KevTheWelder

My BMC is a 2.2 litre Commander, built in 1960, with the original factory installed Newage gearbox. I've all the build details, even know what day it was built1 Some boaters take the mick out of BMC's but when I built my boat I built a 10ft engine room with side hatches to show her off a bit. To still be running so well after 51 years is no mean feat. Who needs shiny brass covered old engines?

It seems to me that there are far too many people who are incapable of a 'live and let live' way of life. Almost all of the objections I have seen raised re- mooring simply have no adverse effect on fellow boaters, unless they choose to go out of their way to take issue with things. Having skimmed through this subject, I must say that more so than anybody else, I find myself agreeing largely with carlt. If you're moored out in the sticks, near no houses, or particular 'hotspots', what harm is that causing? As somebody else pointed out, this would be on the condition that the towpath isn't swamped with said boaters belongings.

I bought my fiancee a Singer, built in 1874, on a stand, as part of her 30th birthday present recently. Strange how it's vintage status made it a more than acceptable present- I bet many fella's have faced scorn for buying the other half a modern electrical one! She is hugely into arts, crafts, and all things old though, so was a relatively safe bet!

Not read whole topic but would like to give my opinion on a couple of points raised . Re - diesel tank inspection hatches . I've a seperate engine room , about ten feet into the boat , so have a rectangular tank mounted alongside the engine . This tank is about 2 1/2 ft x 1 1/2ft x 1 1/2ft . I cut an inspection hatch into it , seemed a wise enough choice to make , as I'll easily be able to reach into it to clean or paint it as necessary . A normal rounded tank built into the stern may not be so easily accesible so I'd say the usefulness of a hatch would be limited . Also re - welding below the waterline . I've always used mig not arc welding , and having completed about a dozen boats with no problems , I agree that the use of arc welding for this purpose is really down to personal , not compulsory , preference .

Hey. I've recently had my boat - whilst towing my girlfriends boat , just to make things harder ! - completely stop moving , despite the engine being revved quite highly & the prop clearly turning . I can only assume that it was down to , as you say , leaves . Was in a very woody area . Having built my boat , I know that the hull is fairly standard , so assume this is a fairly common problem , though this is the first time I've experienced it .

True. But a point to add to that, is that if you choose to wear goggles, make absolutely sure they're tight to your skin. A workmate had some on once, a bit loose, and the swarf from drilling was so hot it burned into his skin, and he panicked & couldn't easily brush it off. Had they been properly tight, the swarf wouldn't have got there, but on the other hand, if he'd worn glasses, the swarf may have got to his skin but he could have brushed it off easily.

Hello. Just a quick point, not trying to state the obvious, but a lot of people don't realise this. Aluminium & steel don't sit very well together, the ally corrodes the steel (fellow old Land Rover owners know this all too well!) so if, at the points where the steel & ally would meet, you can somehow stick another material to seperate them, it'll cut down on corrosion.

Ha ha! Reminds me on one experience I had with a rotabroach(type of mag drill) whilst working for a general engineering firm years back. A local railway bridge, all built many years ago out of rivets, was hit by an artic one day, the driver misjudged the height. As a result, once the lorry was recovered, the damage noted included several rivets which became loose. Myself & a workmate spent two days, on a scaff tower, tack welding & drilling out several rivets. All overhead, of course, with the added bonus of the other side of the bridge having traffic hurtling past us all day long. Happy days!