J R ALSOP

Never mind the hire boats, my first day out on holiday and i'm 12th in the queue.

I am a boater, have been for 65years, you are either a boater with a house, a continuous moorer or someone who lives on a boat for whatever reason.

Explained to the wife how all the electrics, Victron/Sterling work in engine room, she is now creating a Excell spread sheet with lots of boxes and wiring diagrams.

Or as I always say Caveat Emptor.

I always knew them as "Barrington Bombers".

Isolating transformer for me

The towpath along side the Agenda 21 moorings have recently had a substantial make over, its a bit like a new motorway now.

I will measure exactly the next time I go to the boat.

The prop thrust does not help engage the the clutch, that is done with lever, the gearbox is/was a ZF fitted to engine by Bukh on their G range 1-6 cylinder.

The 1" travel comes from the thrust between forward and reverse clutches when they are selected, the 1 gallon in 42 years through the stern gland packing to the interior of the boat is true, I only have to dust the area.

In my personal experience I built my my boat in 1979, I have a Bukh 2G105 29 HP Danish built engine, I have only put one ring of 1/2" packing in my stuffing box, the total amount of water dripping through my stern gear is about 1 gallon, I have have used plenty of grease as I think grease is cheap, stern gear isn't. The engine is mounted solidly the shaft moves backwards and forwards through the stuffing box about 1" a time every time I change from forward to reverse. My boat is available for anyone to inspect at any time, at the moment I am moored on the Northern Coventry Canal

There used to be some on the top gates of Knowle Locks in the early 60's.

Well it's a start, just need to work back down GU to Berko

It looks more like a GRP top to me with a T&G inner lining.

I only meant just to start the engine, then you can take it somewhere to have it fixed.