sebrof

An "O" Level is hardly "excelling".

I have only just noticed this thread. Rust needs three things: 1 Iron (inc steel) 2 Water 3 Oxygen If your hull wasn't leaking when the over-plating was done, then you will have two skins which will be air- and water-tight, which means that rust cannot occur in between. The challenge then is to ensure that the inner skin doesn't rust away, and allow air and water into the void. I am in the process of tackling this problem on my boat, which should not be under-estimated (especially if previous owners have ignored it).

You may not like to admit it, but a narrow-boat is a type of barge.

Meanwhile, in deepest, darkest, W4, steam is being got up on Nova Cura in readiness for a discreet exit up-river in the misty morning. Thanks are due to Bizzard for cleverly giving the Russians the wrong post-code, and even now screams can be heard from the denizens of W6 as a horrible horde of Vulgar Boatmen lay waste to nearby Hammersmith. Hatches battened, muskets loaded, fire pump connected to the holding tank (surely the clinching argument against cassettes), the skipper declares preparations to be complete. Sebrof has a last pink gin before retiring. To be continued, God willing.

Why people don't buy/build proper barges instead of these floating oxymorons is a mystery.

Interesting idea. The only problem is that boating on the TT (Tidal Thames) doesn't sit well with alcohol.

I am. Like "data", plethora is a full English word, with a meaning quite distinct from that of the original word. It is correct in English to say "The data is" because "data", in English, is a collective noun (like milk). "Plethora", in English, means a great many, like the colloquial meaning of the Hindi word "lakhs". I realise that "media" is becoming a distinct English word, but during this transitional period I prefer to use the word correctly in the probably forlorn hope that the tide of ignorance might be turned.

If you are happy with a return on investment of 35%, please invest £100,000 with me, and I will give you back £35,000. What you meant to say was that the rate of return was 35%, but unless you know how long you will be getting a return, it's a totally meaningless figure. If the array lasts two years, your return will be £700, or 70%, so you will have made a loss. If it lasts 20 years and needs no maintenance your return will be £6,000 or 600%. Might be wise to reckon on ten years, in which case it will prove to have been a good deal. Furthermore you omitted to count the cost of generator repairs or replacement, not to mention the hassle, noise, danger, and inconvenience.

No, but there will perhaps be some addenda.

There's a saying on the K&A: "Where there's a bridge, there's a wide-beam." Bridges seem to attract wide-beams like bees to honey. I suspect it's all a clever ploy to get racers to slow down near moored boats.

Yes. If water can't get at the hull, there can be no galvanic corrosion. Or rust. 2-pack epoxy will protect the hull much better than ordinary blacking - provided, as you say, that it is applied properly onto dry, bare, metal.

You mean he did sit it in every other year? Shows persistence, but if he had worked harder, he might only have had to take it once.

One gives you a superbly strong, hard-wearing, impermeable layer, and the other starts dropping off as soon as you leave the marina. Is the entire world shipping industry wrong? Because that is what you are suggesting.

Mine was 1963, nearer to when Latin was a living language.

Doesn't look like MPPT.

There are three stumbing blocks, if you want to match diesel in terms of range and torque. They are weight and size of batteries, the problem of charging, and the cost (both initial and ongoing). The only thing which isn't a problem is the motor. Modern motors, like the Lynch, are very efficient, small, light, and have great torque. Unless battery technology improves massively (which I think is unlikely), it's a non-starter. No. There is no debate. Just a need for explanations.

You mean charlatani. It's from Italian.

Yes, I think you are correct. The Latin word agenda is not the same as the English word agenda. The meaning has changed. What was a number of things to be done (plural) is now the list itself, singular. And a similar thing has happened to referendum. What was an item (singular) to be referred has become a process of asking for views on one or more items. In each case, we have a new English word with a Latin root and a different meaning, rather than a loan word, such as forum, which has broadly the same meaning. And whether we use the Latin plural or not for such loan words is a matter of custom and practice. I would always use criteria, for instance, rather than criterions, but forums rather than fora. What puts my teeth on edge is "a media". Euuurgh!

2 Pack epoxy. And take it out annually to repair any abrasion damage. Should last almost forever if looked after. You can have either a galvanic isolator, or an isolation transformer. See the SG page for why the latter is better. SG

I have one. They're great. Think it was recommended by somebody here, perhaps you.

Paint it properly. God knows why narrow-boaters just cover their boats in tar.

I have always considered steering to be a skill and a pleasure. Why not just sit at home and watch a video? And as for 16 litres of fuel an hour! Good grief. You can see why such boats spend their lives in marinas.

Plonka?

You are right. It's too nice a job for a barge. Shame though.

Coz people are stoopid.