Tom and Bex

Fixed that for you!

Haven't watched the video, but sounds like an everyday occurrence to those of us with full length boats. If I made a fuss everytime I went into a lock with gates that leaked like that I would never get anywhere! Very common to have water cascading over our front doors, and the well deck filling with water. Here's one from earlier this year at Bratch - and yes the well deck did fill up enough to come over the threshold.

But to take just that example, we've never had to touch our shower mixer, but living in a house, it scaled up every 6 months or so. I do get your general point though. Could be to do with more variable conditions on a boat (humidity, temp etc)? Vibration and general movement?

Which is why I'd do it differently next if starting again. 12ma is not much, and certainly much better than a relay, but as you say, not ideal if bms operates due to low cell voltage. Not really a problem as liveaboard, but could see it as potential problem if leaving boat for period of time. Having said that, we've got no plans to change any of the current set up. It's in and working, and requires no interventions from us. Having just completed a full discharge cycle (just for my curiosity), they measure exactly the same capacity as when installed 2 years ago. Maybe if we change boats again in a few years I might look at changes, but in a few years a lot can change with lithium technology for boats! Just look how many on this forum have now got then compared to a couple years ago!

Just in case you weren't aware, locks on CRT waterways are nearly all user operated. Some of the Grand Union locks (particularly on the widened section from Napton to Birmingham) can be very heavy to operate. You might get lucky and get some help from a volunteer lockie on some flights, but would not count on it, particularly at that time of year.

There is always commercial REC BSLRD (Bi-stable latching relay driver) which I'm using for my overcharge protection. https://www.solar4rvs.com.au/rec-bi-stable-relay-driver-bslrd-for-bottom-end-sw And here: https://www.off-grid-systems.de/REC-Touch-Display-BMS-4S-16S-Q_2 Alternatively another low powered solution is a motorised battery switch as used by me (for my loads) and Dr Bob. No complicated electronic circuits to build and understand, but maintaining the advantages of low parasitic power drain. https://www.bepmarine.com/en/701-md If starting again though, I'd be looking for a BMS with direct support for bi-stable relays. Tom

Well mine were reading 11.0v at 8.30 this morning, with all my alarms going off😱 That was because I was doing an annual test of my lithiums though! Still holding exactly the same capacity as when installed 2 years ago -: around 280ah. Probably could extract more, but that's as far as I like to push them, and an easily repeatable test. Main thing is no detectable loss after 2 years. Tom

Went up a couple weeks ago and don't recall any problems with heavy paddles, just several top paddles that slipped badly when winding up due to worn rack. Was told by volunteer that most of the paddles do that, it's not a problem and not dangerous at all!

I would disagree with that. I find ours much less finicky than LA. And living off grid, we struggled to get 12 months out of LA, despite hours and hours of generator running. Now we just run the engine for an hour or 2 every day or 2 depending on usage. We're also much more careless with our power usage than before, as it's so much easier to replace! All components I used were "off the shelf" other than the alternator controller (which is now off the shelf, albeit at $500+!) No option to change max and min voltage settings on the BMS I've used. I think most of the complexity arises from alternator charging, and if you don't need this, it really is very easy indeed. No programming knowledge needed. Just the ability to safely connect a few wires. Our system will have definitely paid for itself by the end of this winter, if not already. Thinking about it, would have paid for itself just in saving cost of buying generator if I hadn't already bought it for endless hours charging LA batteries! Lithium would be a better investment, and cost less than a Honda generator.

Thank you! That looks the one based on this pic from Canalplan:

Depends on the garage, but yes, had them do that several times - issued a pass on condition car was taken straight home and certain things were done (even welding on one occasion!). Also taken car back for retest, and had them log car onto computer, and issue a pass while car is still sat in car park. Sometimes with a cursory glance to see if failure item(s) look new, sometimes not even that. Not going to name garage, but had built good working relationship over several years.

