River Canal Rescue has redesigned and re-launched its WaterNav app, making it freely available to all. The rescue service believes everyone should have access to the app - which allows navigation without wifi or data connection - as it improves safety and shares key information.

And in order to assist in its development, RCR is calling for all boaters to download and trial the app and give feedback.

The new WaterNav, which was previously split into eight different regions due to the amount of data stored offline, now incorporates all UK routes in a single app with a route planning function.

Detailing Places Of Interest (POI), including supermarkets, pubs, train stations and marinas, plus journey times and canal/river information, once installed, it can be used offline so is not reliant on the internet or data packages. However, as the current POI information is limited, RCR is asking boaters to check and update the data as they cruise.

There’s also a help/SOS function linked to RCR HQ, for boaters who require assistance. Plotting the user’s position within a 5m radius, this has proved invaluable in emergency situations or when cruising on rivers with no access.

RCR is committing substantial resources to developing WaterNav and hopes to make it the ‘go to’ navigation and information tool for boaters. A second development phase, bringing a host of new facilities, is expected by the summer and RCR is also in talks with Scottish Canals and the CRT about further upgrades to allow users to notify authorities of issues or problems at the push of a button.

Managing director, Stephanie Horton, explains: “We’ve upgraded WaterNav so it’s easier to access the UK-wide maps and in future, enhanced reporting tools will better connect the boating community. The new updates later this year will revolutionise waterway navigation and add some much-needed technical integration.

“With so many changes to businesses supporting our inland waterway network, I’m keen to get feedback and help cleanse and qualify the data we hold. I’m excited about the potential of the new system and the updates later this year – and the new IOS version will finally enable all boaters to access this amazing little app, which is well overdue.”

The upgraded WaterNav Beta is downloadable via Google Play and the App store, however updates will be added in the coming weeks for Apple device users. Feedback can be shared directly via the app- just hit the feedback button - and updates should install automatically once there’s an internet connection.

Find out more about River Canal Rescue or follow the team on Facebook.

River Canal Rescue reports there’s been an uncharacteristic peak in fuel-related component breakdowns not linked to diesel bug. It cites two identical jobs where fuel injectors were diagnosed as needing an overhaul, yet their replacements stopped working within a week, and injection pumps were found to have failed even though the diesel was clear and bright.

Upon further investigation, RCR engineers found in both cases the injector pump racks had seized solid and the nozzles were blocked, and when replacing the plunger filter head, they found the fuel had a sticky, syrup-like substance.  Alongside stuck injection pump racks, injectors and filter head plunger failures, RCR is seeing cases of fuel filters blocking with wax inside them.

Managing director, Stephanie Horton, explains: “Over the last nine months we’ve come across higher than normal call-outs for injector, injection pump and fuel problems not related to diesel bug. Our contractors are also reporting reoccurring issues with these systems and ‘sticky fuel’.

“It’s definitely a type of contamination, but not one we’ve seen before. Samples have been taken and we’re trying to build a picture of the problem.  Our engineers are reporting problems across the UK and this particular issue is only becoming clear when a fault reoccurs, because the diesel on the whole, looks bright and clear.

“Initially we suspected sugar in the fuel, but sugar stays crystalline instead of dissolving. We now believe it may be related to a reduction in FAME free fuel and a change in fuel and fuel treatment additives.”

In order to identify the culprit, Stephanie is keen to hear from boat owners and engineers with similar problems: “I want to learn more about their experiences, where they filled up and what treatments they may have used, and increase my sample size. The more I know, the closer I am to finding a solution.”

Stephanie believes the issue could stem from chemicals, now present in some treatments and red diesel, which replaced banned additives, and she’s looking into the farming sector’s blocked fuel filter problems reported around a year ago.

According to Farmers Weekly, in order to increase the proportion of fuel derived from renewable sources (capped at 7%), an increasing amount of biodiesel was blended with red diesel. Known as Fatty Acid Methyl Ester - FAME – it’s made from a combination of fresh and recycled vegetable oils and some animal fats.

The blockage problems were initially attributed to its storage, but differing regional cases discounted this.  The UK Petroleum Industry Association (PIA) tested samples but failed to pinpoint a single cause. However tests by a fuel additive producer showed there could be a problem with insolvable particles dropping out of some of the fuel blends.

After testing 100 fuel and clogged filter samples, only 15% were found to contain contaminants as a result of poor storage, and in many cases, they weren’t significant enough to cause a blockage. The remainder were contaminant free with a clear appearance.

More detailed tests revealed the fuels had high total contamination levels and particulate counts, many between 15-20 mg/kg.  Clean gas oil normally has a contamination level of 6mg/kg and the legal limit is 24. When an external lab tested the sticky residue it revealed the problem was caused by sterol glucoside and monoglyceride particles.

These substances can drop out of bio diesel components and the problem’s made worse at low temperatures. They can also easily accumulate as they don’t melt back into the fuel as the temperature rises.  With FAME coming from multiple sources, the PIA says fuel producers are working to address the issues by changing the properties of their diesel fuel blend.

