RickS

Hadn't considered not removing them but that's a good idea. I might just treat the rust spots and paint over them. Thanks Richard

Thanks Col_T, I presume bungess are easily replaced? Nice one Graham. A whole world of possibilities! Definitely going to see what my options are with the fitter Thanks Macpoint005. I think a combination of fixings is seeming a sensible idea

Bugger! hadn't thought about that - good point. Thanks AdE Thanks Graham, I suppose it largely depends on what the fitter is able, or wants, to fit. I think I shall have to have that discussion

Thanks for that tehmarks. I did wonder whether press studs might be difficult to fit if material shrinks with varying conditions - I think I am happy with bungee concept having thought about it more Encouraging thought, thanks Ian F B

The fitter I went to are A J Canopies, and, as I say, they seem to have a good rep. They fit using bungees rather than studs. I suppose there must be more than one way to fit one ?

Thanks AdE and Tracy for the advice. Sounds nice and simple I can't get rid of the quote once I pressed the button so my quote above pbviously does not apply to you both. Tonka, that's interesting. The fitter in question has a good reputation as far as I can ascertain and was recommended by more than one person, so not sure how to react to 'obviously'. You may be right but I have no way of knowing as I have not dealt with any fitter before. I haven't paid any deposit yet so wondering if the fact that they use bungees rather than press studs means I should go elsewhere?

I have just arranged for a new cratch cover to be made and fitted and need to remove the old press studs. The new cover will be fitted using hooks and bugee cords apparently. The old studs are in good nick but the paint around them is in various stages of decay and rust. Do I drill, grind or, as I have read elsewher, unscrew please? What is the best way to fill the holes after they are out? Thanks, as always, for your advice

Thanks everyone for your replies, very helpful. I will check facilities are available at the boatyard - slipway, heated dock etc but in all liklihood will wait to do the blacking until Spring next year possibly. As far as overheating goes, my engine is being looked at elsewhere for possible head gasket issues. The internal keel tank was not thought to be up to the jobe (possibly, but may have been something else) - neither wer the trombone pipes on the outside that replced it, so, when I get my engine back I will be getting an external one welded on. Size to be determined, but larger than needed rather than the alternative Thanks again

Afternoon all. I am hoping to get an external skin tank welded on my boat but the chap I would like to do it is busy until Autumn, or to be more exact, the boatyard he works from hasn't got any availability until October at the earliest. It was proposed that it would be sensible to do the blacking at the same time to save on the cost of lifting it out of the water twice. Reading some other posts on this forum, it would seem that people don't recommend that time of year to do blacking, and that Spring/Summer would be better. Coukld someone confirm that for me please as I don't want to get it wrong. Also, how long should I allow for the boat to be out of the water for the blacking? It is 66 feet long and, again from other posts, I am guessing about a week? Thanks

Thanks you AdE, very useful. I have a 12V fridge at the moment but it is quite old and tatty but wasn't going to replace because of the cost. This info gives me more options Really interesting stuff on that website. Not sure I'm up to doing the conversion but not ruling it out either. Thanks

Can I just check something that was said earlier - running an inverter and a 230V fridge uses about the same LX as a 12V fridge directly off the batteries? That's really interesting. Would that be because 230V fridges are more efficient than 12V ones? I am assuming that the inverter is a reasonably efficient one.

Thanks BlueStringPudding. I think that I could have made better choices to begin with, but hindsight is wonderful. I will in all likelihood go with what I have. It is good to hear that it can work Good tip, Thanks for that Ah right, I get it now. I admit to originally being slightly confused. i hope to cut out some inspection holes in the floor and corresponding vinyl as there are none at present. Trick will be where to locate them so they don't show up like a bulldog's bits if I don't make a neat job of it

I thought you meant rough, just wanted to be sure. Would that not make the vinyl a pig to stick anyway? I understand what Sir Percy meant by thrteshold (although I didn't make that clear) I just wasn't sure how that was pertinent to getting access to the bilge - unless they were two different strands which i took as one. I looked at Artco but couldn't seem to find a supplier - proabab;y should look harder.

