nicknorman
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Posts posted by nicknorman
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What therefore puzzles me is the fact that he can pass moored boats slightly faster than I can and escapes the (occasional) shouts of "Slow Down" that head my way. I even had that comment made from someone stood on the bank and, once again, my colleague who was just a few yards behind (and lowly closing on me) escaped the criticsm.
Perhaps your boat has a greater draft. The primary disturbance to moored boats is nothing to do with a bow wave or wake, its all about the fact that the water has to move around the boat as the boat moves into new water - I call it the suction, and it all happens below the surface. Greater draft = greater volume of water to be moved for a given speed, hence greater flow of water in the more limited gap between boat and bottom / sides. This causes a moored boat to want to move forward and then aft, if it is moored loosely it will gain speed and then be yanked to a halt by the ropes - that is if the momentum of the boat doesn't pull the pin out. The answer is to keep the ropes tight (fortunately levels in general change only slightly on canals, so no need to leave ropes slack for tides etc)
Our boat draws 2'8" and we always pass moored boats at tickover (but tickover with a big prop) and it does move other boats around. I have been accused of speeding despite being at tickover for several minutes past a row of boats, simply due to the amount of suction and its effect on badly moored boats.
Naturally, narrow and shallow canals result in more rapid flow between the boat and bottom / sides, and also results in slower boat speed but more effect on moored boats. So absolute speed is not relevant, it is the extent of the suction that is the important factor.
In summary the answer to the "SLOW DOWN!" shout is "TIE YOU BOAT UP PROPERLY" - that is assuming you are going pretty slowly / low power at the time. If you are have a high power setting and creating lots of suction, the shout aimed at you is justified regardless of the actual boat speed over the ground.
really can't see the point of this you might as well go train or bomb down a motorway for all you are going to see at that speed
Don't knock it until you have tried it!
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Did you find the MiFi was considerably faster than using a phone? Still deciding which route® to go down with this.
Thanks
David
I don't think there is much difference between the MiFi and my iPhone 4 in terms of speed, however the iPhone is a bit faffy in that it has to be "awake" to initiate a connection - ie if you shut down the laptop, you have to wake the phone and have the "personal hotspot" page showing to get the connection back. Also it drains the iPhone battery pretty fast. However the feeling of having all you can eat data from the iPhone 3 package is good!
Both are faster than the old USB Dongle we had.
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Any decent Marine Diesel Engine should use Timing Gears.
(just like the Citroen 2CV!!)
...........Dave
Certainly our Beta 43 has timing gears. Chain or belt drive to the camshaft normally only applies to overhead camshaft engines, whereas these sorts of engine (relatively long stroke and slow revving) have pushrods with the camshaft driven via an idler gear from the crank. Overhead camshaft is only really an advantage for high revving engines (because the reciprocating mass of the valve train becomes an issue).
To the OP, consider changing the coolant (if not done before) since the corrosion inhibitor gets old and stops working after a few years. Also consider the valve clearances - again i only know about Beta /Kubota but the Beta manual makes no mention of ever checking the screw & locknut rockers, whereas manuals for kubota engines do, every 800 hrs, and the clearance is mentioned on the label on the rocker cover. It is an easy job that I did on our's recently (though found that, after 800 hrs from new, the clearances were not surprisingly correct).
The injection system can need some maintenance on old engines, but if it is starting well and not smoking, probably best left alone!
Also a good visual inspection of all hoses would be worthwhile, but at the age you mention I would not expect you to have a problem there.
Depending on the drive setup, you might consider having the engine to prop shaft alignment checked. When I adjusted ours (new boat with a few hundred hours) and got it spot on, the reduction in vibration was noticeable. It went from being quite smooth to being absolutely smooth!
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Erm.... should my Leece Neville 160 amp alternator be "too hot to touch" when Im running my dishwasher via my Mastervolt 12 volt 2000 inverter/720amp batteries whilst cruising?
Yes, it is certain to get too hot to touch if it is producing 2kw's worth of current - around the max output of 160A - for any length of time. Our Iskra 175 A one also gets very hot at max output. Clearly this is likely to shorten its life to some extent, but whether significantly so or not, I am not sure. It depends whether the alternator is designed to operate continuously at its maximum output, though LN alternators seem to be heavy duty type.
