Boat afloat

Geez!!!!!

stupid question alert but how would you know when you stop? Is it just a matter of stopping and seeing if you get told to bugger off? presumably those farmers who wish to charge will put signs up?

Thanks all - this is super helpful stuff. We will be travelling from the Brentford end and then ultimately onto the Oxford via Isis Lock. It’s the earliest bit of the trip that makes us most nervous, because we have some knowledge of the river from Oxford to Dukes Cut so know what we could potentially do. As for the question around paying to moor, we are prepared to do that if 1) we have to realistically, and 2) it’s advantageous ie much safer etc

Thanks for these replies - it’s not what we wanted to hear but sounds broadly in line with what we thought it might be like. we hoped there would be more towpath spots though where we could just tie up but that’s sounding challenging… Thanks for that!!!! when you say plenty of moorings at those locations like Richmond are they mooring spots on the towpath you mean? Are they typically 24 hours though or can be much longer?

Hi there we are planning to cruise the River Thames from Brentford to Dukes Cut but are struggling to get any real life info on mooring on the river. During the cruise there will be periods where we need to leave the boat for a number of days and then return to it to continue the cruise. What is the reality of doing a journey like this? Are mooring spots hard to find? Are there areas where leaving the boat for say a week is possible and again easy to find? all tips gratefully received!!!

i can see two areas where I can create slack without compromising anything so I’ll do that for sure.

Perfect thanks!!! This is the only connection of its type I can see on the boat…I’ve just gone and traced things but I will definitely replace this one!!!

It wasn’t in the tightest but hadn’t come out. Duly sorted now and nice and tight

Ok. Just another query but the cable (quite thick) running from the inverter then goes into this connection block. Is this sort of block acceptable or is this a weak point?

OK. A bit of further inspection done. 3 of the 4 batteries have green spots in the inspection eyes, one is black. Could a single battery failure be the issue, presumably not? Wondering whether to isolate that one (along with the one already isolated). I did bring a spare (small ish) battery I had in the garage at home just in case it might be useful. It’s in the car now… mo’s engine still running and volts now 13.4 and rising so charging is happening at least.

OK. I am prepared for it being the batteries so I’m not in denial, just trying to look at the other options before having to sort out a load of new ones only to find it is something else. Engine running 10 mins now and they are back up to 13. inspection eye still looks green…) ps solar now sorted, I found a loose connection!

Right. Hoover worked for a minute and then cut out. fuse was between the controller and the battery packs. woth engine running (apparently the hoovering is the main priority I am told) the batteries are testing at 12.3v…WHAT??? alternator belt looks tight and alternator looks fairly new.

OK - at the boat now. solar was showing 12.7V and batteries tested 12.7v solar disconnected and batteries tested at 12.79v turned inverter on and they dropped to 12.78v downside is solar is now not wanting to work but maybe it takes a little time after removing the fuse to work again? OH is now about to hoover so let’s see what happens!!

Thanks. That does make sense and was what I was getting at despite my slightly clumsy phrasing.

Thanks Tony, that’s a good point on the solar. Sorry for all the questions… - the electrics are turned totally off but the solar is on. Will the solar still charge the batteries even though the electrics are off? I know you don’t know how my boat is wired up but usually the solar would continue to charge even with electrics off? - I should in theory come back to healthy battery levels given the above (sunny weather and no usage drain for the past week)? - the volt meter in the boat (the one that gives a mis-leading reading I think) will be taking an average of all 4/5 batteries will it? - given all the leisure’s are linked when I stick the multimeter on one battery am I effectively getting an average of them all, or genuinely getting that particular batteries reading? They were all within very tight tolerances when I last checked, hence me wondering. - your point about solar voltage, so if I understand the point it’s that whilst the solar is charging any reading taken at the +ve and -ve terminals of an individual battery isn’t the voltage of that battery but a function of what the solar is chucking in…a bit like doing it whilst the engine is running…that makes sense now you point it out. Thanks