Q & A
Got a technical question or a boating query? Post your quandaries here and pick the brains of the WW team. You can also add your answers to others' questions, or browse through previous answers.
Engine for river cruising
I need some advice about the best sort of engine I'll need to cruise the East Anglian rivers - any make/model best? What cc and HP? My boat will be moored on the River Great Ouse.
Asked by: Paul Taylor | Saturday 23 June, 10.47pm | 3 answers
Avtex portable satellite system
Hello
I am looking at portable satellite options.
I came across the Avtex AQF431 (suprisingly like the CAMOS PAPSA which doesn't seem to be available from the normal channels anymore).
I wondered if anyone has tried the Avtex or can recommend another portable solution.
http://www.avtex.co.uk/index.php/products/AQF431
Thank you in advance. Colin
Asked by: Colin Neale | Saturday 16 June, 6.45pm | 2 answers
tank guages
I wish to install 3 guages for my water tank, holding tank and diesel tank, with the displays mounted on my control panel inside the boat. Can you recommend a product/supplier which I can use and is there anything wireless?
Asked by: mike bass | Tuesday 12 June, 10.39am | 1 answer
how good are shire engines
looking at buying 57ft traditional narrowboat
will be using it to travel all canals around uk in a years time.(when all things go to plan) been shown selection of canal boats with a selection of engines? the boat that serves age,length,condition has a shire 2000 fitted. as im no expert on cruisers it this any good. thank you rob.
Asked by: robert | Monday 11 June, 6.01pm | 3 answers
Tidal Thames to River Medway
We are moving our narrow boat from the River Wey to Rochester, requiring a 12 hour trip along the tidal Thames. I am a confident and experienced boater, but the amount of open water is making my nervous - though many people must have done a similar journey. Should I just bite the bullet and get her tansported by road, or am I being a wuss? I have selected 14 July ( a neap tide) for the journey. Any comments or advice would be appreciated, especially from those who have made the journey and lived to tell the tale!
Asked by: Andrew Kennedy | Thursday 7 June, 12.31am | 1 answer
Boat Sharing
I am an experienced boater (in hire boats) and am now very keen to buy a share of a narrow boat. Do you think managed boat shares are worth the extra annual costs compared to private boat shares? It seems that a boat share can be bought very cheaply but the annual costs can be quite high. I would value any suggestions or comments.
Thanks
Asked by: Tim Heaps | Sunday 3 June, 5.29pm | 2 answers
Winter Moorings
I'm shortly going to become a live aboard continuous cruiser. I'd planned to just get frozen in near to water in the winter. But, an experienced person told me the other day that some marinas allow CCs to moor up for the winter at what seem like very reasonable costs. He mentioned £300-£400 to moor between November and April. This seems too good to be true. Is it?
Asked by: Carl Young | Sunday 3 June, 1.02pm | 1 answer
Game on (narrowboats)
I am about to become a continuous cruising live aboard. I'd like to supliment my cupboard with the odd rabbit. My intention is to ask at farms around my moorings if it would be ok to take a couple of rabbits using an air gun. Has anyone any thoughts about the use of an air gun on the waterways (apart from the obvious vegetarian issues). It may be worth just mentioning, that I'm retiring from a professional career in law enforcement.
Asked by: Carl Young | Thursday 24 May, 11.22pm | 2 answers
lpg gas detectors
Can you please advise on inexpensive lpg gas detectors, for use in a narrowboat?
Asked by: fred dicker | Thursday 24 May, 11.21am | 2 answers
license
might be a silly question but Ive just bought a narrow boat so where do i go to get my licence from and is that all i need, will be a continuous cruiser thankyou
Asked by: andy wakler | Thursday 24 May, 9.50am | 2 answers
Bw case against cont cruising
ref high court judgement, 23 may, the guidelines say that the licence holder must cont cruise for duration of licence, does that mean cont cruisers cannot use winter mooring?
Asked by: Peter Wright | Wednesday 23 May, 8.26pm | 1 answer
dinette
can any one help me iam trying to buy a pullmans dinette but cant find any on the net, does any one have any plans of this dinette? its the one that doubles for a bed, thanks
Asked by: andy wakler | Thursday 17 May, 7.16pm | 2 answers
Tidal rivers?
I've noticed that insurance excludes using a narrowboat on tidal rivers. How do I find out, when rout planning, what is and isn't a tidal river? The trent for example, and the severn? Ive got the Collins inland waterways map but it doesn't really help?
Asked by: Carl Young | Tuesday 15 May, 9.42pm | 4 answers
inverter
is an inverter combo best for a liveaboard or just the normal inverter
Asked by: andy wakler | Monday 14 May, 11.28pm | 1 answer
where can i find advice about the use of anchors
i am planning a trip form Brentford to Oxford via the Thames and want to learn more about the need and use for an anchor while cruising the river
Asked by: greg southgate | Monday 14 May, 11.23pm | 2 answers
Chimney sweeping
What equipment would I use to sweep a wood burner chimney, how do I do it, how often? Also, I'm jus in the process of buying the boat. When I inspected the chimney I noticed that the top is covered with an upside down tin! Is this standard practice (obviously remembering to remove it when it's lit) or should there be some sort of metal umbrella arrangement, that's missing?
Asked by: Carl Young | Monday 14 May, 10.48am | 3 answers
Flimsy doors
The boat I'm buying has fairly flinsy doors at the front. They look like if you gave them a good pull they would come open. they do have a deadlock on them but I can't imagine that would withstand much of an attack. I,ve thought about getting them replaced with steel but I think that would be very expensive. Any ideas how I could improve security? Also, I'm looking at alarm systems. The ones that phone up aren't really suitable. i'm looking at a cheap wireless motion detector one that will just make a big noise if someone breaks in. Any thoughts on this or security in general? Thanks.
Asked by: Carl Young | Sunday 13 May, 12.18am | 2 answers
Thetford 200 to 260 conversion
I'm buying a boat that has a c200 plumbed in. I'd like to change that to the porcalain bowl 260c. Anyone know if thats a straight forward thing to do? Fittings in the same place? Also, is the cassette much bigger on the 260? The cassette is removed into a cupboard on the boat and it looks a bit tight already, getting it out. Thanks.
Asked by: Carl Young | Sunday 13 May, 12.13am | 1 answer
harral brokerage
HI I KNOW HAROL BROKERAGE WHENT INTO
LIQIDATION BUT DOES ANYONE KNOW IF ANYONE TOOK OVER THE BOAT SALES AT THE YARD AS I WOULD LIKE TO GO AND HAVE A LOOK WHATS FOR SALE THANKYOU
Asked by: andy wakler | Thursday 10 May, 5.44pm | 1 answer
painting a narrowboat
Can you recommend any articles or publications on painting and bottom blacking a narrowboat? Also what paints are especially recommended?
Asked by: Brian Woods | Thursday 10 May, 2.23pm | 3 answers
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