mbird

We are really looking forward to it too, as the first proper excursion! We've cleaned the hull from the gunwhales to waterline with oxalic acid, and I've managed to get off all the scale buildup too. I'm trying to get the colour restorer and proofer on the canopy over the next couple of afternoons, and then it's just cleaning. Oh, and needing the props back!

Good job Luke! Thank you.

Aww, come on Lou, there's only 15 pages to read through . I think the proposed itinery on page one is still pretty much as it is: Though I stand to be corrected. I also think I will decline the offer to provide you with Lobster for lunch, as per your dream, but could be persuaded to cook up some bacon butties for anyone that wants them for brekkie. I'll bring along my Cadac so I can cook up about a pound of bacon at a time

If you find them Luke, can you let me know, or get me 6 at the same time, as most of mine are busted too

Doh! Me and my smelling pistakes! No problem, I shall get a stash of eggs (not fishy ones!) to bring with us

Sounds like a good idea Suzanne, to give them something to do whilst our heads clear maybe . Might be more fun if we just throw the eggs in the water and make them dive for them? I'm sure Harry would enjoy that, though I think Jack is too self-concious now to do that sort of thing (even though he would love to). If a few of us get a fivers worth of breme eggs, or something like that, there'd be plenty to find.

Did it just scrape of fairly easy then Simon? Mine still looks pretty sound, so I am a bit loathe to take a scraper to it with too much vigour except where it is obviously flaking a bit. I dunno how easy it comes off normally, although after this afternoon trying to get all the scale from the waterline, I can state that Cillit Bang seems quite good as dissolving it

Thats a good tip Robin, but I think there are already about a dozen coats of anti foul there! Any more and I'd have to pay more for the mooring for the extra width Well, whatever was on Simon's bottom seemed to stick pretty good, so I'll use some of that.! (ooh, that didn't sound quite like I intended )

Thanks Richard. If I get stuck I'l lgive him a call.

Good thought, but I couldn't see anything else attached to the prop on the side it was missing. However, in the meantime, Keypart have identified the part number from the photo, and have them in stock for the grand sum of £1.61 each! Now why couldn't French Marine do that!?

I took this photo this afternoon, showing a circular "shim" that sits infront of the cone on one of my outdrives. French Marine cannot identify it, and it does not seem to be listed on their parts diagrams. The question is, should I have one on both drives, or none at all? Any ideas?

I have checked what was previously put on the boat, and it was indeed Blakes "Broads". I looked at the Seajet stuff earlier in French Marine, but got a bit worried when it stated on the tin to check with them on the compatibility when coating over existing antifouls. I was going to just give the outdrives a quick lick of Volvo grey, but would the Seajet be better do you think then Ian?

Yep, lines away lads! Though last year during the closed season I spotted over a dozen fisherman determined to break the rules

Gents, Just to set the record straight, the photo of the recent pike catch was "modded". I know some people are maybe going to consider this out of order, but the original poster has received an explaination as to the reason. To clarify, the photograph posted on the NBF is copyrighted to whom ever took the photo (this is basic UK law). It is the policy of this forum to try to abide by copyright laws to avoid us getting into trouble. Whilst the possibility of this over a photo of a fish is small, it is none the less real. I myself have taken and posted many photos on NBN, and I know I would not be terribly happy with any of them apprearing on other Forae without my permission. Should anyone know who took the photo, and get written permission from them to post it here, we are more than happy for it to be re-posted, so if anyone does know the photographer, a quick PM might be good? Please also be reminded that we do not condone posting links to other Forae, and neither do the other Forae in question. As daft as it may sound, this has caused a few spats in the past and is therefore not permitted. I'm sure everyone will understand and abide by these simple guidelines, which are purely intended to keep the peace (and within the law!). We do not go in for heavy modding, but do, on occassions such as this, have to be seen to be doing the right thing for all members.

Thanks David. Blakes do a Hard type antifoul too, which is more suitable for high speed (I think) but it's twice the price, and given that 80% of our use will be at river speeds, I think I'll stick with the Broads then.

Hi All More advice please Whilst the boat is out, I am going to take Col's advice and give it a quick once over with antifoul, even though what is there is in pretty good shape. Does anyone have any preference on which antifouls to use suitable for both freshand salt water? The one that caught my eye in Aquafax was the Blakes Broads True Blue, which stated on the tin as being "medium strength for use in both fresh and salt waters". My worry with this one is that once we get up to speed it might all fall off!

