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Hi all, The boat safety certification is due soon and I've noticed that the extinguishers all will require recharging and certification. Are there any companies offering this service, or, is it more economical to replace with new ones? Many thanks in anticipation!

Many thanks for a reply that has truly, been perplexing me since I heard of the scale of the differences! Yes, what you reply, does indeed make common sense, but on a mathematical basis alone I would still be twice as worse as a 25 Litre dry sump (on a 500 hour oil change) v a 25L sump on a 50 hour change. i do acknowledge and appreciate the "refinement" of hydraulic tappets, but in reality, tappets need adjusting seldomly! (and 'tis hardly an onoerous task to do)! ;o) I think that I would much prefer the extended oil change intervals of the dry sump engines compared with the 5 Litre wet sump of my boat engine - don't forget, we are also assuming filter changes too! But! either way, I thank you and acknowledge your reply!

Hi all, You could have slapped me across the face with a wet pike! We have a Lister Petter Canal Star 4 cyl (Water cooled, glow plug non-turbo), which according to the owners manual, requires an oil change every 50 hours! We were talking to several boaters, as we accompanied them through various locks, one had a LP FR 3 cyl engine, and another had an air cooled 3 cylinder, both told me that they had been on long spring - autumn cruises and I asked both how they managed to fit in the scheduled oil changes. To my astonishment, they both said "no problems, the oil changes are due 500 hours. Why, when all three engines are made by the same manufacturer, with the same design intent/ application, are the oil change intervals SOOO different??

Your barking up the wrong tree, what my associate is referring to is actually his concern that the outboard engine may foul on the cill (the highest, most solid part of the lock chamber)

Hi Brian, They are fine on smooth paved pavements, but the small wheels and no gears make them unsuitable for tow path riding. Rob

As a general guide line, buy a bike with a wheel size no less than 20" diameter, any smaller and the rough n tough tow paths will cause problems with both steering and tracking. I use a Dahon Speed D7 on our NB, it folds neatly away and tucks up between the control panel and the rear bulk-head. I am no light weight person, yet it rides pretty good and folds up small. They can be folded and unfolded within 20 seconds. The Speed D7 has a good range of gear ratio's, the lowest being a useful granny gear for getting up steep hills. If you are considering using a bike regularly on the tow paths, I would also recommend getting some decent puncture resistant tyres, I use Schwalbe Marathons on both of my bikes - these tyres have a kevlar belt, which is thorn proof, (the other is a decent hard tail ATB, with 26" wheel, which is a delight to use on the towpaths, sadly, it does not fold up!). Rob

Hi All, Is it worth while visiting the lakes, which are below Cosgrove, on to Newport Pagnell? Are there any decent inns and supermarkets on the way? Many thanks, Cap'n Ahab

Hi, I hope it goes well for you all, it should do, for all the youngsters that we have seen on the waterways, appear to be nice, well adjusted friendly folk! I'm sure that being in close proximity with nature and the awareness of the changing seasons will benefit you all. Rob

Many thanks, I guess it'll be a toss up over Pine Oil, THE real McCoy Creosote, or Cuprinol Rob

Hi, I remember a posting in the forum about preserving rope fenders with what I think was Danish Oil. Am I wright or wrong? Please advise me on what is the best treatment to stop the wropes wrotting. Many thanks Rob

Found it! It was a pressed steel lever, fitted underneath the diesel pump, it was painted Lister Green, and I had simply over-looked it, assuming that it was part of the pump body. The pump is on the far side of engine, directly below the water cooled exhaust manifold, so it was a little hard to see. Many thanks. ) Rob

Hi, I've read in a posting that Chris W has left this Forum, is this true, for he was one hell of a knowlegdable guy. He'll be sadly missed! (

We have a pair of "industrial" 30" long chains, which have an oval ring 4" x 3" at each end, I pass one end through the horizonatal Armaco piling, pass one end through the other, and then use the mooring ropes. The result is a secure, yet quiet mooring, which has NEVER failed us.