Stephanie continues: “There’s an industry task force currently looking at sustainability and the use of second stage bio-diesel for marina applications and they report these ‘sticky fuel’ symptoms were reported in their testing samples when using first stage bio-diesels. It’s clear there’s an ongoing problem which I wonder may be due to marinas no longer being able to supply FAME-free oil.

“It’s important we get to the bottom of the problem as these are costly breakdowns and business are also at risk due to the reoccurrence of issues and covering repairs under warranty.”

Stephanie is asking anyone experiencing ‘sticky fuel’ issues to send in samples or get in touch with River Canal Rescue: “Please give your name, email address, a date when the issue occurred, when you last filled up with fuel and where, plus information on whether any treatments were added to the fuel and if so, what type.”

Letters should be addressed to: Fuel Samples, River Canal Rescue, 11 Tilcon Avenue, Baswich, Stafford ST18 0YJ, email:  with fuel issues in the subject line or call 01785 785680.

My name is Sam Keay, I am originally from Cumbria.  In my past I took my children to Africa where I worked as a volunteer teacher. We lived there with no running water or electric.  When I returned home,  I worked for Lancashire Wildlife Trust, Myerscough College and The Open University.

I now live and work on a travelling narrowboat business. I began as ‘Cake on the Cut’ making homemade cakes, hence my Salted Caramel Gin. But I have slowly evolved into ‘Gangplank Spirits & Preserves' and I make foraged fruit gin, whisky, rum, vodka, chutney, jam & cordial. I also open as a café selling soft drinks and crepes, and I have a fully licenced bar.

I was brought up growing a lot of our own produce; we had a big allotment, and bottled and froze the spoils.  We had a Big Damson tree at the bottom of the garden, and it was my job to climb it. My Damson Gin recipe has been handed down through the generations and is still my favourite. I spent much of my childhood blackberrying and scrumping apples, so my business has really grown from my beginnings.

early boating

Growing up we had quite a few narrowboat holidays. I was only a few weeks old when we crossed the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct where I was apparently cosily tucked in my Moses basket in the bow.

We always hired boats out of season, when they were cheap, and I remember running ahead to do the locks, my hands sticking to the frost on the lock gates.  Something must have appealed to me and stayed with me, because it seemed a very natural step to move onboard, although I did wait until my children had fled the nest, as I wisely decided I couldn’t live with two teenagers on a narrowboat!

living aboard

I’ve been boating 15 years now and I’m still very in love with the lifestyle. The towpath is a friendly place where people like to talk to each other and help each other out.  Most boaters are unmaterialistic and happy with the simple things in life, a fire, good company, a stew in the pot, and a pint.

I’ve had a lot adventures in the past 15 years that I wouldn’t trade for anything, I think I’ve seen all the 7 wonders of the canal system and so much more. Some of the highlights are:

Crossing the Ribble Link several times, never without a last minute crisis. The first time, I’d only had the boat 2 months and had to be towed by the coastguard as my alternator belt snapped halfway across.

The beautiful Kennet & Avon Canal, surrounded by stone circles, white horses and a history of crop circles.  We enjoyed digging out the inflatable canoe and taking picnics paddling down the Avon and mooring right in the centre of bustling Bristol.

Toiling over the stunning Pennines, with empty pounds, badly maintained heavy double locks, dog tired and muddy, but exhilarated and very alive.

Last year I fulfilled another small dream and cruised her up the Tidal Thames from Limehouse to Oxford where my little hippie boat sailed alongside the gin palaces and big working barges.   I cruised past the Houses of Parliament and the London eye feeling ridiculously small and excited.

every day is different

The everyday small adventures are just as fun, all the windy rainy days, being blown across the cut, fallen trees blocking the canal, single handing swing bridges that open on the wrong side, going down the weed hatch for the third time in a day...

I enjoy seeing the country through the perspective of the waterways, a city looks very different by water, and I love that one day I can be moored in a city centre and the next moored in an isolated country haven.  I feel very privileged to watch a heron hunt from my window and a kingfisher flit by.

There are a few downsides, I hate trying to organise deliveries for my business, dealing with black and white thinking bureaucrats who can’t understand that you don’t have an address, and the never ending fixing things can be a challenge but more than worth it.

good and bad days

This year has been one of the most difficult I’ve ever had on the cut.  I had to have a complete re-plate of my boat during lockdown and borrow the money in one of the most financially challenging years for my business.

I managed to break my ankle just as the job was completed and an exceptionally good friend, a fellow trader, lost her battle with cancer and we had to give her a ‘virtual’ send off.

I’ve also had a few previously unheard-of negative conflicts with trading on the towpath, mostly from other very anxious struggling businesses that have seen me as a threat to their livelihood.

keeping going

Fortunately this has been more than compensated for by the number of super generous people who have gone out of their way to support me and my small business, and realising more than ever what fantastic friends and family I’m lucky enough to have.

All of my festivals, events and floating markets were cancelled this year which is my normal bread and butter to see me through the winter,  so I have had to trade on the towpath wherever and whenever it’s been possible.

