Rick

Just thought I would let you know, and I bet you are as chuffed as we are, that we are now living aboard our boat. Not yet finished but liveable in (if you have an understanding and long suffering wife). As of 5/1/05 we lose the landline but hopefully I will have got the hang of mobile access by then so will be able to read the forum again. Richard NB Cartref, in Whixall Marine so if you're up this way give us a shout. Sorry about the smillies but you know how it is. Or even smilies

Is it possible to use the lo-fi version of the forum when logging in? The reason I ask is that having moved on to the boat I will soon lose my dialup connection to the net and will have to use the mobile and GPRS therefore the fewer Kb's I use, the better. Richard Additon after posting Actually, having had a second look at the lo-fi job it would seem to be very basic and possibly a p.i.t.a. to use. Or, as has been found before, am I missing summat?

Is there any trade you haven't become involved in, truly a man of many parts. When you say silicon sealant is used extensively with double glazed units are you refering to their use as sealants between the unit and the frame or between the two panes of glass and outside of the spacer bar. I too used to make sealed units for use in the windows and doors I made. I have come a significant number of people who have used silicon and had them fail. I was old-fashioned and used two pack sealant made for the job, mostly because I didn't want customers phoning up and complaining that their units had broken down. Richard

Really. Leave thundering great holes in the roof since September 2003 when the shell went in the water. I primed the roof with two coats of primer then used a weathering primer. Then fitted the mushrooms. In point of fact silicon used to be and probably still is permeated by air which could be moist. This then can start corrosion at the edges and so it starts. The reason I know that it is air permeable, to a small but definate degree, is that a number of people have tried to make double glazing sealed units using silicon as an edge sealant. They broke down. Richard

Ah well, that's where you sort the men from the boys. You have to keep the silicon only where you need it. No good covering the area around the job with an half inch of the stuff. Richard

Sorreeee, It was meant to be jocular. I had a vision of BW filling the bottom lock and opening the paddles and the water flowing uphill. I'll try to contain myself in future Richard

I don't think that the silicon would eat through the paint. It does contain acid, acetic, but I wouldn't think it strong enough to dissolve paint. I suspect that what happens, and it happens around windows as well is that the silicon allows water to seep under the edge and if this finds a weak spot in the paintwork rust commences and it's downhill from then on. I think you will find that most mushrooms, windows and whatever are sealed with silicon. After cleaning the rust of it might be useful to clean the area where the mushroom sits with a degreasant such as cellulose thinners. This would provide a better surface for the seal. Speaking from experience circle each bolthole with sealer when you apply it. Richard

We don't have one but intend to remedy that before too long. I know 2 or 3 liveaboards who use them and are more than happy with the result. They all consider it money well spent. There has recently been postings about these on another list and they were unanimous in their praise. In fact, I have not heard anybody who was less than happy with one. Lime Kiln are amongst the cheapest source if you are near Wolverhampton. I think they do mail order if you are going to buy that way. Worth a phone call. Richard

I'm impressed. How do they get it to run uphill? Richard

Water rising in Whixall, still low but getting there. The boats by bridge 50 are floating/almost floating and there is water under Bettisfield bridge. I think that this is near enough as good as it gets for a while. Richard

High temp silicon is probably available at your local builders merchant. Don't put in a great wodge, just enough to seall across. Incidentally, it was suggested that we wrap a couple of turns of exhaust bandage round the flue about halfway down the collar. Richard

I was informed by a BW guy onsite that the reason for the towpath being fenced off was to stop people falling in and injuring themselves. When I pointed out that people could fall in when the canal was in water and possibly drown another guy came up and said there was a weak section of towpath down towards the breech. I hope that my reponse to the first guy doesn't start someone looking into it and possibly fencing of all canal towpaths Richard

Thanks guys, That is how I d/l my e-mails now, using OE. However, Stuart reckons e-mail will be provided by the mobile service provider so that would seem to be the best way to proceed. Unless, of course, someone knows better. If there are any snags doing it that way I would like to know. Richard

