Loking for information on boating, please.

[Alan de Enfield]

6 minutes ago, Phil Ambrose said:

Huh, engine bilge is separate from the cabin bilge of course. Nobody specified any particular site for a bilge blower.

Phil 

Ok, but I'm interested, is there a likelihood of LPG getting from where it 'should be' to where it 'shouldn't be', in which case I would suggest that it may not be BSS compliant installation.

However, I do think that a bilge blower is a useful addition, for a number of reasons.

[Phil Ambrose]

45 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

Ok, but I'm interested, is there a likelihood of LPG getting from where it 'should be' to where it 'shouldn't be', in which case I would suggest that it may not be BSS compliant installation.

However, I do think that a bilge blower is a useful addition, for a number of reasons.

To quote Monty Python 

"Always expect the unexpected" or was it Inspector Cluesso

[Alan de Enfield]

2 minutes ago, Phil Ambrose said:

To quote Monty Python 

"Always expect the unexpected" or was it Inspector Cluesso

 

I work on "Be Prepared" (Lord Baden Powell)

[Peter X]

6 minutes ago, Phil Ambrose said:

To quote Monty Python 

"Always expect the unexpected" or was it Inspector Cluesso

Totally off topic, but I've a feeling Inspector Clouseau said that and Monty Python didn't; you may have been thinking of "Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition".

 

However having looked into it, it appears to be way older; Oscar Wilde said something similar and Heraclitus (c535-475 BC) said "He who does not expect the unexpected will not find it, since it is trackless and unexplored".

[Jennifer McM]

On 06/08/2018 at 11:23, Alan de Enfield said:

We have had outboard (petrol) engine boats for about 30 years....

I remember my experience with Petrol engines well.....

 

In the summer of 1972 when I was about 17/18 my boyfriend at the time was filling the petrol tank from a can on the deck, while I was making a cup of tea, putting a light under a kettle to make the tea, the match I struck to light the gas stove broke, I bent down to retrieve the lit end..... and puff..... that was my fringe, eyebrow, and lashes..... not amused!  

Edited August 7, 2018 by Jennifer McM

[Chewbacka]

2 hours ago, system 4-50 said:

Which brings me back to a question I have asked before without IIRC a definite answer, is it a good idea to insulate the inside (engine side) of skin tanks to keep the engine space cooler?

Because there is no definite answer.  Insulating the inside of the skin tanks will reduce the amount of heat in the engine space making it a bit cooler - but by how much depends upon ventilation etc - it will also get rid of a hard reflective surface making it a bit quieter.  BUT if your cooling system is a bit undersized then it needs the extra cooling effect of losing heat into the engine space, so insulation could lead to overheating on rivers etc.  

[Alan de Enfield]

19 minutes ago, Jennifer McM said:

I remember my experience with Petrol engines well.....

 

In the summer of 1972 when I was about 17/18 my boyfriend at the time was filling the petrol tank from a can on the deck, while I was making a cup of tea, putting a light under a kettle to make the tea, the match I struck to light the gas stove broke, I bent down to retrieve the lit end..... and puff..... that was my fringe, eyebrow, and lashes..... not amused!  

You were very lucky - I bet you never let anyone re-fuel on deck again.

[Neil2]

I currently have a mooring next to a petrol engine Seamaster which the owner tells me caught fire a few years ago.  He and his wife were on board at the time and by all accounts were lucky to make their escape without serious injury (or worse), though the guy has a few scars to remind him what a close call it was.  The boat was half destroyed but nonetheless he had it rebuilt even though his wife is clearly a nervous passenger now and refuses to use the cooker.

 

Unfortunately boats with inboard petrol engines appear to offer very good value for money these days, and for a boat buyer on a tight budget it must be tempting to ignore the risk associated with this arrangement.  

[Alan de Enfield]

17 minutes ago, Neil2 said:

I currently have a mooring next to a petrol engine Seamaster which the owner tells me caught fire a few years ago.  He and his wife were on board at the time and by all accounts were lucky to make their escape without serious injury (or worse), though the guy has a few scars to remind him what a close call it was.  The boat was half destroyed but nonetheless he had it rebuilt even though his wife is clearly a nervous passenger now and refuses to use the cooker.

 

Unfortunately boats with inboard petrol engines appear to offer very good value for money these days, and for a boat buyer on a tight budget it must be tempting to ignore the risk associated with this arrangement.  

 

Can you save that post and use it as a warning whenever anyone is asking for a 'cheap boat'.

 

I think it is probably more that they don't appreciate the risks - they have a petrol engine car and that doesn't burst into flames so a petrol engine boat must be OK

 

We had an incident in our marina - a boater regularly refuelled his petrol engine boat whilst tied up to his mooring - 'amid & amongst' many other boats. Despite numerous requests to move it and re-fuel at the fuel-pontoon (where emergency equipment was available should it be needed) he refused, it got a bit serious when a 'posse' decided  to do something about it and tried to cut his mooring lines and tow him out of the marina (he was on board). The Police were called as the boat owner said he was being attacked by a knife-wielding crowd.

The Police attended, it all quietened down with no arrests and he, and his boat, left the Marina the next day.

