nothing but padlocks

The product we are about to discuss is available at 20% off of RRP for a limited time.

A boater who leaves their vessel unattended for any time, be it two days, two weeks or even more, has only one thing on their mind. Security. How safe is my boat going to be? Unless you are moored in a secure marina, or have berths around other boaters, mooring up somewhere unknown and alone could be a risk. The importance of the best padlock is therefore a high priority for any boater wanting to secure their boat to the best of their ability.

We were approached by the UKs leading supplier of padlocks, NothingbutPadlocks, and asked if we would carry out a survey among boaters, to find out which padlock the crew favoured as the best option for the job, from a point of view of security, water protection and ease of use.

We were duly sent a selection of seven padlocks which included chrome combination padlocks,
marine combination padlocks, weatherproof padlocks and waterproof Diskus padlocks. We then began to conduct the survey.

Being moored at that time in a busy location, we found ourselves with plenty of floating friends to help evaluate these products. Going from boat to boat and asking if the occupants could spare half an hour to examine and talk about each padlock we put on display, we soon found that there was an overwhelming preference for the Diskus Waterproof Padlock.

In fact 90% of the boaters we spoke to agreed that this was the best amongst the available choice for both Security and Durability.

Over a period of two weeks, we spoke to many boaters who were short term moored, but were happy to take the time out to speak with us. Most of the boaters we spoke to agreed that the Diskus waterproof padlock was by far the best, because of it's design, build quality, water durability (stainless steal body and shackle) and the fact that it would prove difficult for a thief to find a way into the locking arch.

Nobody was overly keen on the combination padlocks. Too fiddly and not easy to use (especially in the dark). A number of boaters we demonstrated these locks to favoured The Master, but these were few in comparison with those who went with the Diskus Waterproof Padlock as their preferred choice. The other key operated padlocks were thought to be too flimsy or didn’t seem to offer enough weather proofing. There was also the concern that they would not be a great deterrant to the would be thief. We have seen how easy it is to break a padlock on You Tube. Yes folks, it's out there.

But the style of the Diskus Waterproof Padlock makes it that more difficult to get any tool into the locking arm and mechanism, making it that much harder for the would-be robber to enter your vessel.

When used with the Hasp and Staple, which is available as an important extra, you can leave your boat knowing that you have made it as difficult as possible for any would-be thief who would certainly struggle to jemmy it.

We all know that any type of lock device is only a deterrent to these crooks, but securing your boat with the best available - both for security and water protection - can bring less anxiety and less worry. Plus you will know that you have tried your best to stop thieves getting in, and have a padlock that will not rust.

The Diskus waterproof padlock is manufactured in Germany to the highest of standards. But beware of inferior copies – many of which are on the market!

Technical:
Winner of the Practical Boat Owner padlock test for salt water and security resistance!
This is a fully weatherproof marine grade Diskus padlock made by ABUS in Germany entirely from non-corrosive materials. The 360 degree anti-cut protection, complete with reinforced plate within the body, helps to prevent the lock body from being cut or force attacked.
ABUS recommend that this product is used with the ABUS 140 hasp and staple for maximum security. It covers the padlock shackle completely and makes bolt cutter and saw attacks much more difficult.

history of waterside cottage

Wyvern Shipping Co Ltd is primarily a holiday canal-boat hire company, based in Linslade, near Leighton Buzzard. Our boats are all purpose built by us, and are easy to handle. However, there is more to us than just boats...

If you prefer to watch boats rather than be on one, we also have a beautiful 3-4 star canalside holiday cottage. Our 160 year old detached cottage is a fun place to be and perfect for guests wishing to sit and relax while watching the boats.

Set in a working boatyard, it is perfect for families wishing to experience a different kind of holiday, with lots of boats coming and going. It is a 20-minute walk to a choice of shops, pubs and restaurants in Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire and a 25-minute walk to a Leisure Centre. Situated on the edge of The Chiltern Hills, there are many National Trust properties, and other historic places of interest to visit nearby, as well as a zoo, a safari park and steam railways.

The cottage, which has 6 bedrooms and three bathrooms, and includes an attic bedroom and additional small TV lounge (ideal for teenagers), is available for weekly holidays and short breaks throughout the year. It also has an interesting history behind it.

history of the cottage

It is not known exactly when the cottage was first built, but we believe a Mr and Mrs Duffort owned the cottage and accompanying 2 acres of land from 1900 to 1953. I am told that originally the land was used as a sand quarry for local builders and also as a local timber yard.

