Vaughan

Thanks Mark, I forgot about the pressure relief valve! At least there is one fitted. So many boats don't even have one. I am trying to think back, but I seem to remember that the MC42 runs cooler than some others. Maybe 75 degrees? Even so, 50 would surely be too cool, and would not provide the same efficiency of heat exchange to the calorifier. The MC 42 incidentally, was developed in close collaboration with Duffields in Norwich, who were Perkins main dealers and wanted an engine specifically adapted for the Norfolk Broads, and other inland waterways.

Well for a start, the MC42 is a very nice little engine. they were designed as much more of a "marine" engine, in other words you can work on them from the top, rather than underneath. If you are only doing 1800 revs that is normal as these are a low revving, "long reach" engine. When Crown Blue Line were building a lot of boats, we wanted to standardise on this engine, but Perkins could not guarantee that they would continue to produce them for more than 5 years, so we went for the Nanni instead. In our opinion the MC 42 was an excellent small inland waterways engine. If you don't have a temperature gauge upstairs, then fit one! Any 4 cyl diesel should be running at 80 degrees minimum and some prefer 90. If you are only running at 50 this is bad for the engine. Did you know that pistons, when cold, are not circular? They only become perfectly circular, and thus fit the cylinders, when running at optimum designed temperature. I suggest you have a boatyard look at the engine and check the thermostat. It sounds to me as if you have recently bought this boat, so maybe a good idea to have someone take a good look. You must certainly check the tension on the alternator belt, if not you will strip the belt. If it has been screeching a lot, you probably need a new one. You may also have an air lock in the pipes which lead from the engine to the calorifier tank. Run the engine until warm and feel these pipes. If they are not hot to the touch, then you will not be getting hot water for your shower! In this case, with the engine running, ease off the jubilee clip on the upper of these two pipes, at the engine end, and see if you can bleed the air out. Be careful not to go anywhere near the alternator pulleys when the engine is running. There are a few ideas for a start!

I will start by answering your questions with questions : What is the make of the engine? Are you running it in neutral, or in ahead gear? What temp does the engine show, when running?

That int ner good askin me! For grammatists, note the renowned Norfolk double negative. There is also the triple negative, as in "Oi int never haard nuthin loik it."

Here's one for Hockham Admiral! I know it's "south of Beccles" but it was always my favourite.

By the way, the 79 bus that I mentioned, also became the nick-name for the Wilds Caribbeans, when we first saw them on the river in the 1960s.

o'corse, arter yar bin ter the oomstors yew can tairke a quick pook aroun the maarket, see if yew cun git sutthun noice fer 'is dinner, hev a Bulluds Nip in the Garnut Woolsley and then yar a bringin arn it oom agin! For those of you who Peter calls "north of Sutton Bridge" (thass a whully long way an all, yar gotta change at Melton Constable), The oomstors is British Home Stores, the streets are Castle Meadow, and St Stephens, a Bullards Nip was a very strong bottled beer, also good for cold-starting diesel engines, and the Sir Garnet Wolseley is a famous pub on the corner of the market, close to St Peter Mancroft Church. Famous for being open all day on market days! The 79 bus used to run through Thorpe Green and finish up at the "eye skule" on Pound Lane. Who started this, was it you Peter?

I were now thinkin, thass funny yew tork about Naarfolk.... Moi missiz, she tork Naaridge, but that int the same thing. She went to that posh noter darm skule an all, along a Wussername's missiz. Yew'da thort they'da laarned em how 'er durt praarpa, woodn't yer? Susie, she rekun she musta picked it up on the 79 bus, with all them ol dears on their way up the Oomstors. you know, that int verra far from Thorpe. Yew git orf at Carsal Meda an thass just up Susteevens.

I am so pleased to hear this story about Peachments. I have been on this forum since last autumn, but have not heard their name mentioned, so have hesitated to say anything about them, in technical discussions. In all the years that I was technical manager for Crown Blue Line, the Peachment family became good friends. We were building around 30 boats a year in Somerleyton and everything mechanical or electrical came from them. We only had to phone them to say we were building another Classique, and their van would arrive with the complete kit, from the steering wheel to the prop shaft, including hydraulic drive, electrics, light fittings - you name it. We developed things together, such as the hydraulic bow thruster and hydraulic generator, for use with air conditioning. We also solved problems as they arrived, especially on the Nanni 4220 which had problems with overheating. Andrew put an engine on test on the bench, and we found the problem was a constriction in the water injection bend, which was causing a back pressure in the tube stack, and so the blades were stripping off the impellor. Solution was an enlarged opening in the injection bend and an impellor with 10 blades instead of 12. I can just imagine Andrew out there on the Admiral's boat, solving the problem. I have seen him do it often, sometimes flying out to France to do so! They know a great deal about electrics and batteries and so if you ever have a problem in that area, give them a ring. It has been a privilege, over the years, to work with a supplier as dedicated, efficient and knowledgeable as Peachments. I cannot recommend them more highly than that. Only one thing I would say about the Admiral's problem - the removal and inspection of the heat exchanger tube stack should be a routine check every winter. the Broads are supposed to be fresh water, but you get a build up of calcium deposits all the same. Take it out, take it home and leave it in vinegar or mild acid for a couple of days, and it will be nice and clean. So long as you can gain access, it is quick and easy to remove.

ooos that little ol' boy Pe 'er? Wassee noo what we doont?