Edited August 7, 2018 by Alan de Enfield

[Scholar Gypsy]

When we had a cruiser, we had a petrol can for carrying. When moving petrol from there to the main tank we always did this on the bank. And with no naked flames....

[MtB]

3 hours ago, Alan de Enfield said:

think it is probably more that they don't appreciate the risks - they have a petrol engine car and that doesn't burst into flames so a petrol engine boat must be OK

 

 

You’re right there I think. And Post 30 illustrates your point beautifully. 

[David Mack]

https://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php?topic/90368-boom/&

 

Edited August 7, 2018 by David Mack

[ditchcrawler]

9 hours ago, Alan de Enfield said:

 

How would LPG get into the engine 'ole ?

Surely with the new BSS requirements of having to remove the gas bottle and having the gas locker examined and tested in minute detail for signs of corrosion, if you have a BSS there should be no way gas can get into the engine 'ole.

So the cooker flame failure fails, the gas comes out onto the galley floor and runs down hill to the stern where the engine is under a plywood box, if you have a reverse layout its not so far to go

[WotEver]

On 07/08/2018 at 13:50, Jennifer McM said:

I remember my experience with Petrol engines well.....

 

In the summer of 1972 when I was about 17/18 my boyfriend at the time was filling the petrol tank from a can on the deck, while I was making a cup of tea, putting a light under a kettle to make the tea, the match I struck to light the gas stove broke, I bent down to retrieve the lit end..... and puff..... that was my fringe, eyebrow, and lashes..... not amused!  

At about the same date I wasn’t sure how much petrol I had left in my motorbike tank so I took the cap off to take a look. It was getting dark and I couldn’t see, so I took my lighter out of my pocket. Just as I was about to light it I realised that maybe it wasn’t such a bright idea...

[TheBiscuits]

8 minutes ago, WotEver said:

At about the same date I wasn’t sure how much petrol I had left in my motorbike tank so I took the cap off to take a look. It was getting dark and I couldn’t see, so I took my lighter out of my pocket. Just as I was about to light it I realised that maybe it wasn’t such a bright idea...

Oh it would have been bright, briefly! 

[WotEver]

Just now, TheBiscuits said:

Oh it would have been bright, briefly! 

Quite!

[tree monkey]

39 minutes ago, WotEver said:

At about the same date I wasn’t sure how much petrol I had left in my motorbike tank so I took the cap off to take a look. It was getting dark and I couldn’t see, so I took my lighter out of my pocket. Just as I was about to light it I realised that maybe it wasn’t such a bright idea...

A trick to start a recalcitrant mower/chainsaw was to heat the tip of the spark plug. 

I did this once by dribbling a bit of 2 stroke on the spark plug, I carefully moved the fuel can away from the operation and put match to the plug.

Which then caught the spilled fuel alight which ran to the fuel can and ignited the vapour coming out of the open filler nozzle.

That was a bit of a shock I must say

 

Oh and once I cut a largish tree down and stacked the brash in a field, customer came along and threw petrol liberally  over  the pile, which I suggested was a very bad idea.

 

I stood well back and watched the customer throw a match on the pile, the resulting  fireball engulfed him.

 

Luckily he was fine if a bit short of eyebrows and hair 

Edited September 3, 2018 by tree monkey

[WotEver]

5 minutes ago, tree monkey said:

A trick to start a recalcitrant mower/chainsaw was to heat the tip of the spark plug. 

I did this once by dribbling a bit of 2 stroke on the spark plug, I carefully moved the fuel can away from the operation and put match to the plug.

Which then caught the spilled fuel alight which ran to the fuel can and ignited the vapour coming out of the open filler nozzle.

That was a bit of a shock I must say

I bet you discovered quite how fast you could sprint

 

[cuthound]

When i was a teenager I held a party at my parents house whilst they were away.

 

Clearing up the next day, and suffering a monumental hangover, I threw the half drunk contents of a whisky glass onto the dying embers of the coal fire. Fortunestly my eyebroes survived.

 

Until that moment I had no idea thst alcohol was flammable. ?

[WotEver]

36 minutes ago, tree monkey said:

Oh and once I cut a largish tree down and stacked the brash in a field, customer came along and threw petrol liberally  over  the pile, which I suggested was a very bad idea.

 

I stood well back and watched the customer throw a match on the pile, the resulting  fireball engulfed him.

I drenched a bonfire with petrol once. I had the sense to stand well back and attempt to light it with a rag on the end of a 20ft pole. There was a loud WHOOMPH and a bright light. The entire bonfire lifted about 2ft into the air then dropped back down.

 

And went out. 

[Mike Hurley]

11 hours ago, WotEver said:

I drenched a bonfire with petrol once. I had the sense to stand well back and attempt to light it with a rag on the end of a 20ft pole. There was a loud WHOOMPH and a bright light. The entire bonfire lifted about 2ft into the air then dropped back down.

 

And went out. 

I done similar with a huge pile of garden waste but i didnt have a 20 foot pole, so i ran a trail of petrol up the garden. Plan was light petrol trail and watch the bonfire ignite. I bent down and gave the lighter a flick. The resulting explosion shook the cottages 150 foot away, fired me about 10 feet up the garden and the fireball mushrooming skywards was most impressive, the loss of half my beard was not. Bonfire did not ignite but most of it had vanished anyway.