MoominPapa

Yes. OK, that make life a bit more complex, but if it avoids messing up the charging system, it's worth it, Related question: what's an appropriate fuse size for a 12v pre-engaged starter solenoid? Thanks, MP.

Question for electical gurus: I'm planning to connect a relay coil in parallel with the charge indictator light connected to the alternator, to interlock the starter button. Is there likely to be a problem with back-EMF from the relay coil possibly damaging the alternator controller (built-in or Adverc). If so can I protect the system with the standard diode, or will that cause other problems? Thanks in advance. MP.

The right tool for the job is available here. MP.

Another data point. Melaleuca has 3x220Ah Elecsols. They were already installed when we bought her at the start of the year. There's a fairly comprehensive set of invoices with the boat which strongly imply that they were bought in late 1999, so they're coming up for eight years old. Whilst they don't have the "new" capacity, it's still possible to pull 200Ah starting from fully charged before the no-load voltage drops to 12V, which is as low as I like to go. That would imply that the bank still has over half it's original capacity remaining. I don't know how well they've been treated before they came into my hands: the electrolyte was well down when I first checked (like, half a litre per battery down). The boat was a liveaboard on shore power for much of the time for her previous owners, so I guess the were on float charge a lot. The mains charger is a Waeco 45A unit which floats at 13.6 or so and zooms up to 14.4 when given discharged batteries. The Engine charging system is a 70A alternator and Adverc controller. The pulley ratio is high enough to generate 50A and tickover and full output at any revs significantly above tickover. One more interesting result of looking at the invoice collection: there were actually four 220Ah Elecsols bought in 1999, three domestic and one engine start. The Engine start battery was replaced (with a non-Elecsol) in 2006, so it looks like it faired less well. I suspect that this is because the engine battery is not charged by the mains charger, so it was left to discharge for long periods without a float charge. MP.

When we stopped there at Easter this year, it had just been taken over by new owners, so you source would appear to be more reliable than the BBC......... MP.

It's unlikely Maggie had any such plan, especially considering that we pumped the North Sea oil and gas as fast as we could and p*ssed the proceeds against the wall. The Norwegians used the revenue from their share of the oil to build a massive fund for use when it's gone, and Holland (I think) has kept back an enormous gas field as hedge against future shortages. The UK oil just got pumped to suit the multinationals - they loved Maggie. MP.

Oh, I'd keep the space at Bill Fen too; for high-days and holidays! That's true, I think, but I've also seen an "artists impression" of a lock flight and aqueduct connecting the Well Creek to Denver over the tidal Ouse. Eliminating the tidal half-mile. MP.

Looks perfect, thanks. My credit card is straining in the direction of Midland Swindlers as we speak....... MP.

There are a few joints in the low pressure side of my diesel system which appear to be parallel threads sealed with PTFE tape. They leak, just a little bit, but enough to be annoying (and smelly). Does there exist a setting sealant which is suitable for use on diesel systems which I could use to re-make these joints? MP.

Don't hold your breath. I get the feeling it may be a veeery long time before the wizzy aquaduct from the Ouse to Well creek actually happens. (Or maybe you're thinking of the Bedford to Milton-Keynes waterway. That will move Cambridge closer to the centre of the boating world, but I think it's a different project.) What I want is the Cam to Stort canal: I could keep the boat at Sawston Marina and cycle there from home. MP.

River Stort may be good. I believe the head of navigation is at Bishop's Stortford, about 3 miles from Stansted. You'll need a local to tell you what the chance is of encountering a NB there, and where to look. Depending on time available, taking the train into London will find you plenty of canals and boats. MP.

All together now, boaters mantra: "HOW much!". If you find an equivalent that's cheaper, please let me know; I've failed so far. MP.