Around 1900, the land was developed and used as a market garden. At this time, a large apple tree orchard (with the odd pear and plum tree) was planted. The address then became Bossington Gardens. The apples were cooking apples, but the apple orchard, like many other orchards in the 1950s, eventually became uneconomical. One by one, the trees either died or were blown down by storms and gales, until today there is not a single apple tree or plum tree remaining.

Then in 1953 Michael Keef bought the land as a base to run coal-carrying narrow boats and the canal bank was piled with concrete piles to make it suitable for mooring boats. The address then changed from Bossington Gardens to Bossington Wharf and it became a boat yard with three pairs of narrow boats carrying mainly coal from the Coventry coalfields to London and Leighton Buzzard.

Michael being a Civil Rural Organiser could turn his hand to most practical skills and set about doing several extensions to the cottage. Starting at the south end, he built on a living room with wooden beams, a dining room and a kitchen and then started to build a conservatory. On the north end he built a Granny annex for his ageing parents.

It was said that Michael‘s wife Elizabeth would stand at the new kitchen extension and throw broken crockery to make crazy paving (or perhaps it was laying the foundation for a path). The cottage had no main drains and the heating was a very old boiler in a back shed. This burnt almost anything from old rags, to logs from the estate, but mainly wood covered in tar from old boats being rebuilt or scrapped.

The coal boats were not a great success and they were converted to leisure boats in 1958. Then in 1960 the company and house were sold to Major John Griffin and his wife Margaret. The land was bought by Margaret and the boats by ‘The Major’. The idea being if the boats failed they still had the land.

Michael had been very much into recycling old building and scrap materials and in 1960 some parts of estate were more like the 'Steptoe and Son' scrap yard. Several skip loads of scrap were removed in an attempt to tidy things up. In the Orchard, Michael had kept two horses that did their best to eat the apples, but a strong smell of rotten apples was always present. The Major tried to sell the apples to Bulmer's Cider, but they were not interested.

The Major had a further extension done to the north side of the house, building on a dining room and Kitchen and converting the old kitchen into a bathroom and the old dining room into a bedroom. Two brickies were employed for the extension, but as work appeared to progress so slowly, they soon became to be known as 'Flash' and 'Lightning'!

The cottage was then connected to the main drains, and to this day the cesspit has to be pumped up into the main drains at the end of Rothschild road. All sorts of wonderful diaphragm pumps were used until the modern submersible was installed in about 1980.

So now, after four extensions we have a much larger cottage with 3 bedrooms and two bathrooms. A diesel boiler was also installed.

The Major and Margaret had two sons, John and James, and when they retired to Cornwall in 1978, John and his wife moved into the cottage. They were there until 2000, when they moved to Milton Keynes. James then bought the cottage from John and converted the two loft rooms and old office into bedrooms turning it into a spacious holiday cottage with six bedrooms to sleep 11 guests.

The cottage was an immediate success because of its unique location elevated on the banks of the Grand Union canal and its central location for visitors from all over the country and abroad.

These days it provides a great location for family visits and all kinds of party reunions. Plus it is ideal for those who enjoy the actions of a boat yard, but feel safer watching the boats rather than being on a boat. A new gas boiler and central heating have recently been fitted along with a third bathroom. Along with all mod cons, it is a great place to stay.

tiller girl

My name is Melanie and I operate Tiller Girl Canal Holidays at Aquavista Sawley Marina and Waterside in Nottinghamshire.

Tiller Girl is our beautiful 57 foot cruiser stern narrow boat, built in 2014 by JD Narrow Boats in Shardlow. The reverse layout, which means the galley is at the back of the boat, makes it convenient for making snacks and drinks for the skipper whilst cruising!

People who visit us on the Marina often ask us how we keep warm and do we have a toilet and bath! Apart from a Morso multi fuel stove and full central heating we have a full size shower with hot water and a toilet too!

There is ample room for up to 4 people (and dogs are very welcome too) to enjoy relaxed, home from home accommodation, requiring them to bring nothing but clothing and food on board for the holiday. We supply all the bed linen, towels and all those little extras such as hand wash condiments and the all important cling film! Holidays are meant to be stress free and relaxed and this is the experience we aim to provide. Our prices are straight forward and all inclusive apart from the refundable damage waiver to make booking more streamline and stress free.

As a family, along with my parents and brothers, one of whom is a Marine engineer (handy!), growing up in the 60’s and 70’s we enjoyed numerous boating holidays along the British and French waterways and the British coast. This consequently has led to where we all are now, live boards, sailors, marine engineers, boat builders and boat hire operators.

