RickS

Thanks Opener.I think, in light of what Loddon was saying about sticking to irregular surfaces, I will go with the black Gorilla tape.

Thanks again Loddon. Smooth paint around the hatch so hopeful of it sticking but I hear what you are saying about it being dry. Good to know it's maybe not as lengthy a job as I thought but not 100% if its from the hatch itself or somewhere around it ie a crack in the sealant too small to see - that can't be right but I know water can travel in mysterious ways, its wonder to behold. Thanks Quattrodave for the links. Aluminium tape sounds promising. I think its between that and Gorilla gaffa. F Drayke - err, not sure if you are being serious or not. If you are, I'm not convinced that would work but thanks for the input

Cheers Loddon. I have cheap gaffa and it's rubbish in the wet. What brand would you call decent - Gorilla for example?

Afternoon I thought I had a condensation issue with my Houdini hatch, but it is now evident that water is getting through somewhere, somehow. I should have noticed the old water damage on the ceiling plywood, but didn't put two and two together. I have looked on the roof and can't see an obvious route for the ingress but isn't that always the way with water. Anyway, i don't want to be taking the hatch out and dealing with it at this time of year so my plan is to cover the hatch on the outside with plastic sheet and tape round the edges until the weather is better suited to the task. My question is what tape should I use to stick it down with? I have cheap duct tape but that is frankly rubbish when it gets wet. I am not too bothered if it slightly damages the paint when it is lifted as the roof is going to be painted when the weather is warmer too. Thanks for your help

You are right. The closed season is middle of March to the middle of June and it still exists. Just read another post about the closed season not applying to canals - did not know that so Googled it and they are right. Every day a schoolday, although don't angle myself so it's a bit of a moot point Bit late to the party I think !

I already have my phone's SIM with Smarty Loddon (£10 for 30Gb data), but if I implement the two SIM card idea, then i will happily go via your link. The £6 deal sounds perfect for the phone, just have to sort out a large / unlimited one for a potential router - thanks for the info john6767

Doesn't that mean that you then have to have two SIM cards, one for the phone and one for the router for those times when you are off the boat and want to use the phone? I suppose a cheap plan with unlimited calls for the phone and a larger (unlimited?) amount of data for the router. Bit more than £20 for the two, but I suppose not much. Can you get copies of a SIM so essentially the same one is in both?

Thanks James. I assume the SIM card goes into this and the phone becomes redundant as a hotspot? I like Loddon's solution too, but it may be too expensive fr me. Wouldn't it be perfect if somehow one could attach an aerial direct to the phone so that the phone could be used as the mobile hotspot - only one SIM card needed then Thanks again

James, I have a similar requirement to OP. I have googled but only found reference to a Huawei E5573. Is that what you mean? Is it rechargeable-battery operated? I have seen a Huawei E5783B-230 on Amazon, which is a travel W0Fi hotspot, not sure if an external aerial can be connected to this - suspect not. Ta

+1 for Willow Wren. Very professional. Nice people

Essentially, yes. I find I am unreasonably nervous about this first trip. Someone at the marina has been in touch so should be OK. I don't mind the walk to be honest, but others have suggested taxis too Thanks for the info, much appreciated That is a good option, thanks David Thanks john6767, good to know. I have had a few people pointing out the kinks in Braunston tunnel, which I grateful for, as on the Ordnance Survey map, the tunnel show straight as an arrow!

Not sure if this is the right sub-forum for this. I have to move the boat 4 miles to Braunston on Friday 22nd October from Welton Hythe marina. Now this is the first time I have driven it, and the first time it will have been driven for 18 months - long story. I have been on many hire holidays in the past and am quite happy steering etc, and have recently done the 2-day helmsman's course, but this will be my first time driving this boat and my fisrt time single handing. Long story short, if there is anyone out there willing, experienced and able to accompany me on this short journey (1 tunnel and ~ 6 locks) I would be most grateful. I am happy to pay £50 plus lunch when we get to Braunston. As for the return, we can either walk back or I can walk back and get the car, then go back to Braunston to pick whomever up. Thanks

Ah didn't realise it was a separate item, thought it was part of the controller setup. At the kind of price it's going for it seems crazy not to if it makes charging the batteries easier and more efficient. Thanks

Just looked up the difference on the interweb and yes, I do mean MCB (RCD was just a generic term I had floating around, but I should learn to be more exact in my terminology) Thanks again

Do I? Good to know and just shows how little I know. Thanks Tracy Thanks Jen. I am hoping to get the controller as close as I can to the batteries. Between 1 and 2 metres maximum. Will that range be enough to make a difference in diameter needed? Hadn't thought about the size of the hole in the controller, good point. Thanks matty I am going to say yes as the Victron model is the Smart Solar with Bluetooth built in, but haven't got my head around the settings yet.

