mbird

He seems terribly picky

Hi Steve I think the 2.2 BMC will pump water about the same rate as a 1.5, in which case you can just about keep up pouring directly from a can or big funnel. Just make sure you have a helper on the stop switch of the engine. Using the syphon technique you describe would also work, but I'd make sure the container of antifreeze was above the level of the weed filter so you haven't got a pipe full of air to suck first and mean you wouldn't necessarily need a completely air-tight seal with your duct-tape.

Hi Wayne, that is exactly how the strainers are fitted on Sealines. On my engines, though, there is very little height difference between the strainer and the heat exchanger, so introducing it there allows a bit to go in, but then seems to find equilibrium and no more is taken through by gravity. WRT the heaters, I have no idea what power they are, but I am under the impression they tend to be about 40w per foot length, so each around 160w in that case. I know they keep the engine bay very warm and hence the stat I fitted. I reckon they are a bit over-spec, but then do warm up quick when the temperature drops. Yes David, I found all about the pressure last year when I did naively try to get AF into the system the old BMC way! Rather a good soaking I got too Just picking up on your point about the danger of getting the AF into the exhaust manifold, if on sterndrives, will any excess not simply join the exhaust elbow then g oout via the legs? To get it into the manifold, wouldn't the legs have to fill up first?

Hi Rob Serenity has a pair of 4ft tube heaters in the engine bay, which I added a plun in stat to that comes on at 6 degrees. She was in the water at Brundall Bay all last winter where the water froze to a thickness of up to 3 inches for several weeks. Apart from draining the domestic water supply and clorifier completely, the only winterising I did was to pour antifreeze into the weed filters and then kick the engines over, I repeated this a few times just to make sure there was some AF in the heat exchanger. We had no problems and of course this doesn't stop you using the boat on nice days. She did come out before easter for a bit of maintenance, where we found we had knackered props, so the 2 day lift turned into a 2 week perios on the hard, and I took the opportunity to oil change the legs, replace anodes and antifoul her. We have no intention of having her out this year, other than a quick lift in the spring to check her over and change the leg oil again.

Hi Wayne I think I'd advise against this with your engines. This is exactly the way I used to do the engine on my last boat, but that was a little BMC 1.5 and still pulled the AF mix from the weed filter faster than I could pour it from a 5L container. With your engines I really think the flow of the water pulled by the impellors would be greater than you could feed it in. Only my opinion, but I wouldn't risk it..... I wonder if you could rig a hose from the raw water pump into a barrel of AF so it could suck it in at it's own pace?

I'm glad you clarified that Jonathan, I thought it was a small dead rodent!

Ditto, although at least we'd just returned from a week in Lanzarote to compensate . It looks like a Birchwoo owners club meet (with a token Fairline to avoid the descrimination accusations), although I didn't know Birchwoo also made submarines - Gav!

Glad you enjoyed your trip Craggie, but to see the Broads at their best, the only way is by boat!

There are some stunning images on there Dave (I guess you don't need a member gallery then )

You could try a call to Brian Wards at Brundall? They are not particularly cheap, but definatley know their onions and I have always found them very helpful indeed.

Another stunning photo Dave. Have you thought of adding all your stellar photos into a members gallery so they are all in one place for us to marvel at?

I would guess they are not taking ownership until then.

I guess it won't be in the fleet until then!

Let's hope no one is daft enough to chance it then. Who knows, they may just "switch" them on without saying Personally I think the £470k is worth spending if it saves live, and it seems it has. If there is no funding to actually use the cameras then there is no revenue from them, but conversely no expense to keep them operational. To that end, they are effectively dummy cameras but seem to be doing a good job all the same.

No Gav, it was definately a Lucas alternator. I found this web page very useful http://www.tb-training.co.uk/MarineE08.html#CHARGING SYSTEM – ALTERNATOR and the part I found to be the reason behind my charging issue was "In theory, the majority of alternators fitted on small craft will not start to charge unless they get a little extra magnetism in their rotors – in practice, given a sound engine and a strong nerve, they may well, as long as the engine is revved high enough. I do not condone this practice, but it can get you out of trouble.Normally the extra magnetism is provided by the current flowing through the warning lamp when the ignition is switched on." My old boat was originally fitted with a rising oil pressure switch, but this had been bypassed at some point with the ignition lamp to provide the extra voltage. Until I found the broken wire, I used to have to rev the engine to about 2000rpm to get the ignition light to extinguish.

Hi Soundings I think my reply may just be an eleboration on Gav's post above, but this is from personal experience when I rebuilt the dash of my old boat. I'm not sure what sort of boat you have, but if an ex-hire craft they often used to be wired thus: the ignition light is wired directly to the ignition-on position of the ignition switch. The wire then leaves the light and goes to the back of the alternator. When the ignition switch is on but the engine not running, current flows from the switch, through the light, and to the alternator where it is grounded and hence the light glows. This is done to provide the necessary "excitation voltage" for the alternator coils. When the engines is started, this excitation voltage is used to create the magnetic field in the alternator, and then electricity can be produced. Once the alternator starts generating power, it is effectively fed back up the same wire to the light. As there is now positive voltage on both sides of the light, it goes out. If the bulb is flickering, it could be a bad connection/broken wire from either your ignition switch to the bulb, or from the bulb to the alternator. When I had the problem with my dash, it turned out to be a broken wire 6 inches from the back of the alternator. Sorry if I am either teaching you to suck eggs, or indeed have got the technical side a bit wrong, but I am only a layman at this electrical stuff, but that's how I understand it. Happy hunting ....!

Classic Time was my favourite of all the High Craft vessels too Dan. I think Darren may be making way for future changes to the fleet though, and the High Craft boats were the oldest on his fleet I think.

We would have loved to join you, but other commitments get in the way I'm afraid Wayne.

Thanks Dan, I'm glad you like my photos

Lovely shot Col, but I am sure you must have photoshopped that sky from somewhere else, as I don't believe it was like that at all this weekend

Now THAT looks better Barry! Ignore what Wayne said about the tabs making no difference, as he owns a Birchwoo and clearly knows no better . They clearly do! It's a pity we couldn't hang around for you guys and went over Breydon earlier. We had a great couple of runs, and there was no vibration from the leg I was worried about after picking up the rope the other week. We managed a top speed of 38mph but had to slow several times for hire craft. Mind you, one Herbert Woods cruiser kept waving us to go past fast, but there was too much traffic to oblige!

What you do in your own home is up to you mate ....

I went to Sweden with my parents on Tor Britannia around the time Triangle was on the box!

Sorry mate, was that my fault We intended to come down but the weather was really bad up here on the coast so didn;t fancy risking it. Hope to see you soon. Mark (ps, don't worry, I'm not going to be asking for my plotter back )

We could make that for Saturday evening I think ....