Running a privately owned holiday boat is a world away from a long career with the NHS as a registered Nurse and Midwife. I have been incredibly fortunate to have had an exceptional job, meeting and working with people from all backgrounds and walks of life (childbirth is such a leveler!) For me, this is what makes life interesting and varied.

Using many transferable skills from my NHS background, I now enjoy working in hospitality, people and project management and health and safety. All of which are incredibly important in running Tiller Girl Canal Holidays.

Starting from our home mooring at Aquavista Sawley marina and Waterside, there are routes along the historic Trent and Mersey Canal where you can find Shardlow the oldest inland port in Britain and the Potteries, enjoy the River soar through Leicestershire and the Grand Union canal or the |River Trent through Nottingham City to Newark and its beautiful Castle. Long or short breaks of 3 – 14 nights are available as well as the new offer of skippered days out along the canal with lunch and or afternoon tea!

Every day will be another experience, another view and another adventure.

If it is the first time skippering a narrow boat, don’t worry, we will look after you from the moment you arrive on board with personalized boat handling guidance, 24 hour help and support throughout the holiday and giving a warm welcome back on dry land.

We offer a safe and comfortable holiday experience having sound relationships with reliable, marine based companies who support us 24 hours a day 7 days a week

Now in our 5^th year of service, having beaten 2 years of Covid -19 lockdown and the current financial difficulties that many of us are facing today, we (not the 'royal we' as we are a team along with all our service crew and affiliated companies!) are enjoying another successful season with many more wonderful guests being welcomed on board, new friendships being made and lots of new adventures ahead for Tiller Girl.

is that a widebeam I see before me?

‘To build or not to build’. That was the question facing Land & Water's marina team after purchasing the 22-acre site adjoining the River Avon in Stratford upon Avon back in 2016.

Despite planning consent being granted 45 years previously there was still some local opposition to a new Marina being constructed just 400m from the Bard's final resting place at Stratford’s landmark Holy Trinity Church.

To the formidable Stratford Society who viewed the sweeping field and floodplain as ‘such stuff as dreams are made of' it was always going to be a difficult ‘buy in’ to the project. Fortunately, Land and Water's reputation in developing environmentally, and ecologically sensitive sites gave the local planning department the confidence to approve the development; the first sod was cut and in spring 2021 work began on digging out the marina.

Two years on the marina has become a tranquil green oasis nestling into the local Warwickshire countryside. Facilities include diesel, pump out, elsan, coal, wood, bottled gas. There are also sparkly new showers, disabled facilities, a laundry and a welcoming marina office. The state-of-the-art rise and fall pontoons have been designed for a once in a hundred years flood so moorers can be reassured that their boat's safe from rising river levels.

The marina accommodates all shapes and sizes of boats and is particularly popular with wide beams as it offers the most northerly secure moorings for bigger boats on the Avon. The marina will shortly be welcoming the arrival of a Nationwide boat brokerage company selling new and second hand boats as the demand for narrowboats continues to rise and what better place to showcase the lifestyle than here at Shakespeare Marina.

what light through tender pontoon breaks?

The unique selling point of this Marina is its location – just a hop skip and a jump away from the centre of historic Stratford upon Avon. Many of our moorers are choosing to use their boats as weekend holiday homes rather than heading out to explore the waterways and who can blame them? With a sun-drenched drinks terrace boaters are planning parties and BBQs to run the length of the summer. To the marina operators Geomac it has always been about people not boats and they wanted to create an environment that boaters would flock to and enjoy tinkering around on their boats.

It may be close to the action but the marina has become a tranquil oasis in the heart of the Warwickshire countryside. Moorers have been delighted watching otters, kingfishers, deer, foxes and rabbits, but with Stratford famous for its ubiquitous swans, the marina is visited daily by families of swans acquainting themselves with those friendly faces offering food.

It is expected that when full the 250-berth marina will contribute millions into the local economy and the local residents who have been clamouring to take a look at the progress appear to be extra keen for cafes, restaurants and other facilities to be built on site.

"All we can say to these people is that hopefully these will be included in Phase 2 of the development with our plans to develop this into a real destination location," says Ruth Noon the new Marina Manager. "In the meantime, we’ll be hosting a number of events on site including a monthly pop-up supper club, bespoke weddings, car rallies and marquee parties on the wider site. We’re open to all sorts of suggestions and ideas and local companies have approached us to host launches, training sessions, meetings and exclusive evening gatherings here in the marina office and who can blame them with the most enviable views in Stratford."

