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How the 'eck Does everything work??


sniffy the great

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Its not negativity, just a small tinge of realism.  If the OP is clear about what's involved and wants to proceed then that is fine and he/she's come to the right plaice (1).  It can be great fun (it is for me).  It would just be a shame if we on here ended up getting more fun out of it than the OP. :)

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14 minutes ago, system 4-50 said:

Its not negativity, just a small tinge of realism.  If the OP is clear about what's involved and wants to proceed then that is fine and he/she's come to the right plaice (1).  It can be great fun (it is for me).  It would just be a shame if we on here ended up getting more fun out of it than the OP. :)

System 4-50,

I don't get the impression folks on here are anything other than genuinely decent people., Yes there is joking and repartee, but that's just the way it goes, you're the only one giving out negative vibes at the moment. 

He's an adult, he's probably bought cars/bikes/cycles/skates/surfboards/horses/ canoes/sailing boats/motor boats/ ponies/horses/ carriages/skis//dogs/cats/saddles/harness/houses/flats/bungalows

oops .. that's me, sorry ..................

Edited by LadyG
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1 minute ago, LadyG said:

"confession " of innocence ................ the majority of men are born with "knowledge" and "expertise" ............. the younger they are , the more they "know"

Quite right. In my teens I knew everything about anything.In my twenties I knew just about everything.In my thirties I started to doubt my knowledge.In my forties I realised that I knew very little really.

At my age (not telling,but I remember the Romans leaving Britain) I now accept that I know BUGGER ALL!  

  • Greenie 4
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All I knew when I bought mine was what I'd found out on a two week disastrous cruise! Luckily I have a friend who's an expert and an engineer, but he was 50miles away. I learned the need for two separate batteries when the sole one went flat so we couldn't start the engine... 

I still don't know much about engines. Nothing else on a boat is rockst science, it's all pretty simple stuff. And a lot of fun finding out. 

  • Greenie 2
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2 minutes ago, Mad Harold said:

Quite right. In my teens I knew everything about anything.In my twenties I knew just about everything.In my thirties I started to doubt my knowledge.In my forties I realised that I knew very little really.

At my age (not telling,but I remember the Romans leaving Britain) I now accept that I know BUGGER ALL!  

This is so true and the reason I still love chatting with my Mum. She has forgotten more stuff than most people ever learn!! So Knowledgable and with my interest in recent conflicts such as WW2 I can speak to someone who lived through its entirety and worked through it as aged 19 when it started. proper interesting and no books or google required.

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4 hours ago, Sea Dog said:

 

 

 

I think I understand where 4-50 is coming from: budget requirements and technical knowledge are inversely proportional, so the less knowledge you have the bigger the budget you need. If you have little of either, boating's frequently gonna be a struggle.

 

 

3 hours ago, LadyG said:

Let him enjoy his new hobby, we all need a new interest. Not sure why folks are being so down.

I've had this negativity from my own family. I didn't ask for their opinion. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

No intent to be down on my part Lady G, and I hope the OP  enjoys his boat as much as I do ours; I'm just throwing a bit of realism into my interpretation of @system 4-50 's earlier post which I thought wasn't as negative as it was being seen.  If the OP has neither budget nor knowledge, I'd offer that it's true to say he's frequently gonna struggle - we all do from time to time, whatever our varying balance of both.

 

For example, last year I had to replace my Mastervolt Inverter/Charger myself - a like for like replacement would have been 3 grand plus labour costs. Shortly, be replacing my skin tank hoses at the next coolant change and, even though I have both the skills and the budget, I'm dreading the job!  The hoses are really awkward to get down too and, having been there before, I don't relish doing the job hanging upside down!  I could get someone else to do it, of course... but at greater cost. Both of these are not atypical issues and would be a struggle for someone with no budget and no knowledge.  There's nothing to be gained by sugar coating that: it's just how it is.

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True enough - I'm getting RCR to do my engine service this year, which is basically costing £140 for an oil and fuel filter change, simply because I can't physically do it. Could probably get it a bit cheaper, but they come to me and currently I can't run the boat. 

