LEO

Hi, I got the necessary gasket from AMC (Blackpool), original fitting was a cork gasket but they sent an upgraded rubber type one. You made need 2 as there are 2 cover plates - well there were on mine. I think they also sent seals for the retaining bolt. Hope that helps.. ALBI

Hi, If you think boating yesterday in the rain was fun, try go to a R Garden Party - fun trying to to work out why people with big shoes sink more slowly into the grass than small people with stillettoes. Boating with a trad in the wet - easy - just pull the slide over and on a lock free stretch pull the back doors up behind you. The warm air from the engine room is great and dries wet clothes. Shorts and a waterproof jacket are the best clothes to boat in if it's wet. ATB Albi

Hi, Oil does thin down a lot as it gets hot and oil pressure falls. Not sure if you have an oil cooler, had a similar problem with my 1.5 and found that fitting a cooler helped. Got mine from AMC and fitting was pretty easy. Take care if you raw water cool it though (winterisation). An aged mechanic once said to me 'don't worry to much about the pressure - it's the quality of oil that counts'. Some of the high spec modern diesel engine oils don't suit old engines, might be worth using a straight Sae30. You can't expect showroom oil pressure on some of these older 1.5's as they may have been re-conditioned 20/25 years ago, probably date from the early 1960's and were built to a pre WW2 design. Hope that helps, bearing in mind it's age and reliability the BMC 1.5 should really be considered a classic vintage engine!. ALBI

Hi, I have got spares froom KURNDA MARINE, KURUNDA HOUSE, FORGE RD, WHALEY BRIDGE, HIGH PEAK, DERBYSHIRE SK23 7HY 01663 734800 info@kurnda.u-net.com Best of luck, sure they will be able to help you - great stoves, lots of info on the site about maintaining them. not too much to go wrong with them. ALBI Hi Sorry wrong email - info@kuranda.u-nt.com A.

Hi, I discussed this problem and it was suggested that hanging anodes on chains from the steel piling down into the water between the piling and boat may help to overcome the problem. Any substance in this suggestion, has anyone tried it? Albi.

Hi, Not sure on this one, but it is an agreement, negotiated with the help of the local MP and BW several years ago. I think the problem is that anglers kept extending the 'fishable' length from the Aldbury bridge and accessing it from the Cowroast end. A fair number of boats tie up along the towpath side along that stretch. Not sure if that helps, I will make further enquiries - are you and Angler? ATB ALBI

Sorry to go back to this one, but a BW moorings administrator caused confusion in this instance by allowing the lenght between bridge 136 (Aldbury) and 137 (Cowroast lock) to be pegged. This is a 'no fishing' lenght and that status is carefully enforced by moorers. Some boaters disregard the signs and object when they are asked to observe the regulations, (we have found that they can out swear fishermen). One of our number is learning Polish to avoid confusion with our European cousins. The mis-understanding was resolved with BW. ALBI

Hi, These BMC's are great little engines and normally run like clockwork for years. Liam probably has the best idea - to check the fuel supply and change the filter if necessary. When I had one of these units I found it had a habit of throwing out any oil if it was overfilled or even filled to the correct level on the dip-stick, either through a crankcase breather pipe or through a slightly worn rear oil seal, it would then maintain this reduced level virtually between services. The mounting block tightness is another area to check (as has been suggested). It does sound as though it could be fuel starvation if it runs Ok at tickover but has problems at higher revs. Best of luck fuel consumption sounds about the same as I used to get. ATB Albi

Hi, Good, hope it helped, excellent site, brilliant video. Gardner Rally at Milton Keynes next year. Albi.

Hi. JJ ranger, have you really taken a mooring at Marsworth For £6000 p. an for the next 3 years???????????????. Albi

Hi, I have a 2LW with a fairly small silencer, but make sure inlet/oultlet pipes are Gardner recommended sizes. Hospital silencers do quieten the 2LW down a bit too much. Saw a nice boat with a 3LW recently having straight through exhaust which was not too noisy and really sounded impressive. Gardner-enthusiast have a video of a boat with a 2LW exhaust. A friend has a 3 Cylinder Ruston with a straight through, again this is not noisy. Hope this helps ALBI

A possible scenario, but when fixing the price of anything, basic economic principles apply - supply and demand and what prices are being achieved for similar products locally. Whilst taking into account the theory that 'one swallow does not make a summer' a successful bid such as that at Marsworth will be taken into account when fixing prices of moorings locally by marina owners and BW. The waiting lists were good, but, other than demand gave BW little indication of what the market would pay - the tendering (or auction) system does and this evidence can then be applied to linear mooring pricing and even end of garden moorings. It will be even worse in an area where BW control both linear and marina moorings. Like you say - 'I like boats' but soon the only boat we will be able to afford will be one in the bath. Albi