Best to make sure that ventilation in the engine bay is as good as it can be - maybe consider lifting engine boards etc in hot weather whilst the washer is on heat cycle, and avoid running the engine too slowly, since higher RPM gives faster alternator fan speed, hence better cooling.
Or fit a TravelPower!
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The same goes for some boaters. I met one who was wearing a silly peaked cap with scrambled egg on it.
Oh, I didn't think we had met?
On the subject of boaters, by far the worst behaviour we have seen on this 2 week trip came from a gentleman on one of those ginger hire boats from Stone, at Tyreley locks. Apparently he was trying to do the 4 counties ring in a week, which is pretty tight. He was incensed when his progress (which reportedly mostly consisted of passing moored boats flat out) was delayed because a single handler had got his deep drafted boat stuck near the entrance to the bottom lock - that 1st pound being pretty shallow at the best of times. The guy was doing his best to get his boat off, and someone had opened the paddles on the next lock to try to increase the level in the pound, but by the time we arrived coming the other way I think the boat had been there for a few minutes, and as I finally worked out, was not being helped by the open paddle since he was aground near the overflow and the current from the now-full pound was pushing him into the side.
Anyway all par for the course, but aforementioned guy was ranting and shouting at the boater. He had the boat hook in is hand and was trying to push the boat off from the bank, being unconcerned about where on the paintwork the sharp end of the boat hook was going, shouting at the guy that he had the tiller the wrong way (he did not), interspersing every phrase with the F word etc. In the end he virtually threw the boat hook at the steerer's face (sharp end first) and stormed back to his boat.
Once calmness had returned we shut the paddle, I used my 6' 5" body to push the boat sufficiently far away from the bank, and progress through the lock flight continued, though the poor steerer had to tie his boat up below the bottom lock, to have a calming cup of tea and stop shaking, and also of course to let Ginger boat storm off ahead.
I had not had any direct interaction with Mr Angry, but as we passed in the pound he called to me "Be careful, this pound is <F-word>ing shallow". And in quite a posh public school type accent. It seemed totally inappropriate to use the F word on first contact with anybody, especially if you are allegedly of good breeding!
So given the choice between sharing a cuppa with him or the oiks in my OP I think the answer is obvious!
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... and primitive sewage arrangements.
Cassette bog then I presume?
Coat...!
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Meanwhile, back on topic...
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I initially thought something similar lol
I know many are not her fans, but anybody who can reply to work emails at 0300 hrs does show an interest in her job so gets a brownie point from me for dedication.
Perhaps she was on a "fact finding trip" to Panama and so in a different time zone?
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Tied up in central Brum opposite the NIA today. This can be fair game for xenogoozlers who want to get on your boat, peer through the windows etc. However we encountered a family of Brits whom one would have described as "upper middle class" before such concepts became politically incorrect. I was outside refitting a porthole, but the family, whilst discussing the boat, chose to ignore me. Their young teenage daughter then proceeded to press her face against the hatch glazed doors and stare in to the boat for at least a minute, despite Jeff being visible inside. I was rather hoping he would do something to shock her but alas he is too well behaved. The parents clearly saw nothing wrong with their daughter's blatant invasion of our privacy.
We then set off down Farmers Bridge flight and rapidly encountered two young oiks of around 14 from the local dodgy "estate", dressed from JJB Sports or whatever and larking around so as to make one slightly nervous (and me lock the front door). They helped with all the remaining locks (11), followed instruction, were very polite in so far as 14 year olds can be, asked if they could ride on the roof (I said yes), were curious about the boat's interior but prefixed this by "don't want to intrude on your personal space but...) and in the end I gave one the quick tour. One asked if he could steer. I said yes ( I think he was surprised about that!) and he drove it out of the lock and into the next barely touching the sides (with a bit of prompting) whilst being really nervous and respectful of our property. All in all we enjoyed their company and enthusiasm.
I just hope that when they approach the next boat (because I think they have a taste for it now) they aren't told to F off because they look a bit scruffy and "threatening".
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10
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Never mind Alan, at least 1 person got it!
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One of our portholes has taken to weeping slightly in heavy rain. I finally got around to removing it, cleaning off the (rather minimal) old sealant and refitting it with some Arboseal, which is a butyl- like strip of black goo. As far as I am aware, it never really sets (this being the point) so I may be left with a slightly gooey edge between the porthole and the paint, with the consequence of possible smearing etc when cleaning and polishing the boat (yes, it is a shiny boat!).