"We hope that we’ll be providing a new and exciting venue for the people of Stratford, and making the marina even more attractive to visiting boaters who will no doubt be spending their hard-earned ducats in the historic town itself."

Ruth Noon joined the Marina in November. With a lifelong love of narrow-boating combined with senior level experience at the Canal and River Trust, she is delighted to join the team as Shakespeare Marina Manager. Having previously established and run the hugely popular Stratford River Festival, Ruth is excited to develop the marina's potential. Her immediate priority is to encourage new moorers and offer great customer service.

ct1 the snag list eliminator

“Quick, go get me something to stop this water getting in!” Not something you want to hear usually.

Definitely not something you want to hear if you’re on a boat, that’s for sure. But accidents and incidents occur all the time, and its best to be prepared for those times well in advance. Pop into any DIY shop and you will see countless options of sealants and adhesives to choose from. Some cheaper than others, and some very expensive indeed. So which one are you going to pick to solve your water ingress problem?

Well here at Marine Electricals, we’ve made that an easy decision by teaming up with CT1 sealants and adhesives. You may well have heard of CT1 and some of you have probably used it before, so you are aware of exactly how good this product actually is. If you’ve not heard of, seen or used their products before, we’d like to think this article might just convince you to give them a go, and if the product isn’t selling itself after you’ve finished reading, we’re pretty convinced the price we sell it for will be the convincer.

The question to ask yourself is this... Why would I want to buy several different products from my local DIY store for all the different jobs I have to do around the house, or on the boat or in the workshop? Well the easy answer to that is you don’t and you shouldn’t! Ct1 is a multi use sealant and adhesive and it’s available at rock bottom prices here at Marine Electricals check out the link here.

Now for those technically minded reading this article here is a link with the full product specification.

For the others like myself who just want the basic information here we go...

CT1 is the only product in the market with TRIBRID® Technology, making it 360% stronger than a traditional Hybrid Polymer.

With TRIBRID® Technology, it is scientifically proven to have excellent colour retention – white stays white and clear stays clear.

CT1 will successfully bond:

All metals (including lead)
Glass
Mirrors
All woods
MDF
Polystyrene
Fiberglass
Tiles
Concrete
Most stones (without staining)
Most synthetic materials
Plastics (excluding PP, PE and PTFE)

Unique adhesion on virtually any material in most applications without the need for additional fixings. CT1 is the ultimate solution for sealing and bonding.

Here are some reasons why CT1 is The Number 1 Sealant & Adhesive in the UK:

Excellent colour retention
Environmentally compliant
Approved by NAAF – Norwegian Asthma and Allergy Association
EC1 Plus Certified A+ Indoor Air Comfort GOLD®
ISEGA Certified – Conforms to Food Preparation Standards
Excellent resistance to chemicals
Moderate resistance to fungal and bacteria growth
UV resistant
Excellent resistance to vibration
Works in wet or dry conditions, even under water
Perfect for marine and boating maintenance, accident, and emergency repairs
Can be used in all salt-water environments
Instant repair and bonding with fibre glass and carbon fibre materials
Odourless
Does not shrink
Contains no solvents
No isocyanates
Unique flexibility
Can be painted – please see product information

So there you go, if you cant find a reason from all of these applications you can use CT1 for, surely our rock bottom prices here at Marine Electricals makes it worthwhile trying? We don’t think you’ll ever go back to anything else once you’ve used it. And don’t forget check out our website for CT1 and any other Marine products you might need. If you can't see it on the website, give us a ring and we will endeavour to get you what you need.

Our aim here at Marine Electricals is to take that same personal service which our local customers enjoy so much on our trade counter, and expand the whole experience a little further afield. That is where our website comes into play. We hope that you will find the exact product(s) you are looking for on the site and the price is suitably competitive for you to complete your purchase. However if you do not see the exact product you are looking for, or maybe need a little advice, please do feel free to contact us by phone or email, where our expert team will me more than happy to help you out.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS PRODUCT CALL 01752 484 290 or visit our website

galvanic corrosion

All metals have a “natural” electrical charge . Different metals have different electrical charges. The bronze propeller has a different electrical charge (voltage) to the stainless steel propeller shaft. The rudder has a different natural voltage to the metal hull. If we were to place the bronze prop and the stainless shaft into the water without connecting them physically together there is no problem. Both the metals remain in their original state. If however the propeller is physically connected to the shaft and we place them in water things begin to happen! The metal with the highest natural voltage will try to discharge its voltage to the other metal. When electrical current flows between the two metals (via the water) corrosion will take place. The metal with the lowest natural voltage will be fine but the metal with the higher natural voltage will corrode....bad news! We overcome this problem by attaching an additional metal to the propeller shaft. This chosen metal has an even higher natural voltage than the bronze prop or the steel shaft. This metal is known as the “anode”. We now have 3 metals connected together in the water. Current will always flow from the highest voltage to the lower voltages and the “anode” (highest voltage) will corrode and reduce in size, over time disappearing completely.

