Diesel stinking up the Nene

[Ssscrudddy]

6.30 am I stuck my head out of my side hatch to have a fag. There was a strong smell of diesel & a bit of a slick near my boat (not from my boat). This is at Northampton marina.
By 8 am the whole marina is covered in diesel & it proper stinks.

It isnt coming from any of the boats in the marina, & having spoken to people I have been told it isnt coming from the Northampton arm of the GUC, which basically means its coming from somewhere upstream on the non navigable part of the Nene. There are apparently inspectors on site. Later on I shall cycle up to see what I can see.

[Chop!]

We've got Alan from A.N.A. Fuels coming today in NB Bletchley to fill my (newly cleaned out) tank. I could have saved a fortune if I'd waited for the diesel leak to reach us and saved the Nene in the process.

[Naughty Cal]

That wont do your blacking much good!

 

When there was a diesel spill in our marina last winter (one of the boat split its fuel tanks spilling 1000 litres into the bilges overnight which was then pumped out by the bilge pump!!) the narrowboaters were complaining it damaged their blacking.

 

Didnt seem to do much to antifoul paint though.

[Chop!]

We had a big diesel spill in our marina and, luckily, the Ringstead chapter of 'Hell's Dingys' was on hand to zoom around squirting ecover to dissipate it.

I'm well aware of the fact that diesel will eat away our blacking and having laboured hard to black both boats when we bought them and then re-blacking Freyja while she was in the drydock last Summer, I would not want it around our boats.

It just seemed strange that on the day that we expect a delivery there is a big spillage, hope Alan hasn't had a problem.

[Ssscrudddy]

Well if Alan has spilt all his diesel, then I expect free coal for the rest of the year

[Proper Job]

Does a diesel spill actually damage blacking? - serious question

 

If in sufficient amounts I would hypothesise that it may 'locally' soften the blacking. However, once the source of the softening has gone away, would it not re-harden once the volatile diesel had flashed off?

 

?

Edited March 13, 2014 by Proper Job

[Purple Fairie]

Chop, don't worry, Alan is downstream of the marina, the incident team have told us its coming from somewhere up near b&q

[Chop!]

Yep, I've just spoken to Alan, he's all fine and dandy and will be at Blackthorn Lake Marina by 14.00

[Ssscrudddy]

Well I'm about to go & have a look. I overheard someone talking, saying it was coming from Carlsberg, which is just before B&Q. But this is just speculation cuz I still havent left my boat yet

[Chop!]

Oh dear, if it is Carlsberg it will 'Probably be the worst spillage in the World' but would probably taste better than their lager!

[BEngo]

Does a diesel spill actually damage blacking? - serious question

 

If in sufficient amounts I would hypothesise that it may 'locally' soften the blacking. However, once the source of the softening has gone away, would it not re-harden once the volatile diesel had flashed off?

 

?

The problem with diesel is that it doesn't evaporate very quickly. In fuel terms it is not particularly volatile, compared with say petrol. That's why you can store diesel above ground, but not petrol. Petrol will soften the blacking, but flashes off quickly as soon as the source is removed and the blacking dries back on. Diesel softens the blacking but doesn't evaporate before the water gets behind it. If, as on many canals, there is a very fine layer of diesel and oil and edible liquid fats from grey water the blacking along the waterline is permanently under attack.

 

 

N

 

N

[MoominPapa]

Does a diesel spill actually damage blacking? - serious question

 

If in sufficient amounts I would hypothesise that it may 'locally' soften the blacking. However, once the source of the softening has gone away, would it not re-harden once the volatile diesel had flashed off?

 

?

From experience when there was a spill in our marina, it does soften the blacking. If you can afford not to move your boat for two months, the blacking will harden again and no harm done. If the boat is used, the soft blacking is wiped off, and you're stuffed.

 

MP.

[Ssscrudddy]

Well I had a look, it went past Carlsberg & round the back & towards Westbridge. It stopped just before the Frog Island brewery, with no obvious cause.
Google maps

[adam1uk]

I see there's now a stoppage because of a pollution incident.

[lampini]

From experience when there was a spill in our marina, it does soften the blacking. If you can afford not to move your boat for two months, the blacking will harden again and no harm done. If the boat is used, the soft blacking is wiped off, and you're stuffed.

 

MP.

 

Out of interest, do all types of blacking suffer equally from diesel damage or are there some types which are more resistant? Cheers..

[Ssscrudddy]

They've put a boom accross the marina entrance, & another 1 in front of Northampton Town Lock

[Scholar Gypsy]

6.30 am I stuck my head out of my side hatch to have a fag. There was a strong smell of diesel & a bit of a slick near my boat (not from my boat). This is at Northampton marina.

By 8 am the whole marina is covered in diesel & it proper stinks.

 

It isnt coming from any of the boats in the marina, & having spoken to people I have been told it isnt coming from the Northampton arm of the GUC, which basically means its coming from somewhere upstream on the non navigable part of the Nene. There are apparently inspectors on site. Later on I shall cycle up to see what I can see.

 

Well at least you didn't cause an explosion and singe your eyebrows. (I do know that is unlikely with diesel...)

 

I am beginning to think my Easter trip to Ely is jinxed: Diesel pollution, tree trunks in the river, Denver lock out of action. But I am sure all will be fine....

[Pembroke]

Here's a couple of possible theories:

 

There are a lot of building works in that area at the moment all of which will have on site diesel tanks

Or

When they knocked down the gas holders perhaps something has been disturbed

[MHS]

Let's hope they contain it successfully, and protect the wildlife downstream.

 

Been down the Nene once and saw more fishes than anywhere else on the network. Also saw an otter.