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To whomever re-tied my boat in Birmingham, many thanks. I've been away for the last few days and assume it had been cast adrift for someone's amusement. Rob

A single incident made us change our minds. We were actively looking for a GRP boat, having had one before, but in the meantime we took a holiday in a steel narrowboat. We were about 50 yds from emerging out the Blisworth Tunnel, when a new hirer came into the tunnel from the opposite direction. We all know the eyes take a little time to adjust when entering a tunnel and to give the other boater benefit of the doubt, we assume that and the fact that he was inexperienced, combined to cause him to hit us a massive blow to the port bow. We were almost not moving at all as I saw him coming. Immediately after, my wife voiced my own thoughts, "if we had been in Topsy, (Our previous boat), he would have sunk us!" The result was that we had to wait a couple more years before we could afford a steel shell and fitted out our own narrow boat.

By the power of Earl Greyskull!

That's a coincidence...The OH brews her blueberry tea (not real tea) until it is the colour of Skeletor...

More to the point why the hell would you? Completely unsuited to anywhere in the world apart from here.

Twelve months ago Hampton looked like this. Same view. Yesterday we were adding the finishing touches, lace, plates and bits of brassware.

Useful for topping up the batteries though.

Not keen on Strong Bow. Too sweet for me.

I'm after some thoughts on the best course of action. Went to the boat yesterday and had issues with the engine and eberspacher not running. This was the first time we had been to the boat for a couple of months and first time the engine had been started since October. Both fired up but then died. I opened the drain tap on the bottom of the water filter and murky brown liquid came out. So should I get someone to drain and clean the diesel tank or should I go for a Marine 16 diesel treatment...? Not being very mechanical minded if it is a DIY solution it needs to be one that doesn't involve spanners. We were planning on going cruising for a long weekend next weekend so looking for a quick fix ideally.

All, Thank you so much for all the kind words. I am Trevor's nephew and along with my Uncle Trevor and my Brother we spent a few summers helping out on Corona. We are currently sorting out arrangements for the funeral and will notify this forum when we have a date and location, and any other details. I hope to have more info by the weekend. Thanks, Andy

I heard that you tend to Extrapolate Barb?

In LW spares book 518.5 published in 1955, it shows the dual anvil rockers and the cam that moves the rocker to a second position to increase the tappet clearance, thus giving max compression as the valve would close earlier than normal, this would coincide with the lever being in the No 2 position. It was probably fitted to engines supplied with hand start only. As Martyn comments it was more common on L2'S. Its also worth remembering that the manuals are pretty much backwards compatible in that the information they contain applies with small variations back to 1931 Steve

but the question was asked on a canal forum

If a twin-tub is a washing machine both my GRP lumpy-water boats have a washing machine.

Yes you do get washing machines and solid fuel stoves if you really want them on GRP boats.

I doubt an engineer will be much help. Most wear a suit and tie to work and sit at a desk, calculating stuff.

I bought a full size (though slimmer depth) Hoover 1600 spin thing... 1800watts. It runs fine from the inverter (3kw pure sinewave from photonic universe)... it lets you set the temperature to "no heat" and when I pour a couple of 5 litre water bottles (filled from the hot tap) does a 7kg 1600 spin load in 59 mins... never drawing more than 600 watts. https://narrowboatellis.blogspot.co.uk/search?q=washing+machine We also got a 4kg hotpoint vented dryer which fits at the bottom of the larder cupboard and whilst I can't use full heat (2.2kw) - (even with the engine running) without the batteries getting a hammering, it DOES run on half power (obbiously for a bit longer) when we chug around fine.

Why would a life boat need washing facilities? I would hope to have been rescued before then.

I would guess that a large part of the trouble with today's pleasure narrow boat design the dimensions are based on sizes for boats designed for a completely different purpose where estuary/off shore boats have a lot less restrictions on design dimensions A narrow boat is restricted in beam; draft, air draft so the only thing you can alter is length up to 58/70 ft dependent on where you wish to cruise so builders try to get the maximum bang for your buck size wise the broad canals are better in regard to boat design dimensions but still have restrictions & on the canal system are not able to make use of all the unconnected bits without removal from the water & dropped back in at the next wide section the original boats were wood & this progressed to Iron/Steel which gave good service so GRP was not used for narrow boats much as metal or wood filled the bill & was a known substance were GRP at that time was untried in regard to Canal usage & a man with a poly tunnel,steel plate,an arc welder /grinder etc. could build a hull/boat with out the expense of moulds so long as he could weld. I am not putting forward which is best just that the cottage industry of the canal found the steel route less hassle Boat builders for offshore are not tied down to hull dimensions too the same degree & space can be found & still keep them "Boat'y Shape " It will for ever be what kind of boating do I wish to pursue & whatever that is the boat will more or less conform to the best to suit the use

Dead giveaway eh! Can you tell I'm not electrically trained? I shall have a look in a mo or two.

Well. I dunno, I just have a nagging fear that there will be enough unclear / grey areas left after whatever brexit will bring that some petty officials or department will make life awkward, I really do not fancy going through some sort of legal test case to establish what I have been doing for years is still legal.