The good news is the other two metals remain intact. By “adding” the anode we have protected the valuable shaft, propeller and all other metals below the waterline . When the anode finally corrodes away the next “highest” voltage metal (the bronze prop) will begin to corrode. It is essential that anodes are inspected regularly to ensure they are capable of protecting all the other underwater metal fittings. When the anodes have gone so has your protection! So far so good! Providing our anodes are good, well connected and of the correct size and type we can minimize corrosion of our underwater connected metals.

So far so good. Providing our anodes are good, well connected and correct size and type we can minimise corrosion of our underwater connected metals No need to worry then? Not quite! Let’s look what happens when we plug into marina shore power electricity.

We moor our boats alongside other boats, metal pontoons and metal stanchions. Boats have lots of metals all in the water. Metal hulls, metal propellers, drive shafts, outdrives, skin fittings, trimtabs, rudders etc. We have protected the metals on our boat by fitting sacrificial anodes which in turn are connected to all our underwater fittings. We are not physically connected to our neighbours boat we are separated by the water. Our neighbours boat cannot affect us... Or can they?

It’s cold outside. The batteries are going flat. We need a brew! We need electricity! Here comes the mains! When you plug into mains shore power the cable you use has three internal cables: A live, a neutral & an earth wire. The earth wire goes to the shore power pedestal where it is physically connected to the ground. This is a safety wire and protects you in the case of an electrical problem. Your neighbouring boats also use the same earth connection. This effectively connects all the boats together via the earth cables in the shore power leads. In your boat the shore power earth lead goes to your electrical consumer unit & then to all metal components such as the engine block, fuel tanks, shafts / propellers etc & then finally connects to your anodes. Unfortunately as all the boats (and metal pontoons) are now interconnected via the earth cables any voltage leaks or "galvanically" generated voltages have an easy path between the boats. This often results in rapid loss of sacrificial anodes & increased corrosion of all underwater metals. If the boat next to you does not have anodes he won't worry: He is using yours!

A galvanic isolator does not replace your sacrificial anodes which are essential to protect your underwater metals. It is used in conjunction with the anodes to control additional corrosion paths experienced when connected to shore power. A galvanic isolator does offer protection from both stray currents & galvanic currents which attack your boat via the shore power earth cable. These currents can transmit from other boats, metal pontoons & leaks on the 240 volt systems in the marina. Serious leaks can devastate your props / shafts/ anodes etc in a matter of weeks. Surveyors & boat inspectors will usually recommend fitting a galvanic isolator in the marina environment (They see the effects of unprotected boats all too often).

How do I fit a galvanic isolator?

Isolators are easily fitted between the shore power inlet of the boat and the consumer / distribution panel onboard.
If fitting internally the isolator is fitted in the earth circuit by cutting the green/yellow earth cable and inserting the isolator between the two points.
Isolators are also available for external connection either on the pontoon or on the boat. These easy fit isolators simply plug into the shore power cable and can be installed in under 30 seconds!

Further information or free information pack:
www.safeshoremarine.com or Tel 01977 513 607

are you sitting and sleeping comfortably?

Finding furniture to fit narrowboats can be difficult, but OK Joinery makes easy work of it, providing sit-sleep solutions that combine comfort and style.

OK Joinery Ltd is a family-run business based in Kidderminster, where its saloon, dinette furniture and sofabeds are handmade to order. The firm was established over 9 years ago and first entered the inland waterways sector at the 2019 Crick Boat Show. "Exhibiting at the event was a great success," says director Tibor Kunya. "Our customers really appreciate that we go the extra mile for them. Any suggestions we make are to ensure they get the best possible dinette that fits the space and meets their needs."

NEW MARKET STRATEGY

In order to cater for its new customer base, the company began designing dinettes specifically with narrowboaters in mind and created a dedicated page on the website. Talking to boat-owners at the Crick boat show, it became apparent that storage was at the very top of their list of priorities, so many of the dinette models incorporate easy-access storage solutions. The versatile range of dinettes are offered in a variety of sizes that convert into single, double or king-sized beds, so there is something for virtually any size of boat saloon. Tibor and his team also work with boat-builders to select the right model and finish for new craft, providing the perfect sit-sleep solution for multifunction cabins and saloons.

