Oddjob

Head gasket gone gas getting into coolant side hence bubbles.

What happens as long as the system is not a sealed pressure system is if pump fails water in the back boiler turned to steam and the expansion pushes the water in the pipe back into the header tank which now over flows and dumps the water on the floor/bilge then if you have plastic pipes near the fire they melt. This I know as just before I brought my boat the broker got the fire going to show a buyer but did not turn on the pump and above took place. When I got the boat I found water in the bilge and when I asked the marina based engineer he told me the story. Cleaned out the water and no more issues. I plan to move the pump to a better place as access is under the bed stowage so I have to empty the stowage to get to the pump. I plan to replace the pump before next winter as it’s a new pump in September 2019 as it was leaking will replace as prevention is better than cure in this case as it’s running 24x7 now. It was only £70 so not to much for peace of mind

Another good one was now working for Dan Air as fleet engineer engineer on A300’s. after winter check carried out at British airways Gatwick I was taxing aircraft to carry out high power engine runs just as aircraft started to move a quick dab of brakes just to make sure there working on the master green system and guess what no brakes at all nothing pedals flat as a pancake. Now moving towards active runway with no brakes mind going 100 mph ok turn off anti skid system that puts us on the yellow system brakes but it takes 20 seconds for the relays etc to change it was a long 20 secs that’s for sure. Also at Gatwick taxing a DC 10 had total radio failure that got the control towers attention lol. Fix was 1 click for yes two clicks of the mic button for no they then sent a yellow follow me wagon to lead the way. All in a days work lol. Now moving at 3 mph on a NB but you still need to keep your wits about you.

Towing balls up, when I was a mechanic at Laker Airways Gatwick I was told to go and collect a DC10 from stand 20 and bring to the hanger ASAP as hanger staff were ready to start work on it. Big rush so I set off with another guy who was to sit in the flt deck operate the brakes. Put tow bar on backed up the tug bar was just a little out of line for the pin to fit backed up a bit and heard the pin drop in this is where the mistake takes place I did not check the pin it had NOT passed through the eye of the tow bar. So called up the tower asked and got clearance to back off the stand and go to the hanger, backing up was fine as the bar was jammed in the tug fitting but when I put on the brakes the tow bar fell off and said DC10 rolled down the taxi way backwards on its own. When the guy in the flt deck saw me jumping up and down he slammed on the brakes and the nose wheel came about 1 foot off the ground I thought that’s it it will sit on it’s rear end. All was good in the end got connected up and got to the hanger after getting inside the hanger I got a round of applause the news had got there before me. Much fun was had working there it was a sad day it closed down in Feb 1982

I am not fended at all I’ve been working all over the world since I was 22 @ 22 I was sent to Nigeria for two years working on helicopters. The point is with CC’s is even if you count us where to you build a old people’s home place for us I could be counted in London but need a old people’s home place in Manchester. Anyway when the time comes off back to India nice and warm and home help available and affordable. I went there for two years in 1990 thinking I was going to starve as I hated Indian food lol Returned to UK after 7 years with a wife and 2 sons loving Indian food. Point is most like 87% of Indian places in the UK are in fact run by Bangladeshi’s so not Indian lol.

I don't think wearing a sari would work doing locks lol. Why do we need to be counted anyway? My permanent home is between two houses in India one in Calcutta and our main home is in Goa, CC's while on boat in UK. Wife has a UK passport because of marriage to me, she is half Irish half German but born and brought up in India and I have a "overseas citizen of India" card because I am married to her so I can live in India, so best of both worlds for the both of us. So who counts us? No one that's who. If some job's worth find us on the tow path on the day then I will fill it out but I am not going to make a fuss about it that's for sure.

I used a 240 v freezer and it was fine on shore power but blew its circuit board twice on the travel pack alt while cruising so stay away from household domestic fridge freezer it was a beco and I got short shift from them also when I spoke to them about it. Just got a shoreline chest freezer yesterday so my camping freezer goes on gumtree tomorrow. it’s a 55 lt need something bigger because of Christmas and lock down as we are cc’s

Not boat related but a f#*k up as a licenced aircraft engineer. I was doing a engine change on one of my companies DC10 cargo aircraft in Bombay India leased a engine from Air India which was for a A300, basic engine the same Cf6-50C2 just some power plant items to change over for a DC fit. Having got the engine in and connected went to fit a small air pipe and guess what I had forgot to change over from A300 to DC10 and yes engine had to come out to change it over man was I pissed off, the mechanics where having a good laugh at my expense. Lol

Same issue with cars and Ethanol in the petrol, the old rubber type seals swell up. I had 1973 Triumph trident had to make sure all seals were the new E10 proof type.