So my question is, would it be best practice, having used butyl-type sealant to stop the water getting in, to finish it off with a thin strip of some hardening sealant (silicone based etc)? Or will exposure to the elements harden the Arboseal sufficiently to prevent smearing etc?
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Is that open again now? It looked distinctly closed in August.
Yes, I had a fine pint of Landlord in there last night.
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The Ampere-hour (A-h) is not a measure of energy. It is a measure of charge. You have to multiply A-h by volts for energy.
Harsh ... But true!
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Certainly if one's inverter is/has been on recently that will skew the figures, (though whether it skews them to be optimistic or pessimistic I don't know)
It will pull the voltage down a bit, making the SoC seem lower if you are trying to determine it just with a voltmeter. Similarly, having solar panels connected might raise the voltage so making the SoC seem higher. With the sun coming out and going in, I am sure it could result in really confusing voltage readings!
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OK, it looks like there is only one cable coming off the left hand end of the shunt - does that go to the negative terminal of the domestic battery bank... And is it the only wire that connects to the negative terminal of the domestic battery bank?
Photo of the negative terminal of the battery bank?
.... and in particular check that the -ve of the domestic battery bank is not connected to the -ve of the engine battery.
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Is it possible to be wired in such a way that say the 12v system passes through the shunt but not the 220V or vicer versa?
I'll look up 'clamp meter', I am imaging that it is an instrument into which an appliance can be plugged so that its amp draw can be measured directly and accurately?
Joshua
Yes definitely!
A clamp meter is a handy meter with opening jaws that can be clamped round a wire. It can measure current, thus avoiding having to break into the wire. Good for measuring large currents to a modest accuracy. They can be expensive, but are available on eBay from china for £25 to £30 (probably fakes, but they work well!). Be careful to get one that measures dc current, not just AC. Here is an example on eBay. It's the type I have and you can't beat it for the money.
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You can check the amps reading by putting a sensitive voltameter across the shunt. A normal multimeter is unlikely to have a low enough range for this so you'll need borrow a better one.
To check the amp hour counter in your monitor, the only way to do that is with another amp hour counter.
Have you checked your shunt wiring yet? I still thank that is your problem.
ETA. In fact I'll so far as to say that you're ignoring what people are saying and going on a big wild goose chase following red herrings.
Check your bloody shunt!
Wot e said plus, if you really wanted to, you could check the instantaneous current readout on the amphour counter against a know load, checking with a clamp meter. There is no point in spending time checking the monitor's software's ability to integrate current into charge!
The problem is almost certainly that current is getting into or out of the batteries not via the shunt., so checking it with a load that does go through the shunt is pointless.
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I want to fit a bilge pump in my cabin bilge but not keen on opening a new hole in the boatside to run the drain to.I was wondering if it is possible to tee into the engine bilge drain hose so both pumps drain through the existing drain hole? I can think of a problem when a pump operates and pumps water to the other pump,non return valves needed?,has anyone done this or have an idea of how to make it work?
Ian.
Why not have the cabin bilge one ( which should only very rarely be required, following plumbing leaks etc) discharge into the stern gland bilge to be discharged by the existing bilge pump?
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Hi All
I know when wiring a narrowboat that cables must be stranded and not single solid cores.
Does it have to be Tri rated cable or can stranded 6491X type cable be used.
This is a single insulated type that is used in conduit installations by electricians?
It is still stranded but is not as flexible as Tri rated which has more finer strands.?
Pretty sure multistrand cable is not required, but certainly a very good idea. I would not use 6491X because it has few strands of rather thick cable and the strands may be prone to breaking - it is a halfway house to the correct sort of finer multistrand, but why not just use the right stuff! Assuming you are talking about the 12v (or 24v) system then the best sources of cable are automotive electrical. Not sure whether these are Trirated but I don't think that is a requirement for automotive nor boats. For 240v wiring, people usually use 3 conductor flex for the limited mains wiring on boats, and the current limit of 16A that applies to most shore power supplies. Unless of course are going for a large inverter or generator with more than 3.5KW available.
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Just checked, in fact the positive terminals from both the domestic bank and starter go to the same 'Bus' bar.