Finding reliable engineers is difficult and expensive - boats are a money pit as we all know. Worth it while we can afford it. I would think if the OP can afford both a boat and marina fees (I sure as hell couldn't) , he'll be fine! 

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6 hours ago, sniffy the great said:

Location is currently Caen Hill marina.

 

sniffy

I was going to suggest asking a few people around the marina, I am sure several will be more than willing to ofer help and advice. If not, I am only ten miles away and could easily pop over to Devizes.

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6 hours ago, sniffy the great said:

 

There seem to be a lot more negative comments in general on lots of topics from posters here than I find when talking to boaters face-to-face. Those I’ve seen when walking the canal all seem very positive and filled with a "go for it" attitude.

 

 

Yes, you've hit the nail on the head! Welcome to the forum! ?

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6 hours ago, Murflynn said:

hard to disagree with that philosophy.   You really need to open your mind to the concept of DIY.   Once you tackle a minor problem and resolve it you will find your confidence growing, and it will snowball to the point where folk come to you for advice.

If that's been your experience, great, but please don't assume everyone else would have the same experience if they'd just 'give it a go'. I've tackled and resolved a few minor problems in my time, when I've had to, but I can assure you that my confidence has never 'snowballed'. After 25 years of adult life, all but the most straightforward practical tasks (flat-pack, say) make me feel cack-handed, stressed out and stupid.

 

It's like any other skill, maths, or languages or whatever; some people will look back and say 'I don't know why I ever found it difficult', others will never get there.

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Dont get hung up on what you dont know, everything on your boat has been created by man, and can be resolved.

 

enjoy learning your new challenges rather than sitting on the couch watching day time tv.

 

what have you got to loose but some $ which you cant take with you.

 

have a great summer on the kennet

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1 hour ago, David Schweizer said:

I was going to suggest asking a few people around the marina, I am sure several will be more than willing to ofer help and advice. If not, I am only ten miles away and could easily pop over to Devizes.

Well thanks for that offer, David - much appreciated. I’m going round there tomorrow to find someone I can annoy to show me some basics - the man in the office seems a good bet. All being well, once the locks at Semington are reopened, I’ll be heading in your direction so maybe a meet-up would be possible?

 

sniffy

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9 hours ago, Arthur Marshall said:

 

I still don't know much about engines. Nothing else on a boat is rockst science, it's all pretty simple stuff. 

I don't know about your boat but my starboard plasma conduit is leaking badly. It certainly is rocket science.

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21 hours ago, tree monkey said:

 

 

21 hours ago, tree monkey said:

Ahhh I remember that feeling, great isn't it.

 

Take your time, relax, spend a few hours a day opening cupboards and pressing buttons, tracing wires and it will come as you learn how your boat has been put together.  

 

Oh and don't feel daft asking questions, we all started somewhere and should never stop learning 

The only exceptions are any buttons marked "Scuttle Boat", or "Self Destruct". Don't press these. Otherwise, good advice! Of course sometimes the labels come off buttons, or they are wrongly marked. You may be in luck and the boat sinking, or exploding mechanism is broken when you press the button. Welcome to the wonderful world of boat ownership.

 

Jen ?

Edited by Jen-in-Wellies
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25 minutes ago, Jen-in-Wellies said:

 

The only exceptions are any buttons marked "Scuttle Boat", or "Self Destruct". Don't press these. Otherwise, good advice! Of course sometimes the labels come off buttons, or they are wrongly marked. You may be in luck and the boat sinking, or exploding mechanism is broken when you press the button. Welcome to the wonderful world of boat ownership.

 

Jen ?

I am now tempted to label some of the buttons thus

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14 hours ago, blackrose said:

On the other hand you'll get far better technical advice on this forum than you're likely to get on the towpath. The average boater knows next to nothing about boats.

True, but it won't stop them offering "helpful" suggestions you can try.  Then they will run away when you try it and break something!

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