Celestine

Many thanks for the replies. I've arranged to view the boat. I now know what to ask and check. Thanks!

Thanks for the response. According to the Nanni 4.50 online engine manual (2017), the alternator fitted is 120 amp. The boat was built in 2005 so not sure if the alternator has the same output as quoted now. The boat is also fitted with solar panels. Are Nanni spares readily available, only have experience with Beta. The boat is moored a good distance away from home, so I want to have some info before requesting a viewing. Thanks

Hi, I'm looking at buying a narrow boat that has only one alternator fitted to the engine. I've had three boats in the past, all having had two fitted. Are there any problems that I should be aware of with a one alternator system. The boat is fitted with a Nanni Kubota 450 engine. My thoughts are just to carry a spare, are spares readily available? Many Thanks.

I've been told that Joseph Hopper was a BCN Joey. The Joey being a butty/ barge that was towed by a tug. There are several of these boats on the system that have been converted into powered craft. There is a similar boat at Kings Bromley Marina that appears to be electric powered.

I think they've been to the Tim and Pru school of boating. Slowing the boat down being the last thing they do when approaching a potential hazard. Apologies to Pru, she seems to have more idea than Tim.

Have just sold, last week, our boat with Great Haywood. It went on the first day it was advertised, they did say they had a waiting list of potential buyers and clearly that was the case. No problems at any point of the sale. We've also bought and sold with New and Used. Again no problems.

We've moored a couple of times at Bridge 19, Potters Lock. Had no problems on either occasion.

How much to get out again. No problem leaving the building but the road system around the museum is a nightmare. I do hope that they try and find some exhibit to reflect the Kelvin heritage, that is literally on the door step.

I'm also a Kelvin fan. We visited the Glasgow Transport Museum last November, the museum is situated next to where the river Kelvin flows into the Clyde. So I thought there would be some reference to Kelvin engines in the museum, how wrong could I be, there was nothing. The museum had some interesting exhibits, unfortunately they were poorly laid out. One positive...it was free entry.

Good point about the bridge just before Horninglow Basin, it is low. The other possible issue is, there are permanent moorings in the basin, if all the boats are on their moorings it can be very tight for a wide beam to turn. I've seen one widebeam, about 50ft in length, but nothing bigger. Perhaps someone with a widebeam from Mercia may be able to comment.

API CC refers to the performance of the oil, the oil has passed a series of lab and engine tests to meet the API spec. This doesn't mean that all oils that meet this spec are the same. Each marketed (brand) oil uses additives to meet the performance level. There are 4 additive companies, this was the case a few years ago, that develop products for these oils. Each one uses different types of chemistry in order to achieve the same API performance. This can cause some compatibility problems if large quantities are mixed. I would not mix different brands of oil unless it was a last resort. The same applies to mixing oils with the same API SPEC but with different viscosity grades. The reason for the additive companies using different chemistry are, patents. Unfortunately the oil marketer does not put the additive manufacturers name on their products so it's not possible to compare one oil companies product with another. I worked for one additive company for thirty years and we were always told by the oil companies, " you supply a component to our finished product", so our name, Lubrizol, never appears on the finished product. Hope that helps.

It looks as though Morris Lubricants have dropped their 15w-40 and replaced it with a 10w-40. Their web site states, the new oil is for canal boats, this has the correct amount of additive for non turbo engines and replaces the 15w-40. Barrus Shire oil has also changed, giving the same details as the Morris 10w-40. Probably the same oil but marketed as Barrus Shire.

I've just checked my PRM 150 manual, it states the change period is every, 12 months or 250 hrs, at the same time as the engine. The Beta 43 manual states, the oil change for the g/box, 3 years or 750 hrs. I change my g/box oil every 2 years, as I average about 150 hrs per year. ​10w-30 or 15w-40 API CD oil is required. I use the same in the engine as g/box, 15-w40. If the g/box is new, then the first oil change is after 25hrs. Hope that helps.

