Comfrey, Leighton Buzzard

[ditchcrawler]

1 minute ago, Captain Pegg said:

 

 

The OP was a new member. I doubt they’re going to be sticking around. That’s a shame because broadening the demographic of the forum would make it a better place.

 

JP

As would appear to be the norm these days

[alan_fincher]

6 minutes ago, Captain Pegg said:

Thanks for a magnanimous response to a slightly sarky prompt.

 

The OP was a new member. I doubt they’re going to be sticking around. That’s a shame because broadening the demographic of the forum would make it a better place.

 

JP

Whilst a couple of posts have been made that could perhaps have been better worded, I really can't see that anyone has said anything that bad.

 

The OP themselves has referred to "people taking the piss", so perhaps they or someone else can point out the posts where it can genuinely be argued that someone has taken the piss.

I don't think anybody should be pilloried for replying to a claim of "it looks like it's sinking" by saying "well, actually, I don't think it is".

I don't think it is sinking, but maybe a different picture would change my mind.

[Alan de Enfield]

40 minutes ago, alan_fincher said:

The picture of the "hole", (whatever it is for), clearly shows a lot of weed growth immediately below it, making me think it is sitting at about its usual level. 

The "hole" is on the side of the boat that is tilted upwards, rather than downwards, if it is the same one as you can see in the first picture.

Assuming you mean the 'hole' that is partly obscured by the mooring lines, I can see no weed, it actually looks as if it could be an exhaust hole, and it is certainly at the water level.

With someone stood on the rear deck it could even be underwater.

 

 

Edited February 21, 2020 by Alan de Enfield

[BilgePump]

I've known more than one boater to deliberately move their ballast around so they can check / touch up the waterline blacking. Is that hole a wet exhaust now slightly out of the water? Just because the boat is listing doesn't necessarily equate to bilges full of water but a non boater wouldn't know that, or who to contact, and we have been having some horrible weather of late. Better they reach out to the canal boating community in general who can offer some advice than see a boat sink.

 

I hope that the OP doesn't take offence at the points raised by some and that someone in the area knows the boat & boater and can just check on their welfare. If that's not possible then maybe ask the local CaRT manager for advice. They may well have already been advised by someone else but the owner has confirmed that all is well with the craft and the list is harmless.

[WotEver]

21 minutes ago, BilgePump said:

I hope that the OP doesn't take offence at the points raised by some

Me too

[Captain Pegg]

41 minutes ago, alan_fincher said:

Whilst a couple of posts have been made that could perhaps have been better worded, I really can't see that anyone has said anything that bad.

 

The OP themselves has referred to "people taking the piss", so perhaps they or someone else can point out the posts where it can genuinely be argued that someone has taken the piss.

I don't think anybody should be pilloried for replying to a claim of "it looks like it's sinking" by saying "well, actually, I don't think it is".

I don't think it is sinking, but maybe a different picture would change my mind

 

I don’t think it’s done knowingly but I can see why the OP wouldn’t be too pleased with the responses they got. It can be quite daunting addressing a group of people you don’t know and many first time posters will be sensitive to the kind of response they get. Too often it’s unwelcoming and established members should take a moment to reflect on that.

 

I know that my less fine moments on the forum have come when I’ve been a bit down myself and hopefully those instances are consigned to the past. I don’t think it’s coincidence the forum seems less tolerant in the winter months.

 

I’m not convinced the boat is sinking either but it is listing and it does have a hull aperture that is partially submerged so the concern is well founded.

JP

 

[Izz]

5 hours ago, Parahandy said:

Firstly the Boat isn't unattended its being lived on , secondly we have ascertained that not only is it being lived on its been moored in the same location for years surrounded by Boats in a similar position and therefore that gives People a certain degree of confidence that any issue assuming there is an issue has already been recognised . Perhaps in future the best remedy would simply be knock on the Boats door and raise your concerns or failing that knock on the door of an adjacent Boat , I say this because there is a limit to what an Internet Forum such as this one can do in this regard . I must admit to having a certain interest in the hole , clearly its drilled there for a reason and other than drainage its hard to understand any other . I dont know if you have a Boat yourself or simply enjoy the Waterways but there is also a weekly Patrol by a CRT Enforcement Officer who logs the position of all these Boats so if there was anything untoward , from experience I am sure Phil will have it covered .

I don't know if you have a boat yourself or simply enjoy the waterways ? but as someone who's lived on one for a number of years I can think of many reasons other than drainage why holes get drilled in hulls. 

 

Ventilation where there are batteries, for example. My last BSS required me to drill a similar hole uncomfortably close to the waterline. It couldn't be any higher because the gas it's supposed to allow to escape accumulates low down. If water started entering that hole when the boat is unattended at this time of year, I'd be in big trouble because my solars would have their work cut out keeping up with the bilge pump. It wouldn't last a night, that's for sure.

 

 

[Alan de Enfield]

3 minutes ago, Izz said:

My last BSS required me to drill a similar hole uncomfortably close to the waterline.

Are you sure ?

 

I think someone is making some strange interpretations of the BSS section 3:1:1

 

There is no requirement to drill a hole thru the Hull for battery ventilation.

[Izz]

11 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

Are you sure ?

