I am desperate to get a marine engineer to service my engine

[LadyG]

Or put it on Ebay.

[MtB]

17 minutes ago, howardang said:

We might be more helpful if we could suggest someone who could go to the boat and see the issues involved, rather than plucking up helpful technical solutions out of thin air. 

 

 

Given what we've seen of this boat so far in both this thread and the gas hob thread, I too fear anyone visiting this boat will find it bristling with faults everywhere his or her eyes come to rest.

 

Sadly I think the OP would be better off flogging it for the few hundred quid it would probably fetch, and buying something else. 

 

 

[Tony Brooks]

1 minute ago, MtB said:

 

Given what we've seen of this boat so far in both this thread and the gas hob thread, I too fear anyone visiting this boat will find it bristling with faults everywhere his or her eyes come to rest.

 

Sadly I think the OP would be better off flogging it for the few hundred quid it would probably fetch, and buying something else. 

 

 

 

My thoughts exactly, but I wanted to let him down gently. There are way too many actual and potential problems for me to get involved.

[MtB]

5 minutes ago, Tony Brooks said:

 

My thoughts exactly, but I wanted to let him down gently. There are way too many actual and potential problems for me to get involved.

 

 

Me too, but ultimately it just had to be said. People often cope better with bad news than one might expect...

 

 

 

 

[LadyG]

1 hour ago, howardang said:

Exactly my point, and while I am sympathetic to the  dilemma of the OP I suggest that this is not the sort of problem boat that can be put right by picking brains on a forum such as this, despite the undoubted accumulated knowledge that can be found here.  Tony Brooks makes a point about the boat in question  - "  I suspect the boat may be well known in the local area and that is why the OP can't get anyone to show interest." I think he may well be correct. 

 

We might be more helpful if we could suggest someone who could go to the boat and see the issues involved, rather than plucking up helpful technical solutions out of thin air. 

 

Howard

I have suggested he phone around local boatyards, it looks like a job that might need access to a workshop.

Best case scenario is that he gets back his expenses to date by passing it on to someone else!

Edited August 13, 2023 by LadyG

[Garethh]

1 hour ago, howardang said:

I would be agreeably surprised if the OP is knowledgeable about the BSS requirements,  and looking at the state of the engine it appears to me that if that is indicative of the rest of the vessel, the boat needs a detailed viewing by someone who knows what they are doing. I do hope the OP can find a suitable person to give the boat a detailed look to see what, if anything needs to be dome and he is going to be prepared for spending money to get things sorted, if that is indeed possible.  I suspect that this is a great example of buying a cheap boat to save money and having to spend a great deal to put things right. Forums like this, in my view, are not where he should be concentrating his efforts, but I would be interested to hear how things are resolved.

 

Howard

That was kind of the point of the original post I was just asking if any new of anyone in the newbury area that could either help or do it, as I had a look on Google and 5 came up, however 2 people are to busy, 1 just didnt turn up, even after agreeing to visit, 1 can't do any work till October and the other just hasn't responded, hence me asking. I have sorted the electrics and am competent with that how ever have never worked with a deisel engine so would like someone with experience to look at it. I did say I'm very new to boating, hence all the questions, hoping to gain some knowledge from more experienced people on here.

[Alan de Enfield]

2 minutes ago, Garethh said:

I have sorted the electrics and am competent with that

 

Are you competent with boat electrics ?

The technical requirements are very very different to eithe car electrics or domestic electrics.

 

Not only that, but there are requirements / legislation that has to be met, including the BSS.

[Paul C]

1 minute ago, Alan de Enfield said:

 

 

Not only that, but there are requirements / legislation that has to be met, including the BSS.

 

What are the other ones?

[PaulD]

13 minutes ago, Garethh said:

That was kind of the point of the original post I was just asking if any new of anyone in the newbury area that could either help or do it, as I had a look on Google and 5 came up, however 2 people are to busy, 1 just didnt turn up, even after agreeing to visit, 1 can't do any work till October and the other just hasn't responded, hence me asking. I have sorted the electrics and am competent with that how ever have never worked with a deisel engine so would like someone with experience to look at it. I did say I'm very new to boating, hence all the questions, hoping to gain some knowledge from more experienced people on here.

Are your photos before or after sorting out the electrics ?

[Garethh]

1 hour ago, Tony Brooks said:

I Concur, it is a Ford XLD, but I don't think it is direct raw water cooled. It has a heat exchanger so is probably indirect raw water cooled. That is with an antifreeze mixture running around the engine to cool it, that is in turn cooled by canal water passing through the brass pump and through the heat exchanger.

