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Hi all, For a while I've been toying with the idea of buying a narrowboat to continuously cruise along the London Canals, for a few weeks or so I've been doing a fair bit of research but for some areas I still haven't found the answers I'm looking for so thought I'd turn to you guys to see if you can help me out at all! Apologies in advance if some areas have been discussed already and also, if any of the questions sound silly... I really am a complete newbie to this... 1. As I mention - I'll be CC along the Canals in London, so have been researching what distance as I need to travel each week, obviously don't want to take the mick and want to stay on the right side of Canal and River Trust. However, their website isn't totally clear on how far - all I can see is that in a years licence, 15-20miles is expected, which seems more than fine. But how far is the minimum? Just for an example, say I started in Little Venice and was travelling East, how far would I need to travel to satisfy the Canal and River Trust for say one weekend I didn't want to travel 'that' far? 2. Which brings me on to my next point - as I read, each 14 days would be the time I top up water, which would top up my batteries (as I'm moving) and usually empty the loos out. May seem like a silly question but are these water points at regular intervals? Similarly, to electric points? (if I needed it half way) Also, are loo-emptying-places at regular intervals also? 3. Again, brings me on to my next point of water storage tanks and electricity batteries... my budget is around 25k and aiming for around a 40ft-er trad steel narrowboat so from what I've seen, many don't have a tank or seems quite small. If so, can this be retrofitted and to what cost? I understand becoming more frugal is all part and parcel of it (which I'm excited about) but for say a 10/15minute shower a day - what sort of tank should I be looking at to tide me over for two weeks? However, I guess this would hinge on question number two! In terms of electricity, I don't watch a lot of TV but would like to charge my phone, listen to music, have lights! Where should I even start with what to look for to tide me over 2 weeks again? 4. I guess this question is more to the nitty-gritty when I view but what are the main tips/points you'd recommend to look out for a bad conditioned narrowboat? Is there such a thing? Don't mind buying something that requires a bit of modernisation but in terms of 'behind the scene' stuff, what do I look for when looking at an engine? At the electric board? Heating system? Or should this all be taking care of at survey stage? Anyway, I think that's probably enough for now on my first post. I really would appreciate any tips/answers - no matter how big or small! Really excited to be buying - just need to get my head around it all first!! Speak soon, Nat

Can anyone recommend anybody (themselves or someone else) to service our Izuzi engine? It's Model No 3CB1 - C, 2008, 25 HP. Also crucially where to get Oil, Diesel and Air filters???

Hi, I'm new to the forum and unfortunately I have a question and need help already! (BTW this forum has been invaluable when we have been researching- so thank you to those that keep it running.) The boat (2001) we just got surveyed has come up with a good hull (somethings to put on the 'to-do' list but nothing to worry too much about). However, the engine (beta- 28) is leaking- oil and water, and the thermostat (I forget the name of it- though it was the thing that is connected to the engine to tell you how hot the engine runs) has been disconnected. The suggestions made were that this engine could take between £1000 and a £a-new-engine to fix. This is our first boat, and so we would like to ask do you think it is worth continuing with the sale, in a similar situation would people usually walk away when confronted with replacing an engine? In your experience, is it best to have the brokerage deal with fixing this issue before we proceed with purchasing, or should we negotiate on the price and then find our own place to have her fixed? On the brokerage website it states that boats will be repaired following a survey- and that if we put in a lower than asking price offer (which we did- £2000) lower than the repairs- if they fall within that range will be up to us to cover. So if the repair costs £2000 they say that the owner has already paid that by accepting the lower offer. But, that's crazy because we put in an offer of what we were happy to pay for the boat- not what amount we were hoping to repair!!! Arrrr! Many many thanks for any replies Anna

Hey guys new on here so wasnt sure where to post, just picked up a narrowboat with an sr2 in, but i'm struggling to find out the best way to adapt the throttle for a morse. It came with a morse and 33c cables but it has an original lister throttle cable, I can see some people are using 33c cables and i'm trying find the way around it talked to sleeman and to lister and no one seems to have an answer any help would be appreciated ive added a couple of pictures ( promise i don't keep my engines in this condition as i said only just picked it up!) Cav

Hi. I have a norwegian displacemeant / semi displacemeant Tresfjord 26 boat and im thinking about chancing the propeller. 8m long (waterline is 7.4m) and 2.8m wide, draft is 1m. Boat weights 2500kg fully loaded. Beta engine is rated 43hp @2800rpm, prm 150 gearbox is 1:2,09. It says on beta's website that the right propeller for beta 43 with gearbox ratio of 1:2 is a three blade 18x12. Would a 3 blade 18x13 propeller be over pitched? What kind of propellers do people have with this same engine and gearbox setup and what is the achiavable max engine rpm. I dont want a propeller that is oversized and i wont be able to reach 2800rpm My current propeller is a vetus 3 blade 16x14 and im getting maximum of 3000rpm and at cruising speed my propeller slip is 40% Regards Henri

Hi everyone, Hope you are all enjoying the winter. Ha ha! Unfortunately for me I dropped my keys while I was cycling about a month ago and have not been able to move my boat. I tried to explain to crt but they are really angry with me now for overstaying (even though I kept phoning them up to explain the situation and my boat is only 20ft long!!!). So i need to move her now somehow this week. Will probably try to stop a fellow boater for a tow but would much rather start her without the key. Would you have any ideas how to do this? A friend once showed me on his boat he had to start it without the key and he used a butter knife to cross two terminals on the back of the ignition barrel and it started the engine. Would anyone be able to advise me on how to do that? Any help on how to get her started without the key would be really helpful. And before you make any jokes, yes it is my boat ha ha ha! Thanks for any help yous can give me out there. And hope you are all staying warm in this cold. x x x x x x x x x

