliant and has been running for several months now. Now comes the problem. About 2 weeks ago I decided (perhaps against my better judgement) to move the boiler. Only about 1m, but it was a better and more accessible location and waould also be further away from my bed, therefore hopefully allowing my to sleep while being warm and not woken up at 5am in the morning. I carefully disconnected the water connections, exhaust and diesel pipework and unplugged the multipin connector which connects the boiler to the main loom. I also disconnected the two spade terminals on the diesel pump. I moved the boiler, piped it back up, filled it with water last night, re-connected the exhaust, diesel pipes and fuel pump and finally re-connected the wiring loom. Pressed the start button full on anticipation and all I get is a brief click from the relays in the fuse box and the fan runs for less than a second. Has anyone either experienced this before or have any ideas please? I am not sure if it is tripping out because it can't detect something or what. In my head it is far too quick for that as I would assume it would start the fan and proove that, then the water pump and finally the diesel. Please, if you can help I will be eternally grateful. Thanks Richard

Hi Thanks. I saw several by Safeshore Marine on eBay last night. Looking again it appears that they don't have capacitors. Sounds like I should be looking for one which does. Richard

Ok, Thanks for all this, I have found a Galvanic Isolator on the net and this is all starting to make sense now. If I disconnect the earth lead at the main socket and connect the galvanic isolator to that, I can then connect the earth of the system to an earth bolt near the isolator. If I then earth the negative of the 12v to an adjacent earth bolt can I use the same bolt as the 240v system to connect the other side of the galvanic isolator? That way I figure nothing needs to flow through the hull on a 240v fault and I only need to drill two hols in my hull not three. Also, does anyone have any reccomendations for good or bad isolators etc.? Thanks Richard

Allan, Thank you very much for such an informative reply. Can I just confirm:- My shore line comes in through a waterproof socket at the stern, through the wall (wood) and then into the distribution box which has an RCD breaker fitted to the live and neutral wires. The earth is connected to the earth bar within the distribution box. From here the live and neutral go off to fom a ring main around the boat with the earths also connected to the earth bar of the distribution box. Am I correct in understanding that I therefore need to connect the earth bar via the Galvanic isolator to the hull of the boat? I am assuming that I can connect it to any metal part of the boat connected to the hull (will have a look for somewhere suitable). I will check to see what is happening on the 12v circuits as well. Can I connect the neutral to the hull and is this best done directly from the battery or somewhere else? Any ideas where I can find a wiring diagram on the net which might help? Thanks again, think you might have saved my life. Richard