I gave Montecarlo the benefit of my experience, 30 years in the oil additive business with Lubrizol. If you can't obtain CC then move up to the next available, CD. There may come a time when CD becomes obsolete, so you move on to the next available one. As for engines being manufactured after 1990. API assume that the engine is designed and built after that date, I would thing that the Thorneycroft design, along with many other narrowboat engines, have been around for many years. API's focus is heavy duty applications, HGV and Construction/Quarry Industries. These older specifications are for guidance and are no longer supported by them. A current API lubricant will be licensed. This means the lubricant has been developed and manufactured to a legally binding code of conduct. For the record, API S category is the American gasoline specification. ACEA publish the equivalent European specifications for gasoline (A), passenger car diesel ( and heavy duty diesel (E).

Not certain if Midland Chandlers do list the 10w-30 on their website but they do stock it, I use it in my Beta 43 and PRM 150 gearbox. The oil is sold under the Barrus Shire brand. If you need API CC in a 10w-30, then it's not easily available, the Barrus Shire oil is API CD. Using higher specification oils, such as API CF, is not always a good idea. These higher specification oils were developed for high output,turbo charged HGV engines with low emissions technology. This means they have high levels of detergent additives, this can cause bore polish and possible oil seal failure.

Hi, If you do a google search on 10w-30 oils there are several options available. Midland Chandlers stock a 10w-30, I use that one. Just check what API certification your engine manufacturer recommends, probably API CD or CF.

Our last boat had one fitted. The charger stopped working so I contacted Sterling and found them very helpful. They said, bring it down and we'll take a look at it.. I removed the unit and took it to their Droitwich workshop. They fixed the problem, free off charge, in around 2 hours. The problem was caused by the voltage supply on the marina being too high, around 260v, the unit has a safety cut out set at around 245v. They raised the cut out voltage and the marina adjusted there supply voltage. Hope that helps.

Hi, We've lived on a boat for 11 years. We had no experience of boating before purchasing a boat. I think hire boats have little in common with the type of layout required to live on a boat, so little point in going down that route. We found our previous camping/outdoor life style more beneficial, emptying toilets, fetching water and generally being aware of the weather etc. more helpful. Wouldn't dream of going back to the house

After nearly 3 months we now have a replacement regulator fitted. Threatening them with going to the press apparently did the trick.

We know the boat and the person that fitted it out, he purchased it as a saleaway from Stenson, his local boat builder. He sold it about 18 months ago for a figure less than £40,000.It was for sale by, both e-bay and New and Used at Mercia. A lady bought the boat,via e-bay, she was taking it down to London. The original owner is a very talented fitter, he built it to a budget, but I would be very surprised if the quality of the fit out was poor. As for the engine, it would almost certainly be a Barrus Shire as Stenson were agents for them. He sold the boat to fund a wide beam, now finished and very nice. No, I'm not the first owner.

No not happy to use another Clesse regulator, but they assure me the new ones are modified. If I change to another manufacturer. I will have to pay for a new regulator and fitting. I've only had the current one 18 months, so feel a little reluctant to pay out again for something that's a problem caused by a manufacturering error.

It's now 2 months since we registered with Clesse and after several phone calls we are no further forward in having a new regulator fitted. We have given them the name of a local guy, who is a registered gas fitter, but they have still failed to sort out their problem. I believe that Clesse are so inefficient that gas fitters are unwilling to work with them, fear of not getting paid. I now plan to try and obtain a new regulator and arrange fitting myself. I'll then try and reclaim the cost from Clesse... I also intend to contact the publications that published the recall notice and let them know about the poor service. I'm amazed that a significant safety item, connected to the gas system, can be so blatantly ignored by the manufacturer. Trading Standards will also be on my call list.

I've posted about our poor service from Clesse on the equipment section. Two months since we registered with them for a replacement regulator and they have still not found a gas fitter that will carry out the work. We have called several times only to be fobbed off with excuse after excuse. It's reaching the point now for Trading Standards and the press to be involved. I will now be requesting a new regulator and will pay someone to fit it. Will be advising friends to avoid this companies products.

I've seen several Aqualine boats and they are very well built, electrics are the best I've seen. I thought the name 'Aqualine' was a model name used by New and Used Boat Co, so they may have used several builders over the years. I know the early ones were Polish and Midland Canal Centre certainly built one a couple of years ago.

If you christen the boat at the name change, a bottle of beer is the appropriate tiple, not champagne.