alan_fincher
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Posts posted by alan_fincher
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Slightly reduced price for Bream
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44 minutes ago, blackrose said:
My Fogstars just have studs that come straight out of the batteries. I've never understood why so many LA batteries have this conical post/clamp/studarrangement?
Many lead acid "domestic" batteries sold for boat use have both the large posts and also studs, so you can use either.
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1 hour ago, David Mack said:
It is...
Fair enough, but that highlighs another error.
I think the highest I have see an SQ2 (or indeed an SR2) rated at is about 15.5HP
The more usual number is 13HPNo way, I suggest is it ever as much as 20HP, (the more typically quoted power of the equivalent 3 cylinder model).
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A look at 1975 sources says that Hancock & Lane boats were definitely built with an all steel shell.
This I feel sure is an example of their popular Norseman boats.
I've looked again, and it still looks a decent boat to me.
Forgot to add....
If it has the Lister SW2, make sure it is skin tank cooled, and is not reliant on canal water for cooling.. -
I think Alan de Enield has probably got a lot wrong here.
My memory is that from the outset Hancock & Lane boats were generally steel topped, though I am happy to be provided with positive evidence to the contrary.
I don't agree you would buy a similar boat significantly further North for a lot less money, and suggesting a saving of £8Knmight be possible seems rather daft to me.
From the pictures (I havent considered anything else) it looks like an OK boat to me, provided you are happy with a cruiser stern, (personal choice, but I would't be.
Definitely ditch Calor central heating though, and put in a proper stove.
And of course, get it surveyed! -
1 hour ago, Tonka said:
We saw you at the top of Hillmorton when you were on your way to Brinklow and you passed us the other day as you came back and moored in Braunston
I hope neither time was when we were having one of our "moments".
We are very out of practice, and a few silly mistakes were made 🤕 -
Well for what it is worth we just boated one of the boats, (Flamingo), from the Stretton Arm (near Brinklow) to Nether Heyford (near Bugbrooke).
Flamingo had had a survey, various steelwork completed and a substantial overhaul of its stern gear, but everything worked as it should.
Our battery bank has been neglected, and the alternator is only 60 Amp, but 12 volt power was not an issue and all worked as it should.
We do have several bits of Victron kit on board, but as we manged to have no need of 240V, we never even turned the inverter on.
Is this "back to basics" enough for you? -
What is the current impediment to making this trip, please?
I know several lock flights already had strict limit to opening hours, but have some now actually closed? -
If his is a genuine happening, I guess I am kind of surprised.
The pumps on moder fire appliences are incredibly powerul, and I would have thought could easily deliver the required jet across the full width of the canal., but given the use of a small portable pump, perhaps an appliance could not be got close enough.
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4 hours ago, Orpheus 68A said:
Alan
Auriga is on hold at the minute,ive near completed the engineroom but im busy doing another of the customers projects
Thanks for that info!
(I could just have asked you, could"t I !?!)
And yes, I am having trouble sleeping.
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Clearly, I suggest, Grand Union Narrowboats must be doing something right. This started as a small business with just a couple of former Concoform boats, (it never ceased to surprise me how they were able to secure sinificant numbers of these over a small time window).
Outwardly, at least they seem to be doing very well, with large numbers of the boats let out at any time, (though I fear from them if they close Stoke Bruerne, Long Buckby & Braunston flights).
One can only conclude they are doing better than Wyvern Shipping or Oxfordshire Narrowboats if they are buying boats from both these two companies. -
18 minutes ago, matty40s said:
Indeed, one of Sickles sister boats Theophilus had a cabin stuck on at Wyvern and was used as one of their first hire boats.
As indeed was Sextans, rebadged by Wyvern as Hesperus.
Given the propensity of these shortened "Middle Northwich" boats to roll badly just with one person stepping on board they were not the safest of hire boats. The hobs had a large fiddle rail around them in a bid to stop boiling pans and kettles from sliding off and onto the floor.
They handled beautifully though, despite being given only a 13HP motor by Wyvern.
They were marketed as 6 berth boats, despite only 40 foot length - a bit cosy by modern standards. -
On 16/06/2026 at 17:14, MtB said:
It looks well past its best to me.
Buy a new one you ol' skinflint!
Yes, but Arthur doesn't repair boilers for a living!
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20 minutes ago, matty40s said:
Grand Union Narrowboats now have at least 3 ex Wyvern in their fleet.
