Phil C

Just planning my next trip and thought about going down the K&A to bristol then up Bristol Channel to the Gloucester and Sharpness Canal. I know I will need to employ a pilot to get me up the Bristol Channel, but looking for advice on the following: My boat is 57 foot Narrow Boat with a good Isuzu engine and in reasonably good condition. Planning mid May for the Bristol Channel bit Mooring at Bristol floating harbour, any problems, procedure etc Pilot, what is the procedure, does he come on my boat? what sort of cost? Procedure for booking, any general advice Any other hints tips or advice. Thanks Phil

Anybody know the phone number for 'Coats for Boats' based at Frouds bridge marina on the K&A?

I have a cheap satellite dish but consistently struggle to find a signal. Any recommendations on a good self seeking system? Happy to pay reasonable amount if the system is worthwhile Phil C

Anyone know where I can find the cost of a temporary licence for the Wey. Got a 57 foot Narrowbaot if anybody can quote cost, probably need about a week. Ta

Thanks for your input Chris, excellent job will ring next week to pick up spares

Anyone know a good on-line site to buy service spares for my Isuzu IML4L marine engine. Air filter, oil filter, fuel filters etc

I intend to carry out 'bottom blacking' on my boat next year, probably in the spring. I have located a boatyar that will lift the boat out and allow me 7 days to carry out the work. Having never done this before I would be grateful for any advice from and pitfalls from youexperts out there. Thanks phil

I posted a topic a couple of weeks ago about a problem with my tiller dislodging from the Skegg plate and finally got round to fixing it this weeked. Thanks for the advice from Chris Pink,koukouvagia,John Orentas,tidal,blackrose,smelly,Dominic M and Liam. The advice proved very useful and I fixed it relatively easily. I did have to remove the rudder bearing bolts, once done it was then very easy. had the advantage of backing the boat up to a ramp in the marina, so when my son went into the water to check the tiller arm had located properly, he only had to go up to his waist in the cold smelly canal water. Thanks again for your advice Phil

I assume I have a fairly standard boat, 57 ft semi-trad stern built by Riverview Boats of Soar. I have a problem with my tiller and I am looking for some advice. At the stern of the boat at the bottom of the keel is a 4 to 6 inch wide, I assume cast iron, plate with a hole through which the tiller locates. Unfortunately I hit an obstruction underwater which pushed the tiller up and dislodged the tiller from this plate. When I look through the weed hatch I can see the tiller located against one side of this plate. I still have steering and can probably get back to my base marina, but am looking for advice on how easy it will be to relocate the tiller through the hole in the base plate. I have tried lifting the tiller manually but it will not budge. I do not want to cause any further damage through ignorance but would prefer not to have to take the boat out of the water. In my niaive way I am assuming if it popped out with the right leverage, I should be able to pop it back in. I did think about removing the four bolts the secure the tiller into what I guess ia seal or gland on the top of the hull, but one they are very difficult to remove and two, I want to avoid damage through ignorance . Any advice will be gratefully received Thanks Phil

Apparently there is a 'guage' that can be fitted on to a distilled water bottle that enables a battery to be topped up without having to stick your head into the restricted space where the batteries are stored to see what top-up is needed. From what I understand, the guage fits to a plastic bottle, you remove the battery covers and place the spout over each cell. If top up is needed the 'guage' tops it up otherwise no distilled water is added and you move on to the next cell. Anybody heard of this device? If so what is it called and where can I get one?

I have read lots on the canal forum about connections to the Internet and for a permanent monthly contract ranging from £27 to £30+ per month, Tmobile seems to be the best. However I do not want to commit to an annual contract as I have, and pay for, broadband at home and I will be out on my narrowboat in perhaps 6 or 8 weeks sessions returning home in between. Any advice from anybody on the most economic way to connect to the internet, just downloading email, a bit of occasional surfing and of course browsing the Canal Forum. As mentioned this would be for 6 to 8 weeks at a time in early summer and autumn. I forgot to add I currently have a company mobile phone and I am retiring in a few months so will be buying my own. This gives me a blank canvas looking for advice on the most economic option out there. Something independent of mobile phone salesmen! Thanks in anticipation to the experience dboaters out there

Thanks John, I think you are right, I probably need a techie to look at and talk me through the electrics. I will ask around at my Marina Thanks Mark, I will try this at the weekend when I next get to my boat

Some advice from experienced boaters please. I have just purchased a Narrowboat and I am a little confused about the electrics. The boat has a Trace Engineering Invertor/Charger which I understand provides 240 volts from batteries when not connected to the shoreline and can charge the batteries when connected to the shoreline. I have an Electrolux Travel Power unit which manages the electrics. It has 3 settings, 'Shoreline' when connected to external 240 volts supply, 'Invertor' when running from Invertor and 'Generator' which is confusing me. I have an ISUZU diesel engine which has an alternator and a separate 3.5KVA belt driven generator attached to the engine. Anybody know what that is used for?, if I switch to the generator position on the Travel Power unit with the engine running, I lose 240 volt supply. Secondly on the Travel Power unit there is a rocker switch which only shows as on when the engine is running, if I switch it off with the engine running it does not appear to impact anything. Any idea what it is for?