snaps

Tim, I think you have hit the Nail on the heat there it was left with the scale on....... and then a Kamastic put on top. I have since put International Bitumin on top which you can do but not the other way round. The only cure would be sanblast I guess, I may use some etching type primer on the bare metal next time though see how that goes if not I will then plan for a sand sblast next time. Si

Hello Thanks for the replies How often should the Anodes be replaced.... I would say my bolt on ones are about 30% reduced in 5 years? Si

Hello, I have been concerned by the amount of pitting on my 53 ft Narrowboat, and it is due to come out again soon for blacking. The pitting puzzles me as I have had it in 3 different locations in the 5 years of its life from new, the last 2 being an on line mooring where the boats near to me never move and have no one living on them, they may have the electric connected for battery charging only. I use the boat most weekends for cruising (not live aboard) where I run 12v and 240v permanently over that weekend. When moored up during the week the boat is not connected to a landline and everything is off. When I black the boat I prepare it well, 3 coats of international bitumin with a brush, I have had luck with the weather and have it out a week to dry. I have noticed the bolt on anodes have not gone down much (still on the same from new) could the fact they are bolt on mean they have a bad connection to the hull? Do I need to cross bond the 240 and 12v? which I have heard about. Will it get less with the eventual build up of paint over the years. Should I get a galvanic Isolator? Any help appreciated. Regards Si

Hello, Can anyone suggest suitable suppliers of height adjustable(telescopic) table legs. My L shaped dinette currently has some aluminium ones which are unsuitable. I would love some stainless steel round telescopic tube style so my table can drop down fuss free to form the bed, but I have had no success. The adjustment needs to be around 300mm. Any ideas other than changing the long to ones to short ones when making the bed. Yes I am lazy? Si

I would under normal circumstances but I have washed my hands of him?? It,s a long story but thanks for advice. Happy boating Si

Hello, Thanks I was meaning impacts on the side of the boat which would cause the water to surge inside the tank which would have to be of suitable strength to contain this fource. The tank is clear of the sides of the boat. And held in at the base to prevent it shifting. Si

Hello All, Some advice please, I had a stainless steel water tank made by my boat builder.(who will remain nameless??). I would think its around 2mm thick st steel, its about 55gal. My question is that when fitting it, it did not strike me as the strongest structure in the world? And it has no baffles?. I have never filled it past 1/4 full as the water sytem not fully plumbed in, but worry about it when full?. I am worrying over nothing? Should it have baffles, shurely this would strengthen the sides and reduce water surges should there be an impact? Thanks Si

Hello, I am fitting out a boat and after doing the stove surround, plumbing in the back boiler ,Calorifier etc etc its time for some dreaded woodwork. I am about to start building cupboards, and a bed? in the beadroom. The boat was supplied with Ash t & g paneling, and the usual ply roof. Where do you get the same ply wood, and can you get it already varnished? I am going to need some American Ash to match the rest of the boat, this will probably be a mixture of veneered and solid wood. Where can I get this from? In the North west, Boat is Near Northwich, Cheshire. Cheers Si

I have been on boats with small shower quadrants, dimensions along the straight sides as you say. However some are not fully rounded off and are radiused on one corner but still classed as quadrants. Si

Hello Everybody, Can anyone advise on what is the smallest size for a shower base quadrant, I have measured up and 700 X 700 would be great rather than 800 x 800 which seems to be the norm? Cheers Si

Hello No water in the back boiler is not advisable, depending on the material for the BB it can cause heat damage/warping etc and even melt down it in extreme situations. It is due to the fact that the metal is so much thinner on the BB than the stove itself so it will not last as long without the cooling effect of the water. An expansion tank of a suitible size at the highest point on the system is going to be a good solution, but in addition it appears your system was boiling off, this is probably due to lack of flow if it is a gravity fed system (ie no pump). If this is the case you need to tame the fire somehow by reducing the amount of heat the BB is exposed to. This can be done using fire bricks inside the fire of a ceramic plate at the back. Regards Si