The starter negative goes to the opposite side of the shunt to the dom bank. Apologies, there is a mass of cabling of different sizes and colour and it is difficult to track the path. I see of course, now what you mean by a big bang, even my idiot brain can understand that. My father who was an electrical engineer will be groaning in his grave!
Sorry but that description doesn't really make much sense because you are saying that the starter and engine bat +ves are connected, and the -ves are connected via the shunt. So really, that would effectively make them one bank. I think it's likely that you are mis-tracing the wires. As Gbbo says, the money is on an incorrectly wired shunt, so perhaps you should take some time out to carefully draw the connection diagram on paper, then scan or photograph it and post it on the internet with a link here.
In my limited experience I agree with Gibbos comments on the ability of "professionals" to wire a shunt up correctly - I recently had to fix the shunt installation on a friend's boat who had just had it installed "professionally" but incorrecly.
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All the negatives are connected and from one end of the row of 6 bats lead to one side of a shunt, all the positives are also linked and connect from the other end of the row to the other side of the shunt. There is also a 94ah starter bat independently wired to the shunt and an isolation switch.
If that were the case, there would be a big bang as the shunt would represent a near short circuit across the bats!
Anyway, sounds to me like the shunt is not measuring all current in and out, due to something bypassing the shunt. From your description I suspect it might be the starter battery -ve. If that is connected to the domestic bank -ve it represents an alternative current path to/from the domestic bank. Make sure the starter battery -ve is not connected to the domestic bank -ve.
I would also set the tail current a little higher, maybe 2%, at least until you have got the monitor working reasonably well.
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no, definitely not.
Well its either boiling off, or leaking. If the former,one would expect to see the engine coolant temperature hotter than usual (if you have a gauge). If the latter, it's a matter of finding out where it's coming from. Presuming there is no sign of leakage in the vicinity of the engine, and with you having discounted an internal leak into the engine oil, it would be worth checking a couple of other possibilities - the area of the skin tank (might be partially in the cabin,so check the cabin bilge at the back), or the gearbox oil. There is normally a gearbox oil / coolant heat exchanger that can leak water into the gbx oil system.
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I recently bought a brand new double skin chimney for my new boat. My last boat didnt have double skin and the tar like stains down the cabin sides were horrible. On this boat, the paint work is nice so i got the double skin chimney but after a handful of fires so far this month, the dreaded dribble down my cabin side is driving me mad, and its proving very difficult to clean off with soap and water. I really dont want a nasty stain down the side of my boat.
Does anyone have any tips for firstly removing the stains and secondly preventing it? I wondered about a a bead of black heat proof silicon round the join with the cast on the roof, only prob is when i need to clean my chimney ill need to peel off and replace.
Any tips or input would be great.
thanks
We had the same issues - nasty dribbly stuff staining the paint - bought double-skinned chimney from Midland Chandlers, but still pretty much the same problem. Then got the solution from a post on this forum, which is to roll up some aluminium kitchen foil and push it into the space between the 2 skins. This stops the warm flue gases contacting the cold space between the skins and condensing, which is the source of the problem. Whilst other suggestions on this thread work I'm sure (bespoke chimney, extension pipe, foam etc), the foil worked for us with the advantage of using cheap material already in the under-sink cupboard.
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... and their are no liveaboards on the moorings.So no boats are left permanently with power connected.
Non-sequitur. We are not liveaboards, but we leave our boat in the marina with power permanently connected.
The current rating of a GI is irrelevant until a fault occurs. Then the idea is that the diodes don't melt until the protection device (RCD) has had time to trip. Since the rating of the GI is to do with heating of the diodes, an absolute current rating is a bit meaningless unless it is a continuous (ie for ever) rating. Because of the vagaries of such a rating, it would be advisable not to go for el cheapo device whose spec might have been talked up.
All that said, sory I don't know if the make you mention is reputable or not
Boats rocking :-/
in General Boating
Posted
I disagree - although the theoretical stability is unaffected, boats do tend to rock more in deep water because the stability is purely down to vertical CofG etc. in shallow water, for the boat to rock it must move water out of the way that is in close proximity to the bottom, creating more friction and drag. So just as a boat will go slower on a shallow canal, so will it also tend to rock less. Of course, if it really shallow it won't rock at all (on the bottom!).
Our marina is very deep and our boat rocks a fair bit, and continues rocking for a while after a mass is moved. On a normal canal, the effect is much less and the rocking dies out after the first cycle.