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Engineer needed in Bristol


Phlea

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Hi all,

 

I'm currently in Bristol with plans to do the Sharpness run. However, in order to do this I need my engine diesel tank cleaned, which due to it's location is impossible. I need an engineer to make some additions and changes to the pipework so that my engine can run off my domestic tank, which is accessible for cleaning. I've been here a week now trying to find an engineer who's willing and able to do this but to no avail, does anybody have any reccomendations or ideas?

 

Thanks,

 

Philip

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Phlea,

 

I don't know the area you're in at all, I'm sorry to say.

 

However, when you state that "I need my engine diesel tank cleaned, which due to it's location is impossible" - - what is it within your diesel tank that requires cleaning? - Surely - if it is just general muck and detritus on the bottom/or diesel bug - then getting the fuel properly polished should achieve what you are after - - (or am I barking up the wrong tree?)

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Hi all,

 

I'm currently in Bristol with plans to do the Sharpness run. However, in order to do this I need my engine diesel tank cleaned, which due to it's location is impossible. I need an engineer to make some additions and changes to the pipework so that my engine can run off my domestic tank, which is accessible for cleaning. I've been here a week now trying to find an engineer who's willing and able to do this but to no avail, does anybody have any reccomendations or ideas?

 

Thanks,

 

Philip

Motion Marine were one of the subcontractors of choice In that area for my last employer. Pete Burges is the name that comes to mind.

I to am a little baffled by the "impossible" aspect of cleaning your existing tank; the ability to fill it and use it to run your engine would seem to imply sufficient access for those with the right equipment.

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Yep, it's discussions with the fuel polishing chap which got me here- he needs to be able to have access to the top of the tank to stick his rods in. My engine takes fuel from a tank in the bottom which has no openings, I'm assuming this tank would normally be a water cooling skin tank on a regular boat, but mine is raw water cooled and uses it for the engine diesel instead. Hope this makes sense!

Just to add, the engine tank is filled via a pipe which takes a convoluted route, or more usually by me decanting from the top tank in the counter via a small pipe installed for this purpose.

Thanks Eeyore, Motion Marine were on my list but the feedback I found for them on Yell.com was so dire I ruled them out. Perhaps I should try them and hope for the best.

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Thanks Eeyore, Motion Marine were on my list but the feedback I found for them on Yell.com was so dire I ruled them out. Perhaps I should try them and hope for the best.

They look more like "rants" rather than specific complaints, perhaps you could ask if they are aware of them before proceeding.

Dual take off points on your domestic tank certainly seems the way to go; upper for domestic, lower for engine.

Surprised that a "retasked" keel tank has a usable capacity as a fuel tank.

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Hi Phillip, response to this sort of request often takes time, but now you have some choice.

Please let the forum know how you get on.

Steve (Eeyore)

Thanks Steve, and Rob for the offer of your services. In the end we had a crew conflab and decided to head back up the K and A, for various reasons; getting 'itchy feet' through not moving for 9 days, feeling fed up in Bristol Harbour as despite being a great location in so many ways its restrictions to onboard living re it's grey water policy are tiresome (I think we'd been in every cafe or restaurant with not being able to cook on board and hiking half a mile just to wash is no fun), the K and A is lovely and we decided we could be in the midlands just as quickly if we motor well. We'll do Sharpness to Bristol later in the year once the mod's done.

 

This turned out to be a very good move as today an engine oil seal failed, had this happened at sea it would not have been good! I've got RCR looking for somebody at the moment but if anybody has any particular recommendations for a possible compete engine rebuild of a Nanni then please let me know :-(

 

Cheers,

 

Phil

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This turned out to be a very good move as today an engine oil seal failed, had this happened at sea it would not have been good! I've got RCR looking for somebody at the moment but if anybody has any particular recommendations for a possible compete engine rebuild of a Nanni then please let me know :-(

Cheers,

Phil

Hopefully not that bad! but if it is; there are advantages to purchasing a new engine.

The price difference between new and refurbished is often less than you might image; and of course all the ancillary items such as fuel system and electrics will be new also.

It's definitely worth shopping around (RCR will offer a quote from their sister company, Canal Contracting) there are lots of people out there looking for your custom.

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Thanks Steve, and Rob for the offer of your services. In the end we had a crew conflab and decided to head back up the K and A, for various reasons; getting 'itchy feet' through not moving for 9 days, feeling fed up in Bristol Harbour as despite being a great location in so many ways its restrictions to onboard living re it's grey water policy are tiresome (I think we'd been in every cafe or restaurant with not being able to cook on board and hiking half a mile just to wash is no fun), the K and A is lovely and we decided we could be in the midlands just as quickly if we motor well. We'll do Sharpness to Bristol later in the year once the mod's done.

