Pot Noodle Adventurer

Hi I have a Becton Bunny stove. Reading between the lines I presume that you have recently renewed the stove rope on the ash pan door at the same time as the latch? It is always difficult at first to close the door even when the correct rope is used (10mm diameter soft rope). It seems to take a few days to bed down. Unfortunately, I am not due back on my boat until after Easter so sorry unable to get a picture to you at present. I always use Heat Mate for fixing my rope as you can achieve an instant grab with door in situ/vertical. Much less frustrating and much better than the stove rope glue supplied in the kits. As we are talking about the ash pan door rather than the main fire pit door I don't think you will have any issues if you slacken the latch off temporarily to aid venting. Hope this helps.

Ah perhaps that explains it. I think I have seen on the forum that Sterling's Customer Service is not the best ?

Hi I have two sterling desulphation units fitted, one on the starter battery and one on the domestic bank. Looking at the earlier relevant clicky link the similar units available seem cheap (in money terms) as I paid around £51 each via chandlers. Cant say how good they are just yet, but they are silent and the led when lit means they are active (they only kick in around the 12.8 volt mark). Just recently, one of the units led indicator has failed to illuminate. I emailed Sterling on monday to ascertain if there is anyway to test the unit to see if it is dead or just the led bulb that has failed. No reply as yet, so wondered if any members can suggest how to test these units with a multimeter. The blurb states that they work by pulsing a high pitched radio frequency into the battery to desuphate the plates. Thanks in anticipation.

The 19mm quoted was the socket size I used to tighten all three bolts. Regarding length of bolts I guess a 75mm would suffice and you could always trim to size with an angle grinder.

Hi Steve 19mm on my Liverpool 2006 build. Just been dry docked for blacking and tightened up the three bolts. As they work loose within months I took the decision to have rudder tack welded to the shaft. I know people will say ah well if you have rudder issues you will need to have your boat out of water to make repairs. But it is not possible to access the bolts via the weedhatch anyway and I aren't too clever at holding my breath under water! All the best for dry docking.

Thanks for that information. I had not heard of Belzona so have just had a look at their website (other products available of course!). Based in Harrogate, they appear to have an array of products for numerous repair or protection situations including marine/offshore. An epoxy filler that can be used for filling pit holes is mentioned as well as for the repair pf damaged rudders and propellers where of course movement/ cavitation is the norm. I am keeping an open mind on this.

Surely someone has actually tried BB ?

Thanks for all your input. As boat is not yet dry docked I cannot report on state of pitting so the question was in effect hypothetical in anticipation! Paul C is right to query what I meant by spot weld and as I am not a technical bod I accept his clarification, thank you. Just having a look on tinternet I came across an epoxy based product called J-B Marine Weld (other products are available!) which claims to be a cold weld system that sets in 20 -25 minutes and is fully set in under 24 hours, for above and below water line achieving a tensile strength of 3960 PSI. Interesting.

Hi all Other than a spot weld what remedies have you tried? I have heard car body filler, liquid metal and plumbers epoxy resin mentioned but I am a little sceptical! Any thoughts and experiences welcomed. Thanks

Hello all Shortly in for blacking again. Anyone tried Ballistic Blacking? Seems reasonably priced and reckons to have less VOCs and more body than similar bitumen based blacking. The yard recommends Rylards Rytex. Any feedback or comments welcomed. Thanks.

Great News Pump running fine once again. I disconnected the pump, undid the small screw that acted as a stop to the square float falling out, took out the float cleaned it and the float chamber with some baby wipes wrapped round a thin knife, then into some hot soapy water and hey presto it now works a treat. Many thanks for all your advice. That has just saved me a few quid!

Welcome to the wonderful world of boating. I have insurance with GJW Direct and manage to negotiate the premium down each year. I hear that Newton Crum are competitive. Just wondering which canal you are moored on and your boat name? So we can give you a wave if you come by! Enjoy.

Thank you for all your advice. Whilst looking on the web I came across military vehicle paints, several shades of grey available in matt finish. Self priming and durable supposedly. Anybody used military paint on their boats and what were the results like? Thanks again

Hi Thinking of changing my narrow boat roof from red to a Mid Grey, the original colour. Reds seem to go pinky over time although I do like them. I would be grateful for any suggestions as to which types and brands of paint that will give a durable flat/matt effect in order to avoid any glare on sunny days. The roof is well gritted so no need for any extra grit. Thanks in anticipation of your replies.

