General Witterings -
A New Start on Rosy

A NEW START

Today, Tuesday 3 March 2006, we started our new year. The winter hasn't finished yet (it is still bitterly cold at times, and yesterday we had some snow flurries) but we have been off on a recce. It is time to have our bottoms blacked again (or, rather, our boats' bottoms) and we have been off to a boatyard to check them out. More later.

Suffice it to say that we need to be clear of Belgium by 31 March, otherwise we will incur the expenditure of 50 Euro per boat on a new Belgian licence. Indeed, today we saved 20% of the cost our 2006 French licence by becoming early payers. This experience was somewhat marred by the cost of the licence - two hundred and six Euros and one cent. Prices like that, I feel, are generally the result of slothful bureaucracies - especially slothful state bureaucracies.

All this means that we will be on our way within the next week or three. Watch this space!!

HOW WRONG CAN ONE BE?

When I was at work, most of my skills were in the field of helping work systems to operate more effectively - generally by analysing systems, consulting with folk who operated those systems, setting goals and objectives and giving people decision making powers. Sadly, I am unable to carry this through on 'Rosy', as it seems not to work vis a vis engineering systems.

A couple of years ago, the Kabola Old Dutch diesel fired stove ceased working properly, and Mike (leading engineer) and I (engineer's lackey and gofer) stripped the control box down and reset it.

Last Sunday, I shut the stove down to give it its bi-weekly de-coke. It resisted all attempts to restart, refusing to burn with a clean blue flame, staying with the sooty, yellow flame. Even with the regulator turned right up, not enough fuel seemed to be getting to the burner pot, so that not enough heat was being generated to get the thing working properly.

Unfortunately, Mike and I were preoccupied with Mike's computer, which was crashing all over the place, and which was resisting a Windows XP re-installation. As Mike helps me with 'Rosy' far more often than I help him with his computers, I wanted to get his computer going before fixing 'Rosy'. Hence Fanny and I have been confined to the warm back cabin except for forays into the main cabins for our ablutions and cooking.

I was assuming that the fault lay within in control box. Stripping it down on my own is something I COULD do on my own if really necessary, otherwise …

Anyway, we have now diagnosed Mike's computer, so I broached the problem of 'Rosy's' stove. He came round, and I explained the problem. 'Is fuel getting to the stove?' he asked. I realised that my basic (but un-thought through) assumption was that it WAS getting through. So, we disconnected the fuel line from the stove and turned on the fuel. A mere couple of drops dribbled out!! We then worked back along the fuel line, checking the taps, and established that fuel was leaving the day tank OK, but was not getting through the two filters - i.e. the standard fuel filter and the water trap. When we took the fuel filter apart, the element was clogged with a fine, black sediment. We replaced the filter and everything is now tickety-boo.

However, I have a remaining niggle. Is this fine, black sediment the infamous diesel-bug? The given antidote to the diesel bug is to keep the fuel tank full during the winter months. Unfortunately, we cannot do that, as the diesel stove has to be run, and fuel deliverers tend to have a minimum drop of 500 litres - this is a bit tricky as 'Rosy's' tank only holds some 450 litres. I get round this by teaming up with other boats for a delivery and by the use of containers. Even so, during the winter, the tank is, on average, always (optimistically) half full or (pessimistically) half empty. An insoluble problem, I think. On the plus side the sediment in the filter was a fine powder, whereas the diesel bug is said to be a slime, so I have some hope in my heart.

ADVICE FOR AN OLD FOGEY

(No. 1 in a short series) (The series might well be quite short as, by definition, an old fogey is unlikely to be around for very long, and is apt to ignore/forget any advice proffered - so why bother anyway?)

Yes. I know lots of things in the world are not as they were, and that many of the new things are useless/un-necessarily salacious/ been done before/too expensive/pointless. However, one or two things really ARE worth considering. Take the tube-scarf. This is a tube-shaped piece of material, about 12 inches long and, if laid flat, about 10 inches wide. It is pulled over the head (hint: remove glasses and hearing aid before doing this) and … AND … (er … You can put the glasses and hearing aid back on now!!!) forms a collar round the neck. This is amazingly effective, very much more so than the ordinary, old fashioned scarf.

