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richardf

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Everything posted by richardf

  1. Sherborne Wharf is very secure, but not that cheap
  2. You could probably hire a smallish air compressor - the sort used for power tools?
  3. I have a feeling it might be something to do with the alignment - the short piece of shaft between the stuffing box and the centraflex coupling is very greasy - I didn't notice this before and I'm wondering if it due to heat as it passes through the stuffing box - although it was easy enough to turn the prop via the weedhatch. I have noted that the engine is fitted on tall hardwood risers (this engine sits a lot higher than the Kelvin), but there doesn't seem to be any shims fitted. This means that either the wood blocks were machined exactly as required, or (more likely), they were relying on the centraflex to take up any misalignment. If this has was excessive, then I guess it may have knocked out the bearing in very short order - it certainly wasn't doing it for the first 15 hours or so of use.
  4. Thanks Richard To get to the bearings that may be faulty - does that normally necessitate gearbox removal - or is it something at the back of the box that may be accessible in situ?
  5. It's a brand new propshaft running through the original (now repacked) stern tube. It certainly didn't do it the first time we took her out. Richard - I'm in uncharted territory here - could this be a problem of misalignment? The bearings you referred to taking the brunt of it? That clonk going into gear - is that a common PRM thing?
  6. Water leaking through Cowley would increase the water level! That's one hell of a long pound to drop due to a leaky gate at Camden! Must be more to it than that surely!
  7. RLWP - I meant the shaft coming out of the gearbox and into the coupling - and then the propshaft running through the stern tube I can kind of see why there would be more wear in ahead than astern - in which case it would not do it in reverse. But a 'prop clearing squirt of reverse' seems to clear it? MTB - Yes we gave up on the Kelvin P4
  8. There have been a few issues with the chargers on these things Have a look at this video http://metro.co.uk/2014/04/08/video-e-cigarette-explodes-in-barmaids-face-after-being-put-on-ipad-charger-4692238/ There was a phone in about it on Radio 2 the other day, apparently they can be supplied without a charger (which I found incredible) and then people use the wrong ones - but with the same fittings. For those of us (like me) that have bought cheap USB based cables on ebay rather than paying Apple for the real thing - there were also lots of horror stories.
  9. There is a Centraflex coupling fitted - but both shafts are very short. Its tight to the stern of the boat Its a PRM 260 Still can't fathom why reverse would clear it - but I don't know anything about PRM boxes!
  10. This post cannot be displayed because it is in a forum which requires at least 10 posts to view.
  11. Hi Mike It does vary with engine speed - but you can't rev through it so that it disappears
  12. Hi Folks. Last year we had a refurbed Perkins D3 with a 2:1 PRM (also refurbished) fitted. At the same time the prop shaft was changed and the packing renewed. We only picked it up at the end of last season and it had about 12 hours of running back to base - and then we took her out again this weekend. On Friday we had this loud harmonic sound that seemed to start when the engine was put in gear to pull away out of a lock; it did this twice. It didn't seem to go when additional revs were put on - what seemed to shift it was a sharp rev in reverse. I checked the weedhatch and there was only some light weed around the shaft. I could turn the prop in neutral by hand through the weedhatch. I did notice on our return that the noise did seem to build up slowly - but a quick rev in reverse seemed to clear it. Some possibly useful (most likely useless!) additional info The prop was not changed at the time the engine was changed, to my knowledge, it has not been 'clonked' against anything hard - but it may not be the ultimate size for the boat now. The stern tube does not leak a drop in forward, but I note does drip in reverse I'm not sure if the shaft is getting warm as there does seem to be some grey grease on the shaft between the stuffing box and the centrafex coupling The engine is on solid mounts. There is a 'clonk' when engaging gears - I have had this before on a PRM, but its not a comfortable sound! It does seem like a prop singing noise - but why would it clear itself when reversed, unless it is a slow build up of crap on the blades? Any ideas very welcome Thanks
  13. We struggled with the standard narrowboat solution of a 4' double bed - especially when it tucks under the gunnel. Luckily we have a rear engine room and the bed is just in front of this. I simply used some slide out boards to extend the bed width - I had to screw a bearer to the gangway side for them to rest on. We then bought two 3' mattresses and have a huge 6' wide bed. Initially we thought we would pile up the bed every night, but to be honest, when we are boating with just the two of us - we simply leave it down. You can get good quality 3' mattresses at very cheap price.
  14. That is the 'word' in Dursley - that it has been milked dry.
  15. As a local resident, I just noticed this on the front page of the local 'rag' http://www.gazetteseries.co.uk/news/11104579.Lister_Petter__has_let_staff_down_/ Anybody know any more?
  16. I would talk to Marine Engine Services - Chris Bennett (01895 236246) 01895 236246 01895 236246 01895 23624 01895 2362I'm sure that he can help and can probably source any spares you need
  17. I tried to talk to him on a number of occasions, as Archimedes and Marcellus were originally paired and I was hoping perhaps he had some old photos. I have to say that I always found him an arrogant tosser.
  18. I agree entirely - really unnecessary comments. You and your colleagues have done a great job Tiggers and don't let anybody sap your enthusiasm for what you have achieved.
  19. There are a few moorings at a company in Kidsgrove. They are called Sithsons and their number is 01782 787 887. My parents used to moor there and it was an ok spot to moor. They are the local coal merchant with caravan storage, gas etc In my opinion, the marina in Etruria is a dump, I would not even moor there overnight ( which is how I found out about the state of it last year)
  20. This post cannot be displayed because it is in a forum which requires at least 10 posts to view.
  21. I use this http://www.kolorkut.co.uk/ - water finding paste. Simply put a tiny bit on the end of a piece of timber dowel. Submerge until it hits the bottom of the tank - extract and see if it has changed colour
  22. When I had this set up, it was about three turns each way from neutral, but of course that could be geared differently. BTW, what a great paint job on that P2, my P4 looked just as good as that when it came from the 'reconditioners'
  23. richardf

    Rats

    I was found a rat on in the well deck of my boat, going through the rubbish. To this day, the bent poker on board bears testament to the battle that ensued!
  24. So what do you think is a likely price for tunnelling such a large diameter under rail track that is used 24hours a day by both fast and heavy goods traffic. If it's been thought of for years, I assume that the trust has a price for doing that work? It will be a very challenging task for the tunnelling contractor, as from a technical perspective, the bore has already been partially backfilled at some point and a smaller diameter culvert installed - and if Network Rail see even a fraction of a millimetre of settlement to their track,the job will stop. (I know this from bitter experience!) Is it possible to see what the different parts of the project have cost - but I bet that's difficult information to get hold of, even as a council tax payer? How much did the debacle at Ocean Bridge cost for instance? But let's hope that things get better as the council go back to their proper job and stop pretending they know how to restore canals
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