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magnetman

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Everything posted by magnetman

  1. Wood briquettes. These need to be stored dry. If you get them damp they turn into porrridge. Brilliant for burning and often very cheap depending on the season. I found some of these which were waste from a window frame production company and they only wanted 50p for 20kg. In the middle of the summer. Better than landfilling the sawdust. A lot of wood product companies have bought the briquetting machines. I imagine there was some fairly well thought out marketing but I'm unsure as to whether it proved economically sensible. When I bought some of these they were offering to cart a van load to the Boat for a good price. Trouble is they turn into porridge (inedible but exactly the same consistency) at any hint of moisture. They really do. Would be great dehumidifiers or bilge soaker uppers. Just a random example. There will be others.
  2. A lot of this depends on whether you want the fire to stay in overnight. I let the fire go out. Always nice to have a cold start and do some problem solving so wood is the answer. Having said that I also have a good supply of free wood which helps ! In the past when I have needed full time heating due to having other occupiers aboard the Boat in the form of a woman and children I used less smoke coal as I think it is cheaper and it will stay in.
  3. I'd not want to lose steering in the event of propulsion failure. Being able to direct the vessel to the side with no power is handy.
  4. I wonder how well these work with the propellor not turning. One of the things I really liked with my 55ft and 72ft narrow Boats were that they both had very good rudder blade size so could easily be steered out of gear/prop not turning. Its really handy to be able to just glide in to the side retaining basic steering ability. Presumably one can still do this with a Schilling.
  5. Yes I know. I take the launch out in all conditions provided the River is not getting near peoples houses. Having said that the River has a lot more water in it than yesterday so I may not bother with the full length cruise this week. Maidenhead to Teddington always a good run. Looks like the easter weekend is going to be quiet as there will be red boards everywhere I reckon.
  6. I'm doing an inspection tour on the launch this week so will be able to report on this matter. After these winter floods Maidenhead to Teddington in the launch should prove quite interesting. Last time I was there the old Djurberg structures were still in place with fewer Boats. Maybe it has all been taken out now. I somehow doubt it but will be interesting to see. The aerial image is wrong. 12 (9) yars in jail means there was something else happening maybe he was a nonce or something. Nobody is going to do time for selling fraudulent houseboats ? The aerial image is wrong This is the correct google maps satellite view not sure of the date. (screen shot of google maps taken by me 8.02pm 27MAR24) The dodgy geyser also had a very nice dutch barge moored at the bottom left of the image on a pontoon which extended away parallel with the riverbank. It was a really good one. Not just a dutch barge but a proper nice classy dutch barge. Real nice one. The type one rarely sees over here.
  7. Thinking of Golden Film there was a fish and chip shop near Rickmansworth called Golden Pond. Could be a useful place for sustenance in the event of not being able to get the right lube oik. I always felt a little uncomfortable about the naming of this outlet then I realised they buy the fish already deceased.
  8. This post cannot be displayed because it is in a forum which requires at least 10 posts to view.
  9. I had a DM2 for 12 yars. Nice engine did a lot of hours. I did use Morris 30 oil but it doesn't have to be that particular brand. There are others. if you can find a proper old motor factors (good luck!) they may well stock SAE 30 be it Morris or anyone else. Nice engine. clippety clop sound like a galloping horse.
  10. One can use the job centre as an address if claiming UC while being of no fixed abode.
  11. Ad says compost. I met someone once who had a compôte lavatory. They kept the waste in yogurt pots.
  12. Putting a Boat on the bottom during a tidal surge is certainly an interesting little loophole to have a look at. I would not touch it with a largepole as a second hand craft but if it were my own Boat and I was constrained as to where to put it I might well consider it. Part of the reason it is interesting is that there would be few options if it needed to be taken away. Yes I suppose it could just be cut up over time and transported but as there is no vehicle access or water access it would be quite an arduous task to complete. Interesting one.
  13. Yes Also if the unit is painted in a colour close to white it will generally reflect more light and therefore be easier to work on it unexpected situations when it might be a bit dark.
  14. This post cannot be displayed because it is in a forum which requires at least 10 posts to view.
  15. Painting engines is a branding thing in a way. I can see why they are painted but I am not sure why one would need to repaint the thing. As for unpainted steel one of the problems with doing this is if you were to brush clothing against it then the light rusting would come off onto the garment. A lot of people would not like that. An unpainted dry steel panel is never going to rust through from that side obviously but it makes a shocking mess of one's blazer.
  16. Do people keep their engines in special glass cabinets? i can't see why the paint would make any difference unless the unit is in a terribly damp atmosphere in which case it might be better to arrange sensible ventilation. If painting a Diesel engine it seems to me it should be a light cream or silver colour so one can see it properly.
  17. This post cannot be displayed because it is in a forum which requires at least 10 posts to view.
  18. My mooring is a CRT owned residential in inner East London. Quite expensive (£1000 pcm) but the DwP did pay. I am leaving next Sunday ! (Just in case anyone wants to live on a Boat in an inner city urban canyon) Yes the first time I heard of someone claiming what was then housing benefit for a towpath 'leisure mooring' was in around 2007.
  19. Is the mooring residential? I could see some potential issues if you are living on a mooring without pp for residential use but if it is residential then as long as it is not outrageously expensive and you are eligible then UC/DwP will pay.
  20. I claimed Universal Credit housing element for a residential mooring and it was covered by the DwP. This was when I ran out of money before being awarded another lump sum from the family money pot. All a bit awkward really. Being on benefits can be handy but a little infra dig ! The DwP did need a signed confirmation of my status from the mooring operator (CRT). I am not sure if a non residential mooring would be covered but I have heard that it can be done. Go for it they will probably pay.
  21. Yes please do. Its brilliant to have this sort of information recorded.
  22. Both of these figures will be shown on the Victron or other application display. Maximum actual output and total output during daylight.
  23. I had some unusually high output from my solar today. I think it might have just been a very bright bit of sun and always worth bearing in mind that solar panels work better in colder weather and there was a terribly shocking northerly.
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