northern

I understand what's being said, it's just that the response might have been "just fill the crack, don't replace the whole thing, it's cheaper".

So what you're saying it is has a purpose, the purpose is compromised by it being broken, and that it could be rectified for a cost less than that of a new fire brick? That's very different to saying "why would you possibly want to waste money on replacing a cracked fire brick? What do you think the crack will do, let the fire leak out ?

Why would you possibly want to waste your time posting this? It was designed and installed for a reason. It's now broken. It makes sense to replace it.

Struggling with the pics..

Here are some photos which hopefully gets things across better than my previous effort... Pics to follow

Thanks for the help. Donation made to the site - I've taken far more than I've given (mostly down to inexperience), so it's only fair. Kings Lock have the part and I'll be ordering tomorrow. Is it a pain in the arse to fit?

Thanks, all. Didn't want to wake up dead. I've sent the pictures off to Kings Lock Chandlery to get a replacement but can't actually identify which model of Squirrel it is. Hopefully they can from the photo unless there's another way I'm able to? The feet look slightly different on some models.

Hello, I noticed a crack in the back of my stove yesterday. I'm struggling with identifying exactly what the part is from the diagrams I've found online. Is it the back brick? Until it's replaced, is it safe to use? Thanks,

I think I'm best to take some photos when I'm next onboard at the weekend and take it from there. I'm probably causing even more confusion in trying to explain!

Thanks. This is the first boat I've had where the socket for shore power isn't located on the stern bulkhead, as yours. In this case, it looks like it does go from a 240v plug, to a gang with a shore power socket attached, then the shore power cable plugs into this and into the bollard. Unless I ignore the lead and plug directly into what's in the first photo (actual pic from my boat).

Apologies for being a bit thick here... Am I to directly plug the shore power cable into the connector shown in the first picture and ignore the gang plug?

Thanks, Tony, for the detailed reply. I do mean Swanley Bridge. Glad to read you enjoyed your time there. I currently live in Nantwich and have done for a few years now, so fortunately I'm familiar with it. I've a car too and everything's close by as you say. It's a great spot and I used to moor at the farm moorings right next to it. I like the marina and would also have been happy at Overwater too. My intention is to support the fuel boat. I used to buy from Chamberlains and see they've a full-time mooring at Burland now. During weekends I'm intending on taking it down the Middlewich or towards Coole Pilates, both are an easy reach. Due to work commitments longer cruises will only be possible during annual leave. When the stoppages are sorted I'll do the same but heading to Wrenbury. The marina have been endlessly patient with me, having messed them about twice with securing a mooring for a 60ft despite the waiting list and shortage, only to have duff surveys and not take the mooring. Fortunately they've plenty of 50ft moorings and I had a decent choice.

I know about as much as boat electrics as I do Photoshop. Hopefully the image makes things clearer. I'd forgotten I'd taken a picture of inside of the cupboard which houses the DC panel and galvanic isolator etc. You can see one end what looks like a hook up cable. Anyhow, from this cupboard there's a mains lead with a UK plug. There's a separate gang socket with hook up connection attached. The plug mention above goes into the gang socket The shore line from the gang then plugs into a shore cable, goes through the pigeon box and into shore power

I'll draw a picture later this evening (I'm not taking the p*ss, by the way) as I'm not using the right terminology to explain it. Maybe a sketch would be clearer.

Potentially. I'll try and trace where cabling goes from the inverter/charger unit - it's not in the same cupboard, instead it's under the boards in the engine room opposite the DC board and not wall mounted.

Definitely not the galvanic isolator. I'll have a go at explaining it again... From the cupboard which houses the DC board, out comes a 3 pin domestic plug which is wired in. There's a separate extension lead / gang which the above plugs directly into The extension / gang has the transformer at the other end The shore power cable goes from the shore power, through the pigeon box, and then connects to the extension lead/gang and plugs into the transformer socket

Shall do. The surveyor I used is massively picky and detailed and there was no mention of it from him. He's picked up a lack of earthing on other boats he's surveyed for me too. So fingers crossed it's my crap explanation that's ringing alarm bells.

Thank you. It's probably my poor explanation and I can't think of a better way of writing it. It's had shore power from new (it's a 2012 boat) as there's mention of it in the RCD folder. I don't believe the previous owners' have modified it in any way. In fact, they left some notes on board for the new owner and they specifically mentioned that almost never used it as the constantly cruised and found the 700w of solar gave them enough power almost all year round. I'll post some photos which will hopefully be clearer once I get the boat back.