Tachos with suitable ranges do exist: see the first item here clicky which I have saved for when I have enough spare cash and tuits. 0-1800 RPM suits the FR2 perfectly. That one runs off the alternator, which seems to me to be by far the best way to do it, as long as you have an alternator. I find a slow-reving engine quite difficult to judge by ear alone: because you can still hear the individual firing events event when it's spooled up, the brain somehow get's tricked over time into thinking it's going slower than it is. You only realise how fast it was reving when contrasted with tickover. MP.

My FR2 has the alternator driven with a standard V belt running on the outside of the standard flywheel. It works fine, though I think the pulley ratio is a bit high: it overloads the engine a bit when it's running at lowish revs and the Adverc really winds up the output to charge well discharged batteries. MP.

When we came down the Nene at Easter, we bought a one-week EA license from Gayton Marina, and an EA key. The paper license was hand-written, and we stuck it in the front window. In the middle of June, an envelope arrived in the post at home, with an address but no name on, franked by the EA, containing an EA key and nothing else. Then a week later another envelope arrived, this time with my name on it too, containing a printed copy of the license complete with April expiry date. EA licensing is wierd. MP.

OK, how's this as a reason for not botching the job: it you have a big leak, the diesel will just squirt out. If you have small hole, the diesel will spray out at VERY high pressure. Easily high enough to inject diesel straight through the skin of any bodily part you accidentally get too close. Injecting diesel into flesh kills it, potentially leading to amputation. I'd for hate Bones to end up with fewer. Bah - you get that problem too? MP.

Going the other way, we did Blisworth to P'borough in three days. We were booked through Stanground at 12, and arrived at Bill Fen at about 6.30. No low-flying was involved. Having just done Ramsey to the Ouse, the hard bits were not what I expected. The tide made a level at both Slater's Lode and Denver, so we sailed straight though. Only had to stop to buy a license. We were let out when the tide was flowing inland, so the scary turn out of Salter's Lode was simple. On the other hand, Well creek was dificult. It's narrow and shallow. We're 2'10" and I think we were on the ragged edge. Paul at SL said that President, the steam NB which went through the week before needed assistance from a Landrover and a long rope. (and at Whittlesey too). I'd not like to meet anything golng the other way along there, or low water levels. The Ouse is fun, but large bits of the Wissey involve a prop-full of blanket weed on every bend. Dead right. MP. ... and don't assume that because you got under a particular bridge last time, you'll be OK this time. I got caught out by that! MP.

No chance of falling off the edge at the moment, there's far too much water, You know that posh whitewashed farm bridge on the way to Benwick? The one with the "low bridge" signs that we sail under without a problem? Well the chinaman's hat from our stove chimney is now on the bottom underneath it, much modified in shape. The rest of the stove chimney is looking a bit alternative, too. The engine exhaust just made it, but I probably could have stopped in time for that one - it's further back. Good news, though. I've just sunk your mudweights to the bottom of the Nene OC just down from the junction with Popham's Eau, and they're mooring us wonderfully. Good job, I'd need serious superhero powers to get ashore through the shoulder-high reeds to put some pins in. Posting from Melaleuca's new ship's computer - which I've called "Holly" in tribute to Red Dwarf. Cheers, MP. When's the CWF Bill Fen banter then, chaps?

Congratulations, looks like a great boat. Have a great trip back to the flatlands, and let us know when your're approaching Flood's Ferry: the denizens of Bill Fen will emerge and do a fly-past! (or, you could come and vist and drink beer.) MP.

"I am the milkman of human kindness, I will leave an extra pint." MP.

Cracking toast, Gromit! That's perfect. Many thanks. MP.

Not a 3G dongle. I'm trying to connect an old PCMCIA wireless card to a "Pringles can" aerial so that I can talk to a base station on the far side of the marina. Sadly, wifi RF sockets seem to be an instance of the Connector conspiracy and getting the right one to connect to both the card and the aerial lead is proving difficult. MP.

Wow! Who's a clever Clanger! Maybe I should try that with the wireless network connector thingie I bought there and which doesn't (connect). MP.

now there's posh! MP.