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Thanks for the advice - I'm based in east London, so not sure if that's anywhere near you blackrose? I'm jsut trying to picture what you mean with the vapour barrier - so insulation and then binbag layer taped over the top? Or the other way around. Thank youuuu :)

Over the winter, in the corner where the body of the boat met the top I was getting drips of water condensing and dripping down the walls of my boat from the ceiling. It wasn’t very nice. Very boat cave goblin aesthetics. I assumed it was because there was a gap in the insulation and the moisture was condensing on the metal in the gap. I’ve finally taken off a panel to inspect - see pictures. what can I do to stop the drips next winter?? I assumed spray foam could be used like a literal spray, but someone has told me recently this is not the case and I may need a gap there… I just don’t want the drips.

Hi everyone, thank you so much for all the knowledge and advice. I've now used my halfords anti-freeze tester to test the sludgy water in the header tank and I have the absolute bear minimum protection (to -7). Will be living aboard until the last two weeks of January - so am going to enlist the help of my boat plumber to drain and refill system before then and try to get it sorted. Thank again everyone

Thanks for all the answers. First of all... I really also didn't think anti-freeze in the water system was right... but I literally read an article about pouring anti-freeze into the main water tank. I was very confused. Maybe that is if you are leaving the boat... but surely you would just drain the system, anywayyyy. I have a solid fuel stove and a diesel heater connected to radiators (which isn't working at the moment due to a problem with my leisure batteries but that is whole separate issue. I guess I am struggling to conceptualise how the two systems are separate - I have a calorifier. Knowing that they are separate, where should I put antifreeze for the heating system? - I know I have to mix it with water, but I've seen ppl saying don't just add it to the header tank as it will just sit there. If the system has sludged up due to lack of anti-freeze, what do I do - do I drain? Or just add anti-freeze...? I have the halford anti-freeze tester which I've used to test my engine coolant. Sorry I know I am being really basic about this... but I need to just let it all out otherwise I will never learn. Thanks all for your patience.

Hi Boaters, It's my first winter on the boat and lurching wildly between burying my head in the sand and panicking with problems arising which I'm not sure how to solve. Thanks in advance for your suggestions. 1. I recently checked my header tank that connects to the domestic water systems. It is full of sludgy brown liquid... I assume this is some kind of bacteria which has built up in the system? What do I now need to do...? If I need to drain the entire system, how do I do this? 2. The reason I've been thinking about this recently is because I am completely clueless about anti-freeze. I feel really confused about adding anti-freeze to my domestic systems... I know there is non-toxic antifreeze but still seems strange to me that I will be using that water to boil my pasta and clean my teeth - unless I have completely understood the way my water systems work.... 3. If I do need to put antifreeze in my system... where do I need to put it? 4. If I am living on my boat over the winter period and still moving around, what level of winterisation do i need to do.... I can't find any info online about this - everyone is just giving advice about full winterisation i.e. if I'm not there.

Thanks for the advice everyone! I seem to have popped it back into place for now & no dripping. May look into to get a back up one (I have a steel tank) - but good to know I can just ditch if necessary. Will also look into replacing hose… inherited that from last owner. Thanks!

Hi boat brain! So my water pump has just decided to start leaking considerably.. I went to go and check since my taps started playing up & spluttering quite aggressively. When I checked the pump a steady stream was leaking from circled area on my picture. I’ve switched everything off, pump & water. What do I do - replace the filter (is it a filter?) thanks in advance 🙏

I have a CRT pump out card which was worth twice the amount of units stated on the facilities necessary to pump out for 6 mins. After pumping out once, does anyone know if I might be able to use the same card a second time? Thanks in advance!

Bee, what are ya doin to me! Though I do appreciate the concern and engine room analyses. Higgs, thank you for the suggestion with ballast weights - also appreciate info from ditchtrawler about being pig iron - I can perhaps tidy up when I get stuck in with cleaning/getting water out. Blackrose - not sure if i do have an inspection hatch to check cabin bilges, will investigate. Thanks again all for insightful responses.

Thanks for thoughts & suggestions everyone. Tracy D'arth: oily rag under wiring loom - I have inherited the engine this way and have not yet accustomed to seeing things which might be bad/dangerous - will take another look and consider moving/better understanding why it's there! Also, when you say the cobbles are not in the best place - where would they be better placed if they are a necessary ballast... Bengo: good to know about automatic bilge pumps being unreliable, cheers. And yes the boat is definitely listing at the moment. Will also keep pram hood up when away! Higgs: yes that section is isolated from any other - I'm hoping it is just listing and poor drainage.

Hi Canal World boat brain, I'm new to boating and don't know the correct technical lingo yet, so excuse my inaccurate account of the issue. My boat is a 60ft narrowboat, cruiser stern, built in the late 90s, with a keel-cooled, barrus shire engine. I haven't checked my engine room in over a week now and on lifting the cover discovered quite a large quantity of water in both the big pump area and the chamber on the right hand side of the engine tray (the sealed off bit filled with bricks). (see picture). I'm going to empty with a sponge and dispose of safely away for the canal - but wondering a) how serious this amount of water is and b) how it would get in there. The bilge pump with set to auto, however did not seem to have been emptying the water while I was away. When I switched it on, much of that chamber was drained. The other bit I'm talking about is sealed off from the bilge pump area, so not sure how the water could get in there in the first place. I'm also thinking if its from rainwater (the pram hood was not up) why is it just on that side? Thanks for your help!!