Paolo Reale

Great, that would be really helpful. It's been a real education communicating with you. As a new narrow boat owner, Canal world is proving invaluable!

Thanks again. I'll check engine mountings in the morning. I assume these are the"feet" on which the engine is bolted to the hull?

This is really helpful Catweasle. I'll get some silicone grease tomorrow and start the process of flushing out the K99. Would you suggest l do this for a few mornings in a row until the the"white" coloured stuff stops coming through?

Thanks. I attach a couple of photos, one of the flexible bearing and the other showing how much drips out after a day chugging. Any further thoughts would be welcomed. Sorry about the quality of pics!

Thanks to you all for such a quick response. Concerned that I was advised by a chandlers to use K9. I assumed this was sylicon, but obviously not. Will the K9 do any damage?

Recently posted about a slight leak from my water cooled stern gland. We're currently 2 weeks into a 5 week trip. I've put in more k99 in the hope that might solve it, but to no avail. Difficult question, but would it be ok to continue like this for the reminder of the trip, or do I need to get it looked at? Any suggestions would be gratefully received.

Sorry, meant alternator?

On our travels, been checking the oil etc and noticed the battery reader was showing v. low charge, despite 7 hrs cruising. Then noticed a lose blue wire coming from the distributor but not plugged in and wondered if this was the issue. Any thoughts?

Thanks for the prompt response Tony. Excuse the ignorance, but could you elaborate a bit more on "prop fouling" and "alignment" please? Thanks Paolo

Hi, Just noticed a very small leak from my water cooled stern gland. I'm told that taking off a small nut with an Allen key and injecting a bit of silecon grease may solve it. Does this sound right or could it be more serious? Thanks

Thanks to to all. Your responses have been really helpful.

Thanks to all who have replied to my post so quickly - it's been really helpful. I'll check to see if I have or can fit an immersion heater to my calorifier - sounds like a good idea when hooked up. Two final questions (I hope) - when fitting the element - I think I could do this myself - I assume you need to drain the calorifier first - then get someone to wire it to the mains electric circuit? Also, I assume you then have to fit a switch, much like an immersion heater at home that you can use to just heat up the water when needed?

Thanks Tony, it's good to know that I'm not stupidly missing something obvious. And thanks for the advice re. isolation taps - I have found taps seemingly leading from the Eber' to the first rad' in the bedroom and wondered what they were for. Perhaps one will isolate the rads' while keeping the calorifier in the loop as you suggest. Finally what's a "heater boss" under the insulation? Also thanks to Phil for googling my image - why didn't I think of that? !! There's no freezer on board, so I assume it's a now a defunct thermostat for the Eber as you suggest.

Hi, I'm new to narowboat ownership and have a basic question about hot water. Our boat has a duel coil calorifier and Eberspacher heater. Up until now hot water has been created via cruising - so the engine produces the hot water or by the central heating being on and hot water created that way. Now it's summer (ish), and we're currently in our marina is there an obvious way to heat domestic hot water without running the engine for an hour each day or indeed putting the heating on? Is it just as simple as turning the radiators off and running the Eberspacher? A possible related issue is that I have a small control unit/thermostat at the foot of our bed that is wired into the calorifier which is located under the bed. It doesn't work (never has since owing her) and I wondered if this was a means of heating water without turning on the heater or engine? I attach a photo of the unit - any help would be gratefully received.