billh

I reckon everyone within 10 miles of Portland Basin has been "volunteered" to tow WCBS boats around. Not just Lilith, but the Pride of the Fleet "Motor" Forget-Me-Not has been engineless for a couple of years now. Apparently they've sold the engine having bought a Bollinger to replace it....... sometime in the next 50 years,possibly. The Bolly hasn't got the bits to make it reverse either! The current working motor they have (Southam?) has a large part of the full length cabin conversion side missing- sort of "open plan" and looks like its had a bad accident. Bill

Irony of the brass knob-how does that work then?

I hope you have scrapped that lifting sling now it has been cut! Can't have you dropping a Kelvin on your toe- the engine might get damaged. Bill

The impulse starter is a Kelvin design and comes with the engine , so obviously would have the right rotation. The type you mentioned comes with the magneto , I have seen Wico, Simms,Bosch and Lucas ( Prince of Darkness) impulse starters- all a sort of clock spring that is wound up in a circular housing with a pawl and centrifugal levers. I'm not certain but I think the reason magnetos won't work in either direction is to do with the "advance' of the coil on rotating armature mags in the pole pieces or similar where the rotating magnet position is when the points open ( as in Lucas SR) . To do with when the flux density is at a maximum when the points should open. Shoot me down, if you think I'm talking nonsensel!. Bill

Another thought..... Assuming it's an in line injection pump. I have come across broken return springs on the individual pump elements, caused by water & rust in a marine environment_ where was your engine before you got it? That would cause one cylinder to play up , depending how broken the spring was. I would take all injectors out and re-connect in the open air , crank the engine over, obviously all spray patterns must be the same . If one isn't , swap the injector and see if it is still that cylinder , if it is, the problem lies with the pump element associated with that one. It is possible to clean & inspect the injection pump yourself - be very careful to put it back together with reference to timing marks etc. Good luck Bill

Hi Richard, You say the injectors were reset? You mean for pressure? Sounds to me like an injector is stuck open and is "dribbling" . The affected cylinder will still fire but possible not at the right time and the combustion will not be right. Can you check the spray pattern with the injectors out of the engine? (Be careful). Very easy to get injectors sticking with dirt especially if the fuel system has been dismantled. Bill

This is quite correct. The net result of these agreements is that it either doesn't get done or it costs a fortune. BW will not undertake to do the work themselves, even at your expense- they haven't got the tackle , they sold the last of it off last week in that auction. Their approved contractors are big time operators , there are about 3 of them nationally and are unlikely to be bothered to turn out for what would be a small job to them. The only chance there would be if they were dredging that particular canal anyway and you could get it done as an add-on. If you could jump through all the hurdles and DIY officially, there are all sorts of practical problems........ You would have to get the silt you propose to remove analyzed for contamination first. Disposal of the dredgings costs more depending on the nature and level of contamination- less of a problem in a rural area , but tests still need to be done . Permission or a license from the EA will be needed to dump the spoil even on the farmer's own land . The depth to which the canal is dredged is also problematical, many canals were built shallow at the sides, particularly the off towpath side , saucer shape , so to get moorings deep enough you need to dig out the clay bed - not always a good idea , but sometimes the canal was built through existing clay anyway and digging some of this out would be acceptable(BW might not agree with that!). Also, you need to consider the effect of deepening the canal on the piling/bank protection (if there is any) will that need upgrading? As a final point, land based dredging will make a real mess of the bank & moorings , a floating dredger will not. You need to consider that before you engage Mick & Paddy. Unofficially, has the JCB got working floodlights fitted? Bill

Yea, well it was 1972 actually. I'll be manning the destroyer in the next couple of days. Kapt. Von Scuttle had better not come round here or I might have to fire a pattern of old 45gallon drums off the stern with the detonators set to zero depth. Bill

Nice one, it's 28 years since I heard that rhythm. Does the impulse work on the magneto, with the electric starter? On the F4 the motor turns the engine too fast so the impulse disengages, so difficult start. It's easier with the handle! Bill

The differences between model F petrol and petrol/paraffin are as follows: Compression ratio: pet= 4.5:1 par: 3.6:1 (cylinder heads are different) Exhaust manifold : petrol looks like an ordinary automotive exhaust manifold. Paraffin: the inlet and exhaust manifold is combined into one to vapourize the fuel at the inlet due to the heat of the exhaust. The engine will take paraffin about 2 mins after a cold start so doesn't need much petrol. Cooling system: paraffin: there is a manual regulator to cut down the water flow to the cylinders to help keep the engine hot when slow running.Not fitted to petrol engines Fuel system: there is a fuel change over cock on each carburetor. I think the 60HP G4 had 4 carbs- how economical is that? The F4 will run very well on two cylinders , just shut the fuel off to one of the two carbs if we are pottering about in locks or shallow canals, (ie: most of the time round here!). Bill

