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Hi Karizma Lead acid battery's are the most cost efficient BUT do require maintained and storage outside the living area, if you combine the lad acide and the AGM set the charging rate to the lower type battery's they my be wont last as long but you will get some use from them. John

Hi Rory You dont have to have a rail/bus bar you can make your own with 50amp cable just lupe all the top terminals in a row. Plus as Vaughan said. John

Hi Fit a Ballard Aerial from Brian Wards. John

We found having two sets of fenders was best one for when on mooring and one matched set for posing when sailing. Fender socks are a pain. John

Hi Adam If you would like me to provide a new wiring diagram i need more info 1= how many batteries do you have and what type. 2= where are they positioned. 3= what are you aiming to achieve and how much do you have to spend. 4= what type of battery charger do you have and is it wired to shore power through a Galvanic Isolator. you dont have to have a battery for each thruster but you do need welding cables to carry the power from a battery to the thruster, so one battery can provide power for both thrusters, or from starter battery which is the best way as you only use the thrusters when the engine is running so power is replaced . John

Hi Adam You need a large 11/13 plate Automotive battery (Car) for starting and thrusters charged by one of the engines, Then bank of leisure batteries for your domestics, two or four being ideal wired parallel these being charged by your other engine, trying to start your engines from a leisure battery is only going to be trouble, they dont have the power! you will only damage your starter motors.Having a advanced regulator on the leasure bank alternator is also a ideal option, Battery's that are constantly being discharged wont have a very long life. There is a combined regulator from Sterling that combines both alternators and charges and sorts the correct charging for all the battery's for the most economical charging BUT! they do have a cost, but the best way for max return.Sterling also provide wiring diagrams for there products, you can't wire both alternators to charge one battery bank just using there built in regulators, one alternator for one bank, or use a Sterling Combiner. John

Hi Yousmon Suggest you remove the cardboard trim from the bottom rear side bins and spray with penetrating oil then Wax Oil this is where they corroid out of site until subfram becomes detached, difficult place to repair. John

Hi Just remembered they are called Ivor Searle I didn't use them my self as we did our own reconditioning , They are a large business so may be able to help. John

Hi Valve stem seals are not designed to seal but stop to much oil running down the stem and being sucked into the combustion chambers, BMC seals do seal but they are fitted under valve cap collets as the top of the valve spring cap is dished and collects oil. Perkins ones are just a shroud to stop to much oil running down the inlet valve, you need some on the stem for lubrication purposes. if old ones are just hard but complet reuse them, at worst you my use a little more oil, worn valve stems are much more likely oil users, keeping the valve cover clean with yearly oil changes is much more important to stop a build up of crud around the valves as well as removing acides from the oil when engines are under used.This highlights the best practise to have a stock off consumables items while still available on older less common engines. Have you tried boat yards or engine reconditioners. There's one or was one at Soham Nr Ely Cambs.( afraid i have forgotten the name) John

Hippersons has FAME fuel from Shell thats why its a few pence dearer,You dont need an additive.. Moor at the first pontoon on the left as you sail in from the river, ( in front of the wet shed) then if no body there walk round to the office or phone for service. they do water, pumpout and gas as well as fuel. John

Ours has white flowers so must be allowed it came from a garden centre, although ours has more pointed leaves, smells ok!. John

We have a large one of those in a pot in our Lounge. John

Hi Cris It wont do any harm to give it a dose of additive, as to water tank fill it with a few gallons so you can run all the taps if ok fill tank with Aqua tabs added when tank is quarter to half full run all the taps until dosed water comes out and leave when tank is full let it stand for a day or so then either empty or use the dosed water it wont do any harm for washing up or flushing toilet ( we dont drink from our tank we have a separate container) Its a good idea that when you get your pennant fit it to a pole on the Bow rail so that is a inch higher than your highest part of the boat, so that if when going under a bridge if pole goes through boat will, but if pole touches you will have time to reverse before any contact happens. John

Hi Grendel Galleons boat yard or Hipperson's boat yard are the only practical and safe places with easy access to (Guess) your boat. John

Hi troggy If they are arriving by car, the car parking at Richardson's is a lot better and safer and they wont have to carry there luggage to the boat they will either be able to park next to the boat or use a trolley. there are various places near by if they are arriving a day or so later to occupy you until they arrive near by. John

Hi Be aware that Wavestream filters require a stronger pump and as they collect any oils they gradually become blocked and stop the pump from working. you dont need a filter fitted to a bilge pump, engines should now have a tray or a self contained space under the engine and gear box to collect and hold all drips. Bilge filters were used before this requirement for a contained space/tray came into force on all inland water ways. If they become blocked they will stop the pump from working and could possibly sink your boat . John

Hi John it could be a rudder indicator on/of. John

Hi Or distances. John

Hi Peter have a look at Sterling Power Products web site, i have used these for years with no problems they have a phone line for advice and offer same day repair/replacement if you get to there site (Droitwich) before 10am, i have always had problems in getting Victron repaired. They come from Holland. And diode's are not ideal relays are much better. John

Hi According to the diagram it is used as a jump start devise to beef up the starter battery (or in your case the bow thruster) and could flatten both battery's, you dont need it to run the bow thruster you do need a automotive battery not a leisure battery, and you will need a charge relay to charge the thruster battery from one or both of your alternators. if you fit a charge combiner both alternators will recharge your battery's quicker. John

Hi Peter in your case with two engines i would charge engine battery from one engine and domestics from the other engine which will only need for one modified regulator on this engine then if you have to charge domestic bank up while moored you only need start the one engine. John

Hi Peter Also just to add battery's dont like being left unused, its good practice to wire your battery's up to a battery maintainer or solar panel just to keep them fully charged over the lay up period otherwise over time they self discharge and die, and wont take a charge, which i suspect has happened in your case. ideally you only need one engine battery and up to four domestic battery's for the average broads boat, these need to be charged via a alternator with a modified regulator to maximize the charge rate for shortest engine running time, or even better two alternators as fitted now to new boats. this then only requires two battery isolator switches, by keeping it simple makes for greater reliability and less stress. John

Hi Peter The thruster battery's often dont get maintained as they are often tucked away my advice would be to remove the battery and power it from the engine battery vie 100amp welding/battery cable this removes all the maintance and auxiliary switches, fuses, relays etc. the cost will be the same or less than a new battery John

I have a hot water cylinder in the airing cupboard along with a combi boiler, this then allows me to have free hot water from my solar panels, i dont need a water tank in the loft as its all mains water pressure works very well. As to gas being turned of to existing property's is pie in the sky, electric central heating has a long way to go. John

Andrew you should try mine it weighs 90Kg, it does have the advantage of never loosing it's grip on the river bed. John