Thanks for that, it raises an interesting point in that I read somewhere that it is good for a rotating prop to have a slight drip as it is a cooling factor so the water has to be over boarded somehow and an automatic function is an asset when cruising for hours on end. I have heard some boaters say that there should be no drips from the stern gland. Which is right?

Thanks for replies. I will try the hot water treatment first. As £35 to replace anything worth a go! As is often the case it worked great until I cleaned it.

Hi Cleaning out my narrow boat bilge I noticed that the Lubase Automatic Bilge pump was a bit gunged up with grease so I cleaned it up to look like new and all looked fine until I tested it. Nothing. Hooking up a spare manual bilge pump all ok so I know it is not a wiring or fuse issue? Perhaps I have disturbed the integrated float mechanism in some way, perhaps getting some grease into it during the cleaning process? Any ideas on how to bring this pump back to life please as only had it fitted for just over a year. Thanks in anticipation of any help.

Thank you all for your advice. I think the existing breaker is rated at 10 amp so that is right in the middle of your recommendations for 5 amp and 15 amp. I will try and dig out the leaflet that came with the auto bilge pump to check rating. Interesting comment Tony re fumes from batteries. I have some other devices wired directly onto the batteries (de-sulphation units and voltmeters) so should these be wired similarly?

Hi Current auto bilge pump is wired via isolator switch, circuit breaker (switched and illuminated) and an externally mounted switch. As boat is often left for several weeks at a time a fellow boater has recommended that I wire it directly to battery terminals to save battery drain. This seems perfectly logical. If I wire it directly should there be an inline fuse fitted? If so what rating and presumably it goes in line on the positive side? Many thanks in anticipation of your help.

Good point Alan. I have just rung my credit card company and they confirm original transaction did not go through Paypal. I am tempted to do what you suggest Dave but I think I have spent enough time on this so will fire off one last email to Chandlers requesting the difference (ie the Paypal Fee). I will point out that I have given them some free publicity on this forum too. Thanks to all for your views and comments

It gets worse and worse. Had an automated email from Paypal to say Medline Marine distribution (T/A Force Chandlery) had credited £4.05 to me. Funny that because I DID NOT used Paypal to pay for the isolator. I paid directly onto my credit card which IS NOT linked to a Paypal account. Even the amount is different as the postage refund due to me was £4.40. Having contacted Paypal they stated that they have no transaction on their records for the isolator purchase! But they have received £4.40 for me, however, there is a £0.35 charge that I have to pay as it was a refund from a retailer. I am unable to open a dispute as I did not make the purchase through them in the first place! Bang head against wall! As you can imagine I am totally peed off with Medline (trading as Force Chandlery, Waveline Leisure or whatever else they like to call themselves). I think they are taking the P big time. The bottom line is Medline asked for my bank details, I provided them and yet hey fail to refund into my bank, instead sending it to Paypal who were never involved in the first place. Bang head against wall again! As I have mentioned before, this topic is not about the money it is to make everyone aware of what a set of xxxxxxxs these people are. Based on my experience and diabolical customer service I cannot recommend them?

Just to update. Item returned to chandlery 19 May and signed for 20 May as checked on Royal Mail Tracking service. Still awaiting refund of postage costs as promised. Bank details given to chandlery 27 May but they would not answer my question as to when they will refund? Sent email and left message on their chat room to chase up payment but no feedback as yet. This firm are sadly lacking on communication. I will let you know when (if) I get any refund. Thanks for your comments

Went through last year and locks were ok, although plenty of rubbish in the canal. There were two CRT guys forking it out at the by washes into large heaps. I also saw a group of volunteers litter picking on the towpath so thumbs up to that good work. It is good to see that the Barrowford Flight on the Leeds Liverpool is getting a spruce up after years of neglect with lock gate and fence painting and litter picking etc by CRT staff. I think the staff are also there to assist boaters through the flight too, which is welcome after some serious incidents last season.