You wot.? It's alright for you computer savvy guys but the likes of me, who only want the damn thing to work, find remarks like second receive points or new addresses to save Kbs just a smidgeon confusing. Could you put it into simple terms please Richard

Thanks for that Stuart, this was the first time that the method of e-mail access had been explained. Shame about the crack re "over priced GPRS service". Seems to me to be fairly simple and reasonably priced arrangement. If I am happy with it why should anyone else be concerned. Richard

Hi Richard, So whichever ISP I use I won't have to pay them anything? I have Nokia Data Suite, it came with the phone and the lead I need is to connect the mobile to the computer. I don't like infra red as I'm an untidy person and keep leaving books and sundry rubbish in the line of site and I don't fancy Bluetooth at all. It must be more complicated than just plugging in a cable to the phone and PC. I will bear your offer of help in mind if the configuration causes problems. I understand that it can go astray, and for me, if it can, it will. Richard

From the BSS Consultation document... 8k It is proposed to remove the current standard requiring combustible materials in the vicinity of cooking appliances to be protected and a specified distance from cooking appliances and accept as compliant appliances or adjacent surfaces showing no signs of scorching, blistering or discolouration, soot/smoke deposits. The existing standard was not capable of being checked or consistently applied and the amended means of compliance is considered proportionate to the risk. Guide paragraph ref. & BSS Std 8.3

I realise I have to pay for GPRS by the Mb. I understand from what I have read that although 3G is advertised as covering a considerable percentage of the country this is by population, not area. If I moved out of a 3G area the signal reverts to GPRS. I will shortly be moving to Whixall Marine which I suspect is probably not in an area covered by 3G. Therefore, 3G useless. I don't think I would be better of using 3G. This is why I choose GPRS. And the expense will not be too great as I only require e-mail useage. Which brings me back to my question. Does the ISP get a cut of the phone call cost and if so how does this work with GPRS. Richard

Have you sealed the flue pipe to the collar with high temp silicon? This would be outside the boat i.e. above the roof. Richard

Not the usual question. I have the phone, Nokia 6310i, and the data cable is on order. What I need to know is charges by the ISP. As I understand it ISPs who operate a pay by minute access get a cut from BT for each minute I am online. Using a mobile and GPRS will I have to pay the service provider for time online? Any assistance from the phone gurus on the forum would be appreciated. Richard

Providing the metal is clean, ours had an oily feel to it, expanding foam in aerosol cans will stick almost anything to anything. The polyurathane coating we had applied was compatible with the canned foam so presumably there would be no conflict in your case. The only real problem with expanding faom is that it has no "grab" effect and therefore some way of supporting the sheets whilst the foam goes of, not a long period and shortened considerably if one surface to be stuck is lightly sprayed with water prior to sticking together. Richard

Are you talking about the hull sides and cabin or the area below the floor. Our shell came with the bilges painted with bitumastic but the rest bare metal. We decided on spray foam, because we are very rich and wanted a so-so job , and the spray foamers required a coat of red oxide before they would spray. We wiped the whole bare metal area down with white spirit before painting. I suspect that they required the red oxide before spraying so that if the foam peeled of it was our fault for not applying the paint correctly. Seemed reasonable to me. Richard

According to BW it is likely to be Easter before the repairs are completed. I haven't seen the breach but was told that a 50 yard section had gone, caused by badgers. The towpath is shut because there is a weak section on the towpath side they say, which means that it is not possible to see the damage which is on the other side. There are a number of disappointed people in Whixall who were going for a Christmas cruise. BW are supposed to be approaching land owners in the area to see about getting access to enable them to pump water into the canal to restore the levels having closed the canal at Grindley Brook. Richard

Just a bit of info. The Llangollen has breached at Hampton Bank and there is a distinct shortage of the floaty stuff. Richard

Beta can fit three alternators. Two as standard giving 12 volts one for the engine battery and a bigger one for the domestic batteries and an optional third which gives the 230 volts. We opted for the three which if you listen to informed opinion is a waste of money but all the boaters I have spoken to put them on a par with sliced bread. Richard