Guest

I think the thing is that you're not really using a compost loo on a boat @peterboat. You're using 'compost loo + large garden (+ wasteland)'. So, you're happy becasue you (with your + large garden) can compost and, (with your + wasteland) can empty wee in a variety of spots so it doesn't kill off grass in one patch (I know there are horticultural uses for wee but think it is mostly dilute/processed in some way). For those of us with more of a '[some kind of boat] loo + couple of plant pots aboard/on pontoon + busy and largely paved towpath' type set up composting would never happen and liquids really would have to go in an elsan. However I'm not really using just a pump out loo. I'm using a 'pump out + pump out machine on home mooring pontoon' (there is an elsan, but it is around the corner and near a loo I'd rather use than a cassette in emergencies). So, neither of us anyway are really 'self sufficient' aboard. Probably only sea loos are really...

So, I popped into my local motorcycle shop... the mitts they had were HUGE. But the lovely chap there (who apparently kayaks) suggested that pogies (basically the same thing - but for rowers, and, apparently, kayakers) might do the trick. I've not been in a rowing club for _years_ (and it was a point of honour not to use pogies when I was) but think he may have a point. Will report back if I try it! Oh, and I'm now really fond of those Midland [Whoevers]. They helpfully popped me an extra couple of fender hooks in to an order when I told them I wanted somewhere between one and two pack sizes :-)

Thanks all. Yes, @philjw and @Alan de Enfield, (not sure why that didn't link for you), that is sort of the appearance - hence the question. She is a 2005 Darke so not ex-hire - suspect not been used for an awful lot of cruising, although don't know the full history. (Owner before last and most recent ones didn't do much I think). I'll try a little trip in her as is (not yet in the water) and have a look at how much extra length is/isn't do-able. I suppose a short term fix until I decide on if I'm going to end up cutting/get a wood turner to make me a nice short handle/? might be to see if a rubber grip can be added around the existing part - fingers will freeze otherwise!

Sooo... I've bought exactly one tiller handle thingy in my life and it came attached to my tiller extension which came with my boat. Now I have new boat with much longer fixed tiller which is the same width all along and hollow inside. Are they sometimes designed to be used 'as is' or do I buy just the handle part of a tiller extension (ie no extension!)? Are they a standard width? Do I just push fit handle in? (Presumably no tiller pin?)

Kind of personal choice - but also... I've never owned a garden in my life and I do think tipping wee straight onto the grass on the tow path/in a local park is a bit antisocial? I was (child seat issues aside) happy to use one when somewhere with land - it just doesn't work in an urban centre/for those without their own property. And where I am a garden would cost a heck of a lot more than 20quid (or whatever) a shot pump out :-)

So, I nearly agree with @mrsmelly... except we need three disposal points 1) garden (fantastically available, particularly to liveaboards/anyone in the S East/a metropolis/etc) 2) elsan (for liquids if you don't use the garden/ever cruise from it) 3) mystery third place for the stuff no one can tell me which hole takes? I have found a child seat now though @peterboat - available for a mere 65quid from somewhere up north for anyone wanting to rush out to buy one...

I don't know - I was genuinely asking which hole menstrual blood should go down? Can't find the info on manufacturers' sites... regarding kids the only answer I've found is 'fine once they can use an adult sized seat'... Out of interest does your compost actually get used for horticulture?

Yep - have both seen and used and held a baby over whilst potty training. You can't expect a little kid on an adult sized seat to segregate liquids/solids... they are just too small. And those were a land-based ones with (100s of) acres of land for the poop to go on. It isn't going to be compost by 3 months and for those without a garden it likely never will be... Plus, you still have to get rid of the liquids. By which point we're back to the elsan debate (assuming no garden etc)... Oh, AND I've now read (seemed like it was worth a quick google) that a recommended 'menstruating with compost loo' technique is to use one of those moon cup things and empty it straight into plant pots avoiding the 'which hole does it go in' question all together. So, I'm now never visiting a narrowboat with one. ?