ALL IN THE DESIGN

Among OK Joinery`s biggest sellers is the Duplex Dinette, a multifunctional furniture system with storage in the base.The firm`s most popular narrowboat dinette with cushions that fit neatly under the gunwales. This boat furniture was launched at the Crick Boat Show.

There are a number of other designs featuring different systems that are suitable alternatives. OK Joinery offers Single dinette, Pullman dinette, and L-Shaped dinettes too. Tibor encourages customers to get in touch to discuss individual requirements.

WATERPROOF UPHOLSTERY

OK Joinery offers a choice of neary 40 plain coloured fabrics for the cushions. The high quality heavy domestic use fabrics are Antimicrobial, Waterproof and Flame retardant.

CUSTOM FINISH

If you are fitting out a new canal boat or maintaining an existing narrowboat you need to be able to find suppliers who specialise in narrowboat furniture.

With OK Joinery, you can be sure to find something that will suit your lifestyle as well as offering practicality, style and comfort. The quality and unique details of the interior fixtures and fittings will ensure that your boat becomes “a cut above” the rest.

01562 540204 / 07895 438833
orders@okjoinery.co.uk
https://www.okjoinery.co.uk
https://www.facebook.com/Okjoinery

commercial tiller pins

With a promotional tiller pin, you can offer your customers a unique, personal and memorable gift.

Imagine your company name and logo emblazened into a Tiller Pin, you then have the perfect gift, give away or stock item for retail sale.

What a great way to keep your brand in front of your customers!

Your tiller pins offer your customers a useful, attractive and great keepsake, with your brand standing out loud.

Made from a weather and UV proof material ensuring long life.

The Tiller Pin materials available are Alluminium, Brass and Stainless Steel. By far the most popular material is the Traditional look Solid Brass.

Unique long term promotion for...

NARROWBOAT HOLIDAY HIRE COMPANIES
Imagine your holiday makers actually taking home a part of the boat they enjoyed their cruise aboard! What a great souvenier of their holiday. Keeps your name in front of your customer and encourages repeat business. Which holidaymaker wouldn't be surprised by this gift from you to take home at the end of their holiday?

BOAT BUILDERS
The perfect finish to a new boat. A Tiller Pin that will always keep your brand in front of any cruiser.

BOAT SERVICES & PRODUCTS
Do you offer a service or product to boaters? Use either as a great giveaway - thus keeping your name in front of your customer. Or perfect for any boat service as a giveaway or as an extra retail item.

MARINAS & BOAT YARDS
Your marina or boatyard brand becomes a Tiller Pin. A useful, unique and memorable gift to your customers or add-on item for retail.

FLOATING TRADERS
A fabulous stock item added into your product range. A keepsake for your customers.

hydrogen afloat

I’ve lived aboard for 14 years and my list of what makes this life so special is extensive - the peace, the wildlife and the inclusive community of fellow boaters all rate pretty highly. I’ll bet they are sitting somewhere near the top of your list too. But, let’s be honest, there are some aspects of living aboard which wouldn’t even qualify.

Most of us know that feeling when, late on a winter evening, the water pump starts to make a deeper, slower tone as you brush your teeth. Your heart sinks as you wonder whether the batteries will lose voltage before morning and the fridge will start to defrost or whether you’ll need a torch to get dressed tomorrow. In these moments the choice is either to cross your fingers and anxiously hope for the best or put off sleep while you lug out the generator and charge the batteries for an hour or so. Those of us living afloat have always had to be conscious of our electricity usage. It’s fine if you have an electric hook-up facility as part of your mooring rental, but those of us who are continuously cruising or renting an off-grid mooring are limited to the power they can generate themselves.

I got myself some solar panels when I first moved aboard and they worked great during the summer - free power from the sun to keep my batteries topped up between biweekly boat moves. But in winter it was a different story. Basically, unless you have a solar installation the size of a small field and live on a very frugal power budget, you have to idle the engine or run the generator to create domestic power a few times every week. As well as the hassle, I was also unhappy at the amount of local diesel pollution I was creating and was conscious of annoying the neighbours (afloat and land-livers) with the noise. The only consolation was knowing that my boating neighbours were wrestling with the same problem, so we could give each other some slack if the generator occasionally came out at an unsocial hour.