 

I think someone is making some strange interpretations of the BSS section 3:1:1

 

There is no requirement to drill a hole thru the Hull for battery ventilation.

Yes, I'm quite sure. That's what I was required to do before the examiner would pass me.

[WotEver]

1 minute ago, Izz said:

Yes, I'm quite sure. That's what I was required to do before the examiner would pass me.

Then I suggest you contact the BSS office and register a formal complaint about him. Having asked you to drill a hole that low down did he then issue you with an ‘At Risk’ notice because the hole wasn’t 10” above the water line?

[Alan de Enfield]

4 minutes ago, Izz said:

Yes, I'm quite sure. That's what I was required to do before the examiner would pass me.

I once had an examiner that 'invented' his own requirements, saying "do it or fail"

 

I complained to the BSS but never heard anything again.

 

I'm glad that I no longer bother having a BSS, it makes the boat so much safer & life so much easier.

Edited February 21, 2020 by Alan de Enfield

[WotEver]

32 minutes ago, Izz said:

It couldn't be any higher because the gas it's supposed to allow to escape accumulates low down.

This is in direct contradiction with the BSS which states:

”Dedicated battery spaces or boxes for unsealed or open‐vented batteries must be ventilated at the top or the highest point of the sides of the space or box and any ductwork used must run horizontally or upwards”

 

My bold. 
 

Edited February 21, 2020 by WotEver

[Izz]

There was already a hole in the top of the battery compartment!!

 

 I'm really annoyed now, because the hole I made has given me a lot of anxiety.

 

 

[Keeping Up]

I'm wondering if the hole is the vent for the gas locker. Our old Harborough had its 2 gas lockers just in front of the diesel tank (or was it tanks?), one each side with vents just above the waterline.

[Jim Riley]

Certainly the boat isn't sitting comfreytably. 

 

Where's my coat, someone call me a Taxi... 

[alan_fincher]

3 hours ago, Alan de Enfield said:

Assuming you mean the 'hole' that is partly obscured by the mooring lines, I can see no weed, it actually looks as if it could be an exhaust hole, and it is certainly at the water level.

With someone stood on the rear deck it could even be underwater.

 

 

Try looking at the (albeit blurred) close up of "the hole" in the second picture....

That is surely usual hull growth immediately below it that has been there a long while, and not just grown recently.

I'm 90% convinced this "hole" is generally at waterline, and nothing much out the usual is going on, although better pictures might make it clearer.

[WotEver]

2 hours ago, Izz said:

There was already a hole in the top of the battery compartment!!

 

 I'm really annoyed now, because the hole I made has given me a lot of anxiety.

I suggest you get it welded up at your convenience or, if it’s a small hole, fill it with a nut and bolt. Then you can sleep more soundly

[BilgePump]

3 hours ago, alan_fincher said:

I'm 90% convinced this "hole" is generally at waterline, and nothing much out the usual is going on, although better pictures might make it clearer.



 

I'm with you. The way it is listing, this 'hole' would normally be on the waterline. It's just above the uxter? plate so would be waterline if the boat was level. It's an exhaust, not a stupidly placed vent. The exhaust on ours was in exactly the same place

[Rikki Tikki Tavi]

Wow! Just got the shock of my life when I saw this, as my boat is called comfrey! 😅

It came up on a google search list! Glad to say it's my lovely girl! Phew!!

[Jim Riley]

3 hours ago, Rikki Tikki Tavi said:

Wow! Just got the shock of my life when I saw this, as my boat is called comfrey! 😅

It came up on a google search list! Glad to say it's my lovely girl! Phew!!

Bet you're glad it's not (Mon)Goosed then.

[jt76]

I realize the original post is a bit old and if she were in bad shape she would have most likely given up the ghost by now or hopefully been put up for repair before so.

 

This is a picture from around 2005 showing the correct posture of this vessel,  and a close up of the stern from the same picture.

While I have almost zero knowledge about canal boat engines, I have worked on marine engines.  my best guess is its the engine coolant discharge,

or likely an exhaust / coolant discharge combination.   

It appears to me in the picture exhaust is coming from the starboard side in the general location of the hole.

 

This vessel at the time of my picture belonged to and was the residence of my father in law.

He sold it quite a few years back, about 10 years ago I think.  

At the time It was moored in one of the spots very close to the  Tesco car park. 

I have not been there in years, but if recall correctly

there was a foot path from the car park over to the canal and it was literally 1 or 2 moorings away from that path.

 

 

Comfrey, Bollington  -  this sounds vaguely familiar,  I think my wife might have memories of it having that written on it.

 

I believe its panel sign was  Comfrey, Grand Union when I was on it. 

 

Jim

Edited November 14, 2022 by jt76

[GUMPY]

Back in the late 1990s I seem to remember a lady called Brenda living on board.

She used to occasionally drink in the Rose & Crown at Trowley Bottom.

Of course my memory could be playing tricks on me.

[jt76]

 My father in law is / was friends with a Brenda.

Not certain if its the same Brenda but there is a good possibility it is the same person.

 

[GUMPY]

17 minutes ago, jt76 said:

 My father in law is / was friends with a Brenda.

Not certain if its the same Brenda but there is a good possibility it is the same person.

 

I only knew Brenda from the Rose & Crown, its an interesting pub.

I think that she might be one and the same person.