Well looking at their website, Jasmin is fairly obviously ex-Wyvern. I can't immediately spot any others though. -
12 minutes ago, David Mack said:
I wouldn't say Gayton or Weedon are 'southern' GU.
At one time there were a number of hire fleets within reach of London (on the GU and the Lee & Stort). Now I think Wyvern is the closest, and after that Gayton.
Maybe it depends where you are from!
I have always known Brentford to Braunston as "Southern GU", from the 1960s to current day.
If you think Linslade is "Southern GU" but Gayton is not, where do you consider the change over point to be? (Just curious!) -
6 minutes ago, David Mack said:
Will be a shame if it goes, as I think they are the only hire fleet on the southern GU.
Fortunately that is not the case.
Grand Union Narrowboats at Weedon Bec are operating a fleet certainly into double figures. Remarkably many of these are boats that were once part of the Concoform fleet that operated from the same base, (the so called "Weed Boats"). The boats are well presented, and the business appears to be thriving, (though will be hard hit if the restrictions at Stoke Bruerne, Buckby & Braunston get upgraded to full closures.
There is also the Alvechurch fleet operating out of Gayton Marina. -
On 27/07/2026 at 10:21, cuthound said:
That is what Alvecote told me when I enquired where she had gone.
The hold had the remainder of the last load in it when at Alvecote, but UV had damaged the coal bags which were leaking their contents.
Thanks for the update.
I don't think the hold has much coal, bagged or unbagged, in it, but I could be wrong - I didn't look that closely.
There is certainly quite a bit of junk in there.
If I can find anybody to ask, the next time I'm up there, I'll see if they can tell me current status. It's certainly had some money spent on it, as all steel above the gunwales is a complete replacement of what went before. This of course means that its former "over long" engine room is no more.-
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I recall some years back James telling me than neither any of his, nor his brother's, offspring had any interest in taking on the business.
James must be several years older than I am, and even at my age, I would not want to still be running a business like that. When I last spoke to him, he was on a call out, which he was handling personally.
Unless they can sell it as a going concern, I really wouldn't expect it to go on much longer.
Some of the boats come close to qualifying as historic craft, albeit that they are still very much better presented than those from other major hire fleets.
It is a very historic firm, having migrated from a carrying business to a leisure one. -
My vote is certainly Bot. Id be very happy to be proved wrong though, but I'm not holding my breath.
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1 hour ago, cuthound said:
Auriga remained at Alvecote for about a year after Rick's untimely demise and was then sold to continue as a fuel boat in London.
Well it certainly isn't in trading condtion at the moment.
It is at Brinklow Boat Services and has an all new engine room and cabin, still in primer, but the rest of the boat is fairly stripped out, with the hold containg a lot of detritus. I don't think it is being actively worked on right now, but that applies to several of thhe unconverted boats at that yard. -
The owners of "historics" don't seem to be faring too well of late.
One of the more prominent members of the historic boat set. I didn't know him that well, but he seemed to know everybody.
RIP James. -
28 minutes ago, Rob-M said:
I'm sure there are 3 fuel boats serving parts of the four counties ring now.
And in the outer Lonon and inner London areas, gawd knows how many there are.
At least one former coak boat no longer is, at the moment, namely Auriga since the death of its owner. -
36 minutes ago, The History Man said:
Do tell.
Nah! - I'd probably only collect another warning, (or worse).
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4 hours ago, Ewan123 said:
Interesting, with Indus & Pictor up now, I think that's three fuel-boat businesses up for sale? Chamberlain's on the Llangollen and Ambush on the Leeds & Liverpool being the others.I think they're all due to retirements.
Well Ascot and Beverley would also appear to be such a buisiness, albeit it has always seemed a half-hearted one for a number of years.
Frankly I am surprised by just how many the number of trading fuel boats has swelled over recent years, with sometimes 3 operators covering the same streches of canal.
I'm surprised there is enough trade for all of them, particularly in the summer months.
One hull of a mystery
in New to Boating?
Posted
Except I think that Harborough Marine continued for a long while to use those "composite" tops, whereas this looks like it has always been steel topped. Stee tops probably not before 1980s??
There were also a lot of "Harborough Clones" the largest prroduction probably from Fernie Fabrications. I think Fernie always were all steel, so perhaps more likely than Harborough?