Most tube-scarves are made from fleece - that is the modern, man-made fleece, that produces a very warm, slightly elastic, easily washable material, NOT the woolly fleece as produced by sheep.

Tube-scarves can be bought in out-door shops. Cheap ones are £2 or £3 each, fancy ones £6 or £7. I've seen one for over £10, that provided not only a tube scarf, but also a ridiculous pseudo-silk bandanna (the two mounted on a garish card upon which was printed (for the benefit of the simple minded souls who are like to buy them) handy hints on how they might be worn). I've also seen one that had a draw-string at one end so that, when the string was drawn, the tube became closed at one end, and could then be worn as a ridiculous looking, bobble-less, bobble hat. I would buy the £3 tube scarf, and then call in at the nearest pub and drink the £7 saved by not buying the £10 one.

SHOULD/CAN I TAKE MY NARROW BOAT ON A RIVER?

I always enjoy getting feedback from readers of these witterings. Answering these queries directly is often difficult, as I have to use internet caffs, and composing a reasonable answer can take a long time. I therefore tend to acknowledge questions by e-mail, but include the answers in later witterings.

I have had several people ask if I think their narrow boat (they usually quote length and engine h.p.) is suitable for European rivers, hence this extended answer.

First of all, I am VERY hesitant about taking any motor boat out onto a river. Water in rivers (and the sea) move about, and one's safety is dependent upon the engine, drive train, propeller and tiller all working properly. On a canal, and especially a UK canal, a breakdown of any of these essential elements is unlikely to be life-threatening, either to the steerer or others. This is definitely not so on the moving water of a river. A prop can easily get fouled on a plastic bag, or a discarded rope. Neither Mike nor I would (for example) have attempted our Polish journey alone. I still want to get down to the South of France, but am extremely unwilling to go down (or up) the Rhone without the company of another boat.

Problem number two is that most UK boats are set up for UK canals, which tend to be narrow and shallow, and have a speed limit of 4 mph. This generally means that the engine doesn't have to work very hard - so much so that it is in danger of coking up. To prevent this, many engines are made to work harder than is really necessary by fitting larger than necessary propellers - this is termed 'over-propping'.

The canals in Europe are nearly all wider and deeper than in the UK, and the speed limit is higher (usually 10 or 12 km per hr(kph)).

(The following tests are tricky to accomplish in the UK, as best results can only be obtained in wide, deep waters without any speed restrictions).

Action 1: Find out (from the manual?) what the stated maximum rpm is for the engine.

Test 1: With a warm engine, and out of gear, wind it up to its maximum revs. Whilst it is running at maximum revs, adjust the rev counter so that it displays the stated, maximum rpm.

(Hint: Most rev counters actually record the rpm of the alternator. If you change alternators, and/or the alternator pulley, this test should be repeated).

Test 2: With a warm engine, and on a length of wide, deep water, upon which you are permitted to go fast (and with a warm engine) slowly open the throttle. The ideal situation will be that the boat will accelerate through the water, and, as you reach maximum revs, wisps of black smoke emanate from the exhaust.

Analysis. If you can reach maximum revs without any black exhaust smoke at all, the boat is probably under-propped. If thick, black smoke emanates from the exhaust before the maximum rpm is reached, it is likely that opening the throttle further will not increase the rpm, but will merely increase the quantity of black smoke. In this case the boat is over propped.

Comment: Propellers have diameter and pitch. Matching boat length, engine h.p and torque to a suitably sized prop is way beyond my competence. In practical terms, it is all very difficult, as slipping a boat out of the water to fit a prop is expensive (£50 to £100+) - to do it two or three times to try different props is two or three times as expensive, so you need reliable advice - but where to get that advice from? The best advice it to speak to other boat owners and boat engineers to pick up whispers as to who is deemed to be competent.

Test 3. On a wide and deep stretch of water, and on a windless day, conduct speed trials. You could use a measured mile, half mile or kilometre (some canals have such bank-side markers) and a stopwatch. This will give you OK results. Alternatively, a simple, hand held GPS will give you more accurate results in less time. On a windy day it would be sensible to do some trials heading one way, then turn round and do the trials again, taking an average of both runs as the final result.