 

Looking at the BSS problems (master switch hanging off, electric lift pump hanging free and so on, I fear Garethh may well be looking at a bill for several thousand pounds. This boat MIGHT be a good buy for someone with the skills and time to sort it out. It needs far more than an engine service and a new fuel tank. I am sorry but this does not seem to be a boat Garethh should have bought unless he has lots of time and money to get it put right. It could end up costing more than it is worth.

 

I think this will be far too time consuming for me to offer help. I suspect the boat may be well known in the local area and that is why the OP can't get anyone to show interest.

 

When, rather than if, the cam belt snaps it is most likely to wreck the engine, so that is another load of potential expense. Changing cam belts is not as simple a changing an alternator belt and if you get it wrong its a wrecked engine, but for safety it needs changing sooner rather than later. Then one can track the hours used.

 

Sorry, but that is the way it looks to me.

I appreciate your honesty and people contributing to this feed, but my again I would really like some to look at it and can then point me in the right direction and if its even worth the money and effort, the boats a 2000 modle and I've always been told deisel engine run for ever but I just want someone to look at it really and I can go from there.

[Alan de Enfield]

16 minutes ago, Paul C said:

 

What are the other ones?

 

Well as I'm sure you know as it is post 1998, and, a commercial manufacturer build (not a DIY) then the RCD/RCR will apply.

 

And, since 2017, the RCD / RCR applies for the life of the vessel,

[Ianws]

Were Dawncfafts still being built then? He may have been told it's a 2000 model but that doesn't mean it is. 

[Alan de Enfield]

1 minute ago, Ianws said:

Were Dawncfafts still being built then? He may have been told it's a 2000 model but that doesn't mean it is. 

 

I can only work with the information given.

 

"Crap input gives crap output"

[Ianws]

Just now, Alan de Enfield said:

 

I can only work with the information given.

 

"Crap input gives crap output"

I know

[howardang]

39 minutes ago, Garethh said:

That was kind of the point of the original post I was just asking if any new of anyone in the newbury area that could either help or do it, as I had a look on Google and 5 came up, however 2 people are to busy, 1 just didnt turn up, even after agreeing to visit, 1 can't do any work till October and the other just hasn't responded, hence me asking. I have sorted the electrics and am competent with that how ever have never worked with a deisel engine so would like someone with experience to look at it. I did say I'm very new to boating, hence all the questions, hoping to gain some knowledge from more experienced people on here.

With respect, I would have thought that it would been obvious by now in the many responses you have received, that no one from this forum appears to be willing to visit the boat, never mind taking it under their wing. This is a forum for enthusiasts not a place necessarily where you can find someone to sort out your problems. 
You need to find a professional local to the boat, and no one has sugggested anyone so far so repeating this request is not getting you anywhere. It is noticeable that you have not answered the question about whether you have a current bss for the boa5 which suggests to me that you don’t and therefore the boat cant be used on CRT waters. 
 

i am sorry to be so negative but you appear to have multiple issues with the boat which will inevitably cost significant amounts of cash, and you need to accept this.

 

Howard

 

 

[Paul C]

44 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

 

Well as I'm sure you know as it is post 1998, and, a commercial manufacturer build (not a DIY) then the RCD/RCR will apply.

 

And, since 2017, the RCD / RCR applies for the life of the vessel,

 

Are you assuming the boat is newer than 1998? Or are you saying that since 2017, ALL boats must now comply with RCD/RCR?

[Tony Brooks]

1 hour ago, Garethh said:

I have sorted the electrics and am competent with that

 

Well, if those photos are anything to go by, that raises questions.

 

Have you secured your Bat1, bat2, both, off master switch and have you fitted the cable that seems to have been removed from the third stud connection?  That switch says that you have a domestic battery bank, I can't see one, and when you move aboard you will almost certainly need one - you can't start an XLD with a starting handle. Is the electric fuel pump now properly secured? The BSS demands that it be secured with a very limited degree of movement. Then there is the white three core cable that looks like solid strand domestic house cable, with a thinner red wire connected to it by a check block. Mixing mains and domestic colour coding is rank bad practice and if it is solid core that is another no-no. It could even be a BSS fail. All cables should be multi-strand with a minimum of (I think) 20 strands, although older 14 strand cable will probably do unless it really is a 2000 boat and thus likely to be subject to the RCD/RCR. Also, I can't see a fed cable for the glow plugs, I am not saying it is not there, but if it isn't you may have problems starting it in really cold weather.

 

I suggest that you take the 2000 date with a pinch of salt and assume it is pre-RCR, so you only need to meet the BSS. You can download the BSS guide from the Boat Safety Scheme website. Read and digest it because it will help ensure any work you do will pass the BSS inspection.