Thanks Martin, Yeah I had not considered an open system, does the header tank have a lid? Where did you get it from? are there any decorative/well engineered eg stainless ones about.? I guess I could go the whole hog with bubble valve pressure release vessel and pressure release valve on a closed system. , I plan to run to a port hole high Radiator so a good rise on the hot side and them come down back through the calorifier second coil for a bit of extra heating of the water tank. If the water tank is hotter than the returning water I am having a non return valve to stop the tank bleeding hot water to the Rad? I plan to use 22mm brass/crome pipe on exposed run's? Or similar? any idead here also? Si

Greetings friends, I have a plan which I think will work, but need a little advice. I have a morso squirrel stove to which I am going to fit a back boiler. I then plan a gravity fed single Rad (which will be at head height to assist in the thermal flow). What sort of diameter pipes should I have for flow and Return? This closed system is a bit of a time bomb so how best to relieve the pressure?. I was thinking of a bottle valve on the radiator's highest point, and maybe a small crome type? expansion vessel as well, if there are such devices for the Rad which is on view in the bathroom. Or is a bigger surecal type one better hidden away but not at the highest point? Currently the bottle valve (an automatic air bleed) on the rad and an expansion vessel hidden away seems the way forward in my mind anyhow??? Regards Si

Hello, This may have been covered before but the search facility is not very exacting. I have run the gas pipe fron the gas locker through the bulkhead (through a bulk head fitting), I then decided to go down to the water pipes (well just above) and run them both in a boxed off section to the kitchen. Now there are no joints in this section only at the kitchen itself where it has a T split for hob and oven, and the lid on boxed of section can be removed for inspection. Is the acceptable, the BSS scheme only advises that the gas pipes are run high or at gunwale level. Any suggestions Thanks Si

Thanks for info, I agree it will fill better. Si

Hello All, I am fitting my stainless water tank and it just so happens the filler neck on the Deck and the filler on the tank line up when the tank is in position. This creates a very short straight link up pipe to connect the Two. All other boats I have seen have a swan neck length of pipe? Apart from flexibilty in tank positioning is there any other reason for this, such as it acting as an makeshift anti surge when the tank is full etc? Regards Si

Ok I am warming to LED'S as they offer a warm light version. However I am struggling to find a complete housing with less than 50mm rear fitting clearance. I have seen g4 type housings which have about 40mm and then the capsule bulb can be changed for a g4 LED, but this is going round the houses. Where did you get your fitting from and can anyone suggest a supplier. Regards Si

Hello, I am about to install 12v down lights on my narrow boat and have 50mm available behind the paneling in the roof. What are the best options and where is best to buy. I am leaning towards 10w g4 type bulb. As it appears to be the cheapest to replace and a good light to power compromise. I am not too fond of the light off led's. Where is the best to buy on line. Many Thanks Si

Hello there, I Will be long term mooring on the River Weaver (Weaver Navigation) and realise I will need an Anchor, but what size will be required for a 53FT narrow boat. I don't want the situation arising where I rely on it and it does do its job. They seem to be around 7 to 15 kg, I guess the shape is important to depending on the amount of silt? etc Any ideas. Regards Si

Is that in Solid Brass? If so sounds Great. Who supplies them. Cheers Si

I suspect I will have to go for Anodised Aluminium for the Larger ones if I can't find any which is a shame. Si

Hello All, I am having a narrow boat built and the windows are to be all Brass portholes. Each side will have 5 such windows. My question is on the sizes. I was hoping to have three 12" and two larger say 15" or bigger. However 12" seems to be the limit. Does anyone know anyone who manufactures the larger solid brass porholes. Many Thanks Simon

Many Thanks. I will have to set up a file and get more organised. Si

Hello Everybody Happy New Year. I am about to fit out my first boat and to help the challenge that awaits me I ask for help from anybody who has diagrams for the Hot and cold water, gas etc. I plan to have a clarifier near to the engine (the boat will be a reverse layout 53ft trad) then have the water pump near to the cold water tank. This means the pump is along way away? is this good? Would I lag the plastic pipes? How good are the plastic pipes and connectors. I guess having the pump at the front which will be the highest point will help the pump and mean less water to drain off if you have to change the pump? Any Help appreciated. Regards Si

Thanks For all your useful information. I like the look of the powermaster systems and the price is good. Cheers Simon