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Big COL

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Posts posted by Big COL

  1. If the boat does not have a onboard polishing kit is there any point in worring about this issue.You may have had your boats tank polished but the next time you refill with diesel you may be contaminating your tank,unless you know the integrety and quality of your fuel supplier.It may be better to add a proven addative to each refill rather than worry about polishing fuel.An addative and regular filter changes may well prove to be as effective and cheaper.

  2. reading BILLING MARINA RULES

     

    15. Billing Aquadrome reserves the right to moor, reberth, move, board, enter or carry out emergency work on any boat if, in Billing Aquadrome's opinion, it is necessary to do so for the purposes of trying to:

    avoid damage to the boat or to any other vessel in the Marina; and/or

    ensure the safety of other users of the Marina; and/or

    ensure the safety of Billing Aquadrome's staff, premises, plant or equipment.

     

    In this instance just why are the marina rules relavent?

  3. reading BILLING MARINA RULES

     

    15. Billing Aquadrome reserves the right to moor, reberth, move, board, enter or carry out emergency work on any boat if, in Billing Aquadrome's opinion, it is necessary to do so for the purposes of trying to:

    avoid damage to the boat or to any other vessel in the Marina; and/or

    ensure the safety of other users of the Marina; and/or

    ensure the safety of Billing Aquadrome's staff, premises, plant or equipment.

  4. The water levels on the river Nene are controlled by the E/A via the barrage and the washlands at Northampton, this was designed to prevent Northampton from flooding. In the event that we receive extreme amounts of rain, water is collected and stored at the washlands and then released as and when possible. Under normal conditions and normal rainfall this works very well, to the point that you hardly notice a change in the river levels. The problem arises when everything goes into overload due to extreme weather conditions. To enable some semblance of control it is required to deliberately flood the floodplains, Billing Aquadrome exists upon one of these floodplains, when this situation arises the E/A advises Billing Aquadrome that this is going to happen, the problem that the E/A have is that because of high level of water in storage (due to continuous heacy rainfall) coupled with the big unknown of how much more rain will fall over the next few days they can only control the discharge to try and maintain a balance between what is being released and what is still flowing in from upstream. It is because of this unknown quantity of flooding that the management of Billing Aquadrome and Billing Marina have to make the decision to evacuate. It would be irresponsible of them to ignore the advice given, especially when life could be put at risk. Once this decision has beeen made the emergency services take over, there is a flood risk assessment for Billing Aquadrome and this then swings into place. The threat of arrest is to protect individuals who cannot see the dangers that could occur because of the unknown level of flooding. Under flood conditions the roads disappear and lakeside edges and streams converge into one very large lake, this could happen at night and the electricity supply could be lost so the park would be in complete darkness making a very dangerous situation, this is not a scenario you would want to subject people to. The first concern is to protect life, anything else is replaceable. The park management understands and sympathises with people's reactions to being uprooted from their homes, whether it be a lakeside lodge, caravan or boat, but the first and only concern is for their wellbeing.

    The marina water level rose by eight feet of water, even the adjoining hotel had to be evacuated, with the marina being on floating pontoons adjusting ropes was not required,and all moorers were allowed back on to the marina daily to allow them to check the boats with access only being possible by dinghy due to the landbridge being three feet under water.

    Billing Aquadrome management came in for a great deal of criticism from both caravaners and moorers, it possibly appeared to them that no one cared. Let me tell you that was far from the case - a small team that were allowed to remain worked tirelessly to protect both property and boats while senior management battled with the authorities to try and establish an early return, all of this goes unseen and criticism, although understandable, is not nice to take. The nett result upon returning was that there had been no loss of life and not one single property had been flooded with the exception of some sheds.

    I feel very sorry for Tree, I was the one who had to give her the bad news, why Free Spirt went down is still unknown. She is due to be raised sometime next week by divers and air bags and then possibly the cause may be revealed. I hope this goes someway to explain what has to happen in circumstances like this which unfortunately causes opinions to be formed with the lack of information, evoking all kinds of emotions.

  5. Is this only during the floods ?

     

    Pagan Boat is not giving you the full story, his price comparison is not a true comparison. With Billing Marina mooring fees there is a free package included for the rights on Billing Aquadrome Holiday Park. This package is valued at £600, deduct this from the mooring fee figure and you will arrive at a true value of the moorings at Billing Marina. This forum is not for the promotion of any specific business which I agree with however Half truths need to be corrected.

     

    Regards Big Col

  6. we live on a boat at billing, its ok, you can moor for half the price in town but no parking and no fun days, get 4 free annual swimming passes and 2 fishing at billing, we like it, marina very secure but lack of maintenance, ive been in the drink twice, and wife broke her back at showers, other than that its ok

     

     

    You could probably inform the forum just how Billing management have treated you since your good lady was discharged from hospital. Ie because your wife in the condition that she was when discharged from hospital, was physically unable to get on and off the boat, they have provided both of you accommodation in a caravan on the Billing Aquadrome Holiday Park free of charge which at this moment in time is still ongoing.

     

    Regards Big Col

  7. Following the erroneous posts relating to mooring at Billing, the Marina has arranged with Billing Aquadrome one day only free entry car passes for Billing Aquadrome and Billing Marina.Forum members are invited to come and see the facilities that are provided for our moorers.This offer will allow entry to all the occupants of one car. Right click on the car pass below, save and print it. Present it at the gate for your free day's entry.

     

    Regards Big Col

     

    freecarpass.jpg

  8. I was replying to Big Col who implied my opinion was inbalanced and prejudice without cause.

     

    While in one respect you are right, I dont live anywhere near nor would I be happy to live near a large community of criminals who have no fear of the law and prowl for anything they can weigh in or steal.

