richardf

Sparky!

We used something called Sticky Stuff Remover (got in on ebay) - it worked a treat

You're not a proper boater until you have spent the morning with a bucket and sponge, slowly sucking up the years of oil leakage and water under the engine - put the bucket on the steerers step and then accidentally grabbed it to help stand up and tipped all over your head!

That's the same as 3 - I am looking at the Vodafone site and this doesn't reference a time limit. I'll go into a shop and check though! Cheers Richard

I work in the range cooker industry. There has been a big resurgence of interest in the solid fuel range - primarily due to the hike in other fuel costs over the last few years. It makes me laugh as it seems like we have gone round in a huge circle - most range companies have profited over the years from the drive to remove old woodburning ranges (normally AGA and Rayburn) and replace them with something gas, oil or 'leccy powered. Now firms such as Rayburn and Esse are pushing solid fuel again. My own view is that very often the reality does not match the dream - there are dust problems, a lack of control and also the fact that people often think that wood is free (or cheap) - it can be if you have your own source and are prepared to put the work in. The huge heat output should also be considered in a boat - I think it would be overpowering in the summer.

Are all the providers the same - or is 3 the only one with a time limit (or a short time limit)?

I've just bought a '3' USB dongle - it works fine, but it seems that the £15 I spent on getting it topped up gives me 3GB - BUT ONLY FOR 30 DAYS!! Since I will only be using it infrequently and then only to check mail, I was hoping that it would last for ages - is this correct? I am confused by 3's references to 'Add Ons' If this is correct, I would have been better getting a £20/month contract with a free mini laptop chucked in!

On what basis are you declaring it worn out? Surely having a 'dated interior' is part of the joy of owning a 100 year old boat. I don't think oak faced ply was available when it was refitted a few years ago

I have recently bought a boat with a nice Kelvin P4 - spares are generally considered a bit hard to find and the chance has arisen for me to purchase a newly reconditioned unit at a reasonable cost. So I figure that given I have found the boat that I want to keep 'for ever' - it might be a wise to buy it and park it in the garage for the future. I have been advised by Baldock that I should fill the watery bits with a good strong mix of anti freeze in order to inhibit any further corrosion, but was wondering what the views are regarding the rest. Any recommendations to stop it siezing up - regular turning over by hand? Oil in the cylinders? Any thoughts about the fuel pump? Just punting about for ideas to be honest, so all recommendations would be welcome. Cheers Richard

I spent many years working for British Gas - all of our vehicles were equipped with dry powder extinguishers, but on the odd occasion they needed to be used, I saw a couple fail. The general concensus was that it was due to the powder getting slowly more compacted as the vehicle was driven about - my BSS examiner remarked that this was also a common fault on boats - probably more so I guess. Our recommendation was to periodically give them a shake and invert them.

There was ice at Brinklow on Sunday - and I think it's got colder since then!

http://www.whitlingmarine.com/forsale.html Some fascinating pics of the rebuild as well!

Much more the latter!!

I've always found the place a bit strange - it's very much a locals pub. Last time I was in there I think it was fair to say that a good proportion of the clientele came from the shallow end of the gene pool! In fact, if they had fingers, they would have been bango players! Unfortunately The Bell is more of a restaurant than a pub these days.

I have seen a few posts on this, but have yet to find what would be the solution for us. We have tar running out the bottom of our chimney, down the roof and cabin side. I am looking to fit a liner to the chimney in an attempt to stop this stop this. We have a 4inch flue pipe and a collar that fits a 6inch chimney - the flue pipe extends pretty much to the top of the collar and the gap has been filled with (I assume) fire cement. Without checking this out first (doh!) we bought one of those tapered liners that are cut up the side - the intention being to spring them onto the inside of the collar - but this is impossible for us. What I think I need is some 4'' thin walled, galvanised pipe that I can slice and squeeze up so that it will fit down into the flue pipe - then snap back and stay there. Has anybody come across this solution before - I am racking my brains to try and remember where I have seen something suitable - do some chandlers sell this stuff (not the tapering variety)? downpipe? Any ideas would be gratefully received. Thanks Richard

The Markon genny? It works OK - just gets driven off a belt from the engine. I've disconnected it for day to day use - but it will come in handy I'm sure.

