bluegreencanal

I wouldn't buy a boat without a stove - there is something lovely about being able to pick up your own kindling after a windy night, and stacking neatly chopped logs. I agree with Alan's comment that he wouldn't even buy a leisure boat without one. It is the top of my list after a good shell and reliable engine.

I found the engine room wonderful if there was a particularly cold winter, and if by any chance the central heating broke down, I could run the main engine. It warmed teh back end of the boat while the Stove warmed the front end. It came in particularly useful in the winter of 2010 as my beautiful heating needed fixing but my engineer got snowed in driving lorries in what was Russia...I tried to fix it but eventually sent it to Southampton after the snow left. Oh happy days.

Hi Alan I have to say I would love a cassette toilet, but have had a pumpout and have used it very carefully over the few years I lived aboard. Just wonder, what do you have against pumpouts? Best wishes - always a joy to see you on your boat Sue

could anyone recommend a gas man/lady who would work in MK to service a cooker?Ta very muchly

I would expect a mooring to cost in excess of 1k more likely to be 1300 plus...my insurance is half what is quoted above and my engine servie is more like 150. The annual licence is still under 1K for a 70ft boat I think the thing to bear in mind is that if you are living on your boat you need to obe able to buy fuel on a regular basis...I get about 55 pounds worth every 3 weeks and in the winter you are lookoing at more than a bag of coal a week if it is very cold and that is 10 pounds delivered where I live Annual costs should include blacking (at least put something away for it for every two years) costs per foot so around 500 for a 70 footer possibly new batteries at about 80 pounds each (I buy 4 every year but could have fitted a solar panel to reduce wear on them) If you have central heating or a generator these have to be maintained. There are odd costs like impeller, and regular costs like oil and diesel. Hope this helps Oh and spend time looking...we spent 8 onths searching for the boat with what we needed to survive on our mooring with no electric plug in

Who is going? I am not able to go by boat (prob no one else either) but think we are going camping eek eek At least if there is a water shortage maybe it wont rain for Cropredy !!!

It would be my preference to put my boat in at a marina to sell, but I live on my boat and work locally, so can't see that as an option until I can move out. I have had a bit of interest already with AD and hope that people are going to take it at face value with all the documentation to show how it has been maintained in the last 4 years and before I owned it. I am concerned that AD is not running correctly though as the counter said over 5,000 people had looked at the advert in two days. It just doesn't sound likely to me. I will always clean reasonably before people visit, but I had one person ring me up and ask to come the next day which was midweek, with a hope to view...I was going to be at work all day and then onto my mother's birthday party and visiting someone in hospital, so had not a minute to show anyone round. But they seemed put out to move their visiting day even though I gave them three other dates in the immediate week to choose from. It isn't as if I could invite a friend to show people round, as most of my friends live on land and know very little about boats and systems. They would not be able to demonstrate the engines etc. Those who do know about boats live too far away. Would anyone recommend putting a boat up with an estate agent? It is not the place I would look first if ever, but might give people a thought to living on a boat when they see they cannot afford a house?

Sad face, she is up on Polly Duck...

I tried to send you a message about this as I have a greaves 2ydm...

At some point soon I am going to have to sell my lovely narrowboat to become a landlubber once more... When we bought her we trawled the boatyards, memorably Braunston Marina (where she came from to us), Whilton, and a couple of yards in Nottingham and Bedford... We were not brave enough to go to look at boats privately... However, I bulk at the thought of paying someone 5 or 6 % of my boat value which could be around 3,000 pounds just to sell her... Where did you buy your boat and where would you go to look for one if you did it again...

That is a relief...I have a fighting chance of heating soon then I appreciate all teh help guys.

Thank you all, I did think it might be a hairdryer job, hadnt thought about breaking a seal...if I am breaking something, should I be putting some sort of sealant in there?? Or is it just a result of heat etc... Also is it ok to use pipe which says max 100 degrees? I found a bit in the bottom of the wardrobe (odd but a few bits under the secret lid there)and I wondered if this was high enough as water boils at 100 ...hoping it is Sue

Hi everyone I find myself in need of changing the central heating connecting hose, it is cracked or holed, but I cannot get it off. When I pull the loosened pump towards me the hose just stretches - can I heat it somehow? To soften it, pref not water as it is near batteries etc And then how easy is it to put new hose on...really sounds simple, but my hands are not that strong. Thanks in anticipation. Sue Oh, and to shortcut the funnies... I have removed the jubilee clips

We had the same dates for a stoppage on teh Grand Union and it hasnt stopped boats gong thru ...

Thank you Richard! I will try this. Seasons greetings!! Sue

Hi everyone, thank you very much for all your helpful replies. They are making me think it through abit. Yes, it is not putting out 240 anymore, it manages about 190 even when it is cool and newly switched on for the day. It used to run the fridge reasonably and the hoover at the same time...now it wont run the toaster (new item) so I have to switch it to inverter to make toast... It does a very reasonable job of charging up batteries but if I run it for more than two hours (say the batteries have gone quite low)the charge drops very low even if the batteries have not finished charging. It will start off around 45 amps and drop as low as 2 or 3. It had some maintencance recently where the engineer tried to adjust it get the best out of it, Cooling, it had a new radiator last year or year before. Not sure what I should clean every two years...am not very familiar with inner workings which are of an electrical nature, quite good with the basic end of things like changing the impeller, changing the oil, clearing out blockages in teh water flow etc. The box thing, sounds like it is the GRPthing which stops water going back into the engine. It doesnt look exactly like the nice drawing sent to me (thank you) I reckon it might be a bit grubby in there after a few years of no maintenance tho so will have a look at it soon! Sorry I didnt reply sooner, I dont expect immediate responses and am always thrilled to get some, but ususally wait a while to see what comes in...but I really do appreciate it. I have always managed to get to the bottom of it after everyone has given me ideas. Big thanks will post again when looked more closely...

I have a generator which is working below par and I have had it maintained to some extent but have not managed to get it back up to par. There is a box to one side of it which sits below the water intake before it gets to after it goes through the generator. It has big 2 or 3" jubilee clipped pipework and I would have guessed it was a mudbox or silencer but wanted to know should I ever take a look inside and empty it etc. I have noticed oil on the floor there, but the oil levels in the generator are stable (checked and topped monthly). What is not good, is that it is not putting out quite what it used to and I wondered if it needed some internal electrical work to the bushes etc... Any help received gratefully. Thanks in anticipation and Happy Christmas! Sue

Tried the upside down fire after clearing out my chimey and my ash tray and failed miserably, but it really doesnt matter as it is very warm today! Turned it up the right way and had the same problem. Lol Discovered we have two of those things that stop the coal from falling out and they sit one on top of the other. Does anyone use two?