Rustykev
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Hi Ange, We have just been through this dilema re new fridge freezer as our old 12v Inlander (over 10 years on the boat) was struggling to keep stuff cold and the ice box "freezer" was too small and doing just as you find - delaying the thaw! Just two weeks ago, we (well, mainly SWMBO) cried "enough". We bought a new Inlander (its a LEC base unit with Danfoss compressor) via Kings Lock Chandlery. This one has 63l fridge and 27l freezer (with a separate door and door storage space). Wired it in at Dinnertime and out of interest, put water in for ice cubes. After a swift chug along the Middlewich Branch - ta daaa - ICE CUBES. We can now keep ice cream for (well, we can't - we eat it too fast, yum) which we never could do before. SWMBO and myself are both well chuffed with the result. Oh yes, power consumption is about 3.5 amps during mainly daylight hours. Remember, a new fridge will be more efficient. This new one has a power consumption that is noticeably less than the old one it replaced. Currently sat next to it and its not running. When it does, it sounds like it "breathes", for want of a better description of its runnnig noise. Will solar run it - well, depends how much solar you have of course. Our 150w panels would not by themselves, but do go a long way to helping with power. Whisper sweet nothings into Hubby's ears - lure him with tales of real ice cream - it worked on me - ha ha Kev,
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Thanks for all your responses. Well, yes, we made it with no problems. And yes, the tunnels did provide weird steering as the bows kissed the towpath and the stern ground its way on the tunnel sides. Very little we did corrected the issue! And yes, it was slow. 2.5 hours to do the 4 miles from Trevor to Llangollen, mainly due to trying to get the water round the boat. No need to use the magic pole also. Spoke to a CART chap. He said the draught issue is a hangover from the days before it was concreted and to be honest, that last bit was far better than the stretch from Trevor to Whitchurch, which was even slower than than we found the Caldon! Thanks for all your comments. By the way, Harecastle was also fine re air draught and our topboxes. I did however forget to duck soon enough in the middle and my hat was whisked off smartish - fortunately not lost though.
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Just cruised up the T & M, across the Middlewich and now on the Llangollen. SWMBO has noticed small crocheted hearts tied to the handles of the balance beams. Anyone know what all this is about?
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THis is the second query. Ultimately, we will end up at Llangollen. Again, Nicholsons says draught limit is 21", which seems a little pesemistic. We draw 29" and have been told by one or two peeps that we will be able to get to Llangollen if we take it slowly. Your views??
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This is one of two posts re headroom/draught We are currently at Stone, intending to go through Harecastle tunnel. Nicholsons says headroom limit is 5'9". Really?? That is damn tight and would mean we only have 1" freeboard with our boat ROOF, let alone the topboxes, which bring it up to 6'6". Comments please?
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Well, after a year long break from serious cruising (caused by the weather and our permanent house move) we are back on board Leo tomorrow and with luck and a tame river Kennet and Thames, escape the K&A a trek northwards. Looking forward to it tremendously. Not sure where we shall go first - but have a vague plan of the Llangollen.
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Doodlebug, I agree with Bottle. We have a new Candy, which incidently draws about 2.15kw max. We run it on a 3kva genny as our view was that 2KW is pushing it. We just turn it on and use the cold water fill. As Bottle said, it is not worth the extra agro and concern if the machine will behave. And like Bottle, while the genny is running, we do all those other jobs that need PSW electrikery, like my hair clippers! And like Bottle, it finishes off topping up the batteries. Just Keep It Simple. Incidently, re genny noise. This is largely unobtrusive when the genny is run in eco mode as it only runs on high revs when the heater element kicks in for about 3-5 mins only and the spin cycle as the motor picks up.
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Steps are already taken. Again, usually the view is taken that the impact of a few animals is low. That said, many farmers now who wish to take advantage of subsidies such as Countryside Stewardship are required to fence off rivers and streams and provide a fresh water supply. The fencing off also reduces bankside erosion and hence river siltation. But yes, it still goes on and yes, it seems like double standards. ?????? Its not. The issues all relate to faecal matter.
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In the good old days it was not an offence. The first relevent Act came out with the Rivers(Prevention of Pollution) Act 1951 covering discharges made after that date. The R(PoP)Act 1961 then brought discharges made or occuring before 1951 into line. But for vessels, it has always been a little tricky as they are mobile. These were usually controlled by byelaws made locally. Enforcement of these was usually based on theory rather than practice as the systems to deal with waste were limited. It was only as a result of increased eutrophication of the rivers and the problems caused by treating it for human consumption, that facilities were built and the byelaws enforced.
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Hmm - actually no. Pollution legislation is quite complex but very clear. Its all a question of degrees. Boat grey water, as it is usually free of body wastes, is very low in bacterial count. In addition, its polluting capacity is also low - not far off treated sewage effluent. Taken in the round, then the EA and its predessesor organisations have taken a view that the polluting impact, whilst technically present, would not be in the public interest to pursue and is hence ignored. When I worked, if a house had its washing machine or sink misdirected to a stream, we would advise the owner to reroute to the sewer, but we never ever, to my recolection, took anyone to court for not doing so. However, with sewage based discharges, it is definately different. A huge topic, but bullshit - not.
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Reckon so in my experience - kill two birds with one stone then (woops - another topic) This is an issue of phosphate enrichment of the water - eutrophication to give its ecological term. Phosphate is the limiting nutrient for plants. When it arrives in abundance, the plant life takes off. Excess phosphates are a result of direct discharges of sewage effluent, or run-off form intensively farmed arable land. The Wilton issue is likely to be more of the latter. The black oozy muck is not sewage, but dead plant matter and entrapped silt that, because of bacterial activity, turns the weed clump septic within - see my post above re sulphates/sulphides.
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You ought to - max fine £50,000 in Magistrates, unlimited in Crown court, including option of prison. But fret not - no narrowboater has yet, to my knowledge, been hauled up for it! Hmm - depends how long you stay still. This offence is only relevant to fixed discharges. If you were to proceed along the towpath whilst relieving yourself, then thats fine. Stand in one spot for long enough and/or use the same spot daily and you might fall foul (sorry) of the law.
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Looked at chemically, pissing on vegitation can be contrued as good for the plant. Urine contains urea which, once it is outside the body quickly forms ammonia, itslef oxidised by natural bacteria to nitrates, nitrites and ultimately nitrogen. As we all know, nitrates/nitrogen are good for plants - helps them grow.
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The Environmental Permiting Regulations 2010, Regulation 38 1(a) - Causing or Knowingly permiting a water discharge activity not authorised by an environmental permit.
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Oh, I forgot to mention. Technically, all narrowboaters, me included, are commiting an offence, every day we use our boats when we do the washing up or have a shower - because we are discharging a polluting substance (the boat's grey water) into the canal without the appropriate permit.