Temp at 35 k ft can go do - 65 the issue with the BA777 was 9 hours at cruise alt with no change in engine power setting during flt in jet A1 fuel there is always water in the fuel. Ice built up on the inside of the fuel lines which when the aircraft started to descend started to warm up again the aircraft was still not using big increases in power the on short finals and at max drag a larger demand in power was required the ice broke of and the design of the fuel oil heater allowed to ice to block the inlet to the fuel heater hence no power and the aircraft belly flopped just short of the runway with some classic Ba piloting skills saving the day. fuel heat exchanger design now changed to stop this happening again. But I still say keep tanks full when leaving the boat

Buy a toaster!

Empty tank or a not full tank increases condensation which allows “Diesel bug” to leave on the boundary of the fuel and water. Aircraft have the same issue hence water drain done before and after every refuelling. Each tank has a drain point on the lowest point of the tank it’s nothing to get 1/4 to 1/2 a pint out of each tank, more if lazy out stations not doing the drains on the turn round. Biobor is what is used to add to the fuel to kill the bugs. I’ve seen a A320 scrapped as beyond repair with corrosion in the wings due bug infestation.

If you have one of these installed my advice is check all bolts are tight and not sheared off. I have a Shire with one and it sheared 4 bolts and dumped all the engine oil in the bilge as it was attached to a blanking plate on the engine which allowed all the engine oil to escape. No damage to engine as I got there just as low pressure warning went off. Just seen YouTube video with the same issue. For access engine had to come out this did give me the chance to clean out all the oil and rubbish that finds its way into the bilge then two pack paint the bilge. All back together now but I will keep an eye on the attachments on the future. Also engine mounts shot so replaced also drive plate as it’s an engine out job to replace so now should be good for foreseeable future.

Best reason for a steel boat is at end of life it can be recycled but what do you do with tons of GRP? Same as aircraft the 787 fuselage is carbon fibre what do you do with at end of life carbon fibre coke tins lol.it As to electric what harm is done making shed loads of batteries which have a limited life span. The thing to look at is the carbon foot print over the items complete life birth, use and death. A few years back a Jeep Wrangler was best for this as its mostly steel little plastic and limited electronics so overall came out top for life time carbon foot print.

Not me I’m stuck with engine removal required lol

What needs to come first is to have all engines fitted with catalytic convertor so this cuts down pollution new boats to have from now and old boats within a fews years say next BSS. My 2nd point is what % of total diesel used in the UK do boats use. So much expense for so little gain. With electric cars sucking up all the batteries price will not drop so much.

marina I am in now has a very low power feed and the power company wants £200,000 to upgrade so not all marinas will find this a option.

As we live in India ( wife born there all be she is half Irish half German lol)when not here on the boat all our toilets in both flats have these have these. When buy a house off plan you can have these which are called European or hole in the ground type called Indian.

Aircraft use vacuum bogs they just vent the toilet tank to outside and the 6 to 7 PSI cabin pressure diff does the rest (hence that rushing sound when you flush that's the cabin air rushing down the bowl) to clean pipework they have ice making machines in the hangers and you put a bucket of crushed ice down and flush (on the ground vacuum pump used) and job done. The idea of the ice is it can't get stuck as it just melts.

But with a house you know it's yours when it's done and dusted with a boat there is always a chance that someone turns up and tells you "sorry mate it don't belong to you". With a car you can see if there is outstanding finance but a narrowboat nothing. There should be a register with CRT using boat s/n which is welded on the hull (boat vin #) to say who the rightful owner is and if there is a loan outstanding. Then buyers are safe from buying nicked stuff it would not be full proof but better than now as its 100% on trust. Even the brokers put a clause in the contract you can't hold them accountable if it turns up nicked or with outstanding loans on the boat. Paying £50,60k + on trust does make you think should I do this deal or not.

When I went passed a boat moored on pontoon, on knocking on the boat for a word took one look and thought "I would rather stand naked in a covid 19 ward" as it was a health hazard, only got a grunt in reply from booze, drugs or both, I left him or her to it and went on my way. He was so close to the lock you could not use near side gate as then no room to get past and the off side was open and no way to get to it to close it as I was going up. Answer was to use nappy pin on a rope to hook the gate then, pull it closed.

If they got a boat it would only be to catch "Speeders" lol

Now had a reply from home office from a real person not some auto answering bot which were first 3 were, Yes as a CC with no home address in UK boat is good to isolate for 14 days, so all's good.

Has anyone on here give their boat name as a point of isolation for 14 days after returning from overseas. My Wife is in India where our permanent home is but wants to come to UK. We only have our boat and no house in uk we are on a cc license as I leave it at which ever marina I am near to when I leave uk so don’t have a marina address.