Georgina

Has anyone experience of polishing sides using electric buffer and polishing pad? If so, which sort of buffer - orbital or dual speed.

Thanks for all that. Trouble is compared with you lot I am old - 83 last June. Had the op four weeks ago and things going along reasonablyb well but just seeking re-assurance tat I do not need to hang up mu lock key!

Has anyone had a full hip replacement of one hip and, if so, how long to get back to working locks etc? Obviously there would need to be more care, particularly in winter with ice about.

Yes, all is fine now thank you. I have logged in a couple of times to make sure. No idea why it wouldn't work, it was not for want of trying. There only remains the minor issue that I do not appear on te list of members. I shan't lose any sleep over that. Thanks again for help. Malcolm

Thank you Martin. I do not know if you have the magic touch or if someone saw your 'report' and acted very quickly but all is now sorted. After two days of trying, logging in and out, turning off computer, kicking it, I gave it one more go. Low and behold it suddenly worked perfectly and all is now up and running. Many thanks to all

I have been trying without success for two days now to change my e-mail and password. I have completed the process of 'forgotten password' and retrieved the answering e-mails from my old Tiscali account. Following this trail I can then sign in to the main forums under my User Name 'Wilma' by pasting the newly given password, a jumble of letters and numbers. I can then use the forums - as I am now.. However I need to change to my new BT address and also make a new password. Clicking on the link at the bottom of the second e-mail I was sent this simply takes me back to the sign in page, user name and password. Complete this and I am back in the main Forums. I have now tried many times and am simply going round in circles, with no chance to change my details. I have tried clicking on the drop down menu beside my name at the top of the forum page. This gives me the opportunity to change my password and e-mail - but the result is the same. I simply wind up on the main sign in page. I also notice that although I have been sent e-mails quoting my User Name of Wilma I do not appear on the list of members. I am doing this this way in the hope that this will find its way to someone in Technical Support who can help.

I find Vactan very good. It is expensive but goes a long way. It looks just like any other rust remover but leaves a fine epoxy coat when dry. I have left it unpainted for several months without any problems, then painted it with undercoatand topcoat in the usual way

Accepting the desirability of taking an RYA course how do you think those of us who are old managed to learn to sail? I began long before the RYA introduced their courses and continued until about four years ago when anno domini caught up. Difficult to use a sailing boat if you cannot pull a rope. So I sold the sea boat and bought one where I can walk ashore. In those days one began carefully and in sheltered waters, concious of the fact that if you got yourself into a difficulty you had to get yourself out of it. My first dinghy sail was in Shaldon Harbour. I went out - then found I had little idea on how to get back. Answer - down sail and row. You had to swallow your embarressment and learn. Later, still with little experience, I moved with a larger boat on to the Bristol Channel - an unforgiving bit of water. Again, take it carefully, slowly and read it all up. Our boats then were converted lifeboats with no guard rails, no radios, no electronics and compasses which were ex-R.A.F. One advantage of the Channel was you could not get lost. Wales one side, England the other Ireland in front. All of the small boat sailors of the era 1930 to 1960 were self taught and possibly better for it. Nothing focuses the mind better than terror and the fact that the problem is yours and yours alone. So, yes, it can be done with a cautious approach but a proper course is a good idea. Sailing at sea remains one of the Englishmans few remaining liberties, and long may that be so. Only insurance to protect other people is a must. Even that is not legally required.

Hi, Tim, Yes my boat was built 1996, so that is why this type of tank set up was used. Easy for builder but possible problem for future owners. Apart from the new water trap and filter I intend to use my long syphon device to take a sample from the bottom of the tank and see what it is like. If bad I will syphon some muck off the bottom and ditch it. Still no ideas forthcoming as to why the fuel would not come out. Spoke to diesel engineer today, admittedly cars, and he has never heard of this happening. Malcolm

Thanks again. However my diesel tank takes its fuel direct from a tap at the bottom of the tank, about an inch up. I have had this set up before on other boat tanks. I am not happy with it because of the possibility of taking in sludge and water from the tank bottom - but that is what I have got. Having said that I have never had a problem with this type of set up, even on sea going boats where tanks are shaken about. We relied on water trap primary filters - which is why we were doing this job. I suppose it is possible that my present tank has an internal pipe going up and down but I think it unlikely as it would be an unnessesarily difficult way to build a tank. So I am back to my first question. Why did the fuel not come out? Judging by the silence seems to have baffled everyone. Do other people have this type of tank set up?

