Timleech

Smaller 12V kit can easily be run from 24/12V droppers, eg Alfatronix, they give the benefit of stabilised output and there are usually a few on ebay at decent prices. Don't buy cheap ubranded ones. Tim

Kenricks were, I think, the main makers of aftermarket Bolinder parts. I remember John Jinks showing me the differece, many moons ago, between a Bolinders head and a Kenricks head (which I had just given him). Tim

Pollocks of Faversham, as has been said, were their agents for years and apparently their business was hit fairly hard when Bolinders set up thir own sales force in the UK. Maybe they were just bigger or better than the opposition? There were certainly 'aftermarket' parts made for them in th UK. Tim

ISTR it closed as a pub and then did reopen briefly. May be wrong, of course. Tim

I'm sure others here will have better knowledge than I, but I had the idea that the adjacent bridge over the original channel was the oldest. Tim

Any word yet on a reopeniing date, other than the original notice? Tim

Thanks for all sugestions. All I want to do is send & receive emails and a bit of web browsing. I do not wish to carry a laptop along, the whole point is to take advantage of the small size and low power consumption of the tablet now that I have it. We've always managed until now with basic mobile phones, ignored emails etc. I might get to play with some apps as we go along, just for fun, we'll only be boating for short days this time. Tim

I used the term dongle loosely, I have the wifi or simlar & can access the internet via that. I'm not really familiar with the terminology. on your basis, I might as well not bother with the tablet and just take a laptop if I want internet/email, was hoping to avoid the bulk and power requirements. Why have netbooks died out? I'd have thought they are perfect for this sort of thing. Sorry, doesn't answer my questions in any way. Thanks for the suggestion anyway. Tim

My three sisters seem to be wedded to their tablets, and made the very generous offer when I was stuck in hospital recently to buy me one to help to pass my time. No use in practice there, my brain was already too numb from hospital existence to cope with the strangeness, plus the advertised WiFi didn't work on my ward. Now I sort of have it up and running at home, I'm thinking of taking it with me if and when we manage to go boating, so I'm looking for practical tips to make it more useable (in my eyes). Best way to use for emails and best way to make, eg, this forum readable, that sort of thing. Easy way to import email addresses, is there a better email client than that supplied. Is there a version of Thunderbird that can be used on the machine? My son tells me it's all supposed to be 'intuitive' on a tablet (he's not a fan himself). I do have a Huawei ? dongle thingy to access the web when away from home. The highest tech we've carried on the boat up to now has been basic mobile phones. Many thanks Tim.

Not necessarily so. It does depend on what the design is of the main propulsion system. Mine is a closed loop system which doesn't permit add-ons in such a simple manner. I did include provision for an extra small pump to drive auxiliaries, but have never had the need to fit one. Tim

I would avoid any restriction whatever below the nominal size, maybe see whether you can go bigger for the last section. Tim

So it was you making all that noise, I did wonder! Had I known (didn't get the usual text from Brian/A_M) would have dragged myself out to get a couple of drums of diesel. Tim

I sold it to Ian Crompton and a.n. other, it may well have been bought from them by the TV people. Tim

Dry dock at the top of the Rufford branch? It's years since I'be been there, but it's the only place on the Leeds & Liverpool that I can think of which remotely comes near. Tim

I can only think of rotary broaching, which is another form of articulated cutting bit, or simple broaching, which is scarcely drilling. Come on, spill the beans. Tim

Unfortunately my health has not been good lately, so I've had to retire earlier than planned. Tim

The leak off/spill rail originally had flared ends to the copper tube. these flares are often knackered by now. If you're lucky, there might be enough spare length on the pipe to cut off & form new flares. I've also seen a few which have been modified to take compression fittings. Tim

early DAB adios were certainly power-hungry. My father bought me a Roberts RD-1, which was one of the first mains/battery DAB/FM portables to come on the market. Using batteries for DAB was frankly a joke, it would eat a set of six D size alkaline cells in a few hours. An excellent radio in other respects, though. I now have a Roberts ecologic4 mains/battery portable, a set of the same batteries lasts for months with occasional (not infrequent) use. On the boat, we have a TEAC mains portable which takes 12V from a wall wart, seems quite happy with the 12.6V from a 24/12V converter. I opened up the back to get access to a 'proper' aerial connection, and run this to a simple mag mount external whip, works well. Useless with an internal aerial because not enough apertures in the steel cabin to let a signal though. Tim

How about acknowledging the source you've taken those from? Tim

Sounds a bit like the old 'Armstrong' hydraulic controls, which I think were based on the Armstrong lever-type hydraulic shock absorber. I only dimly remember these, all I can suggest is topping up and bleeding as best you can. Tim

We have hydraulic drive on our tug, to allow transverse engine and get round issues over prop shaft height. Variable displacement pump, swash plate motor, all suplied/specified by ARS Anglian diesels. It works very well, but I have to say that it's rather noisy at higher speeds. This it seems is in part because I plumped for solid pipework for the main runs. I'm quite happy with the fuel efficiency, but we do have a large slow-turning prop. Tim

Don't forget they have their 'Folk & Sail' event on the weekend of 18/19 July. Tim

Interesting, my information was that they never did a trial drop test. Of course, that could be wrong. Tim

Yes it should be square section and fill the width of the recess. Sometimes an O-ring , which must also fill the width of the recess, will provide a workable bodge here, but it'll either work or it won't. i.e. if it doesn't, it'll be obvious straight away! Tim