Snakey

Photo of alternator taken a couple of years ago when I attempted to replace it. A direct replacement wasn't available so I had the brush box/reg changed by a specialist. At that time the factory (HMI) loom had a leg servicing the starter motor and alternator which was tight across the cooling pipework; I made up a new slightly longer run exactly as per the HMI wiring diagram. The tachometer wire isn't included in the multipin (again, as per the factory spec). The system worked fine until recently. The ignition warning light behaves like it should. I have checked connections are tight, but not with a meter as I don't know what values to expect! And for 'ammeter' read voltmeter. 60 years of messing with cars has left its mark...

Our narrowboat has a 38hp Isuzu engine and the standard Isuzu/HMI instrument panel. Starter alternator is a 70A Prestolite. Historically, when the ignition is switched on the tach reads 500 rpm and the ameter shows 12v. On starting the engine the ameter would increase to 14v and the tach would record actual rpm. Now, however we seem to have a fault... Switching on the ignition nothing has changed. But now it takes anything from 15 minutes to half an hour running before the tachometer and ameter start reading correctly. So why? Is this an alternator problem or an instrument fault? Where do I start looking? Has anybody had anything similar?

You can't time flies, they go too fast

Ah, that hallowed organisation, the 'Campaign to Undermine Nautical Terminology'?

We draw between 30-32 inches (depending on tanks) and we had to 'correct' our draught to 27 inches on CRT's records before we could cross. We've since made 6 crossings without problems.

A boater nearby (CC/Liveaboard) has a roof covered in turf, complete with wild flowers etc. Leaving aside concerns as to corrosion and changes to the boat's centre of gravity, this would seem to be the ultimate in insulation. I don't know what provision, if any, for keeping it watered is provided but it all looked very verdant during the hot weather 18 months ago.

That's also the Glasson flight...

Imagine if they still had the original chutes, what you could make for the cost of a hundred cocoanut mats and a small kiosk...

I'll just throw in, 60ft mooring a stone's chuck from Natwich town centre, bid and won for £950 (only bidder) in Sept 2009, last renewal £1300 in 2014. Seems a snip now...

This is either outright incorrect, or certainly not as per current rules are applied. CRT say the posted mooring limits on totems (and the default 14 days) are applicable to ALL boaters.

But that seems to be subject to CRT 'interpretation' too. When we bought our current boat (in 2009) we also secured a CRT linear mooring (Nantwich embankment) by auction. Then we went cruising. Five years later we received a letter from CRT to the effect that according to their records we had not used our mooring for 'at least 3 years' and as our pattern of movement entitled us to re-licence as a continuous cruiser, and therefore would we please release the mooring for others to use. So it seems that you must actually use the mooring if you have one.

Thought the plank was driving...

The odds of someone watching are proportionate to the stupidity of the act!

Although it escaped nationalisation (and therefore BW), the Basingstoke is a good example of a partnership between the canal society and the LA.

As of March 2023, the UK has 18 Billion of frozen Russian assets doing nothing... Just sayin'