Larkboy

I would like to thank everyone for their input on this, much appreciated. although the shaft is scuffed it appears to have lost next to nothing in diameter so I think I will order a Centaflex coupling with its collet clamping system. Out of interest could I use an R & D bobbin to bolt onto the gearbox and then bolting the coupling to that which would allow me to cut 80mm from the end of the propshaft? I'm not sure of the loadings that might create on the gearbox output shaft. ASAP supplies sell R & D couplings to fit metric shafts.

I figured it didn't have a keyway or locking screw so that if the prop hit anything solid it would spin the shaft in the coupling to protect the gearbox?

There is next to nothing removed from the diameter, although I can't check it properly right now as my verniers are at work, it's just got surface scuffing. I think it's going to be Centaflex here we come...🙂 Thanks for your helpful input.

Thanks again for the reply. I am pretty gentle on the gearbox and always pause in neutral before changing direction and our engine tickover is about 750-800 rpm. I change the gearbox oil yearly and find hardly any residue on the sump plug magnet. From what you said about the Centaflex it uses a collet arrangement to clamp the shaft which would be far more efficient than the existing split clamp.

I've been looking at the Centaflex flexible couplings and it looks like I need the M127 for a 30mm shaft. Anyone with experience of these? I take it they're pretty straightforward to fit. Be good to hear from anyone that's put one on a 2005 ish Liverpool boat with Isuzu 35 and PRM 120 gearbox. Does it make the transmission much smoother?

Thanks for the reply. The locking stud is one I fitted a couple of years ago. I drilled and tapped the coupling and drilled a dimple in the shaft. Since taking the pic and posting the original post I've found that the end of the grub screw had sheared off and that is what can be seen in the photo. I've since got it out.

I agree completely with this and I'm a welder/fabricator of 40 years standing. There's welding and then there's welding!

We used chlorinated rubber paint on the inside of the hull of our 1966 Foreland 12' 6" tender which we are doing up and it's very good. we sanded the surface, used a primer and put a couple of good coats on. Would definitely use it again. Our paint was from paints4trade.com.

Got problems with the propshaft and coupling. We towed our friends 70' narrowboat to the drydock to be blacked after their skintank failed and the extra strain on the drivetrain has caused the shaft to slip in the coupling. the coupling is now quite worn but the shaft seems to have lost little in the way of diameter but is rather scuffed. I would quite like to fit a centaflex coupling, would it clamp up alright on the scuffed shaft? R & D marine do a bobbin which would allow me to cut the damaged portion of the shaft off, but would this together with said centaflex put too much strain on the gearbox (PRM 120) output bearing? The boat is a 56' Liverpool/New Boat Company model with an Isuzu 35, PRM120 gearbox and Vetus 30mm shaft and stern gear. Any advice would be much appreciated, thanks.

I bought our boat brand new 11 years ago and it came with an Arrow fires Becton Bunny 4kw stove. I have to say it's been brilliant and is still on its original grate! It's on its third door glass and I've replace the fire bricks once and folded up a stainless baffle at work when the original rotted through.

Greenie. David

We use a degreaser at work that you mix with 2 or 3 parts water and it works brilliantly. Unfortunately I'm away on holiday until next week so can't supply you with any details until Monday. If you're still interested then let me know and I'll give you the details....it really is very good.

You really do like to belittle anything contradictory to your own views don't you? Others can't possibly have a valid opinion, and for your information I don't go down the pub as I don't drink, I prefer to read.

Hmmmmmm, from a lot of what I've read on here and elsewhere, including the press over the last couple of years would indicate that in lots of cases they're not, far too often.

That's all fine then, maintain the status quo, everyone's happy and the C&RT and E.A maintain the waterways in an acceptable state and increase their license fees year on year....

It would at least give some idea around which to make decisions, as in the op's case. At no point in any of my comments have I said that the individual boater has no responsibility for their choices, but that the controlling authorities should have more, given the amount of money they take off us each year (11 years in my case). I feel that most people on here wouldn't tolerate their utilities being run to the same standard as the waterways (certainly not on a year on year basis). I stand corrected......but that's still a huge chunk and boaters could, if they were so inclined, make a protest that had to be taken notice of.

I appreciate that 'to the millimetre' depths for every metre of waterway is not practical, but where there are known to be likely issues then they should have some sort of 'average depth' information. I just think that we as boaters cut these organisations too much slack with regards to maintenance of the waterways for the money they charge us each year. They waste too much money on middle managers, crap, nonsense signs and other such fripperies and we let them get away with it......me included!

No, not at all. I just think that these organisations should be responsible. If they don't maintain minimum depths they could at least use their 'enforcement teams' or 'volunteers' to keep a central database appraised as to what depths actually are. At least this way they could provide accurate information to their customers. In another thread it was said that most of their funding comes from boaters, so given social media could not C&RT customers organisise a mass license boycott to wake them up a bit to the sensibilities of their customer Service? Just remembering the fuel protests of 2000. People making excuses for C&RT and the E.A not maintaining that which they should be maintaining will only make things worse over time.....

I'm with the OP on this, for the money C&RT charge for their license they should have some obligations to maintain a minimum depth for navigation. Sounds like the OP asked them the questions and I feel there should be some responsibility for C&RT to know the system they are responsible for. I'm on the E.A managed Great Ouse system and know of people who have complained when navigation has been restricted, due to various reasons, and got money off their license for the year. I hope like hell that C&RT don't ultimately take over our system, the E.A may be far from perfect but they seem to have a much better outlook in my view.

Read this thread and looked at their site and found my 2005 Sterling 3000w pure sine wave inverter is a re-badged powermaster. I have to say it's always done what it said on the tin, and the auto-crossover switch is very fast.

Painted coach line round side panel at stern on starboard side and put final coat on the anti-slip strip down the gunnel on the same side. Fitted new external ariel socket, fitted 5 new batteries and measured up for some re-cabling. Boat has been taking up most of our spare time since April, looking forward to a weeks holiday in North Norfolk in a weeks time....

Because I've worked with steel all my life and have come across many coatings in that time, and I've always liked anything that's water based. If none of us tried anything different there would be no progress. I intend to put on a coat of 'Aquasteel' and up to 4 coats of 'Keelblack' and evaluate over the next couple of years. I can always go back to intertuff if I don't like the results.

Our boat is due blacking next year and we're going to try Keelblack. The company blurb and the few reviews I've read have been very positive and I like the fact it's water based. When the boat was new I spent a year arguing with the builder over the application of the original blacking (intertuff) as they had applied it directly to millscale and it kept coming off in sheets. I spoke to International who told me intertuff had to be applied to a shot blasted finish, and the upshot was that the builder had to pay to have the boat craned out and taken back to their yard and shot blasted and repainted. This was well worth the fight as the blacking lasted 5 years before needing to be redone and subsequent applications have the right surface to adhere to.