 

This turned out to be a very good move as today an engine oil seal failed, had this happened at sea it would not have been good! I've got RCR looking for somebody at the moment but if anybody has any particular recommendations for a possible compete engine rebuild of a Nanni then please let me know :-(

 

Cheers,

 

Phil

I think if you read the harbour guide more carefully you will conclude that the grey water policy is only really enforced for the boats that are permanently resident in the harbour. A lot of narrowboats take up winter moorings in Bristol and I doubt that the owners go a whole winter without washing.

 

.........Dave

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I think if you read the harbour guide more carefully you will conclude that the grey water policy is only really enforced for the boats that are permanently resident in the harbour. A lot of narrowboats take up winter moorings in Bristol and I doubt that the owners go a whole winter without washing.

 

.........Dave

I did wonder that myself

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I did wonder that myself

I think if you read the harbour guide more carefully you will conclude that the grey water policy is only really enforced for the boats that are permanently resident in the harbour. A lot of narrowboats take up winter moorings in Bristol and I doubt that the owners go a whole winter without washing.

 

.........Dave

We did wonder that ourselves and read and reread the guide, debating the subtleties between 'must not' and 'should not' endlessly. When we arrived we were blissfuly unaware of any rules, and having been given the harbour guide by the lock keeper at Netham on the basis that it was something we 'may find interesting' we put it on the side for a quiet moment. Within half an hour of arriving and delighted that with our smart pontoon mooring having electricity and water we could catch up on the laundry, we set to putting on a load and the other half started on a marathon shower without needing to be mindful of the usual water economy. I started to hose down the boat to remove the half inch of towpath dust it had gathered, only to be aware of a shouting voice. The man on the narrowboat over the way, once I'd tuned into him, repeated haranguingly 'you know you can't empty anything into the dock, have you not got a book? Do you want to read mine, look, there's TWO places your doing it'. I was shocked, apologised, thanked him for pointing it out to me and popped in to educate him indoors. Of course it wasn't practical to just switch off the washing machine or for Ian to remain soapy so we decided to finish off both and not be naughty again. I returned outside only to be shouted down again- ''IT'S STILL DOING IT' he hollered before disappearing onboard. They must be really strict we thought, so we adhered from then on. Nice to think that when we return we can be a bit more free and easy? Oh, and don't get me started on the 'customer service' in the harbour masters office when we enquired about access to the showers!

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Hopefully not that bad! but if it is; there are advantages to purchasing a new engine.

The price difference between new and refurbished is often less than you might image; and of course all the ancillary items such as fuel system and electrics will be new also.

It's definitely worth shopping around (RCR will offer a quote from their sister company, Canal Contracting) there are lots of people out there looking for your custom.

Thanks for the advice, I'll bear it in mind. How do you know who will do a good job of such a potentially major piece of work? Easy with a car, just take it to a main dealer, pay the price for sure but at least there's probably some training and procedures behind what they do, and some comeback if it goes wrong.

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It pains me slightly to hear the term 'engineer' used to describe what I would call a steel work fabricator, or even, a welder. But equally you might have more look using these terms if using the internet to find someone for the job if you have not already done so.

 

 

Daniel

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It pains me slightly to hear the term 'engineer' used to describe what I would call a steel work fabricator, or even, a welder.

I've been a Chartered Civil Engineer for nearly 30 years, and it still annoys me when we get messages in the office that an engineer is coming to mend the photocopier or fix the leaking tap in the toilets!

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It pains me slightly to hear the term 'engineer' used to describe what I would call a steel work fabricator, or even, a welder. But equally you might have more look using these terms if using the internet to find someone for the job if you have not already done so.

 

 

Daniel

Whilst I wholeheartedly agree with you, some of us that call ourselves engineers, are in fact qualified engineers.

Rob

HND (Mech. Eng.) MPhil (Mech. Eng.)

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It pains me slightly to hear the term 'engineer' used to describe what I would call a steel work fabricator, or even, a welder. But equally you might have more look using these terms if using the internet to find someone for the job if you have not already done so.

 

 

Daniel

That's always a good topic for discussion. I have a BEng Degree, but whole-heartedly in middle age, firmly fit into the 'Mechanic/Fitter' bracket.

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