BW will factor this successful bid of £6000 into fixing levels of annual prices for moorings locally - to refelect local supply and demand, as will local marina operators, thus you will get the 'leap-frog' effect on prices. I am not just considering the effect this will have on the local tendering process, but mooring policy charges a a whole. Mooring prices for BW linear moorings in the Marsworth area are amongst the highest on the GU South (London excluded) - be afraid, very afraid. Albi

Hi, I really cant't believe this figure - it's a busy towpath, no security, no parking (the Tring Reservoirs park nearby is £1.50 per day), makes one shudder to think what effect this will have on mooring fees locally. One wonders if it is a widebeam boat, but whoever it is has lots of money (perhaps) but no sense (definately). Does it really equate to £18000 for 3 years..................... whoever it is will have no friends locally for screwing things up for us all. Albi.

Hi, This takes me back a a few years, (1978 to be exact) we did a similar run and found a good place to camp was at the top lock of Peter's 2 at Marsworth, where there is space (we used it again in 2005). We tried a similar journey about 3 years ago, pubs are a no-no. but there is a small area between an access road and the canal almost opposite the Globe, Leighton Buzzard. The road serves a sewage farm and traffic started early. There is a similar space opposite the Grove Pub at Leighton Buzzard (by the side pond) which we used about 3 years ago which was good, when I called this June the mooring was being run by an officious (official/unofficial) warden moored on the off side by the pub, who may object. One question, how many people. how many tents and do you play radios etc - dependant on answers I may be able to help with a mooring along the Tring Summit. As for moorings between Cowroast and London, you may find something, but problems associated with urban areas may become more prevalent. Best of luck, we generally pitched our tent (with interesting results) after we got back from the pub and in August 1978 it rained most days and nights.... We went from Marsworth to Wallingford 4 up in a 16ft Dolphin. ATB ALBI

H, Save time and money and install a new (if it's a Hurth) or consider repairing the existing gearbox and then, knowing it's history treat it carefully, ie, pausing when going from forward to reverse. I doubt many Surveyors will consider confirming a gearbox is sound when one considers how people 'hammer' them or even whether the engine tickover is set fast enough to keep the gearbox hydraulics or input shaft in good nick. I bought a boat about 20 years ago with a dreadfully designed British Gearbox, it lasted about 1 month before packing up, repaired it gave another 5 months service (investigations indicated the previous owners had experienced problems), the cheaper option was to take the 'hit' replace it with a Hurth (which gave nearly 2000 hours service) and continue the holiday (obtaining and me fitting the new parts took about 2 days at a cost of about £850 - I bought the boat for £9500) Would be interested to learn of the type of engine/gearbox/lenght of boat involved and maintenance history, have the clutches gone and what colour was the gearbox oil?. If people treated boat gearboxes the same way they treat vehicle gearboxes they might last longer. Best of luck, happy emergency stops!. Albi

Hi, Despite the cost, it's diesel for me, having had all the 'fun' of lugging coal bags about and clearing out ash and dust everywhere the convenience of a Kabloa 'Old Dutch' is a winner. The range in the Boatman's get, lit about twice a year. Albi

Hi, Brass strips are great, but I have a steel to wood slide and lubricate the steel with 'Auto Glym' - silcone spray. makes for easy sliding and protects against rust. Fixing brass strips can increase the size of the slide so that the channel thickness is compromised, which in itself can cause the slide to stick. Hope that helps. Albi.

Hi, Hard work for the organisers, no one there, rain almost stopped play. If they make any money it will be a miracle. Shame, but the weather and recession wins this year. There ain't no money about, traders cheesed off and may consider options next year. Albi.

Hi, Carefully check the switch as these are not water-proof and water etc gets into them - that's what b******d mine. ATB Albi

Hi, I had this problem on a 'Stoves' hob/grill unit (power source form the 12v boat electrics). Problem identified as defective ignition push button. Spares available but they kept sending the wrong bit. Hob model no longer made. Hope this helps. Albi.

Hi, A mooring at Marsworth came through on the 'invitation' to tender lists about 1 week ago, as well as one at Leightton Buzzard. ALBI

Hi, Sorry I see you have posted on GE, shall watch replies with interest. ALBI

Hi, Pleased to hear that things are sorted out in part, how long do you think you will be running the engine at full revs? and what is the tempertature like at say 75% of full revs. On a smaller scale. I have 2 right angled bends on the system for my 2LW which are relatively close to the engine which cause no apparent problems, even running against a strong current on the Thames last year. Bet a 5LW running at 'full chat' sounds impressive. www.Gardner-Enthusiast.com may be able to help. ATB ALBI