I hope some well meaning naturalist doesn't get the idea to let it "free" on Hickling Broad.

if you are screwing into a fibreglass cabin top, make sure your drill is the right size for the screws or you might craze the gelcoat. Don't forget to always coat the screws in waterproof mastic first.

Cor, look yew out, this thread a now gorn HOT! Oi rekun that there mod'll be hair any minit. eecrairze me, he dew.

We hint haard a lot from that Pesky moderairter frum somewhere up north o' Kings Lynn. Oi rekun afore verra long he'll wa' er know what we're on about. He don't half mob.

Look yew owt - hair he goo agin!

Well, I am influenced by those around me of course! Seriously, like Wussername, I am rather proud to know the Norfolk dialect. I regard it as a precious heritage.

The Michael I knew was a Langley Junior, and farms near Blofield - sometimes to be seen in the Brick Kilns. Jimmy has gone now, I hear, but he founded the Strumpshaw steam museum. I forgot Peter Jeckells - yew orter a haard him an all!

As the son of an occasional boatyard owner, I know what you mean. I went to prep school with Jimmy Key and Michael Mack. Yew orter a haard em! I picked the rest of it up in Hearts Cruisers' boatsheds, much to my mother's disappointment. Nowadays, they tell me I speak French with a broad Norfolk accent!

When I was on the rigs off Humberside we used to say that if you can see Flamborough Head from Spurn Point, you know that rain is on the way. If you can't see it, you know it's raining.

Thass loik what oi keep a'tellin on 'em. They don' know wassa cummin term!

Sounds good to me. Some people swear by Sikaflex as a mastic (which it is) but it is also a glue, and a strong one. Never use it for fitting windows, for instance, or you will never be able to remove them again. If you use it, then think of it as a permanent job.

Yes they still "fait le pont" or "make a bridge" between a public holiday and the weekend adjacent, but this extra day comes off the annual holiday and is usually only by agreement with the whole workforce. I can't say I agree with the French way of doing business as it is certainly not commercial and the workers can't see that it actually does not protect them - quite the contrary, as employers now hesitate before taking on more staff. 35 hours does not create employment, it just makes companies economise and drop standards of service, especially in tourism, which is a service business. All the same, these practices are deeply embedded in a very socialist culture and after a few years, you just get used to working within these constraints. I will say one thing for them - when they are at work, they work well. As for Wussername's remarks, that will cost him a pint. In the Buck. Hopefully this weekend!

For those of you wondering what on Earth is going on in France right now, I thought I might at least try to explain it. The 35 hour week has been in force for at least 15 years now and for the unions this has become one of the tablets that Moses brought down from the mountain. You can work more than 35 hours in a week, up to 45, but this must be recuperated by reducing the following week. You can add up your extra hours and take them all off at the end of the fiscal year, but this must be by agreement with a company's workforce. This could result in men taking about 3 weeks off, as well as 5 weeks annual holiday, all just before the 1st April. Imagine that on a hire boatyard! Staff working Sundays or public holidays get double time off. In May there are 5 public holidays, so when these fall on a boat turnround day, you pretty well lose your staff for the rest of the week. There is no such thing as casual labour so all Saturday cleaners, etc, must be fully declared. This causes a large use of zero-hour contracts with agencies. You cannot pay overtime, as the theory is that if you need to work overtime, you need more staff. This is supposed to create more jobs, but of course, it doesn't. It is also impossible to lay off staff once you have given them a full-time contract. So it is pretty well impossible to run a commercial business, especially in tourism, under these conditions and no surprise that the government have at last decided to modify the rules. Other thing to realise is that in this country, if you block the Queen's highway, you get arrested, but not in France! The slightest bit of union trouble and they all go and sit on the motorway outside Paris, while the police calmly look on and do nothing. They will only intervene if there is actual violence. The enforced re-opening of the refinery at Fos, by the police, is therefore seen by the public as a serious step against democracy. I came back from the south of France during Monday and Tuesday and only just made it. Almost all service stations and supermarkets were already dry by Tuesday and you can only rely on fuel (for the moment) on a motorway. I came through Dieppe, which was not blockaded, but Brittany Ferries and DFDS are French ships, so they will also soon run out of diesel, if they do not themselves go on strike. The railways are now also on strike (when are they not?) and airlines are cancelling some flights, to places where they cannot re-fuel. For France this is a very serious and fundamental problem which will not be resolved quickly. I cannot recommend travelling there for perhaps several weeks to come.

On inland waterways in France (and I think most countries of eastern Europe) all boats with an inboard engine are built to EC maritime regulations, Category D. Most large hire boats are built to Cat C, so that they can also be sold privately as sea boats. A good example of this would be Ranworthbreeze. These regs include an engine compartment fire port. They also have a comprehensive set of installation instructions for electrics, both AC and DC, and including shore power fittings. There have never been any specific inland waterway regs in France. The only thing they don't require, bizarrely, is a pump-out toilet!

Thanks for that Alan. Judging by the dates it must have been Benjamin Blake, although I never knew his name. He and my father talked war stories, so I have a feeling he had stayed in England after the end of the war.