Humblespud

You guys are all soo cool, soo glad glad the OP isn't a wind up. x Lol x

Tubeless tyres are the way to go. Just like a car set up, no inner tube, tyre bead seals to rim. With the addition of a liquid sealant punctures will generally self seal. A sticky rim tape is needed to cover the spoke heads. I've been using this set up for the last two years, it allows for lower tyre pressures and greater comfort too. A bit of a learning curve but worth it.

We painted our NB with Dulux water based Weathershield four years ago. Over a few weeks we built up three coats. The gloss version has no real shine to it and seems pretty tough. Being quick drying and easy to apply it is a doddle to touch in. 10,000 colours available. Available in matt too. Perfect for DIY non posh boats IMO.

Seem to remember a slipway from the car park at The Denver sluice complex, on the north side, not the Jennyns Arms car park. Used it with a canoe about five years ago.

By dragging it underwater I presume, not whirling round your head cowboy style? Can only just about lift mine over the side.

Yes that's the one. I wouldn't rely on it or me for anything.

Hello. All very interesting. We bought our 40ft NB complete with a four prong foldy anchor and a bunch of chain. Not really knowing much about sailoring and stuff I tied the chain to a longer length of climbing rope with a loop on the end, just in case. For the first three years it wasn't used, then this year it's been handy to have on two occasions. First time was on the River Wissey, going past the sugar beet factory where there is a large fishing lake with 'no mooring' signs all about. So by dropping the anchor, we were able to have a picnic in the middle. I'm not sure if that a bad/naughty thing to do or if it was that an ok thing to do. On the second occasion we were coming downstream from Bedford and were held up temporarily by some bridge erecting works. There was nothing on either bank to moor against and we were told it would be twenty or thirty minutes before we could go through. So a quick donut and drop anchor it was. I like my little anchor, wouldn't want to have to use it for anything serious though...

Yes there is a floating garage at Little Ouse Moorings available for hire. I believe Danny also has equipment for use with it, sanders, grinders plus air extractor. Plenty long enough too.

I had one recently beginning "Dear Costumer......"

Hi Wayne, we have a Dometic top loading coolbox, used once in a camper van happy to sell. Will find out model no if you want. Gas and 12volt options.

We use one of these, £35 on Amazon. Works ok on our cruiser stern and far easier than the previous rope ladder.

We bought our boat with carpets fitted, they were 7/8 years old but ok except we preferred a hard easily sweepable floor. So we laid vinyl interlocking boards, in grey, on top of the carpet which then acted as an underlay/insulation. Seems to work fine so far, two winters...

With legs hanging down into cabin hatchway? Sort of sideways? Or totally up on roof?

Where is the correct place for a non steering crew member to be when at the stern of a trad boat? Please?

Our "engine" rattle turned out to be weed hatch bottom plate vibrating on sides of it's chamber. A piece of split hosepipe raised it a few mm and all is now quiet. Not unheard of according to the lovely boatyard that detected it.

Ok,so, started painting the inside of my boat this morning and got to wondering whether I should be painting the spiders the same colour as the background, or be picking them out in something different. It is not a historic boat, but I thought there might be some more experienced boaters on the forum with views on the correct approach. We are on the Great Ouse, not the canals, so it is an EA area rather than CRT. Ta.

Thank you Tony, I have been searching online for servicing of this TFX controller but with no luck so far. We've had the boat three years now and it has always been a bit problematic. I will take it apart very carefully soon and see what is going on.

My speed controller (TFX 700 SO) stays put in low revs and high revs but is reluctant to stay put in middle revs. Is this friction plates do you think? Am planning to take it part and explore soon...

Yes Wesley Windows will supply made to measure shower doors. Happy with ours, WW were very helpful.

Ok peeps, am a bit clearer now I think. Again many thanks for your help. Alan

Good idea, will try that. I guess the grease enters on the engine side of the packing rather than the prop side, so will squirt out behind the two nuts as it were?

Hi, we recently had a new prop shaft fitted and the stern gland was repacked and the greaser was cleaned out and refilled. After our last little trip I turned the greaser one half turn as usual, but could not turn it any further no matter how hard I tried. Disconnecting the flexible pipe where it joins to the stern gland enabled me to turn it and grease came through ok. Is this as it should be? I ask as before with the old worn prop shaft I think I could keep on turning the greaser down...and it got harder very gradually. Thanks, not a burning issue but am curious. Alan

Thanks guys, all good stuff, especially fitting shut off valves for future. Think I will drain down and do a nice calm and relaxed proper job, ha ha. Thanks again, Alan