Not a very good pic, but where is this taken? Hotel room picture, and no further details present. Just curious really.

There was definitely one just the other side of bridge 66 earlier in the year, so yes, very likely.

That might be an excuse in a shortish pound, but think if the level dropped significantly on the N Stratford I'd not be worried about leaking gates!

Exactly like us. It does surprise me though when passing long lines of permanent moorings how many boats are moored with very slack lines and consequently surge and bang into each other no matter how slowly you pass.

It definitely doesn't seem to make the boat displaying them slow down - quite the reverse! Definitely this. Have seen several hire boats get into difficulty passing too slowly, particularly when windy.

In our experience 95% of hire boats slow down to tickover or just above, whereas it's the opposite for private boats, who generally, at most, just knock the revs back a touch when alongside. Having said that, it really doesn't bother us how fast boats pass. We try to moor properly, and have never had pins pull out. The only time it's a slight irritation, is when moored by just the centre line at the water point, but I regard that as our fault as I'm too lazy to tie up properly! I do slow down when passing all boats myself though, and slow even more for badly moored boats, and boats moored on pins.

Well I've assumed it's going to be the the bank holiday weekend at end of May as that's the time I've booked off work! Really hope they don't change the dates. If it's any other dates I definitely won't be able to enter - have to book annual leave 12 months ahead to have any chance of getting specific dates, particularly bank holidays or school holidays.

So that's everyone starting ar Walsall next year then.....

We hadn't done any planning for thiis year yet either, but most of our planning trends to be last minute and varies depending how energetic the crew are feeling on Friday night! This was also possibly going to be our last year for a bit, as Lily's (hopefully!) starting school in September. The thought of leaving Lapworth at 3.30pm Friday and getting to our start location doesn't sound the best preparations for the challenge! No doubt we'll find a way to be there next year now though - I've already booked the time off work!

A big thanks to the organisers of this event and the hard work they and the teams have put in. Congratulations to Indigo Dreamers for their win. Really enjoyed following the event, and enjoyed reading the cruise logs as and when I had time between 12hr shifts at work. Enjoyed reading about the history and stories of the people teams met along the way, along with the historical facts and descriptions of the BCN in times past. Particularly enjoyed some of the old photos, several that I haven't seem before so thanks for that. Found it fascinating trying to work out where teams were at times in their logs, and working out the route of some of the old branches was interesting. It's had me digging out and going through my collection of BCN books again! Thanks again. Time already booked off for next year's actual challenge and hope to see some of you there!

Enjoying following this and reading all your virtual cruising logs between jobs at work. Particularly enjoy seeing all the photos in the logs. Is there any way for non participants to see the daily quiz and challenge? Even if only at end of day or even end of challenge? Keep up all the hard work!

Not jabsco, but ours went through a stage of occasionally doing that (once every 6 weeks or so). Stripping it down found nothing wrong at all. Power getting to the motor fine. Eventually found that a quick burst of reverse power applied directly to the motor connection worked every time. Certainly nothing to lose trying before you commit to dismantling (not a pleasant task!). Hasn't done it for 6 months or so now (frantically finds as much wood to touch as possible!).

I shall be following this challenge with interest and hope the rules abs scoring will be in public domain. Unfortunately won't be entering. 1st BCN challenge we'll have missed in 8 years😥 Working that week and with volume of calls increasing, won't have time required to participate. Great idea though and good luck to all the teams.

Mine came reasonably well balanced from Jeremy, but still needed more (and in initial installation, discovered they still weren't balanced enough). Definitely worth taking the tune to get initial balancing right I didn't have any special equipment, but followed the ideas on the http://nordkyndesign.com/ website, using a standard 12v battery charger. Think I checked iindividual cell voltages, got them as close as possible, then connected in parallel, and charged to 3.65v using my 12v charger, bit with very careful CONTINUOUS monitoring. That did rely on using charger via inverter and existing batteries though.