Guys advice please if you can spare a minute - Thinking of moving onto a boat.

[Alan de Enfield]

2 minutes ago, rusty69 said:

Spring, summer, autumn, solar is great. 

 

Winter solar is rubbish and will require an alternative. 

Spring is "OK" ish

Summer is "Great"

Autumn is "OK" ish

Winter is a total No-No

[Matt&Jo]

Just out of interest do you change the rpm rates of your engine during idle to charge your battery system.....speaking from a trucking industry idle over long periods in a truck can cause significant milking of the oild in the filler cap and is not encouraged especialy if just at a fixed RPM.

[Ray T]

33 minutes ago, Matt&Jo said:

Just out of interest do you change the rpm rates of your engine during idle to charge your battery system.....speaking from a trucking industry idle over long periods in a truck can cause significant milking of the oild in the filler cap and is not encouraged especialy if just at a fixed RPM.

Select neutral for the gear box then advance the throttle as much as you want. In the picture the gearbox is put in neutral by pulling out the silver button beneath the Morse lever (throttle control). Running a narrow boat engine in neutral to charge the batteries is not recommended as it can lead to "bore glazing."

http://listerengine.com/smf/index.php?topic=6351.0

Edited May 19, 2017 by Ray T

[system 4-50]

22 minutes ago, Ray T said:

...Running a narrow boat engine in neutral to charge the batteries is not recommended as it can lead to "bore glazing."  ...

Is this true for tractor engines as well or is it just museum pieces?

[Ray T]

Just now, system 4-50 said:

Is this true for tractor engines as well or is it just museum pieces?

Sorry no idea, I've never owned a tractor.

[Graham Davis]

50 minutes ago, Ray T said:

Sorry no idea, I've never owned a tractor.

Your advice might have been true for old engines using old fashioned oils, but doesn't seem to apply to modern engines and oils.s

Plus running your engine in gear is against the Rules.

[rusty69]

3 minutes ago, Graham Davis said:

 

Plus running your engine in gear is against the Rules.

Don't think that is true.If it was there would be lots of boats in breach of the 14 day rule

[MtB]

12 minutes ago, Graham Davis said:

Plus running your engine in gear is against the Rules.

 

Really?!

How does anyone go anywhere then?

[haggis]

10 minutes ago, rusty69 said:

Don't think that is true.If it was there would be lots of boats in breach of the 14 day rule

On page 55 of the boaters handbook it says not to run your engine in gear when moored as it can damage the waterway wall and edge and may disturb other boaters. 

haggis

Doh, just realised that the words "when moored" were missed form the above post, sorry, a bit slow on the uptake tonight :-) 

Edited May 19, 2017 by haggis

[rusty69]

Just now, haggis said:

On page 55 of the boaters handbook it says not to run your engine in gear when moored as it can damage the waterway wall and edge and may disturb other boaters. 

haggis

Sorry,it was meant as a joke!

[haggis]

1 minute ago, rusty69 said:

Sorry,it was meant as a joke!

I know! didn't see that at first :-)

 

haggis

[dmr]

On 17/05/2017 at 23:40, Matt&Jo said:

I take it you work from your boat dave or are not in need of work? We would need to earn a modest income to make this a reality so access to a car is crucial if we cc but i do see why many have said this is not really practicle.

We may need to look north to the trent and mersey canal for a high use mooring......due to cost around half that of caen hill the only place that would accept us at 600+ pcm

I am one of those lucky ones who only needs an internet connection to earn a bit of money, and I don't need much. There are a few work meetings but I could hire a car for those, we keep the car so that my wife can help out her daughter with child care. The deal is we spent every winter on the K&A within driving distance of Newbury, then park the car and travel a long long way in the summer. My wife enjoys driving so just about anywhere on the K&A is feasible, but it really is a good feeling when we leave the car behind.

The T&M is a narrow canal. 

Car dragging is hard work and works for us because we know the K&A well (10 years here) so know all the parking places etc.

I really think you should get a narrowboat and continuously cruise, that will save you hunderds of pounds every month, its not as hard as you might think and if you want to throw yourself into canal life then why not do it 100%.  Can you afford to buy a little house or flat to rent out?

.............Dave

[rusty69]

16 minutes ago, haggis said:

I know! didn't see that at first :-)

 

haggis

Don't worry, most people  don't see my jokes at first! If ever 

[Wanderer Vagabond]

3 hours ago, system 4-50 said:

Perhaps there is something wrong with my digestive system? When I poo the results are heavy. When the little tank is full, it is quite an effort to lift. Would changing my diet make it lighter so that I can join the ranks of the happy bog emptiers? In the meantime I will put up with having a pumpout about once every 3 months. 

Not being of the pump-out persuasion I have always been curious of these figures as to how long you leave it until pumping out. We have a single cassette toilet with 3 cassettes for it, each cassette lasts just over two days so for the whole lot, if we don't empty them in the meantime, we have the capacity to travel for a week without needing to empty them all. These are all stored in a roof box awaiting emptying. The question that comes to my mind is that, on the above usage (and I don't feel that we are profligate) each cassette has a capacity of 17.5 litres so a week's worth of sh*t is 52.5 litres (which, assuming a litre weighs about a Kilo, is something like 50 kilos (a hundredweight in old money)). Now if you can run for 3 months without pumping out, by my reckoning you'd be carrying something like 650 Kilos (over half a ton) of sh*t in your boat, why would you want to do that? and what could possibly go wrong?? If my cassette starts to leak I throw it away, what do you do if yours starts leaking?

[Matt&Jo]

My wife has found the boat of her dreams and im being seriously bullyed here...... check this out...

https://m.apolloduck.com/feature.phtml?id=499883&rid=gb&cid=140&z=gb140

[haggis]

what do you do if yours starts leaking?