I didn't know that. I assume that this is a U shaped tube going upwards. What is its purpose? I have sailed for nearly 50 years and used numerous sea going boats and they do not have one. New to canals though. New to son-in-law as well - and he is a qualified and experienced engineer. Is this idea one of those which only apply to inland waters - there seem to be a lot of these. Many thanks for the information Malcolm

One for those with degree in Physics. Two of us went to Georgina last weekend to make new fuel lines to both engine and diesel stove. The stove one went without hitch and works fine. Feed from the main tank to both stove and engine is via two ball type fuel cut off valves which are new, and both have been working perfectly. The replacement of the engine line involed removing and scrapping the old copper tube and replacing it with a single new length to a newly purchased manual fuel suction pump (to facilitate bleeding), then a new water trap type filter and a new flexible line connected direct to the base of the engine lift pump. All made and connected and look beautiful. However actuating the new manual pump sent fuel the wrong way and was heard to pump air into the main tank. Much cursing. Pump appears to have been incorrectly assembled in factory - but this another story of no interest here. Solution, so as to get things working again, was to take new assembly apart, remove pump, and reassemble with the line going directly to the new water trap filter. This was done but no success with trying to bleed engine. Disconnect pipe at filter - still no fuel. Disconnect pipe at cut off valve and turn on valve - no fuel come out. Long, fine screwdriver through hole - no fuel. Even longer cable tie poked in and wriggled about, no fuel but cable tie comes out wet! So we have a tank full of diesel, checked and dipped, tank full, fuel level about 18 inches above fuel cock. Other fuel cock to stove working and passing fuel. Fuel cock for engine immediately beside other cock, turned on but no fuel. Air bleed to tank checked and OK. Why no fuel? Matter resolved by reconnecting copper pipe then poking other end of line into seperate hand syphon pump, making crude seal with rag, and working syphon. Result - fuel gushed merrily. Reconnect system, bleed and start engine which works perfectly during test run of several hours. Question:- why no fuel out of tank when tank full and fuel cock turned on. Answers on a postcard, please.

I've just read this lot. To try and balance the review I have to say that I have been at Welton for a season now and am very happy with the place. I have found the staff helpful and, so far, everything which has been done in the line of repairs has been OK. Yes, if you go outside and listen hard you can hear the motorway - but this is not the only marina that this happens and you can hardly blame the operators. Maybe I am very easy going and easily satisfied. So be it. But there are probably many others out ther who are like me and do not want such harsh standards. And, No, I am not Sarah-Jane in disguise. She has probably read this and does not rate it worth a reply - especially as the marina is full of satisfied customers, many of who have been there for centuries

Has anyone tried to fit a new thermo couple to an Old English stove, 1995 era. My problem is that I cannot get the old one out and am not sure how it is fixed. Seen from inside the stove the tip of the thermo couple protrudes into the fire through a tube, and the end of the tube has a nut tack welded. The thermo couple is threaded through that nut. Obviously I cannot undo the nut with a spanner and there is not enough of the Thermo Couple showing to get pliers on it - fragile in any case. Any one had this problem before? If I get it out how do I put the new one back. The new unit has two nuts on a threaded body. At the back of the stove all you see is the end of the tube which is part of the fabrication of the outer casing, with the copper tube disappearing inside it.

This is quite a common problem with outboards - even ones which use clean sea water, not canal soup. I have had it happen twice and spoke to Yamaha engineer about it. Answer - remove the little jet which is screwed in to the tell tale apperture, then pass a tiny drill which is just a bit larger through the jet hole and replace. The cause is that the manufacturers expect their products to be used in pure tapwater and make these jet apertures far too small. Don't make a massive hole - just get a drill bit that will just not go through the existing one.