Why would it be risky "these days" , if as you imply, it wasn't in olden days? Is today's petrol somehow more volatile? If the installation of tanks and fuel lines, carburetor drip trays etc is done properly petrol is ok though re-fuelling a boat where there is no canalside pump could be fraught. The fuel consumption of these F model Kelvins is not good but there are several advantages to using them which I could list if anyone's interested.( As an F2/4 user these last 38 years.) We have a J2 diesel that was got years ago to replace the F4 for fuel economy reasons, but it so far hasn't made it into the (wooden) boat. The F4 is just too nice. Tom's idea of an electric pre-heater for starting direct on Kerosene sounds promising, I should like to see the details of that. Bill

6 hours on a NB , EP to top of Hulme Lock. The cost per lock looks about the same as it was then, about 15years ago- surprising. One titchy boat in the 600ft locks is interesting too, doesn't get washed around when the ground paddles are opened unlike the Rochdale 9.Comment from the Lockmaster at Latchford " we knew you were on the way, but didn't expect you so soon" Bill

How much dosh would BW want to run off a couple of feet of water from this pond? They appear to have no problem emptying the rest of the L & L . If that was a privately owned boat, they'd soon be reading the riot act to get it shifted- things have got really bad when we see sights like this. Bill

Lawton locks T & M 1967. Canoe trip round the then open bits of the Cheshire Ring Having "portaged" the canoes past Bosley etc. we were cream crackered and welcomed the offer to share some Cheshire Locks with a passing grp cruiser. ( the only boat we saw on the move ). Further down at Rumps Lock, the Keeper there lent us a windlass so we could get down to Big Lock. One of the party then ran back to Rumps to return the key with thanks. Apart from Dutton Stop we had no more locks into Manchester, the end of our trip, but getting those canvas & wood canoes over 3 tunnels just about finished us off.

Did they taste a bit muddy?

The Ruston & Hornsby 3VRO/H engines are the equivalent of the JP3 ( Joint Production). As far as I know piston bore & stroke , general layout etc is the same. However, the Ruston has no provision to change compression so it must be permanently 'high" for starting and running. The 3VRH I am familiar with has had no major work on it for 50 years and is 60 years old, runs just fine. I see no problem running a JP on permanent high compression. Bill

Ashton Canal- yes, well I've been mooring boats here for nearly 40 years. Currently there are around 50 boats moored on this canal. I have never been to Beirut, so I can't comment on what it looks like, but quite a lot of the Ashton Canal is looking rather attractive these days- please see the virtual tour on penninewaterways.co.uk. Sure there is trouble from the hooligan element from time to time, I'm equally sure it isn't confined to this canal. The police seem to be singularly useless at dealing with any crime in the GM area let alone canal related....... A few months ago there were 2 youths pushing a very expensive looking motor bike along the towpath in the direction of Manchester, it was reported to the police with details of where the next access point to intercept them was. 2 hours later, the police phone back to ask" which side of the canal was it? We can't find anyone" A few days later the person who first reported the possible crime received a leaflet about help for victims of crime, and that was the sum total of police investigation.No doubt the motor cycle was insured- so that's alright then. Same if your house gets burgled- police might turn up , a crime number issued but no ongoing investigation takes place, just take the cheap option of sending a patronizing leaflet about crime prevention and victim support. So why aren't the police doing anything? I don't know.

Aye, but based on what others have said, a "flat-out" 700rpm is perfectly acceptable , people rocked to sleep accompanied by the dulcet tones of an old Bergius-Kelvin lullaby fading into the night.

Our Kelvin has things on the top of the cylinder heads called "priming valves" Part of the starting process involves putting a little petrol down each of them from a genuine Kelvin Petrol Priming Bottle that we haven't got, hence the need for the sub section to design, build and lease one (or two). The priming valves also serve as de-compressors and "test valves" when running to check the combustion in each cylinder. This model Kelvin was designed in 1920's , before the Js & Ks and was still being built in 1958- by which time it was rather old fashioned. Bill

Up until quite recently we have burned coal hewn at the Roger mine of the New Moss Colliery ( closed 1959) . This coal is of the highest quality, good heat , little smoke and large amounts are still available around 3000 feet away. Where's that Dibnah bloke when you need him? Bill

Most older powered boats already have an alarm installed. It's called a worn reverse box. Engage astern and a fully automatic high-pitched whine is generated. This can be made intermittent by slowing the engine to about 50 rpm . There may be a problem with direct reversing Bolinders etc. A solution may be found by piping an old steam loco whistle to the exhaust pipe via a valve linked to the engine reverse control. Bill