Sell the boat? 

haggis

[rusty69]

13 minutes ago, Matt&Jo said:

My wife has found the boat of her dreams and im being seriously bullyed here...... check this out...

https://m.apolloduck.com/feature.phtml?id=499883&rid=gb&cid=140&z=gb140

Now that looks nice.(if you like pink)  Looks like its back up the motorway for you tomorrow! 

 

Also can't see oven /grill./w. machine 

Edited May 19, 2017 by rusty69

[mrsmelly]

10 minutes ago, Wanderer Vagabond said:

Not being of the pump-out persuasion I have always been curious of these figures as to how long you leave it until pumping out. We have a single cassette toilet with 3 cassettes for it, each cassette lasts just over two days so for the whole lot, if we don't empty them in the meantime, we have the capacity to travel for a week without needing to empty them all. These are all stored in a roof box awaiting emptying. The question that comes to my mind is that, on the above usage (and I don't feel that we are profligate) each cassette has a capacity of 17.5 litres so a week's worth of sh*t is 52.5 litres (which, assuming a litre weighs about a Kilo, is something like 50 kilos (a hundredweight in old money)). Now if you can run for 3 months without pumping out, by my reckoning you'd be carrying something like 650 Kilos (over half a ton) of sh*t in your boat, why would you want to do that? and what could possibly go wrong?? If my cassette starts to leak I throw it away, what do you do if yours starts leaking?

So absolutely true. Spot on. I hear these quotes over the years and wonder if people actualy use their boats or indeed pee in the bushes all the time ( life is too short ) I too use about 3 cassettes a week when using them or I pump the bog tank out every fortnight is if using the macerator  bog. Cassettes are easy to change seals on when needed or simply buy new. I dread what will happen WHEN the tank starts to leak at some time or other on this boat cos sure as eggs is eggs one day problems will arise. What size tank lasts 3 months if the boat is in use? My tank lasts thirty years if I dont use the bog 

[system 4-50]

25 minutes ago, Wanderer Vagabond said:

Not being of the pump-out persuasion I have always been curious of these figures as to how long you leave it until pumping out. We have a single cassette toilet with 3 cassettes for it, each cassette lasts just over two days so for the whole lot, if we don't empty them in the meantime, we have the capacity to travel for a week without needing to empty them all. These are all stored in a roof box awaiting emptying. The question that comes to my mind is that, on the above usage (and I don't feel that we are profligate) each cassette has a capacity of 17.5 litres so a week's worth of sh*t is 52.5 litres (which, assuming a litre weighs about a Kilo, is something like 50 kilos (a hundredweight in old money)). Now if you can run for 3 months without pumping out, by my reckoning you'd be carrying something like 650 Kilos (over half a ton) of sh*t in your boat, why would you want to do that? and what could possibly go wrong?? If my cassette starts to leak I throw it away, what do you do if yours starts leaking?

The 3 months is a very vague figure. The tank is 280L and there is only me on board. The tank is solidly made of 6mm steel and centrally positioned so that it does not affect the boat's attitude. It will not die before I do. It is a Jabsco macerator toilet & I can control the volume of fluids very finely. The only thing that could go wrong is the tank gauge and I would notice a lack of change in good time. The only bad aspect is that I used the expensive white hose thinking that it was so expensive that it must work at least for a while. I only got 12 months out of it before I got the occasionally whiff. I will replace this with Leesan solid pipe in time. I infinitely prefer it over the portapotti I used before. Next time I have to empty the tank I will add up how many person/days it has taken to fill it. Every time I have it emptied I dance a little jig with delight at all the Elsan visits I have avoided.

Edited May 19, 2017 by system 4-50

[system 4-50]

6 minutes ago, mrsmelly said:

So absolutely true. Spot on. I hear these quotes over the years and wonder if people actualy use their boats or indeed pee in the bushes all the time ( life is too short ) I too use about 3 cassettes a week when using them or I pump the bog tank out every fortnight is if using the macerator  bog. Cassettes are easy to change seals on when needed or simply buy new. I dread what will happen WHEN the tank starts to leak at some time or other on this boat cos sure as eggs is eggs one day problems will arise. What size tank lasts 3 months if the boat is in use? My tank lasts thirty years if I dont use the bog 

Just show a bit of restraint, man!

[Guest]

It's very pink  looks really nice, if you're serious about it get a survey done before you decide. Good luck!

[mrsmelly]

2 minutes ago, system 4-50 said:

Just show a bit of restraint, man!

You obviously do if yer tank lasts 3 months 

[Matt&Jo]

11 minutes ago, rusty69 said:

Now that looks nice.(if you like pink)  Looks like its back up the motorway for you tomorrow! 

Got to admit i love the internals alot!!! Very funky and very us our house is very modern and bright also. The classic look is fibe vut we like a bit of sometging special but that pink on the roof and at the cruiser stern would have to go!!!!!! Or id never pilot the damb thing cuz u buggers would laugh at me.

[rusty69]

1 minute ago, Matt&Jo said:

Or id never pilot the damb thing cuz u buggers would laugh at me.

Nah, just get a matching pink onesie for yourself and the misses

[Guest]

Just now, Matt&Jo said:

Got to admit i love the internals alot!!! Very funky and very us our house is very modern and bright also. The classic look is fibe vut we like a bit of sometging special but that pink on the roof and at the cruiser stern would have to go!!!!!! Or id never pilot the damb thing cuz u buggers would laugh at me.

Ha ha what are you man or mouse - get in touch with your feminine side  Doesn't stop me cruising our Blue boat ...........