    I would'nt like to drink in local bars where they went either because of what I have seen and experienced.

    Its my opinon and I dont expect anyone else to like it or agree with it.

    I just would'nt live there anymore I grew up in the area.

    Cheers.

     

    Inbalanced and prejudiced opinion. Well If you go and define prejudice, - Noun - Opinion formed beforehand or without Knowledge. Reread your comments bearing in mind that they should be referring to Billing Marina specifically not to Northampton or any part of, you will understand just why your comments are prejudiced and ill informed as far as relating to Billing Marina.Sue has given a definitive answer to life aboard at Billing, I think the readers will be able to judge for themselves between a genuine Billing moorer and an inbalanced and prejudiced opinion.You obviously had a unhappy time in Northampton, Perhaps you should have stayed at Billing Marina.

     

    Regards Big Col

  9. While I value your comments tree about prejudice I consider prejudice to be born from ignorance.

    However my opinion is not prejudice and not born from ignorance but rather experience.

    The marina might be nice though!

     

    Then I would suggest that you keep within the bounderies of your experience,by your own admission you have no knowledge of Billing Marina but your reference to Pikeys (need I say more) at Billing would suggest that you have an in depth knowledge of Billing Marina. The marina is adjacent to Billing Aquadrome camping and caravan park not within it. Security on Billing Marina is probably one of the best in the country, putting aside that entry is only possible through one gate with a swipe card, the live-aboard moorers have created a super community spirit, they themselves police each and everyone's boats to the point that it would be possible to leave a boat open and it still be safe.So please keep your opinions factual as you do a disservice to all the moorers at Billing Marina

     

    Regards Big Col

    • Greenie 2
  10. Are you using the correct 2 stroke oil? There were before synthetic oils two types of 2 stroke oil, one used in air cooled engines and the other type used in water cooled engines. The need for the different types was due to the operating temperature of the engines. I would think the same must apply with synthetic oils, but I honestly don't know.

  11. Where did he come from bloody smart a---e with his :P I thought you had joined the gentry Gibbo :P Well it would seem that I have had a senior moment here, :cloud9: I will explain many many years ago I was taught a system that should be applied to most belt driven appliances. Imagine a straight conveyor belt loaded with a product, that conveyor belt has to be pulled to work efficiently not pushed so the required direction of the conveyor will determine at what end the drive should be for it to pull the belt and the load. Then apply the same principle to any driven machinery drawing through the load leaving the slack on the return side.

    Link belts are directional and there will be a positive side and a slack side when the alternator goes on load. With such a small pulley on the alternator the introduction of a third pulley for tensioning would probably help I can see this in my minds eye just not explaining it very well

     

    Big Col

  12. As a rule I would concur. If memory serves me right, a few years ago DHutch was complaining about the time needed to change a normal vee belt as it required a shaft strip down to pass the normal vee belt over an open end. These belts save this strip down time by being able to split the belt, fit the belt around the fixed continuous shaft and then reconnect the belt, this was the solution for him at that time. I agree they are not the Ideal drive belt but fitted correctly they are not too bad. As I have already stated with most of these non factory add ons the problem usually lies with the belt trying to push the load round as apposed to pulling the load round.

     

    Big Col

  13. Hi Arnot

     

    Been a long time, One question As you look at the photo, which way is the rotation clockwise or anti clock.The belt in the photo is fitted for the rotation to be anti clock, which is wrong,because it will be trying to push the belt through the load instead of pulling through the load. If it is on the other hand rotating clockwise then the belt is on backwards. The taper in the links points to the rotation direction. With link belts it is critical to get the direction correct moreso than a vee belt. (not trying to teach grandad to suck eggs) :lol:

     

    Big Col

  14. I had a Viking 26 wide beam,the one with the under cockpit deck cabin, to reach the chambers (bilges) you are referring to, there was a hatch inside the under deck cabin which you could remove and inspect the bilges which is what I assume you are referring to.The Viking widebeam is a bit of different boat to the narrowbeam Vikings, I am not sure if the following applies to the Vikings but on most GRP cruisers there will be a drain plug or tap low down on the back of the hull(under water when afloat). When we trailer out any GRP boats we always check for a plug or tap and drain them on the trailer. I can't be 100% about this model Viking but know a man who is PM me if you want me to find out for certain

  15. There is a new product out, I say new, probably been around for the last eighteen months.Product name is one chem, they produce two types. One chem cassette, which charges both holding tank and flush tank on the cassette or porta potti, and one chem tank for pumpout holding tanks.

    The product is formaldehyde free and was produced by a mobile toilet company because of complaints from employees constantly having headaches. The product was tested during its development in porta-loos on building sites.

    It is sold at our marina and the feed back has been very positive, I think its the cassette one that smells of almonds. Give it a try.

  16. Why is it that only the first two figures are ever quoted when talking about prop sizes.

    There are three figures used in prop sizing dia x pitch x % of cover, the latter seldom quoted but can and is equally important, I had handling problems with a 70' boat that was propped correctly on pitch and diameter but according to Crowthers it required more cover.

    Their recomendation cured the problem and the boat was a dream to handle after the change, so be aware that pitch and size are not the only thing that matters.

  17. We Have a stand at crick V7/V8 I will print the Canal World Logo off and display it on our stand. I will also provide a Canal World Forum Appointments and messages diary where forum members can leave messages for each other, so as to arrange their own meetings during the three days of the show. Look forward to meeting you.

     

    Colin

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