Oh, I'll start off a separate hi-fi thread at a later date. I won't buy anything without demoing either. The bookshelf Quads I've got don't even get out of first gear - I lived in a new build, back to back terrace so can't make any real use of them without being inconsiderate to neighbours. They're just going through an integrated amp and used as TV speakers mainly. These seem well regarded... https://www.richersounds.com/ruark-mr1-mk2-walnut.html?nosto=nosto-page-search1

Thanks for the replies. I got the keys yesterday afternoon and spent my first night aboard. With there being no handover from the previous owner, fortunately I've a very limited knowledge of how things might work and managed to get everything up and running fairly quickly. It was still nerve-wracking, trying to figure out something very new on your own, with the battery isolators off, all switches on the DC panel off, gas bottle isolated, inverter off etc, and no shore power. I think had it been my first boat it would have been a cold, miserable first night. I spent 30 minutes looking for the shower pump switch only to learn it's an automatic. And much longer trying to figure out how shore power connects; I found there's a household 3 pin plug coming out of the mains cupboard, which then plugs in into the transformer, to then feed through the pigeon box in the engine room, and into shore power. I'm assured that's fairly normal for this sort of boat! 🙂 The Morso got the front of the boat up to nearly 40 degrees at one point - I'm sure I'll master it eventually - and even when under control provided some heat towards the back cabin. The fire was out by the time I was up but I'm sure I'll find a way of keeping it lit overnight. The boat's now on its way to Great Haywood for me to meet the boat mover by weekend. There's no planned closure that I can see and I've used Canal Plan to plot the route and there's no mention there too. I've got to be out of the house by the end of November but I'll be arranging a temporary small storage locker. Thanks for all the advice.

Thanks for the input. Appreciated. My boat's just under 50ft, tug-style with a large deck, and an engine room, so you'll understand there's not a great deal of living space. In fact, it's actually not really best suited to living aboard only for this reason. It has every bit of equipment you could ever want or imagine though. The engine room will be ideal for storing awkward items like clothes maiden/buckets etc. And there's a reasonable storage area under the deck too for lesser used items. Despite it not being the most suitable boat to liveaboard, there's only going to be me on it, and I loved it as soon as I saw it. I bought it subject to survey within a few hours of the broker advertising it. Just over a week later it was surveyed (already had one booked for a month to look at a different boat) and paid for in full. Anyhow, I'm not a fan of clutter and crap, which is fortunate. Clothing will make up the bulk of what's coming aboard and some of this will have to live under the fixed seating in the saloon. The wardrobe isn't large enough. I've a decent amplifier and Quad 11L speakers with stands but there's no room for these and they'll be replaced with some smaller bluetooth Ruark speakers which seem well rated enough. I cleared the loft and de-cluttered most of the house 6 months ago when I found a boat I intended to buy and move on to but it fell through. There's very little in the way of objects and possessions that I use and couldn't live without, so reckon there'll be nothing I miss. I don't have to worry about batteries as I'll be marina based and will only be able to cruise at weekends and annual leave. There's 700 watts of solar and I rarely moor in the same sport for more than 2 days as I get bored. I've nothing which is power hungry - just a laptop and the dehumidifier will only be run in the marina - and there's travel power if I want to run the washer. Oh, and I chopped my car in at the weekend. Shame as I really enjoyed it but can't moan since Cazoo gave me more than I paid for it. I've now something far more unassuming which I'll worry about less when sat in the marina's car park. Needs must - the boat was out of my budget but I wanted it and so the car had to go. I wanted to move aboard debt free, with the annual marina fees, licence, RCR and insurance all paid up for the year in advance, and didn't want to borrow money to bridge the gap. I'll be on board a week tomorrow. Thanks again.

Thanks. I'm heading down to Kilworth this Saturday to get stuff aboard for the boat mover who's taking it to Great Haywood for me, and I'll be taking it from there. I'll be making sure there's enough gas, fuel and a full tank of diesel for him. And more than enough spare for me to take it from GH to Nantwich. It'll be marina based in Nantwich so no worries with much of the sort of stuff you mention and I'm really familiar with water points and chandlers etc on the SU. Also, Chamberlin fuel boat is moored very close by and does the circuit and I'll be buying all I can from them rather than a marina. Oh, it's a drop-through toilet too, so no daily carrying and emptying. It wasn't my preference but it's a used boat so didn't have much choice.

In the next few weeks I'll be moving aboard permanently. I'm using a checklist I got from a solicitor a while ago when moving home to cover off things like changing my address with banks, GPs etc, meter readings etc, to help. But I'd be keen on hearing from anyone who's made the move and their experiences which would never normally be consideration with a house move. Any instances of you wishing you had the benefit of hindsight in something being missed or gone wrong etc, or best to sort now rather than retrospectively, would be brilliant. And please don't say in hindsight you shouldn't have moved aboard 😉

Typo on my part.

Having been to Aintree and asked the question over the paint prep before 2 pack painting, it was confirmed they don't blast the boats before painting. Given the shells are also kept outside before painting too, you might not get something long-lasting. They did say that could get somebody in to grit blast but it would be expensive.