I am going to be installing solar and wondered about the diameter of the cable needed from the MPPT controller to the batteries. The controller is a Victron 100/50 and will have two 295W panels connected to it, wired in series. The options seem to be 10mm squared or 16mm squared and I'm not sure which would be the most suitable. Also, plan to have an inline fuse close to the positive terminal of the battery bank and wanted to know what size fuse to use. Would a fuse be better than an RCD switch? If so any dos and don'ts? Thanks for you help

Thanks Tony1. I will look for that thread. I hadn't thought of lateral force being a possible issue but as a new boater it is possible I may bash into stuff at first. I looked at those magnet mounts too on Bimble's site.

Thanks Alan, I misunderstood David's post. I thought he was indicating that that was the problem with UFO vents rather than the method of isntallation. That is lot more encouraging and worth looking into more. Now I need to find one that requires the same size hole through the roof as the mushroom vent. i read earlier, I think, that they are the same, although was told by someone else that the UFO vents used a smaller diameter hole - I suppose it depends on whether my mushroom vents are 'standard' or not I have about 8 mushroom vents on my 66 foot boat, and not all on the centre line, a couple off to the side, so I think losing one should still be OK - but I will double check before any removal

Read the first part of your post and thought 'yes, I can just change my mushroom vents for lower UFO types', then read the rest! Thanks for the info David, not neccessarily what I wanted to hear 🙂 but good to know . No point just changing one problem for another.

I have no idea why it is quoting Tony1 but with no content - I must have pressed something. Anyway, thanks all for the input. Actually, to reply to your post Tony1, that is interesting about the panels being above the mushrooms not being a problem in bridges / tunnels. I think if I am going to use a mount that needs holes in the roof, then I will go with something simpler and keep the mushroom. Ideally, I would not make holes and get rid of the mushroom, but not sure if I'm just making another problem further down the road. In which case, some sort of corner mount I can Sikaflex down or possibly magnets ?

Good point. It was something that I thought about, but I've got more mushroom vents on the roof than you can shake a stick at so removing one needn't be a problem. I haven't done a final calculation yet, just wanted to see what my options were 🙂 I'm not how a magazine rack would be useful on the ceiling - maybe as a conversation piece ? Thanks for the advice Tracy. I hadn't thought of using the same screw holes as for the vent. I assumed it would have to be welded.

Wonder if anyone could give me some advice please. There is a mushroom where a solar panel is going (I won't bore anyone as to why it has to be ther, but it does) and not sure best way to deal with it. First idea is to have those swivel brackets and have the panel, at its lowest, flat point, just above the mushroom. Worried that this might still be a bit high in low tunnels etc. Next idea was to change mushroom for one of those lower UFO looking vents, although that may not be straightforward as the hole size is different (I'm told). Final thought was to remove and overplate, in which case, I could fix the panels with a mounting that doesn't mean drilling holes in the roof. Just don't know what to do for the best, so advice would be greatly appreciated

I'm looking at replacing my batteries - that is really useful. You must have spent a considerable amount of time on it which is much appreciated. One question though - the 'score' at least for the great, good and OK, seems to be counter-intuitive - zero for great, 1 for good and 2 for OK. Am I missing something? Probably! 😀

Having looked at the link Tony Brooks kindly sent, as well as other sites, I have narrowed my choices down a bit. I know it's an unfair thing to ask as it is very subjective, but would appreciate it if any of these make you throw up your hands in horror more than anything else. My choices are: Numax CXV31MF 105Ah (engine starter?) £99 Numax L110 / M110 110Ah £91.50 PowerPlus L110 110AH £100 A28 Varta Hobby 110Ah £110 as I say, it's mainly to stop me making a hideously bad purchase if at all possible. They are all, aprt from the CXV31MF, non-sealed. Thanks

Thanks for that Tony, very useful