'ROSY' AND PROPELLERS

When I changed Rosy's engine from the Kelvin J2 to the Perkins, I knew that she was over-propped. I had intended to fit a new prop when she was taken out of the water in Belgium in early 2004. Unfortunately, when she was ashore, I discovered that the shaft taper on mainland European boats is not the same as on most British boats, so that props commonly available in Holland, Belgium and France would not fit onto 'Rosy's' shaft. Further, the UK based prop vendors that I contacted could not ship the size I wanted in less than 2 weeks - and 'Rosy' was only booked onto the slip for a week. Luckily, the boat-yard engineer was adept at tweaking props, and he slightly reduced the diameter of 'Rosy's' prop. However, she is still over-propped. We think the diameter is about right, but the pitch is a bit too much. Hence, although her max rpm (without load) is 2200, in gear, she only revs up to 1800. At that point, trying to increase the revs merely blows out more black smoke.

From the trials:

This clearly shows that 'Rosy' is over propped.

With this data, it is reasonably easy to decide whether 'Rosy' can go out onto a river or not. Based on the results, I wouldn't want to cruise for extended periods at anything above 1400 or 1500 rpm. This gives me a little bit in reserve. Hence, at 1400 rpm, if the current is 1 kph, I can head upstream, (over the ground) at 7.5 kph. If the current is 4 kph, I can head upstream at 4.5 kph. If the current is 8 kph, I can plonk along at 0.5 kph.

Hence, against a strong current:

- the kilometres per litre of fuel reduces considerably, increasing the cost of the journey.

- the slowness of the journey can dramatically reduce interest and increase boredom to the extent that the journey becomes more of a trial than an enjoyment.

- in (rare) cases, mooring points could be so far apart that the next mooring might not be within reach of daylight cruising. Personally, I would never go out onto a river at night (or in fog or mist).

As an example, we went down the lower reaches of the Wisla (Vistula) in one day. It took us 4 days to get back up.

ENGINE COOLING

Because waterway speed limits are higher in Europe than in UK, boat engines tend to work harder in Europe. I know of quite a few UK based boats that suffer from over-heating in Europe, especially as they are likely to be (as explained above) over-propped.

SMOKE COLOUR

The black smoke, mentioned above, is actually incompletely burnt diesel. Some engines give a black puff during the first 2 or 3 cylinder ignitions on start-up, but the run clean. A wisp of black smoke, at revs that one would normally not expect to see it, is an indication that there is something fouling the prop. (I'm told that some Lister engines are renowned for this - a flimsy reed on the prop is enough to generate a whiff of smoke).

White smoke, on the other hand, is often not quite white, but seems to have a bluish tinge to it. It is burning oil. Quite a few engines give off white smoke on start-up, and some continue to generate it until the engine has warmed, and hence expanded, giving a closer seal between piston and cylinder. If there is excessive white smoke, and, especially, white smoke even when the engine is warm, then the best (and cheapest!!) diagnosis that one can expect is that the piston rings need replacing. Depending on the construction of the engine, new liners, re-bores, oversize pistons etc may be necessary. The parts themselves may not be overly expensive, but the work-hours required to strip down, replace and re-assemble soon mount up. We had to replace 'Rosy's' cylinder head gasket, and took the opportunity to grind-in the valves at the same time. This relatively simple task took us 2 or 3 hours, though I guess a professional would knock it off in 1 or 2. Even so, with labour rates as they are, this would be a pricey job.

NEWS OF FRIENDS

Just after 'Rosy' and I arrived in Europe, I took her up to Ypres, and went on a battlefield tour. In the minibus were Nigel and Audrey who were on a cycling tour. In the evening, they come down to the harbour, and we drank a few beers on the front deck of 'Rosy'. Apparently, that was a life changing experience for Nigel and Audrey, and they are now hooked on boats, to the extent that they now have one and half narrow boats. Nigel is a bit arty, so if you like boats, creative design and good quality photos it would be advisable to visit his website at www.imagesafloat.com. Some of the photos are best described as really Really REALLY good.

Toodle pip!!

Bill and Fanny the Woof