New season's maintenance

The weather may be up and down, blowing and snowing followed by warm sunshine, but the general trend is warming and that means time to give Patience an airing.
Today was our second maintenance day of the season, plus we took a couple of walking pals out for a short trip to the end of the Welford Arm and back. With a walk in the morning, the usual excellent lunch at The Wharf and a couple of hours going there and back, the pals proclaimed their delight "with child-like enthusiasm."
But today was scrubbing the roof (pale, non-slip but harbours dark dirt) and treating the fore-deck with red oxide in preparation for a re-paint. The water tank, recently given its annual coat of potable bitumen, was filled a little with chlorine to clear the pipes, and now is half-full, ready for any journey we might take.
It's still cold in the evenings, but we have a beautiful new stove and lots of fuel, so we are ready for anything. Spring has sprung at Welford Marina.

Starter motor problem

On several occasions over the last few months, Patience's starter motor has failed to engage and turn over the engine.  Rather than the engine roaring into life, only a rather unsatisfactory click emanated from the starter motor solenoid when the ignition key was turned fully clockwise.

This was diagnosed as either a low battery, loose battery contacts, a fault with the solenoid or the motor itself.  The first cause was eliminated by checking the battery state of charge, which was fine. The second cause was also eliminated by checking that all the battery connections were tight and in good order - they were.  I then disconnected the cables from the solenoid (photo 1) and removed the solenoid from the starter motor.  There was a slight looseness in one of the the electrical connection studs on the top of the solenoid (photo 2) which was corrected by carefully tightening the lower of the two nuts on the stud (not shown in photo 2 but just visible in photo 1). Unfortunately, it's not possible to take the solenoid apart, as it appears to be a factory sealed unit, so it wasn't possible to check the condition of the internal contacts.

Solenoid in place on the starter motor

Solenoid removed, showing electrical connection studs

After cleaning the studs and spade connectors, the solenoid was replaced on the starter motor and the electrical connections restored.  Although I hesitate to claim that the problem has gone away, to date it does seem to have done the trick.

General maintenance of a narrow boat

This is one in a series of A Guide to Narrow Boat Problems.

Problem
Poor maintenance leads to breakdowns and system failures
Causes
Poor maintenance could be carelessness or lack of skill and knowledge. I am fortunate in having a boating partner who is a very careful engineer. However if I was alone I'd have to invest more in learning some basic skills as well as employing an engineer for regular servicing. It simply can't be skipped.
Solutions
Maintenance is ongoing but can be divided into:

• continuous (battery levels, check engine noise etc), 
• daily (bilges, weed hatch, grease gland etc), 
• per journey (fuel levels, pump out, gas supply, food and water etc), 
• monthly (pumps, oil, etc) and 
• annual (winterising, anti-freeze, draining water etc).

Start with a survey by a qualified marine engineer, which is also the opportunity for you to look over the boat inside and out, and accept a thorough and informed report. Act on it! Learn basic skills and employ them in a regular regime.

Every boat must have a current BSC - Boat Safety Certificate, renewed every four years. Most problems can be avoided by regular inspection and maintenance and the BSC reinforces that. Start with a thorough survey of the boat in dry dock by a qualified marine surveyor - local names and contact details are in waterways magazines and from your local marina. The £500 or so paid then could save you thousands if you avoid buying a boat with problems or you can forestall likely problems. It will also inform you of future tasks which could improve your boat's safety and comfort.

If you know what you are doing you will probably enjoy maintaining your boat in top condition. If your interest is more in the enjoyment of sun and water, birds and bridges, you may have to push yourself in to a basic routine and supplement this with regular maintenance by a qualified mechanic.

You might even decide to choose a marina on the basis of on site engineering facilities rather than lovely views and landscapes. You should then back that up with a subscription to Canal and River Rescue, the AA of boating.
Make sure you have the bottom of the boat blacked every 3 to 4 years and use this opportunity to check its condition.
Always wash hands after contact with canal or river water - see Weil's disease.
Be careful around moving parts and the heat of the exhaust. Whenever practical when dealing with or moving near the prop, ensure engine is turned off. For double certainty place keys in your pocket so no-one else can start the engine.

And don't venture alone into the water tank! It may need a layer of paint with potable bitumen but fumes and dust in a confined space can be hazardous. Who would hear your cries for help if you got stuck down there?

Several websites have detailed what should go on to your personal maintenance list so I'll refer you to them (below). We recommend creating a personalised handbook for your boat - it will provide information for anyone wishing to use your boat, will push you to answer questions and find out answers to be collected together (local phone numbers near your moorings, local shops and pub opening times as well as details of your boat's plumbing, what is always stored there and what should be removed in winterising ...). It would also list your regular and essential maintenance issues.

View these sites for more on regular maintenance:
Practical Narrowboat Maintenance
Boaters Handbook
Narrowboat Info
The Fitout Pontoon
Canal Junction

Scrubbing and Scraping Patience

A sunny day, warmest for a while, so thoughts stray to boating and to boat maintenance.
Last time we visited Welford, John opined that the reason Patience was looking so green and mouldy could be because we sluice her down with a mop dipped in the canal. That may wash off some superficial muck but actually creates a mould culture which grows and creeps into every corner.
Looking at dear Patience's increasingly green roof it became clear that the first thing to do before painting or at least patching the rust areas was to scrub the whole roof down. So today I gave it a go. And lo and behold, with a bit of elbow grease, a long hose, some clean water with detergent (marine variety, suitable for waterways) and a scrubbing brush, Patience's roof is now clean and bright for the first time in quite a while. Patience and I are very pleased with the result.

