NeilB

The, err, starter motor is full electric... rest is good old diesel. There is electric, hybrid and hydrogen stuff being tested right now, but not for me at present. Plus, it's mostly aimed at 300 to 1000hp - would make my Alpha hull twist back the other way!!

Yes, it maybe slightly green....

Thought I'd get all the pain out of the way in one go, well, most of it anyway, for now! I did manage to knock a fair chunk off the asking price back in Feb due to the engine being on it's last legs, plus the new one is cost price which softens the blow.

I've not updated for a while as been pottering around the northern rivers most weekends in between jobs on board. Most of the recent hot weather was spent on Barton Broad funnelling a nice breeze through the boat and making new friends. I'll be leaving Stalham just after 4pm today, heading for Fleet Dyke or mud weight on South Walsham Broad as need to pop into Marine Tech in the morning. Thought I'd give fair warning about the end of the summer sun - I'm fitting a solar panel so it's probably going to rain for 40 days and nights - sorry!

My looming lift out is going to be eye watering as having quite a bit of work done. Strengthening the aft well, luckily access is good, bow thruster and anchor winch being fitted along with new engine plus a slap of new paint on the hull. Superstructure is still GRP so I'm going to slowly repair the million or so gel defects and polish is myself, might finish before I die!

Maybe I'm lucky, mines had 2 surveys in under 4 years and both said while it has Osmosis it was less than expected. I do however have a soft aft cockpit well which is going to rectified soon.

It won't last, full on 100% cloud cover by the weekend. It's when my new solar panel arrives.....

I do have a BBQ / fire pit thingy but it's really too big and uses too much charcoal, after this blog I'm really going to have to buy a Cobb !!

Still mud weighted on Barton, lovely stiff breeze last night but it's pretty weak at the moment. Be thankful it's not snowing...... Imagine shovelling snow in this heat....

Ah good, my car is still there!!

I've done the same as you Helen, nice shade with a bit of breeze. Plus I'm on Barton and the breeze is quite strong so may stay tomorrow as well !

Currently on that nice single quay headed mooring in Fleet Dyke, also heading up the Ant tomorrow so you should get at least 2 waves I can make shade on he boat but hopefully there will be a nice breeze on Barton to ride out the next couple of days heatwave! But, have to be close to the car as I may be summoned down to Sunseeker on Tuesday.

Richos still have a half built Carousel and the Sedan, shed doors were open the other day so had a quick peep! Not being worked on though.

With all those batteries weighing it down it could get under Potter!! How many Kw is that?

I was mud weighted in the far corner, left just after you. I was so tired I could have probably curled up on top of one of the speakers!!

Before covid we were planning a slight increase in business. The first few weeks manufacturers cancelled tons of raw matériels, within a few weeks they were trying to re-order. Boatbuilders orderbooks across the world exploded and the supply chain is still struggling to catch up. Don’t think we will for some time.

Sounded like there was a rave at Salhouse last night, was that you? 🤣

The other possibility is they have a wet system which has the ability to heat the calorifier tank.

Good signal at Stalham staithe!

You say it's a narrowboat set up but you don't have a skin tank which is unusual as most are keel cooled in some way. So I'm assuming you are raw water cooled and normally have a flow of water out of the exhaust? Have you checked the raw water filter isn't blocked? Some raw water narrowboats had a mudbox instead of a filter, they were harder to block. And the raw water pump impellor is intact? There are other checks but these would be my first. As for no hot water, that could be an air lock but first check if there is any water in the engine? (Be careful if it's still hot).

I've noticed they only seem to take them out the water every other year, I noticed a Radiant Light a few weeks ago that looked like it had just been raised from Davey Jones' locker, it was that bad. On the other hand the other half the fleet looked good at the start of the season! If Richos can manage it I'm not sure why Woods cannot, they have enough shed space, they seem to have money to build the odd new boat so all I can think of is penny pinching.

It’s so warm at the moment even my wheezy old Perkins starts without pre heat!!

In the lily pad photo, if you had turned 90 degrees left you would have been looking at my mooring!

I’ll be passing you in a few minutes, I’ll give you a toot!!