Yep, as long as one can afford a garden property to continuously moor along side / have no smaller ppl aboard ones boat / can work out which hole to pop menstrual blood down that'd be dead handy. Actually - real question... Blood in the fluids bit or the solids bit? And how does one limbo that (whilst one has one foot balanced on top of the smaller compost loo with holes the right distance apart for kids and the other cosily snuggled against the nice bin bag pile one hasn't yet popped onto the garden for n months?

Some people don't like leasehold for not dissimilar reasons (there are leasehold flats near me with service charges of over 12k/yr - but that does include maintenance of the block's swimming pool, and probably doesn't include such a nice view by anyone's standards...). As long as people are well-informed on purchase, *shrug*...

Canal were built for working boats. I'm kind of OK with anyone who is actually using their boat for haulage being a snob about leisure/liveaboards. Anyone else can float on by... I mean I'm not sure I see the point in retired couples trying to tick off different bits of the waterways/collect those little brass plates (can't see the market for an equivalent set of 'I once drove down the M3' style ones!). I absolutely don't 'get' CC-ing through choice. I'm indifferent to cycling and I'm positively anti-fishing. But I'm _fine_ with ppl using the waterways to do those things. If someone wants a floating flat/caravan, good luck to them! Those exercising snobbery should be far too busy campaigning for the (re)introduction of more of those little (well, horse-sized, so, not tiny) escape ramps for when their working horses take an unscheduled dip. Oh, hang on...

On some boats that is what counts as a 'gauge'!

See, I'd tend to think that an amount of 'funding' of elsan points is kind of fine - I'm grateful, in a similar way, for the provision of council bins becasue the alternatives (where wd ppl empty?!?) are horrid. I'm privileged to be willing and able to afford the luxury of pumpouts (which are going to cost more to maintain and operate than elsans - why should ppl only really using a slightly glorified hole fund my fancy electric suction?). However as a dog owner I'm now a much more regular (and revolting) user of council bins than I used to be... So, thanks all you cat ppl! Re: embarrassment... Any dog (or other non-cat pet) owner / parent / carer for an elderly parent / ... basically anyone who LIVES has to deal with sh1t. Anyone walking (being carried in their sedan chair?!?) along the towpath who has never had to deal with such realities is welcome to an education :-)

Erm, they are for when on shore power... I'm planning to disconnect that for cruising! The anodes can sit inside my kart fenders on the roof for cruising. I'm thinking not a huge amount more effort as I'm walking along the gunnels pulling up fenders to retrieve an anode or two :-)

Yep. (And do appreciate the size/cost thing doesn't help either.) Fortunately the only acces to mooring where they will be used wd be via non-moored boat into small, very overlooked, basin (with very limited pre-booked visitor mooringings the other side of razor wire to mine) or via swimming. Then walking along gunnels of my boat immediately adjacent to two others. All of us liveaboard. I may pop them into a scruffy bag / under an inverted plant pot or smthing when they sit on roof for cruising.

I was thinking I needed one connection - 'wire from anode to some part of hull' - and then it wd hang in the water near the hull?

Re-bolt-on ones thank you all - the pictures help lots. I'd seen some where there was (I think?) a welded on sort of holder/set of bolts with just lozenge shaped anode-ish parts bolted on and I was a bit concerned you were reliant on continuous supply of exactly the right sized anodes and also welding in the first place. The single bolt ones get around both those things ? Making the connection on the inside might be good too actually. I have one capped little pipe in a hole (it is a couple of inches along from, and the same size and at the same height as a used outlet but the other side of a bulkhead - suspect a drilling error during fit-out TBH) which I could easily un-cap to pass a cable through.

Never! That might disturb the coots in the tyre I'm fitting (in addition to fenders and specifically for the purpose of water fowl nesting).* *And you don't know that I'm not even joking... Ooh, super-interesting, thank you. But doesn't make me brave enough to insist they do it given how much fit-out there is on-top of the foam making 'fire watch' trickier...

