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Ghemmie

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Everything posted by Ghemmie

  1. Afternoon, No, we don't live aboard. We have a mooring on the side of the canal with a shore power connection. Thanks for all the replies everybody. I am going to go plug my little oil filled radiator in this evening and keep it around 5 to 6 degrees. I will no doubt have more than a few sleepless nights worrying about it burning my boat down, but I'm currently having sleepless nights worrying about pipes cracking. At least there are two safety shut offs on the heater.
  2. Ha! Yes, we were discussing today how my Dad used to constantly shout at us to turn the radiator off in our bedroom because it was 'eating electricity'. Might be a small price to pay for peace of mind throughout December to February though. It's mainly the safety angle I'm concerned about and if people have experience of doing something similar, or have a better idea?
  3. Evening all, Our first winter owning a narrowboat and getting more nervous as the weather gets worse about the damp, cold, condensation and frozen pipes attacking my boat. Met a chap today who keeps a small, electric oil filled radiator on his boat. It's plugged in on a thermostat control so it keeps the boat heated and protected from the elements throughout the winter. I think this is both a brilliant and terrifying idea. Brilliant because your boat is kept at a minimal toasty level. Terrifying because I will be constantly worried that the radiator will explode/ catch fire and kill my boat. What do you long time experts think on the subject? Are there any other methods you would recommend? Thanks, Gem
  4. Hello all, Thanks for your replies. Jen I tried the PRV and it is still happening so I think I may have to look into your next solution and possibly get it replaced. As for the pooling being a separate problem, I think I'm going to have to get an expert to look more into this. As I am totally new to boating, I just don't have a clue at the moment. Whilst I don't mind messing about with painting, maintenance and fittings and fixtures, I don't think it's a good idea for me to mess with water and electrics. At least, with your replies, I'll be able to ask the right questions and sound like I know what I'm on about!
  5. Hello all, Thanks very much for your replies. I don't have a large area to sand so it's not worth dry docking it, but I do want to stop as many contaminants as possible going in the water. So I will go with my original plan and attach the vac handle. But I will now be extra cautious not to drop it in the water. I have a fairly wide pontoon and can work from inside with the vacuum hooked up. Fingers crossed I don't make too much of a pigs ears of it!
  6. Another 'brilliant invention' I've come up with that someone has beaten me too...
  7. I have long thought that narrowboat windows should come with a slanted aluminium drip tray that collects the condensation and channels it through a small, rubber lined weep hole in the bottom corner of a window, thus protecting the wood and helping moisture escape. Would be interested to know if anyone thinks this is/ isn't feasible.
  8. Hello, New boat owner here. If this subject has been tackled before, please feel free to point me toward that thread. The stern of our trad is rather rusty, so my understanding is that I need to sand it, apply rust treatment and then paint. As my boat is in the water, how do I sand it without causing damage to the water/ wildlife? Is it suitable to use a hand sander with a vacuum attachment? Thanks, Gemma
  9. Hi gang, Just trying to get an idea of what might be going on with my water system, so I can decide what to do next. We have a 36ft trad. The water tank is at the front under the bow, calorifier under the bed toward the back and overflow pipe into the bilge at the back. Problem is only happening when there is water in the water tank. There is a step up from the cabin to the bow. Sometimes we are finding a significant amount of water pooling around the step. Inside the step is dry, the back of the step is dry. I am not sure where the water is coming from, other than I have a hunch it's from the main tank. The water pump makes a whirring sound every 5 to 10 minutes. The overflow pipe into the bilge is continuously dripping and the bilge needs emptying every 2 days. I have, for now, emptied all the water from the tank and switched off the water pump. I've left it for a week and there is no water in the bilge. Any ideas/ experience would be gratefully received. Thanks, Gemma
  10. Hi all, Thanks so much for the help. We went with GJW in the end as they were the most helpful and transparent with my many, many queries. I will be making sure that I take Mum and Dad out a few times and am confident in their abilities before setting them loose alone. Pleased to say we completed the purchase on our first ever boat today and our insurance has kicked in. So if you see a little green trad called Teazel out and about then please say 'hi'. Can't wait to meet people and be a part of this community. Best wishes, Gemma
  11. Thanks Howardang. I have indeed gone to quite a few insurance companies and asked, but I don't seem to be getting any replies. So I thought I would ask here to try and narrow my search before I start calling every company Google throws up at me. Totally new to this and grateful for any advice and tips that people have the time to spare.
  12. Thanks Chewbacka, do you mind me asking who your insurance company is? I can't imagine us lending it more that 2 - 3 times a year so I don't want to make life complicated for myself.
  13. Hello, We are getting our first boat next month and we have a lot of family members and friends who are already asking if they would be allowed to borrow it for a weekend. Whilst I have absolutely no problem lending her out to the more responsible people I know, I'm not quite sure where we stand with insurance. To be clear, we absolutely would NOT be hiring the boat out for any profit. I am only talking about letting mum, dad, best mates go off for a long weekend without us (the owners). They would only pay for any fuel/ pump outs that they used. Would they be covered under our insurance? Do we have to get special insurance or make a request of the insurance company? Or would it be better if individuals got their own insurance for the year (still cheaper than hiring a boat for a weekend)? Any advice greatly appreciated as we need to purchase insurance in the next week. Thanks, Gemma
  14. Thanks chaps. Going to see an R&D boat on the weekend, and it looks like they have a good reputation so that's another tick in its favour.
  15. Rusty you are a beauty!
  16. Hi, Has anyone heard of R A Denton as a boatbuilder and know of their reputation? Can't find any information on Google. Thanks, Gemma
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