Cheers Feeby100. Bought it all in Sep 2020. Phoned B & Q yesterday to see what they say as there is 135 day return policy. My point was that it has sat in the boat during lockdown so there was less (just) than 135 useful days. Chap on the phone said 'go to the local branch, they may give you a credit note' Fair enough, but I may stick (no pun intended) with it if I can be sure of a suitable sub-surface

Thanks firesprite & Detling, good to know that it has worked for some. Thanks Lady G - I am hoping to try and mitigate any movement in the floor it may be laid on. Forgive my presumption, but do you mean more smooth rather than less smooth?

Thanks Bee. No access to bottom of the boat at the moment, but did think of cuttiing out discs to access it before laying any floor. Thanks Sir Percy. It would be silly if I already had access, but I don't. Will try and cut some access before laying anything (with matching holes in any flooring laid) Not 100% sure what you mean about crossing threshold etc, but assume the gist is about retaing some sort of access to bilge Thanks Tracy. Carpet tiles certainly worth thinking about in other areas of boat where I don't have enough vinyl, or possibly instead of

Thanks Blackrose. It's not the product I have an issue with per se, it's what to lay it on really. I too, have heard that it is quite good, I am just not convinced that the bumpiness of the shutter ply type underfloor won't show through without something underneath

Sounds worth a look, thanks. I can't get the hang of deleting duplicate quotes, so forgive the confusion No, can't get rid of the blasted things No problem at all with spelling corrections - I type fast and I have large hands ? really should get in the habit or reading my replies before posting though! I don't have an issue with the product itself and its longevity, I just want to find out what to lay it on considering the existing flooring is shutter ply.

I am beginning to think this might not be a bad idea - although I won't throw it away, its about £130 worth ? Back to the drwaing board possibly so will look at suggestions above more closely now

Ah, LadyG, thanks . I think I should have asked the question some time ago before i had bought the flooring - too late to take it back I think, bought well before the last lockdown. So, have to persevere with what i've got Thanks Blackrose. I'm beginning to feel I have bought the wrong product! Sadly I have to go with what I've got, but good info for the rest of the boat (bedroom at least) as I have only bought enough of the B & Q adhesive vinyl for the saloon at present.

Thanks for that. Would I need to use adhesive? Could I not just nail the layer down with thin headless pins or similar? Skimming the joints and nail head sounds good, if nailing is OK Thanks Ex Brummie. Unfortunately I have already bought the vinyl planks in a burst of over-eagerness. Similar reply to Tonka, thank you. Not sure why Karndean would be better? isn't the same thickness but considerably more expensive? I presume the quality may well be better but isn't thickness the key issue?

Hello I am taking up the old, tatty carpet on most of the boat with a view to laying adhesive vinyl planks from B & Q. The ply that I found under the carpet looks like shutter ply and, although sound, it is not the smoothest surface and i worry that all the bumps would show through the thin vinyl. What would be the best thing to do, lay a thin but smooth 6mm ply over the top first, or seal the shutter ply with something which would both seal and smooth out the imperfections - latex, PVA based? Thanks for usual help and advice

It sticks about about 2 inches above the deck that the filler cap(?) is in so it can't be an overflow - I hadn't thought about overflows as it was pointed out as breather by the surveyor.

Thanks Tracy. I'm certainly not advocating continuing the bodge, just pointing out that the situation as it is seems like a bodge and so asking advice about whether the previous suggestions would still hold or whether some new course of action would be advised. So I can only assume that you are saying to continue with the suggestion of putting one of those fittings onto the plastic pipe would be a further bodge? What exactly would 'having the job done properly entail' ? frahkn - I'n not sure that it's an overflow or not, it extends vertically from the deck about 2 inches,

I hear you Tracy. I assumed rubber, but plastic more likely - OD about 3/4" and walls of pipe about 3-4 mm thick and slightly flexible. What would be the best course of action? There is no access to the tank apart from the filler hole, so getting hands in there to do up a nut etc is not going to be possible - at least not with hands the size of mine ?