As a (very) full-time working single parent with a small menagerie, a bunch of other pressures and now two boats (the more traditional one is for sale but I don't think I can link to it on the forum as it is on with a broker so definitely would be advertising?) I can attest to the value of occasionally watching some of the less-grating vlogs/RYA/hireboat instructionals with the red tones upped and volume low to lull me to sleep when I don't have the physical or emotional energy to read but need some escapism. Once upon a time, when less busy, I had a blog and reviewed restaurants. It was originally a creative writing exercise. Later it was kind of fun to eat in a couple of new places for free and meet up with some other bloggers/readers. I get the appeal for those with time/creative urges/desire for connections. I also get the 'fund my lifestyle' stuff but find it icky. I stopped the blog once I'd tried a couple of freebies as it wasn't really the point and a bit icky/conflicting. No different to busking really I suppose though - putting the creative content out there and taking any rewards. But I don't busk either ?

Has anyone fitted hanging anodes to their boat? Where did you make the connection? Background: Looking to move a boat onto an end-on-to-pontoon, side-by-side mooring with all boats on shore power. So boats -> |||||||[occasional finger, not many]||||| <-more boats pontoon -> ______________________________________ So, whatever GI etc I have still plenty of scope for 'current leakage' around the hull. Boat is 70ft with only 4 anodes (one on each 'corner' so to speak). Boat yard agree it could do with more but don't want to weld onto the sides due to the spray foam insulation. So, we've agreed to replace the existing anodes, welding onto the bars there, and fit a few along the centre line on the baseplate. Would like to try a hanging anode or to on each side. Thinking they could be suspended from the roof finger rail like fenders to be easily lifted for cruising but not sure where best to make the connection. Could scratch off a little paint on the underside of finger rail and clamp on but feels wrong to be taking paint off! Could potentially add a connection to a window frame? Any better ideas? Thanks!

Is your boat more a toy, a home or an asset? (I'm assuming we're not talking about a working boat here - so, tradition is already well out the window) If it is a toy go for what the flip you like. If it is a home go for what is practical. If it is an asset go for what is saleable. (Paint it all-over blue or grey on the outside and paler grey/white inside. Then move it to London before you market it to maximise profits). Simples. Where I am metalic is sooo last year's faux pas. You now get matt(e?) narrowboat paint jobs (like those custom matt car finishes). FWIW I think having the higher contrast colour (probably the yellow based on what you describe) as the coach line is the easiest look to pull off. The red and blue directly next to each other may have too similar a tone. The way David Mack's picture has those colours is nice.

@cuthoundyes. And 70% concentration of rubbing alcohol stuff which is more aquatic life friendly. But by the time I've paid them to do all that and touch up the blacking after... Re: hanging anodes there aren't as many as I'd like at the sides but yard are cautious abt welding where there is insulation on the inside. So, was thinking to replace the ones at the four 'corners', pop three down the centre line and then have a hanging one each side possibly clamped onto the finger rail thing where fender hooks go so they can be lifted up easily. Unsure where is most practical to make the connection (underside of finger rail? Somewhere near metal windows?)

@Dr Bob. Thanks for that on surface prep - my caution abt grit on precious new boat was precisely around surface not being roughed up. Makes sense tho.

Based on the state of it now, 2yrs after last blacking, I'd say it is certainly possible! I'm happy to invest in the epoxy (probably with UHPressure (3,000psi?) water rather than grit blasting?) later but feel more comfortable getting rid of the microbial rust straight away. I want a bunch more anodes and wd quite like a bare hull inspection. Neither of which are much incremental expense over the craning I've already paid for for survey and transport. Any thoughts on the best way to attach hanging anodes (for mooring between boats all on shore power) and if a proper transformer thingy is much better than GIB much appreciated... May do another thread on those :-)

All is well in my little boating world :-) Normal blacking for now (apparently an additional benefit of going down this route is avoiding the slow delivery times on what was apparently going to have to be special low temperature-friendly epoxy) and transport to 'actually I would start from there' marina arranged. Thank you all!