ChrisK

Thanks, folks, You have given me a lot to think about here. The single belt drives the water pump and the single alternator (60A, I think). I have a bank of 1 x 90AH cranking battery and 2 x 110AH domestic batteries. The cranking battery is about 2.5 years old, but the domestic batteries are about 5 years old and are about shot. As I am hardly using the boat at the moment, due to working abroad, I do not want to replace the domestic batteries for them to just deteriorate. I haven't had time to check the pulley alignment, or for play in the alternator or water pump bearings, but I will do this soon. I think I might disconnect the domestic batteries altogether and see how things go. Thanks again, Chris

Thanks for the prompt replies. I am going to the boat tomorrow to do a few jobs (BSS due). I will have a grovel in the engine 'ole if I get time. The belts I am using were supplied by the main Nanni importer (AR Peachment) and the last one has been better than Halfords belts I have tried. The belts are actually wearing down rapidly (probably from the sides).

My Nannidiesel 3.75HE has a three pulley v-belt system. It eats alternator drive belts. It has steadily got worse. I think the last one only managed about 50 hours before it was fully adjusted. Has anybody any ideas where to start with this. Chris

I gather it was re-opened on Friday 26th October

Salterhebble bottom lock is out of action following a nearby fire: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/west_yo...ire/7055827.stm

Do you have any recommendations for CO detectors ?

In an emergency,you can use a mooring spike to turn the handspike mechanism

This site lists the locks where a handspite is necessary: http://www.waterwaysguides.co.uk/updates/candh.htm

This picture is of the Bottom Lock, which does not require a handspike. The top lock does, the middle has one hydraulic paddle on the right hand gate (going down). Most of the lower gates on the navigation have rack and pinion gear which is very heavy and a long sweep windlass is useful.

It is possible to wind above Salterhebble top lock, between the top and middle locks and between the middle and bottom locks, but not below the bottom lock. The bottom lock is longer and has a lower guillotine gate.

My Sis used to tell a story about a couple on the camp site at Sidmouth folk festival one year. Whilst everybody else was having late afternoon kip before the evening sessions began, one couple had an "amorous event". They made such a row about it, they got a round of applause from the rest of the camp site when they had finished. A few minutes later they emerged from their tent very red faced! Perhaps that's why most folkies get so p*ssed they couldn't manage it anyway.

Salterhebble Middle Lock (immediately above our mooring) is the shortest on the ring. 60' boats have to wedge diagonally across the lock with all fenders removed and usually must go down backwards so that the water leaking through the upper gates doesn't flood the engine compartment. I gather that anything bigger won't fit. We are only 35'. so no probs. By the way, Tuel Lane Lock Keeper is a mean b*****d with his water. Last November he insisted on us going up with the pound below very low and we ran aground in the middle of Tuel Lane Tunnel! Took us ages to get free, then we found about 30 yds of telephone cable wrapped round the propellor! It is better going down - at least the lock fills up the pound below when it is emptied. Three years ago we stayed overnight at Ducie St. It was fascinating watching the antics of the local drug dealers operating by the canalside. If you are going up the "Rochadale 19" I have heard that mooring by the Boat and Horses is dubious. Better to continue to the Rose of Lancaster, which did good food last time we were there. When we went up, BW sent two beefy lockies to keep an eye on us. They worked on the flight close to us and set every lock for us. A good service.

My mooring is in Salterhebble Lower Basin, so I use these locks regularly. You can't get trough some of the locks without a handspike - for instance Salterhebble Top Lock needs a handspike for both top gate paddles and both ground paddles. Some of the others locks are similar. As everybody else says just drop them. Sometimes you even have to push them down using the handspike as a battering ram!

I painted Voyager with Craftmaster paint last year. Any imperfections in the finish are entirely down to my own incompetence. Not cheap, but what really impressed me was the lead warning on the tins. You won't get anything like that from B&Q! I will tell you about how well it lasts in about 5 years time.