Hi all I have Cummins Diesels v8's 1969, Marinised by Parsons in 1970 and fitted by Van Lent to my boat in 1971,so its a mix. The engine mounts are original and have sat down more than a little. Hence some vibration. Would anybody recognise these mounts or recommend suitable replacements ? Regards Liam

I currently have two skin tanks, one connected to a beta 38, which provides propulsion and the other connected to a beta 35, which runs a genset. The engines are never used simultaneously. The beta 38 skin tank is undersized, and while this hasn't been an issue yet on canals I'd like to connect the two tanks to allow for more cooling capacity if on rivers/tidal. Would a simple connecting hose/pipe between the two tanks be sufficient enough to allow coolant to flow between the tanks, if it is of sufficient bore i.e. 28mm?

Since the summer my engine has developed a misfire. Isuzu 35, prm120 gearbox. Engine 1900 hours, gearbox 400. Engine starts well, but only when cold and usually in forward gear splutters and seems to hold back momentarily. Sometimes causes gearbox to not engage. Fine after ten minutes cruising. I am about 10 hours after adding correct quantity of Miller oil injector cleaner to the tank. Pretty sure it is injectors, but before I rip them out, anyone got any ideas please? Thanks

Hi all Over last week's very cold spell the light on the engine temperature warning light came on, accompanied by the it's sister, the terrifying beeeeeping sound. I switched the engine off and hoped that the complaint was about the ridiculously low temperature, but as switched it on again last night it happened again. I'm now guessing the engine is overheating and not very cold. (Sorry for not knowing much about engines by the way). So which one is it and what are the most likely causes of this? Thanks a lot

I'm relatively new to boating and a complete novice when it comes to engines. What I believe to be my Perkins engine on my narrow boat has started overheating and I currently have no idea where to begin. The engine runs fine for about 10-15 minutes before the temperature gauge begins to rise and steam begins to show on one of the exhausts. A little context and possible causes for the issue; I recently did some renovations on the kitchen as a result the water and boiler were both shut off I thought it may be possible that this had caused air to enter the pump and possibly the engine, it was suggested that the engine radiator may need bleeding but as I said before I'm pretty inexperienced so this could be completely wrong. Also when setting off recently I found the boat was wedged on a shallow shelf, in my inexperience the engine was pushed to high revs in order to get going, shortly after the engine begun to overheat. Ive included some photos of the engine in the hopes that someone may be able to identify the model and if someone with greater experience than myself has any suggestions on how to solve the over heating issue or could impart a small amount of their knowledge onto me it would be hugely appreciated. Many thanks

Today the stop button on my Barrus Shires engine stopped working for no apparent reason. After trying all the usual stuff I located the fuel pump solenoid and pressed the button on the end to stop the engine. Any ideas as to what caused this ? Have looked at the back of the panel and all wires attached and OK. Thanks

I seem to have trouble sourcing basic engine service parts - typically ordering at Chandlers with lengthy delays and high prices. Can anyone advise either for an online place or good local (I'm in Rickmansworth at the moment) supplier? Should I try to source parts from motor factors or places such as local car shops/halfords? I'm never quite sure about oil, often being offered oils slightly different in spec to what the book recommends. I feel like I haven't nailed a good steady supply of correct items, it must be simple surely? thanks

Hi there, I wonder if anyone could help me figure this out, it's to do with the voltmeter on my dash board. With the engine off, it looks like this: When I turn the key to warm the glow plugs, it looks like this (starter battery is dead): When the engine has just turned on (here in neutral, the dial goes up with more revs) But soon thereafter it goes like this and stays there: This despite my multi meter giving a reading of around 14.4v. Any ideas? Thanks in advance

Hello there! I am new to this forum but see people are very helpful, so thought I'd try my luck and see if anyone can offer advice. I've recently bought my boat and done a fair amount of cruising over the past three weeks. Today as I was reversing, I tried to change to forward and the engine was stuck in reverse. It would not go into neutral or forwards at all. I stopped the engine. When I re-started it was still in reverse. It's a Lister Petter Alpha with a Delta 20 Gearbox. I read on another post in here that it could be something to do with oil level, but I have been in the engine bay with my headtorch for the past half hour and cannot see a dipstick for the gearbox oil. Does anyone know where this might be or if I am even on the right train of thought here? I don't know much about the engine yet but am learning as fast as I can. Thanks in advance to anyone who can help as I am currently stuck on the Shropshire Union. Sophie

Hey there I keep having issues with my engine to the point I am considering removing it and installing a new one, second hand preferably. How much would it cost me and who should I contact. I am based in London.

Hey there I keep having issues with my engine to the point I am considering removing it and installing a new one, second hand preferably. How much would it cost me and who should I contact. I am based in London.

hi please excuse me as i am new to this forum i have just bought a lister ce diesel engine with a lister gearbox things had to be taken off to remove it from the boat so i have a engine with loads of bits and really need some help putting it together i live in the lincoln area is there anyone out there who could help me thank you

Hi all! I've noticed that my beta 43 seems to be chucking out more black muck that I'm really happy with. As yours is my first boat and first boat engine, I don't know if this is what you'd expect. You'd can see the muck here: Any advice? Thanks!