On entering a 'foreign' port you need to present your 'ships papers' which consist of, both the 'ships' papers AND the crews 'papers' Ships Papers consist of : Vessel Skipper and / or Crew Registration document Evidence of Competence (requirements vary by country) Ship Radio Licence Authority to Operate Maritime Radio Insurance documents (requirements vary by country) Passport or other recognised travel document Evidence of the Union Status of the boat European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) and / or appropriate medical and repatriation insurance Evidence of RCD Compliance or Exemption Voyage Log

No. RCD compliance is required only when the boat is first placed on the EU market (i.e. offered for sale, not necessarily sold). It is not a legal requirement for subsequent sales, although brokers like to see the documentation as confirmation that the boat did, when new, meet RCD requirements.

I was working with Patrick at the time and had a small hand in getting some of the works started, which is why I sooo want to cruise the results!

With luck we will see you out and about though with luck we might be on a trip to the calledonian canal by big boat which weather permitting will take just over a month

Modern washing machine + inverter = lottery Best always to ask around for combinations that are known to work from folk that have that combination.

It’s not a silly question! The answer is yes, although of course the starter battery alternator isn’t very big so the benefits wouldn’t be huge. Probably the easiest way to do this would be to fit an isolator switch between the starter battery +ve and the domestic battery +ve. However that does introduce the possibility of human error - leaving the batteries connected and then finding you have discharged both and can no longer start the engine! Disadvantage would be that if you allowed the starter battery to be a bit discharged during the process, it would mess up any shunt-based battery monitor. But do you really need to do that? Our Zanussi compact washing machine only uses about 1600w on heat cycle. If you really need a full sized washing machine can you get one that has a 2kw heater? A Beta 175A domestic alternator can just about manage 2kw. Also, if you set your inverter voltage to 220v this can reduce the power consumption of heating elements a bit, compared to 230v (power proportional to voltage squared). Fill with hot water and you reduce the power required for the heater potentially to zero, so possibly a better value mod is to fit a thermostatic mixer to the washer inlet.

Completely agree. If its a good boat, its a good boat end of. My widebeam didn't have RCD and I paid market price for the boat in cash as if it had/had not got the bit of paper. I sold it a few years later very quickly again for full market value to another cash buyer who didn't care a hoot. If you like it some prospective future buyer will have it and there is no legal requirement for boats to have one unless being sold on less than five years old. My widebeam was 2 years old when first sold with no RCD and the first owner didn't get ten year in the state penitentiary for selling it. If you are a worrier then this typing is all for nowt but if you are a doer then you will buy the boat you like.

Finging slimmer depth ones is tricky as I can't any filters on size...was sure some sights use them but not any I can see atm Am fast coming to the conclusion that this is best way for me.......am not a 'Skim Jim' and big longer leg jeans weigh heavy so the 11/7 KG option is probably safest. Hooking up every couple of weeks is no great pain as am still working so makes sense for this option.

...............or buy a new bucket and paint it black............................ old buckets have to be done in dry dock, but a new one can be blacked on the hard before launching.

But there's no Tallinn them.

Well all these posts have given me pause for serious thought now that we are about to return from our transportation to Australia to provide education to the locals. Having pre empted our return and purchased what was described as ' the Rolls Royce' of modern narrowboats in the exchange and mart advert I am now wondering if it may actually be a little outmoded. The Eco fan we purchased from midland swindlers is actually the most modern item on our vessel. My wife was tremendously excited when we purchased it proclaiming they have invented perpetual motion but not patented it. It's our chance to make our third million... I did wonder what had happened with the first two but time marches on. Anyway I digress ( unusual I know) . I was shocked that after only 10 years in the antipodes she had forgotton so much about engineering and physics given her previous education and professional experience, but was reminded of a conversation I had had at work where I was told if you stay working for this organisation long enough your skills will be forgotten to the point where you end up with less intelligence than ... Better not say any more. anyway ( please note this is not a sentence start only the uneducated start and media start a sentence anyway) to return to the subject. Our current vessel represents a massive upgrade on the origional and I felt it was an update , when explained to me. It has electric lighting and electric commencement, not an oil lamp and handle, there is even a special socket in the cabin to charge up the Nokia, Other things are more familiar. Our heating and food are still managed by the coal fire, the elsan is still in the engine room, and the water is still cunningly stored on the roof. it does however have several features that I am a bit uncertain about and would like help from the forum to explain. The broker chappie glossed over somethings and I am concerned he may not have been entirely trust worthy. firstly he claimed it had a battery management system. Reading the forum it appears to indicate ours is far in advance of most . Essentially the cunning thing tells you to go to sleep by slowly dimming the lights after the engine has been off for 4 hours. It's great, cannot see how it can be improved. he claimed it had a composting toilet. I said it still looked like a racasan being a steel bucket, he said no. Leave it in the engine room full all winter while you are away and it would turn to compost. I haven't dare try it but am willing to. Certainly in the summer with the lister going all day if you leave it a while it does appear to be composty. the diesel cooker is a bit dubious too. He suggested it was the latest thing for modern cruising and while it said Tilly and smelt of paraffin he was sure. Strangely I have noticed such devices in rural Australia brought over by ' settlers' so I suspect he may have pulled a fast one. the broker said it has a bow thruster, but the energy saving version, and explained that just like my previous boats you could saunter to the bows and use it to push off the bottom, of the canal. How people now steer with them is beyond me, still I paid the extra. lastly he claimed the foreward cabin, again a modern addition had central heating. He got out his tape measure and said look 27.5 feet central to the boat. Having read the technical pages of the forum I am now bewildered and wonder if advantage has been taken, could someone please advise and explain where I should now be spending some of the millions we will make when we patent perpetual motion on enhancing the boat. bit cooler today thinking better