It should be a doddle for a solo! As other postee's advise, once pat Hinckley, the country side is wonderful! Do try to moor up against steel pilings and use your mooring irons, there is a very nice spot right next to the Bosworth Battle Field, which is very quiet. I can also recommend the Rising Sun at Shackerstone - it is a rare, unique English Inn!

Hi All, We left our mooring at 17:00 on Friday, with the intention of filling up with diesel, and as we tried to moor at the local boat yard at 17:05, our "friendly" boatyard, politely told us that they were closed and would be open at 09:00 on Saturday. I can understand and appreciate why they have strict opening and closing times, but, if that boatyard was mine, I would stay open later on a Friday night, to give time for those folk who travel a fair way to get to their long, narrow sanctuary. Needless to say, SWMBO, was having a shower this Sunday morning, when I heard the engine revs rise and ominously cut out. We were out of diesel! I dug out a spare fuel can and walked the 2 miles back to the boatyard, only to be told that would serve me at their opening time - 10:00 on Sundays! I got back to the boat, poured in the life blood and looked at my engine manual, it mentions a manual pump to raise fuel to the engine fuel filters, but I could not find them, in the end I cranked the engine and eventually, it coughed back into life. Does anyone know how to prime the fuel system on a Lister Petter Canal Star 36? Many thanks, Rob n Heather

Any idea's of how to get the Square D swith off? Do I need any gaskets or o-rings?

Hi All, I am mystified as to how an alternator driven tachometer is calibrated, for the alternator's RPM is purely dependant on the relationship of the crank and alternator pulley. I assume that there must be a way of calibrating the tacho, but I can see nothing obvious to adjust. Many thanks in anticipation! Rob

And what of the "Guitarist's Guitarist"? Richard Thompson?? And.... Bo Diddley, he was way ahead of his time both on innovation and technology! And maybe Dave Edmonds Hi We purchased a Genus DU1 DAB Radio adaptor, which runs off a 12v-7v stepdown device and plugs into the Aiwa 12V Mini Hifi, via the phono leads, the reception and sound is good and it comes with a remote control as well! We got ours off ebay.

Pssst!!! Pete!!! Do you happen to know the part number for the £2.00 micro switch? Can I get one from RS or Maplins? Or, do I even need the SHURflo pressure switch, as the Square D Pumptrol appears to be far, far more rugged.

many thanks for your reply, I confirm what I said is correct, if I pressed down on the SQUARED Pumptrol relay,s the pump kicks in. I took the pump out over the week-end (hell of a job to get the wires back into the connection strip, for the strip is inside a cupboard (under t' sink!) and less than 50mm above the pumps platform. I took the switch cover off the end of the pump, pulled out the diaphragm/plunger moulding and found a pile of krud and gunk on the water side of the diaphragm. I cleaned this out, put it back together and plumbed it back in. It is now working, but I would be very interested in how to bypass the pump switch. Do I simply cut both of the wires going to the pump switch box and joint the two halves together? I must admit I am more than puzzled why a boat needs belts and bracers, concerning the Aqua-King Pump and the Square D pressure switch!

Very true, It was looking fairly clean, but in the broad perspective of things, whats £54.00 for two years of oil changes compared with needless worry, and fretting...?

Hi All, I purchased 25L of Morrison's Magnol 20W-50, drained out the newish oil from the engine and re-filled with the magnol 20W-50, fired up the engine and let it get fully warmed up before I dared to take a peek at the oil pressure gauge. Instant relief! At tick-over, the pressure is now 19PSI, a raise of over 12 PSI. I am one happy bunny! The magnol 20W-50 is an API-CC oil.

The pump is a SHURflo Aqua-king 12v 30PSI, #2095-423-243. If I tap the end gently, it does indeed start to operate, so I guess that the problem lies inside the end cover / switch assembly. Has anyone taken one of these apart? Why do I need a seperate Square D Pressure switch, when it would appear that the pump has it's own switch?? Confused of Leamington Spa!