As an Engineer I am always keen to create solutions, to do my bit, however small, to make things better. For more than 30 years I have worked in the UK rail industry. My projects include adopting new technology, reducing environmental impact, and improving efficiency. In the midst of exploring hydrogen and its possible applications for trains, I set about applying the skills I use in my day job to the problem of domestic power in my home life.

Hydrogen and fuel cells have long been used in industrial, scientific and specialist applications, and I was sure there was a way to harness their potential to provide power on my boat. I set about connecting the dots and created the prototype ‘HyArk’, named for the fact that it’s a vessel and that hydrogen molecules flow into the fuel cell two by two!

Very quickly I noticed a huge difference. As the sun got lower and more distant towards the latter part of the year I found myself switching on the HyArk instead of lugging my generator out onto the towpath or starting my engines up. Because it was virtually silent (a tiny puff of hydrogen is emitted into the sky every now and then) I could sleep peacefully through the night knowing that in the morning my fridge would still be cold, my water would flow, and I would have light to ensure I was wearing a harmonious pair of socks for work. It was extraordinary - no noise, no pollution (the fuel cell emits only water) and in addition less wear and tear on my engine plus battery life was extended too.

Having lived with this prototype for two years I worked with designers to create a model which is both good-looking and practical. It was an exciting time, sourcing expert craftspeople and networking with other innovators in the hydrogen field. We added a remote on/off switch for the cabin and configured an ‘auto’ mode which means that the HyArk works seamlessly with solar panels, backing off when the sun is shining and switching itself on when the voltage starts dropping. As hydrogen must be well-ventilated and therefore on the roof, much attention was focused on the design of the casing. The outer unit is made from a tough resin infused polyester material, designed to be both robust and light weight. Made by a small team of boat builders in Falmouth who are used to crafting yachts from this material, it’s ergonomically designed to ensure low branches and ropes can glide smoothly over it.

There are a small number of very low bridges in the canal and rivers network, so it was vital that the unit can be easily removed and carried along the towpath, along with anything else up there such as chimney stacks and bikes. And for security the unit has high quality German locks and hinges, along with a vigorous fire-proofing system. The HyArk can even be vinyl wrapped to match the colours of your boat.

In some ways the HyArk has come a little too early, before there is a canal-side infrastructure ready to supply hydrogen at a price comparable to or lower than LPG. Currently retail hydrogen is only available from BOC Linde’s Gas and Gear shops and as such, is relatively expensive. However, there are other suppliers getting ready to enter the market with green hydrogen and it’s like the proverbial chicken and egg - demand creates supply but also supply creates demand. We need a few early adopters, like myself, to innovate and create the demand and this will in turn increase supply of hydrogen, making it much more accessible for everyone. Once an infrastructure is in place the potential to use hydrogen for boat propulsion will be a reality and we will be able to say goodbye to diesel for good.

More than 250 years ago the canals were early adopters of cutting-edge technologies of that time. As one of the first ‘leisure’ applications of hydrogen technology perhaps in some small way we are now continuing that tradition? If you want to learn more about our product or discuss joining us in the green hydrogen revolution, please visit our website at hydrogenafloat.com.

recoheat

Recoheat makes a unique pumped-air heat recovery unit for solid fuel stoves. The device fits into the flue of a stove and pumps air through a steel coil to super-heat it. The resultant jet of hot air passing over the top of the stove draws the heat from the stove out into the room in a pressurised flow. The heat from this flow is then passed into the wider area as the warm air jet oscillates and mixes with the cold, driving the heat from the stove much further and eliminating condensation and damp.

"One of our first customers was convinced the product was ideally suited to the live-aboard market. He lives on a 70’ x 14’ broadbeam on the Ouse and after 20 years on boats of various sizes, this was the first device he found that actually heated the whole boat, and also completely got rid of condensation through its creation of a flow of warm air. He invited us to visit and explained how difficult condensation was to overcome, and since then has been enormously supportive in presenting us to his fellow boaters.”

The company is based in Suffolk, but the device is the invention of Kevin Haworth, a plumber from Burnley. He launched the product in 2014, but with no backing or support from the academic and business communities he approached, he couldn’t meet the CE marking requirements and was forced to close. Luckily, that wasn’t before he’d sold a Recoheat system to Will Burrows, who used it for three years before returning to buy another. When he found the website down, Wil got in touch with Kevin and took over.

“I had my unit heating a 30’ x 14’ cabin with three rooms and a corridor, from a 5kw stove. It was extremely effective, and when I went to buy another unit for a new workshop and found the website gone, I got in touch with Kevin. The product was too good to lose: there aren’t many things you come across that really do work much better than anything else around.”

