SMELLY
HOLDING TANK
I have a fifty foot ex hire narrow boat built around
1980. We have a problem with a cabbage like smell
coming from the toilet holding tank. Do you think
that if I fitted a vent to the top of the tank that
this would cure my problem?
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answer |
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NARROWBOAT
CORROSION
Just before xmas I took my lovely 55' steel
narrowboat perseverance into drydock and had her
pressure washed. Was horrified to see big blotches
(up to an inch) bright silver in colour.
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answer |
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SPRINGER
BLACKING
I have just purchased a Springer Waterbug. The boat
is a 89 model and had her hull blacked and topside
painted in Sept 2003, when would I have to re-black
her ...?
Click to see
answer |
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WATER
SYSTEM PROBLEMS
I've been looking at the Canal Junction website and
found your address and I'm hoping you can help me. I
seem to have a problem with my water system on my
narrow boat. There are two problems which I'm
assuming are unrelated but I'm not sure!
Click to see
answer |
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DIESEL
TANK FOR STOVE
I am planning to install a diesel stove in the
forward (saloon) area of my boat. Is there any value
in fitting a plastic tank in a forward, steel,
locker - specifically for the stove? Will that be to
advantage when the legislation on diesel for
cruising hits us?
Click to see
answer |
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HEATING
SYSTEM PROBLEM
On my 1 year old Calcutt built Narrowboat I have
excess water leaking from the pressure valve on the
calorifier. I have watched the system and the water
gushes out after a tap has been turned on then
turned off. Click to see
answer |
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TILLER
PROBLEM
I have a 1983 colecraft 40 ft narrowboat. My problem
is when I am cruising in a straight line the tiller
wants to go to the right, it takes considerable
force to hold it straight.
Click to see
answer |
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SOLID
FUEL STOVE
My partner and I recently bought a narrow boat.
There is a multi fuel burner on board that has a
4inch flue. When we moved on the wooden ceiling was
touching the flue, that is there was no clearance
around it. ...now I'm worried that this will not be
safe. Click to see
answer |
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NARROWBOAT
CORROSION
Hi I am the owner of a Narrowboat and am interested
in preventing electrolytic corrosion. I have read
lots of articles by people who obviously don't know
anything real so I am anxious to communicate with an
expert, can you help please?
Click to see
answer |
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WATER
INSIDE BOAT
Hello, we have been living on a 63ft narrow boat for
the last year and yesterday discovered about an inch
of water lying under the floor boards in the hull.
Help! Click to see
answer |
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HEATING
SYSTEM LEAK
I have an Eberspacher diesel hydronic unit. I'm
getting a little frustrated now because I know I'm losing
water somewhere - just not sure where from?
Click to see
answer |
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HULL
WATER LEAK
We are first time boat owners, having recently
purchased a small cruiser. We haven't taken the boat out
for about 6 weeks. We went to check on it last week and
found about 2 inches of water in the galley area.
Click to see
answer |
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GARDNER
WATER HEATING
I have a Gardner 3LW engine fitted in my narrowboat
and would like to use the engine to heat the water in the
twin coil calorifier. However ... this is not recommended.
Click to see
answer |
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DAMP BILGES IN GRP
CRUISER
My partner purchased a 25' Buckingham cruiser a few month
ago. The people who we had it from moved the table
approximately 18" further into the boat, yesterday we
discovered that the carpet was wet where the original
table had been, do we have a problem? . Click to see
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FUEL BUG IN ENGINE
I recently broke down on the River Lee and was told by a
mechanic that I have a ' fuel bug' in my engine. The
resulting slime etc blocked my fuel lift pump inlet valve.
I was told that I simply need to buy an additive which
will sort this out. Click to see
answer |
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HULL BLACKING
I took the opportunity to give the hull another coat of
bitumastic. In some areas I was probably a bit too
generous and now, 3 months later, it's starting too peel
off below the water line. Click to see
answer |
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PLASTIC FUEL TANKS?
I am busy installing two 25 gal plastic truck diesel
tanks in the engine section of the cruiser style boat.
They are brand new Iveco tanks. Is this OK or is plastic a
no-no? Click to see
answer |
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WATER SUPPLY PROBLEMS
I have ... a pressurised water system with an outlet in
the galley and another in the heads. I bought a new Whale
Universal pump (recommended for two outlets) this season.
The water flow in the galley is strong but not nearly so
strong in the heads where it passes through a flexible
shower hose. Click to see
answer |
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WATER SUPPLY PROBLEM
The water ran through to the taps but the supply only
lasted for a matter of a minute before drying up. Once the
tap had been turned off for a couple of minutes and then
back on the water again only ran for about a minute.
Click to see
answer |
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INSTALLING A CALORIFIER
Is it possible to use a hot water calorifier with a direct
cooled engine. I have a 20 Hp SABB direct cooled engine,
that I would like to use to heat a 20Litre calorifier.
Must I convert the engine to indirect cooled first? Click to see
answer |
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ASSESSING HULL CONDITION
I am considering buying a narrow boat. How can I examine
the condition of the hull when the vessel is in the water?
How often should boats be removed for hull maintenance and
what form should that maintenance take? Click to see
answer |
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DRAINING
WATER SYSTEMS
We are first time
owners of a 40' narrowboat. During the recent frost we had
a burst pipe in the gas water heater and the marina said
that we should have drained the system first. I suspect
they are pulling my leg as I am told this can be done by
opening the taps and blowing down the shower hose!
Click to see
answer |
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RUST ON NEW HULL
We have bought a
new boat, delivered April. Within a few weeks rust was
bubbling out through the blacking, the boatbuilder agreed
to take the boat out and cleaned and blacked with one
coat. Now six weeks later the rust is worse than ever ...
Click to see
answer |
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SKIN TANK
SIZE
Visited Canal
Junction site where it's suggested you're just the chap I
need to talk to. I'm having a narrowboat built shortly.
The builder provides a engine coolant tank between one of
the engine beds and the surface of the swim one side ( say
approx 3ft long and 8 inches ....
Click to see
answer |
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SUITABLE TOOLS
My Father recently
attended your Boat Maintenance Course. He will be
travelling on a Canal boat with a Nanni Diesel engine. I
am looking to buy some tools to start up his tool box for
the boat. In the documentation he brought away from the
course there are some suggestions that I have looked.
... Click to see
answer |
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FRESH WATER PUMP PROBLEM
Just a quick
question about my narrowboats fresh water system. ... the
water pump kept operating, for a split second, about every
20 minutes or so. I checked all the obvious possibilities,
taps, connections, etc. for leaks but could find nothing
wrong. ... Click
to see answer |
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NARROWBOAT BOTTOM
BLACKING
I am getting conflicting advice on the blacking of the
bottom of the narrowboat hull. Some say black it, others
are telling me there's no point as the bottom of the canal
in shallow waters will take it off anyway. I'd appreciate
your views on this. ... Click
to see answer |
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WATER PUMP LEAKING
I have a flojet water pump which is leaking (slightly).
The automatic pump operates for a few seconds every now
and then with all appliances closed... Click
to see answer |
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STIFF
RUDDER
My friend's 40ft Springer narrowboat has such a stiff
tiller, that it is tiring to cruise for more than an hour
or so. She is now going to have it replaced, but would
like advice on what she should ask for.
Click to see
answer |
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Fault
Finding
