Bobbybass

Hi. I'm fitting an Eberspacher in my boat. The Eber fuel inlet is 6mm with a raised lip on the Eber pump that grips the pipe clip. I'm installing new 5/16 copper pipe to a T junction (compression ) on the main engine fuel pipe (5/16 ) just after the engine fuel cut off (Top of tank) This T junction will go into a 5/16 cut-off tap especially for the Eber. I'm then running the new 5/16 pipe ( well clamped ) down to the Eber area. I have a 5/16 to 6mm solder reducer … so I intend to reduce the 5/16 to copper 6mm. The 6 mm will then be a short distance and will connect to the Eber pump via a short length of 6mm marine certified rubber pipe. I'm going to solder a 6mm brass olive onto the 6mm pipe where it attaches to the flexible so that it has a way of the fuel hose clip being prevented from slipping off. So...after all that long winded stuff : Is it OK to use solder reducer and soldered-on olive on the fuel system ? I'm competent at pipe soldering. Thanks all ! Bob

Thank you all.. ?

Thank you all so much for your input. Some great ideas and advice there. A greenie for all.? Thanks. Bob.

Hi all. I want to repaint my one inch wide cream coloured stripe that runs end to end of my boat and around the 'boxes'. Any suggestions as to the best type of tape for masking this...and techniques ? Thanks.

This happened to me on the Thames in Bolters lock. On the way in, I competently lassoed a bollard. Too competent as the rope locked on the lock bollard and the force started to pull my rope upwards off the boat bollard. I put my foot on it to try and prevent it and it slipped off the bollard and around my ankle as our boat was still moving. I didn't actually fall from the stern, but my frantic reversing and standing with one leg gradually rising skywards , provided great amusement for the Gongoozlers !!

I originally fitted the white flexible hose from Leesan. After a year or so..it started to stink...badly so. They gave me the ' you must have standing fluid ' routine....but it wasn't. It all went nicely down hill to the tank. I then returned to purchase a new lot and while there another customer was telling them he had the same problem with a sea going yacht....no standing fluid..and under his bed it stank. They kindly recommended he install fans to vent under his bed ! I purchased another set of hose and installed it all again. There wasn't a single standing point. The whole lot went down steeply to the tank...in fact when removing the old hose, there was no fluid. After a year it stank. Even the vent pipe that never had fluid and the clean water rinse stank. Leesan said it wasn't possible...so I cut 6 inches and sent it to them to sniff. They never replied. I ripped the whole lot out and replaced with solid solvent weld. Problem solved ! I'd never waste my money in that again.

Hi. I've just fitted a new tiller top bearing. When I refit the tiller, is the whole weight of the tiller taken on the bottom cup, or do you lift the rudder slightly and tighten the tiller bolts to raise it slightly in the bottom cup ? Thanks all.

Thank you. It's tight all the time...never eases unless I physically lift the rudder up. Pretty sure the cup is full of silt...or this calcious deposit that forms on my boat. Now I have an idea of how the cup/rudder looks...I can get in the water and give it a damn good scraping. Thank you all.! Bob Careful old chap !.. ? ?

Yes...standard narrowboat. That cup arrangement makes sense. I guess that a build up of rock hard calcite in that cup would cause my problem. I can't think of any other reason it is stiff considering that the top of the rudder is free. Thank you for your comments and excellent photos ! ?. Bob

Hi all. I wonder if anyone can tell me the general setup that forms the bottom tiller bearing ? Over the past few years , whenever I return to the boat after some month, the tiller is totally stiff. Last year I did a long run and it didn't ease up. It's not pleasant to spend a day navigating. I have replaced the top bearing ...and in doing so the tiller is free to flop around ( is not jammed at the top ).. and lifting the tiller makes it a bit more free. I purchased one of those underwater cameras that is on the end of a long lead to put it down and see the problem...and then saw the problem ? ....or rather... couldn't see it. In the marina my boat sits on a small river about 20 feet wide. I have found that the river had kindly deposited a big sand bar under the boat and the bottom swivel is under the silt. The river also builds up thick solid 'concrete like' stuff on the hull that protects it, hence the blacking is only every 5 years and the anodes never corrode. As the water is only less than 3 feet deep, I'm going to get in there...and by feel...try and clear the bottom bearing. Hence...my question. What am I ' feeling for' under the silt ? If I get a 'picture' of it in my mind, I will have some idea of how to clear it...bearing in mind that it may be solid with calcite and will need a good scrape with some tool...ie... screwdriver ? Thanks all !

To be quite honest...the 'provided' fuses didn't want to fit the rubber holders either.....they did take a lot of force almost to breaking point. I couldn't really be bothered to faf about that long...so just ditched the lot...and used my own units.

You know what I meant. ...? Some people will just 'assume' that the fuses should go up with the Smartgauge…..which means you have several meters of skinny wire carrying the full battery capacity..before the fuses. The discussion here...is about the fact that the fuses don't fit those holders. As you will read from my own experience....the fuses don't fit the holders.....?

The OP received these with a Smartgauge. In the last few weeks I got the same items with my Smartgauge. The two items definitely don't go together. Maybe someone took the fuses out of the incorrect parts box, but they are not compatible. I dropped into my local garage who studied them and said the same thing. I dumped my holders and got some nice rubber waterproof ones, as they need to go right on the battery to be effective. The instructions imply this , but you don't want a couple of meters of 18 gauge wire from the battery BEFORE it gets to the fuse. Bob

I couldn't get the provided fuses to fit.. decided they didn't go together...and had a beer...

I got some of those recently...with a Smartgauge. No idea what they did...so I used my own.....

Strange ? I see what you mean.... My bottle is a few years old and has a red warning on it...? Maybe they changed the formula...

No.... The bituminous paint was Thomsons. I've emailed a specialist supplier of epoxy paints.

The tank had lots of patches of rust especially at the top where the fresh water top line was. It was also rusty at the bottom in the corners of the base plate. These patches were about the size of 50p piece. This year...after last year's efforts...there were more ! I have emailed a company to ask about their range of epoxy products. Yes..you need some mask as the dust in the confined space is terrible... however there are worse things....like wasps that fly in and join you in the gloom !

No...it's a total water tank in the bow of the boat. The bow is just partitioned from the boat....a bit like Titanic and it's watertight compartments ? If I want to check how much water I have, I just open it and look in. My gas bottles are on the stern.

What ?!...

My pot of Vactan specifically says...not for potable water tanks. Beware of making sure it is for potable tanks. Some of the bitumen compound is very dangerous. I ordered a tin for drinking tanks and the supplier substituted a different one,,.which was dangerous. Last year I crawled into my little tank. Very nasty. I spent several days curled up in there taking it back to bare metal. My idea of just reaching in....didn't work by a long chalk. I made sure my wife was there making sure I was conscious. When it was ultra dry...I applied two coats of a Thomson product that said it was for drinking water tanks. I allowed it uber-time to dry...over a week. This year...my tank is just as bad or worse than it was before !

I installed one of these on my last boat. It was the thing that got stolen ! All I was left with....was a photo beamed to my phone....of a scrote laughing and giving me the finger.

I guess if it's been in the ground for 50 million years....it's bound to expire some day..

In the 'classic car' market....unopened tins of original oil fetch good prices. They are sought out and used...many being 30-50 years or more.