Some of the effectiveness of the device was easily understood. Stoves use convection to move the radiant heat from the metal box into the rest of the house, so the fire first heats the walls of the stove, which radiate into the air, which warms and rises, drawing fresh air into the stove. When the fire starts to die down, the convection flow stops very quickly so that the stove stops moving heat into the room almost immediately. The pumped air on the other hand, starts pushing air from the combustion as soon as the fire is lit, and continues to pump it for hours as the stove cools through the flue: for anything from three to eight hours depending on the size of the logs and stove. However, there were a lot of other performance peculiarities that the company only discovered from their customers.

In their first winter season, they sold a few units, mostly to sweeps, installers and engineers – people who had the confidence and curiosity to test a completely new system. “For us, every sale was marketing: we knew the device worked, but explaining why was hard, and people would only believe other customers, of course. It was their support that got us started again, and it’s what drives us now. It’s also what teaches us about how the system actually performs, which in turn has helped us understand the physics involved, which is really fascinating.”

Notable customer feedback comes from installations as diverse as barn conversions, yurts, terraced houses, stone cottages, farm houses and even chateaux, mountain cabins and two bedroom bungalows. The common theme of the feedback is that the heat dispersal is bizarrely wide, moving out of the main room into corridors and other rooms, including upstairs even on large properties. In the barn conversion, the system heats the bedrooms from the ground floor, and several customers have reported that their large rooms are warm right to the walls, and even more remarkably, that their feet are warmed when the device is operating.

“There was a lot of feedback we couldn’t explain – particularly in terms of the heat profile. Typically you observe that the room temperature is much more even – you don’t have a hot area around the stove whilst the rest of the room is cold. But heat rises, so how could the unit heat to the floor?”

It was through Recoheat working with an engineering consultancy that the mysteries started to be unravelled. “At first they told us that our observations and explanations were fanciful, but when they discovered they weren’t by measuring the inputs and outputs, they not only understood it but were able to model it in their simulation software.”

The key to the heat transfer in the unit itself, as well as in the room, is turbulent air. Essentially, air heats molecule by molecule, so when it’s all flowing gently along in one direction, the heat transfer is quite slow, which is why an air gap is good insulation. But if you can induce a turbulent boundary layer, you disturb the airflow until the molecules are all bouncing around very fast, coming into contact with lots of other molecules and passing heat between them very quickly.

The high-powered pump and the coil shape creates that in the airflow, which means the air heats very fast. The air that comes out of the unit has been accelerated as the heat makes it expand under pressure, so that the outlet jet is three times faster than the inlet. This hot, high pressure jet is still turbulent when it passes over the top of the stove, so the hot air rising from the stove is drawn into it much more efficiently. So then the heat from the coil and from the stove are pushed into the room, but are crucially at a higher pressure than the colder air in the room. The pressures have to equalise, and it is the equalisation that disperses the heat so widely without any additional work from the device. This also means that it is the coldest, and lowest pressure areas that heat first, and that the distance from the stove isn’t important in something like a boat: if the air passes freely between areas, it will have to equalise in the same way water has to level.

Will now works on the project with one of his sons, with help from some of his four other children when needed. “We sold ten times as many units last winter as in our first winter, and twenty times as many last summer as in our first summer, so we’re hoping to maintain that level of growth. Launching in lockdown, and navigating some of the most difficult economic conditions for decades is tricky, but we know we have a product for the times: we’re allowing people to replace their central heating and sky-high oil, gas and electricity bills with their stoves, whether in whole or part. Our general feedback is that a 5kw stove with a Recoheat will heat a two bedroom house or its equivalent. The core of the house will be warm and the bedrooms will be cooler, but not cold, and that’s a massive thing. We really want people to benefit from this, because everybody needs the help.”

Recoheat have a website and maintain a Facebook page and YouTube channel, which has driven most of their business to date, and is certainly responsible for bringing them customers as far afield as the States, Canada and even Australia, as well as all across the UK. They’ve been on TrustPilot collecting independent reviews for just a few months, but already have an impressive profile.

You get a good picture of the relationships they have with customers, doubters and supporters from their interactions on the different platforms, and they’re conversations they obviously give a lot of importance to. It looks very likely that those conversations will grow over the next months and years.

Listen to what Mark has to say about the efficiency of Recoheat on his widebeam here

WIN! A Recoheat system in our Autumn FREE prize draw! CLICK HERE TO ENTER...

CanalsOnline MagazineThe online magazine for the inland waterways

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