No good for me, I haven't got an electric engine

Hi Luke, I'm assuming your 310 is wired the same as mine. The two red lights on the dash are for the two bilge pumps, one in the front and one right by the transom. If the bilge pumps activate, the alarm sounds to let you know you have water in the boat enough to need the pump. You could be asleep for example and not know you are holed! Thye switch for the bilge pump on the main panel bypasses the float switch and provides a manual override, and so hence the buzzer sounds. I think I am right in saying the switch on the main panel os for the front bilge pump, and the one on the help panel is for the one aft. When you were "pointing upwards" there was clearly water in the bilge that sloshed to the stern and activated the aft bilge pump, which was then pumped away, or ran forward again once she settled on the plane. One word of warning! Please check the operation of your float switches, as they could save your life! Our pump in the engine bay did not run when we lifted the float switch to check it, even though the alarm sounded and the light lit. Thinking we had a knackered/blocked pump, I tried to get it out (no easy task where it is located) but in doing so discovered it was actually an earth wire joined with a bullet connector in the trunking leading up from the pump that had parted company. Rejoined the two securely and problem solved!

I had to replace two out of the three batteries on Serenity a couple of weeks back. We had three cranking type batteries, of which one is solely for starting the port engine. The other two are linked in paralled and provide all the domestic power as well as starting the starboard engine. The two banks each have their own isolator switch, and it's fairly easy to see what does what. In the first instance, I would suggest taking all the batteries to be tested (Brian Wards at Brundall did ours) as we have recently learned that what we have been told, and indeed got invoices for, ain't necessarily the case The other thing we found in the course of replacing the linking solenoid which didn't work, was that the battery charger was not isolating the two banks from each other and was infact joining them together as one big bank. This meant that the two duff batteries we had were constantly trying to be charged by the one good one, meaning that iff shorepower was unplugged for more than 12 hours, they all ended up flat. The first thing to check would be the voltage on each battery. If they all read the same, the likelyhood is they are all linked somewhere.

I'm off to ScrewFix in the morning then, David! Many thanks.

What, like this you mean? (Floral print you note, no woodchip on my ship James!)

Thanks for the tip David. There are a few areas where exaclty what you describe has occured with small blisters below the paint, that when scratched off reveal bare ali below with a slight rust stain colour. I take it using a brass bristled brush (try saying that when you're p**sed!) would be okay? Something else we noticed with our props, was that the forward prop is 3 bladed, with the aft prop haveing 4 blades. Col thought that was a bit unusual. Are anyone elses like that?

I got differing opinions on whether I should have mineral or synthetic. In the end I asked Brundall Marine Services to get me whatever they use in these drives, and ended up with semi-synthetic. To be fair, it did take Col quite a while to get it in, but we used the filler hole with the legs raised as high as they would go. One thing that did surprise, is that when lifting the legs, they go into "beach" range at 6 degrees and all the way up to 40 degrees, and in this range you can apparently run them at a max of 1000rpm. As soon as they go over 40, they stop lifting and the red LED on the gauge flashes, so I assume this is in the "trailer" position and is as high as they go. Are yours the same Ian?

Hi All Following out lift yesterdat at Brundall, which was only intended to be a weekend in the slings so I could fit a new depth transducer, we found we had some significant damage to all four props. This means we will now be out of the water for a fortnight, and dropping back in the weekend before Easter. I got the transducer fitted no problem today, and then Col (HJII) very kindly agreed to come over and help me changing the oil in the outdrives, to show me how it's done. We weren't going to bother, but it was only when Ian (Senator) suggested it's be a good idea, it got me thinking a bit, even though I though the oil was done in July. Upon draining the starboard leg, the oild was black, and had obviously not been changed for some time. There wasn't any emulsification to speak of, so at least that was good news. On draining the port leg, the oil was almost new! As both drives had been off in July and had new bellows fitted (which still look new), why on earth would they only change the oil in one leg???? It also turned out all the anodes are zinc, and completely covered in oxidation and scale, rendering them useless. The ring anodes were also not doing much as the surface of the leg behind was painted! I have now ordered two sets of aluminium anodes from Aquafax, which I'll be fitting next week after I have rubbed down the mating surfaces to bare metal. On the plus side, the legs do seem to be in good shape, so I'll just be giving them a quick wire-brush and a coat of the Volvo grey paint. The antifoul on the hull is also pretty good, as this was done last summer, but while it's out I'll give it another once over. I can also report the oxalic acid and wallpaper paste certainly does the trick with the black streaks and genral grubiness! I didn't go for the woodchip finish as Jimbo suggested, but I'll take a photo of the nice floral print I went for instead My thanks to Col for giving up his time to help us, and now I've seen how it's done, next time I'll be fine. It does just go to show, though, that you should never assume that you are being told the truth about work that has been carried out!

I think it's probably down to the fact they are pretty thin aluminium, which is easily damaged. When I get a working depth sounder, at least it'll be easier to see when I should lift the legs to avoid the bottom, but won't help with trollies or batteries! I suppose even stones sucked of the bottom during maneuvering could cause it too.