The aft section, however, needs more than a scrub, as with water drained from the bow tank the tilt of the boat is altered so that surface water collects in the area by the hatch, which is peeling and showing first signs of rust. So this bit I scraped clean and painted first in anti-rust, then in red oxide, as a preliminary to an undercoat and then non-slip top coat.  As the scrubbing shows most of the roof is in good condition, I think painting in the small patches on the edge of the roof will be all that's necessary next time we carry out maintenance. A triumph of common sense - and elbow grease!

Patience awakes to 2015 - and maintenance

A couple of weeks ago I drove over to see Patience and check she was feeling OK. she was fine except for a moderate amount of water in the engine room bilges and an unaccountable damp patch near the stern port window. I left the engine room alone, with its oily inch of water, moved things about under the stern port window and made a note to seal it more effectively in the spring.
Today John (newly returned from adventures abroad) and I returned to Patience to find that someone had kindly taped a plastic bag over the open window to the loo and that the leak under the stern port window was no better, in fact a little worse.

So we spent the morning mopping up the oily engine room water and wondering how so much had got in. We also looked more closely at the stern port window and John saw the seal around the top of the window had cracked  and would need replacing. I called myself an absolute idiot for forgetting that I'd removed the toilet window in a cleaning fit two weeks ago - and forgotten to put it back in.
And so we move on. Having planned a maintenance day or two in a fortnight we sat in The Wharf and listed all our maintenance jobs, making note of what we had to buy and bring. I'd already brought a new mop, rubber gloves, sponges and small durable carpets. How can you tell I was expecting a damp and grubby Patience after the winter ....
Fortunately nothing serious is amiss. My stupidity in leaving the window opening simply added an inches of water to the basin and the shower tray. The damp under the window will dry and the cork tiles will probably be none the worse. Little has failed, but a lot needs attention.
So this is the maintenance list:

• Check all windows for old sealant, rake out where necessary and renew with new silicon
• Seal chimney flue (there's some evidence of water dripping onto the stove)
• Check floor tiles - possibly use adhesive, possibly remove carpet tiles and wash (marking position of each tile if removed)
• Check water tank for rust, paint (patch) where necessary with bitumen, leave to dry then fill
• Wash roof thoroughly with fresh water and detergent (using canal water increases mould!) using scrubbing brush
• Clean then undercoat necessary areas followed by at least one coat of International Interdeck Slip Resist Beige 090 (large tin)
• Tighten up loo pump (slackened off during winter to avoid cracking if frozen) - need spanners for this.
• Wash sides and wax
• Check gas bottle lids as they are delaminating and need treatment or replacement with new marine ply

So - some few things to keep us going until the warmer season begins.
The complete list would include checking all bilges, ropes, all surfaces for mould and damp, engine (a long list in itself but it has been recently serviced), safety of gas and electrics ....
In due course we will add bedding and resupply food stocks. Then it's all aboard!

Checks for the Boat Safety Scheme (BSS)

The Boat Safety Scheme, or BSS, is a public safety initiative owned by the Canal & River Trust and the Environment Agency.  Its purpose is to help minimise the risk of boat fires, explosions, or pollution on the inland waterways. It's your boat's MOT and needs renewal every four years.
It is separate from the winterising process; from the normal checks for corrosion, rot and flaking paint; from regular engine maintenance and from regular cleaning of the water supply.

In preparation for Patience's BSS examination we compiled a list of checks we would make beforehand. The list of items on the certificate is lengthy and the list on their website is lengthy and comprehensive but I thought this ten point summary, though specific to our narrow boat, might be helpful.

• LPG Gas. Possibly the most important. This can be checked frequently using an installed bubble tester which is more effective than a gas detector. Check condition of gas lines from gas container (which should be protected and sit firmly in the gas locker, which should in turn be secure and drained) to final appliance. Check shut off valve. More here.
  
• Fire Extinguishers. Three in number, in good condition, accessible and near fire risk points. Plus a fire blanket.
  
• Appliances. Refrigerator, cooker and hob, solid fuel stove. In good working order with appropriate flues and ventilation.
  
• Vents. Clear. Including low level vents in doors and high level roof "mushrooms".
  
• Fuel. Filling points, lines and connections must be secure with no leaks. Feel under each line for corrosion. Any extra fuel should be in secured jerrycans.
  
• Engine and gearbox. Check for leaks. Replace bilge mat. Mop up leaks and ensure none escapes to the water outside.
  
• Solid fuel stove. Flue and firebox in good condition (no leaks from above, no gaps in seals). Area clear of inflammable materials. 
  
• Electrical systems. Batteries stored securely and cables in good condition. Fuses and circuit breakers functioning. Outlets in good condition.
  
• Emergency escape. Ensure access to exits is uncluttered and that owners have agreed an action plan.
  
• Detectors. We also checked our carbon monoxide, gas and smoke detectors.

And after that how did we do? Well, we passed successfully, but we will, of course, continue to take care, and put safety above all things. A four-year safety check helps to remind you of the importance of the maintenance of safety at all times.