nb maggie

Hi All, I am looking for a set of 2.1 or 5.1 speakers that will run on 12v. I don't want to use an inverter and then a transformer as thats a pain. I have a 12v adaptor for my laptop but I also want to sue them with my iPOD etc. I thought I had found a set made by creative but lucklily I spotted that they run off 12vAC. So I want to find a set that run on 12v DC. When looking on the web at various computer speakers they all say that they have a mains adapter but none tell you the voltage that that run at. I have a pair of 12v stereo speakers but want a 2.1 or 5.1 set (i.e stereo speakers and a woofer).

The 12v wiring in NB Maggie is not as heavy duty as it could be, so I have voltage drop problems at the Front of the boat from the rear batteries. This only causes a minor problem with the CD/Radio which is very sensitive. So I plan to fit a smaller battery at the front directly by the radio connection. Would this suffice on its own just connected in parallel with the existing 12 circuit or (a) should I fit a diode so the front batery can be charged but not discharged; ( will the front battery tricke charge OK. My assumption is that a front remote battery just connected to the 12v circuit will be fine.

Due to water getting into an nearly inaccessible part of the bilge twice (first time due to rain ingress caused by a blocked deck drain and second time due to a water system leak) I need a small-ish 12v pump to get this water out. It needs to be self priming to suck the water up a length of hose pipe. I have so far used the shower drain pump which is ideal except that the one I have got is very sensitive to failing due to small particles getting in it, requiring a strip down and clean out. So I am looking for something like this but perhaps a bit more robust. I could use a shower pump with a filter attached but there must be something better. I tried a car windscreen washer pump but they are too small. Anyone got any ideas.

Just to let you know I have one of these engines too, had it a few years and now know my way around it quite well.

This is what the manual says - which for most of us ordinary people doesn't mean much "4.6.1 Drive Belt Tension When a new belt is correctly fitted and tensioned a force (F) of 31.0-33.5N (7.0-7.5lbf) is required to deflect it a distance (d) of 3.5mm (0.14in). On subsequent checking and adjustment a force (F) of 22.0-24.0N (5.0-5.4lbf) is required to deflect it a distance (d) of 3.5mm (0.14in).""

It seems on the Lister Petter Alpha/Canalstar/LPWS 3 engine on 'Maggie' that I have real trouble getting the fan belt to grip the alternator properly. Its one of those flat micro V (ribbed) types. It seems I have to get it too tight before it grips (you can tell its slipping because the tacho doesn't move from 500 rpm) and it will squeal when it revs hard. Also over tightening it makes it stretch and it needs re-doing every few days and then I go through fanbelts. I am using a Halfords belt at the moment (HB850e) so I will try a different make but any other tips on getting it to grip better?

I need some new stools for the back deck. Just 'bar' type stools would be great. Don't want to pay too much ( so not worried when they get nicked or fall in). Probably stainless steel, alu, or chrome framed ones with wood or plastic seats. To save me visiting every out of town DIY store does anyone know a good source of these? Thanks

Yeh, hope to see you too. We were at the festival and had a 'open boat' with tons of visitors Yes, I think it has been a pain for Maurice and Heather, and they seem really nice people. You need to watch out for the swimming bulls, they can be quite amusing. I've met the previous owners of Maggie and we have become quite freidly and invite them up for cruises and picnics etc now and again.

We are moored there and have been for the last 2 years. Work is currently going on to extend the moorings by putting in steel pylons in the muddy part of the bank. They wanted to develop the moorings by digging out a basin and putting in herring bone mooring and pontoons (for which they had planning consents I believe) but I understand that this is not now going to happen because BW wanted so much money for the engineering works that it did not stack up financially. I believe it would have taken over 10 years just to recoup the silly money BW wanted for just of for their bit of the project. Heather and Maurice the farmers who run the mooring as a side line (and lovely people) said they were going to put in electricity, water, car parking and a new driveway (so you could get to the moorings when the cows were in the yard to be milked without waiting 2 hours) but as yet this has not materialised. (They have started to put in the hard core for a new drive). So you still have to park in one muddy field and walk across another very muddy (and cow-y) field to get to the boat which is less than ideal in winter. I don’t know if any of the planned developments are now going to happen now that BW seems to have scuppered their bigger plans. Not only that, the moorings have gone up a lot in cost due to additional charges levied on the farm by BW. They were once cheap moorings but are now only about 20% cheaper than more established fully serviced moorings in Skipton (which are the dearest moorings on the L&L canal). There is a also a massive demand for mooring in the area, I heard the Snaygill boats just outside Skipton have closed their waiting list as it has over 150 names on it (We have been on it for over 3 years). So I hope that some developments happen at the Woodside/Jacksons farm, but given the demand for moorings and the position of BW I could understand if nothing else happened.

Are you going to be mooring at Woodside ?

You can also get round at Silsden boats, if most of the hire boats are out.

My view is that this looks a bit expensive. The spec if very similar to our boat "Maggie" and the the fitout and finish seem similar quality. They are also the same as regards kit fitted. However Maggie is only 42ft long, but is 5 years newer (1991). She only cost 27k (private sale though). If I look at that as pound per foot your boat should be about 34k. This price also seems only 10k less than a new boat with similar spec but its 20 years old. However, it could be that bigger boats cost more per ft as there may be more demand. It could also be the going price in the area of the country where you are buying or this is the going price through a broker.

I don't understand the objection to on-line either. Here on the L&L in Yorkshire real Marinas are few and far between (either Chorley or Near Bradford) so you would have to trek 50 to 70 miles to one even though I can reach the canal in about 25mins. Even so the nearest mooring I can find (bottom of a farmers field) is 40 mins away. Yet bizzarly one of BWs business cases for the investment in big marinas is that people are prepared to drive further to them - surely thats exactly what we don't want. We were actually in a marina for our first year - at Apperly Bridge - and it was great, easy car access, water, elec, security, boat shop, local shops now I walk across a muddy field and I don't save that much either. But the problem was it was a 1Hr 10 Min min drive (on a good day - bank holidays etc could be ages) and the route also went through 3 different urban area bottlenecks (rush hours, school run, speed cameras!). I actually have to drive round the country for my job so I am used to it, but regular trips to the boat were a real pain. I would favour a mix of on and off line for different users. Again here on the L&L I have noticed a lot of places where small on-line mooring could be quickly and cheaply created (both on the towpath and other side) for those that want them. I bet BW could even sell them with an upfront cost then x years 'free' mooring to cover the capital cost so there would be no capital outlay, and yet a basic concrete mooing with bollards etc would last years so they would easily make money from it. I am also sure that some small investors would invest in such small moorings (say 5-10 boats) if BW would engage with them, it would be better for all than a buy to let property. On the plus side when I was in a Marina I would reckon 80% of boats never left it, keeping the canal clear for cruisers, however I do think Marinas encourage a 2nd home mentality which may actually drive mooring costs up.