Mark R

Thats a pretty substantial fender compared to mine! The image helps me work out where I need to place it. Thanks to everyone who commented. first thing I'll be doing is making sure I add a sacrificial link during installation!

Thanks MtB, think I'll fit what has been left and replace it with something a little more substantial if it looks a bit weedy/useless.

Thanks both, really appreciate your input! Assumed it'd be the foremost part of the bow (learned a new word there MtB), stupidly I didn't measure chain thickness but assuming it's around 4mm, does that sound about right? It looks to be galvanised chain, do people remove this to the last link on the fender and relace it with stainless steel or just add to it using the same material? I'm assuming there is nothing better than a D shackle to make the connector?

Morning guys, Just bought a new boat and it came with a U Bow fender (not attached to the boat). My questions are, is this the best type of fender for a narrowboat bow? The chains are rather small, obviously these can be extended using chain and a D shackle, why is it fenders I’ve seen come with short lengths of chain? Finally, if I do attach this fender, where on the bow should it actually sit? There don’t seem to be many pictures on line and I haven’t seen any boats locally with them fitted. Mark

I can't say I'll be abnywhere other than on the canal system where the bank height might vary slightly but the gunnel will still be protected.

Thanks for the replies, It's likely that the rope will remain as a fixed length, I don't believe I'll want to shorten it. It will go over the hand rail, I didn't realise you could splice ropes yourself. Maybe that'd be an option.

Hi everyone, Could any of you recommend the best knot to tie rope fenders to the eye of a fender hook like the one picture? Mark

In terms of making a key for the lock I'd not even know which blank to start with?

Cheers Tony, I'll do that, I'd have thought they needed the key but I can always try.

Morning all, does anyone know whwere is could pick up the key as shown in the image below? It relates to the lock as found at https://www.aquafax.co.uk/products/ag-rim-lock-with-striker-brass-left-inside-n-76020 I'm trying to avoid paying for. hole new lock. If any of you have the ame lock and would be willing to get a few cut I'd be more than happy to make it worth your while! Mark

Thanks all, Much appreciated, it had run out so I had one carried out on the same day!

Morning all, I wondered if there is anyway to check whether there is a way of checking whether a boat safety certificate has expired. A previous survey suggests it's still valid for a year, but I've just noticed that it's expired when I look at my boat details on the CRT. The certificate number is BSSER 381454/19 if that gives anything away? Mark

Thanks Beer!

As ever Tony, appreciate your advice!

Cheers Beer, I assume you only top up with the same amount of oil that you took out? I actually only got 2.5 litres of oil out, no more pumps out.

Thanks Momac, I'd just found another site to cross reference and they suggest the Mann W916/1, thanks for your assistance!

Hi all, I've spend time looking over previous posts regarding oil filters for the BMC 1800 but am unsure if I have something a bit odd or not. My current filter is a Rico RL3033 (https://ricoeurope.com/gb/spin-on-oil-filters/162-rl3033-5051154854129.html), when I go to the GSF website to try and find a replacement I'm really struggling. They stock Mann filters, would any of you wise folk be able to point me in the right direction? I've been to Calcutt's website and that suggests a Crosslands 357 yet the Rico filter I've had on my boat doesn't seem to share compatibility according to their list of replacements. Edit: After a bit more research I think the Mann W916/1 might be correct. Also, what approximate quantity of oil is needed when refilling. My dipstick showed in the middle of max and min yet I only got about 2.5 litres out, that seems really low to me. Edit: Just found a handbook and can see that it should be around 4.68 litres of oil, I'm not sure how my dipstick would be so far out! Mark

On a friends boat and spotted this, neither of us have a clue what it is….

Cheers guys, really informative. I didn't use treated timber for the battens, is that a real issue? It's not the end of the world if I need to pull it up and replace it, it can be reused elsewhere in the project.

Hi all, I have to all intents and purposes a sailway boat that I’m renovating. I’m wanting to get a floor down and would appreciate some advise as to what are the best practices relating to this. There is currently ballast (concrete sleepers and block paving bricks), the ballast is higher than the steel ribs, so I have secured 2x2 inch timber over each rib to increase the height beyond the ballast. My question is, should I be insulating beneath the floor or is this a potential issue should there be a leak under the floor? If insulating is good practise I was thinking of using 25mm Kingspan (or similar). The floor would be either 18mm ply or reclaimed/seconds scaffold boards. If using ply as a subfloor should this be marine grade or is that overkill? Do any of you foresee issues with using scaffold boards as a finished floor? Any suggestions or thoughts are appreciated. Mark

Great advice, I've kind of fallen down a wormhole with it now and thinking of borrowing a laser engraver and making my own one. Does anyone know what the material of a typical panel is made of?

I'm assuming the quality might not be al that great on the one I linked to, it was more used as an example. Would I be right in thinking the 'heat' position on ignition of the purpose built narrowboat panels is for glow plug heaters?

Hi all, Firstly a big thank you to all who offered advice regarding my alternator issues. Turns out that after a bit of fault finding with a newly purchased clamp meter, it was the alternator that was duff. I replaced this and all is now good. I noticed that the new alternator has a 'W' terminal which I assume means I can fit a tachometer to it. This got me thinking about my control panel which is a little old looking (but still works). Are instrument panel gauges specific to the engine to which they are attached? I'd seen this one on eBay, which looked somewhat cheaper than ones specifically for a BMC engine, all be it possibly too 'bling' for my boat... https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/225480431515?chn=ps&_ul=GB&_trkparms=ispr%3D1&amdata=enc%3A1nezDbXIoTzW6gwYA9k2OVQ0&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=710-134428-41853-0&mkcid=2&mkscid=101&itemid=225480431515&targetid=1816181028139&device=c&mktype=pla&googleloc=9046696&poi=&campaignid=19697487301&mkgroupid=147555425033&rlsatarget=aud-1657461039788:pla-1816181028139&abcId=9302158&merchantid=232684032&gclid=CjwKCAiAiP2tBhBXEiwACslfnu1TRW0NCRKSPwyM4_4nmpkLq8K3AfaD_q2F3sjSKwhqZE31xgojuhoCCwQQAvD_BwE I know a tachometer is probably not that important and the fuel gauge wouldn't be connected but would it be feasible to install it otherwise? I've got a feeling that the oil pressure gauge would need to be paired to the sender? Mark

@Tony Brooks, it's always been like that, I don't think anything is missing, I just think the seal is mishaped after years of service. I was hoping a new ribbed seal would be available but my searches have been fruitless. I might look at changing the rocker cover eventually but the plastic bottle idea seems more than ample!

Cheers all, I did think that it might be the canal, I'll keep my drill well away from there. @Ken X having looked I've not seen anything I think would suit, is there such a thing? Is it a generic part? I have a oil cap for a BMC engine (no breather pipe attached) and that doesn't fit the aperture on the rocker cover. The cap you see in the photo doesn't seal to the rocker cover very well and tends to pop up slightly with the engine running.