[BEngo]

The OP says the boat is a 2000 model, so, if that is the year of first placing on the market,  the RCD applied to it when built. 

 

Then in 2017 the RCD became a lifetime requirement for boats that were subject to the RCD  from new *and*  for those boats, not subject to the RCD from new but which had significant alterations.

The whole lot became the UK RCR on Brexit.

N

[Paul C]

13 minutes ago, BEngo said:

The OP says the boat is a 2000 model, so, if that is the year of first placing on the market,  the RCD applied to it when built. 

 

Then in 2017 the RCD became a lifetime requirement for boats that were subject to the RCD  from new *and*  for those boats, not subject to the RCD from new but which had significant alterations.

The whole lot became the UK RCR on Brexit.

N

 

No worries, I found the post, I assumed it wasn't 2000 and that the OP has been told wrongly, or 2000 is something else (like a licensed from date) or something like that. I put more weight on the statement it is a Dawncraft; and that they are typically from the 1970s. (Can't find info on when they stopped making boats though!)

 

ETA, it seems its 1985: http://www.boat.la14.uk/pages/dawncraft-history.php (Anything after 1985 was called a "Dandycraft"  or some other name, not Dawncraft).

Edited August 13, 2023 by Paul C

[Arthur Marshall]

With respect to everyone, simple boat electrics aren't really very tricky. I managed mine with no problems until I got a qualified boat electrician to update them, after which I had to get another one to redo them properly. (Arthur's 3rd law - any work done by a qualified boat professional requires a further intervention by another to complete the job)

There's plenty of detail both online (loads on here if one can find it) and in books as to what type and size of wiring to use and a lot of it is logic and common sense. I have no knowledge of the RCR/RDS stuff and I suspect it's virtually irrelevant at this level of boating, especially if one is fitting out for personal use with no intention of selling - mind you , most buyers at the lower end of boat pricing wouldn't have a clue, or care, about it either.

If the OP reckons he's competent to do it, there's no point in arguing - the fact that a lot of it hasn't been done just means he hasn't sorted it yet. It would appear he has other priorities at the moment. Possibly sorting out the fuel supply is where one would start - whatever is currently wired up might be weird but, if the engine starts and stops, it obviously works. Having diesel in a wobbly bucket isn't really satisfactory.

If it isn't compliant with the BSS, that's another matter. The BSS standards are mostly nonsense as well as being apparently open to a huge variation in interpretation by examiners. It'll have to be compliant to get a licence, but we don't even know if the boat is currently in the water, so that's all a bit moot too.

[Quattrodave]

2 hours ago, Garethh said:

I'm very new to boating, hence all the questions, hoping to gain some knowledge from more experienced people on here.

As I see it there are 2 options:

Option 1.

You need to have very deep pockets, lots of time & tools and be highly skilled in many disciplines.

Option 2.
Walk away very quickly, if fact, run!

 

Edited August 13, 2023 by Quattrodave

[Tacet]

2 hours ago, Tony Brooks said:

t could even be a BSS fail. All cables should be multi-strand with a minimum of (I think) 20 strands, although older 14 strand cable will probably do unless it really is a 2000 boat and thus likely to be subject to the RCD/RCR. Also, I can't see a fed cable for the glow plugs, I am not saying it is not there, but if it isn't you may have problems starting it in really cold weather.

I don't think it is a BSS requirement to use stranded cable these days.  And when it was, my recollection is that to the number of strands was not specified so that 7029 ye olde household cable was compliant.

 

Clearly not too many people died as the requirement was dropped from the BSS.

[Garethh]

So basically I should give up on my dream of owning a boat?

[Alan de Enfield]

Just now, Garethh said:

So basically I should give up on my dream of owning a boat?

 

No, just that boat, and before buying another one ask for advice - don;t just buy a cheap one off ebay.

 

Just as an aside - we keep mentioning the BSS, do you know what this is ?

 

(It is a boat version of a cars MOT, but goes into checking your fire extinguishers are correct, that you have carbon monoxide alarms in the cabin, that your cables are the correct size for your batteries, your gas system is pressurised and checked for leaks, your gas hob must switch off if the flame goes out, your electrics must be correctly wired thru master switches,  your batteries are strapped down and cannot move, that your diesel fuel filter is of the correct type etc etc etc etc)

 

Many people do not realise that you cannot just buy a boat and drop it into the canal / river.

Like a car you must have :

The boat registered (number plate)

A BSS certificate (MOT)

The boat must be licenced (tax disc)

It must be insured

[LadyG]

6 minutes ago, Garethh said:

So basically I should give up on my dream of owning a boat?

This boat.