Confessions of a Bag Squeezer how Brave!........ Phillistine!

I struggled with the Bluetooth connection at first. The charger needed updating via bt, but I couldn't get my phone to pair. I found a Web based customer support at the bottom of the online manual. I told them which devices I was trying to pair without success and the next day they'd tried exactly the same phone and discovered a pop up asking for the pin popped up but behind the current page. Once you knew to look for it, there was an icon on the top row. A quick pull down, entering a pin (5 zeros iirc) and all was up and running. Good support I thought. Incidentally, I've had the ip22 for a few weeks now and I'm very happy with it, both as a charger/conditioner and as a 12v dc power supply. Even with the fridge on, macerator, water pump and other low power domestic loads like the lights all in normal use it's got the batteries sat very happily in storage mode except for the weekly boost. Totally silent in normal operation too.

My bro in law needs an anchor for our forthcoming trip so you could give him your engine and he could use it as a mud weight ( better use for it ) and you could buy a lovely JD3 to take the wasted boat space up again and run yer TP properly?

Hints for saving water Clean teeth using a mug or glass, dip brush in to moisten it, clean teeth, use mug to rinse. Job done For showering, turn on water and wet yourself, turn off water and soap up, turn on water and rinse. Job done Washing machine? set it on economy setting. Job done Washing up, wait till you have a full bowl then by using your eye and experience put just sufficient water in the bowl and get cracking. Job done In all this minimal water was used and no foot operated switch was needed, the only things needed were a hand to turn on the tap and an eye to judge the water level in whatever receptacle is used Phil

Our insurance is with Allianz through a broker, Velos.

If Sue hasn't received a call yet it could just be because you have got your own phone number wrong

Well, yes. That's because it's never just grab a coat, is it. It's try to grab the coat, have the coat catch on something, coat falls on the floor, climb down and pick up coat... Richard

I am a bit late to this topic but found it very interesting to read having owned both type of boat on canals. I believe that people overthink GRP boats, they are actually rather strong, very agile and a great tool if that's what you want. In my time I have owned a 55ft canal boat, a 40ft canal boat a 27ft nauticus grp and a 23/4 ft norman I would say a 24ft norman would have more space or be used better than a 24ft narrowboat, infact I am currently looking for a 32ft highbridge crusader, because the way they utilize there space is second to none a genuine 6 berth with all facility's bar a stove / heating. I couldn't see a 32ft narrowboat doing the same. I suppose its no mistake that these boats are late 80's so 30 years old, all this talk of cracking the hulls, damaging the coat etc is relevant but not as much as we make out? I have found in the past that you often see grp boats lived on and often very overloaded and tatty, by nature the cost of them make them a bit throwaway so if they are unloved or dumped then yes they will in the end find the bottom of the cut, probably a bit quicker than a narrowboat. They do not just sink, often abuse and maintenance is attributed which is probably no more than a narrowboat although you do have to take a little bit more care in making sure as mentioned your gel coat is kept good and so on. On the subject of bashing into things and damaging your gel coat or sinking your boat i think weight is relevant here, a narrowboat will make a fairly large bang is allowed to drift into the bank or lock entrance etc your moving 15tonne plus most of the time so it has a lot more to stop, i would say a grp boat is obviously a lot lighter so the force behind the bang will be much less and as such is why they can get away with it in most instances. We have shared locks with narrowboats before, again a bit of care needed but if you allow both to float you will not see the grp boat sink to the bottom after being crushed and split in two. In fact all 7 pages of talk on here i have not seen one person say such and such a boat sank when it was crushed by this narrowboat at this lock or anything like that, all if buts and maybes. At the end of the day if your careful with your narrowboat as you should be and the owner of a grp boat is careful there is nothing that should happen other than laughing at the grp boat trying to follow a canal boat at very slow speed which is not fun. We found most narrowboat owners pleasant when we had our nauticus but with the norman there was defiantly some snobbery going on i am afraid to say.

Personally I think it looks dead boring but I can appreciate why some would find it appealing. I'm not much of a fan of Dartmoor for much the same reason.

There is more to 'size' than the quoted dimensions. Here is a 32 foot GRP cruiser moored next to my 36 foot GRP cruiser. I have 2 'bedrooms' both with ensuite showers, toilets and wash basins, a separate 'kitchen', a separate dining room, and a separate 'lounge'. & room for two big 6-cyliner diesel engines under the floor.