I have been lurking about here for a while, but have not been that active, primarily because for the last few years, we have been without a boat. Our search for something 'different' and interesting (and of course something that we can afford!) has finally led us to the purchase of Marcellus. Originally a butty, she was chopped in two a few years ago - our bit is modelled around the stern - with that part forming the new bow. Sounds slightly odd, but it works for us. This work was carried out by Ian Clifton, someone who was obviously very gifted, but who sadly passed away a while ago apparently. Only the upper part of the bow is old, the remainder (including all underwater parts) being built in the mid- nineties. The engine is a Kelvin P4 - it's a bit smoky (but you always need something to worry about on a boat!), but was rebuilt by Chris (could be Jim?) Forster. It sounds great - no silencer straight out through the roof. I am now coming to terms with the gear wheel set up - sure it will be second nature after a while. If anyone knows the boat or the history of it, we would be very intersted to hear from them. It's probably a boat that will have the 'rivet counters' pointing and laughing, but we love it. We are moving from Wigrams to Brinklow Marina next week, so give us a wave if you see us - and if anyone moors in Brinklow, please make sure you come and have a drink with us.

It was in very poor condition by the early 90s but was completely replated (quite a job considering the round bottom) - a steel inspection launch cabin was fitted and a 2.2 BMC. It was scarily fast when it was allowed to be - spent quite a lot of time on the Thames. Normally moored on the Wey Navigation.

I am looking to buy a boat from the early 80's that has a Lister SL2 fitted. I am not familiar with this engine but it does look to be an air cooled engine, possibly a predecessor to the SR2 - does anyone know if it has proved as reliable and are spares still available easily? Any advice would be appreciated Cheers Richard

I had an even worse scenario - many years ago I bought a pretty tired old David Piper that had been part of the Twin Ram hire fleet (anyone remember them?). It had concrete ballast and in fact that was the floor of the boat - I can recall having carpet fitted onto it. Worst of all was the fact that polystyrene sheets had been laid on the base plate and then the concrete floated on top of that. I'm sure there was a real corrosion problem - but I latterly found out that it's many trips up the Llangollen had worn each corner away to almost nothing and I ended up having it replated. Why on earth they did it this way was beyond me!

We run a ground source heat pump here. We are based in an old water mill and the supplier was at pains to make sure that there was a flow of water out of the mill pond where the heat exchanger pipes are located - or otherwise we could end up freezing the lake. Now that would be a bit of a shock for passing boaters couldn't it!

Whilton told me that I couldn't test the boat until an offer had been accepted, otherwise 'they would spend most of their time giving people free canal trips'

I was told by the surveyor, Jim MacDonald, that you should black the bottom and on his ex working boat, he always made a note of where the paint had been missed and made sure that when it was done the next time, the boat rested on it's supports at different positions. He told me that the supports are known as 'Bostocks' - which evolved from 'Boat Stocks' - could have been bo**ocks though!!!

Normally Rayburns come in one lump, whereas Agas are built on site - so installation would be easier on a boat. I am also in the range cooker business and didn't think that Agas did central heating!

If you have 4.5 days on the Wey, you will have plenty of time to get down to Weybridge and back up to Godalming - I would agree with you that the stretch above Godalming is the most pretty. I used to get to the Thames in a longish day from Guildford. Fingers crossed on the weather as the Wey does flood terribly - there is a VERY low bridge at Shalford that can catch you out! I agree with Baldock, I think the Anchor at Pyrford is more of a plastic palace than the great old pub that it used to be. Have a good trip