The public have been incredible, people have really been trying to support the small business owner for which I am immensely thankful. They have literally kept me afloat.

new website

My son made me a website at the end of last year and it was an unforeseen huge help to my business this year.  It has really taken off for obvious reasons and I also have some interest in supplying my produce to gin bars and artisan shops.

If you fancy some truly homespun  ‘It’s A Wonderful Life’ Christmas Spirit please look at my products on www.gangplank.shop

Throughout the past year there have been plenty of discussions about deliveries being made to households during the current Covid 19 pandemic crisis, ranging from booking a delivery slot from a supermarket to getting your favourite take away food.

Over the past 10 months, we at Bearingtech have reported on the emergence of drone and autonomous deliveries and the importance that drones and robots now play in everyone`s lives, ranging from park rangers, farmers, parcel services and medical suppliers.

The biggest concern for the majority of people is the contact element that is carried out when a delivery person turns up at your home, especially when we are being told by the government to avoid contact wherever possible to help remove the possibility of spreading the virus even further.

future sight on UK roads...

Well, how about if the deliveries could be made by an autonomous source, a robotic vehicle that could bring goods without the use of human contact?

Sounds a bit like science fiction, but in fact it is now available and up and running and hitting the roads. Kar –Go is a state of the art self-driving delivery robot that has been built by the Academy of Robotics who are a technology institute with an extraordinary team of engineers, researchers and scientists.

They specialize in creating technology to perform or simplify complex tasks by combining the best techniques from machine learning and mechatronics to building powerful self-adapting machines and task specific artificially intelligent software.

The car uses artificial intelligence and a specially developed management system to provide a contact free service.

The success of the invention shows how driverless vehicles could eventually become a common site on our roads and streets delivering parcels across the length and breadth of the country. The whole system is very similar to the autonomous bus and tram service currently being used in Germany and Holland, with parcels being substituted instead of passengers.

This however is not the first type of autonomous delivery service that has been put into practice, some drones have been carrying out automatic drop services for a number of years especially in hard to reach places such as the African plains and the outback`s of Australia where normal road deliveries can take days, sometimes weeks instead of hours.

Another delivery giant, Amazon also tried and tested a similar robotic road delivery service in America alongside their drone prime air service.

autonomous vehicle with safety driver backup

The Kar-Go vehicle will be able to drive itself to and from the senders delivery hub to the customers address and hand over the parcel automatically by using its on board robotics, without the need for human contact.

Thanks to its unique system, the electric vehicle is capable of delivering to city centres as well as rural and suburban locations.

It focuses on the small shoe-box size shaped parcels, where delivery costs can account for the third of the cost value, part-increasing pressure on margins for both retailers and logistic companies.

“Artificial Intelligence can be magical if used the right way”

With a capability of covering 60 miles, which is more than the average daily delivery round, when fully loaded on a single charge this autonomous robot could dramatically reduce the environmental impact that normal delivery vehicles have.

William Sachiti the founder of Academy of Robotics said,  "Kar-Go`s first deliveries represent a key milestone for the wider automotive industry. Alongside our partners at Eurovia UK we have been working closely with DFT`s  Centre for Concerned and Autonomous Vehicles (CCAV) and key London stakeholders.

"What makes it magical for me is that we applied AI and robotics in a useful and good way, the technology is there when it is needed and out of the way when it isn’t.

"The design has been developed as a green alternative to fossil fuel delivery vans, which will enable logistic companies and retailers to help keep delivery costs down, while providing a more convenient delivery experience”.

drone delivery in flight

After talking to a wide range of courier companies they all agreed that during the first lockdown, they were busier than ever, with some drivers expected to deliver up to 180 parcels a day, which is virtually impossible to maintain and causes considerable stress to the drivers concerned.

In a landmark first journey, the Kar-Go successfully transported medical supplies from a pharmacy to a care home in Hounslow Greater London without a hitch.

Although the delivery was autonomous, in accordance to current legislation there was a safety driver on board who could take control and take over at any time if the need arises, with an extra layer of safety provided by its nearby command hub centre, which ensures that safety is at the heart of everything we do.

Beginning with semi- autonomous deliveries, the level of autonomy will be gradually increased from the command hub, Academy of Robotics have instant secure access to remote monitoring and controlled supervision of the vehicle if it is in an autonomous mode.

future high-rise buildings with drone drop off chutes

On a final note, even Architects are now looking at different designs for autonomous deliveries in new buildings, with drone drop off rooftop chutes being introduced into building plans which take parcels directly to the customer.

Drones seem to be here to stay, and by the looks of things getting better everyday and enhancing the way we live, watch this space for future developments.

Once upon a time only Father Christmas came down the chimney, but not anymore. Looks like Rudolph and friends are surplus to requirements.

Now we get down to the rules that have to be followed so the wiring is done to meet the RCD requirements and recommendations.

cable insulation colours

Black cable may only be used for negative cables and the cable must be the same colour throughout its entire length – so if it is a negative it must be black all the way, not a red with a bit of black at each end

If the boat has a three-phase AC system (unusual with our boats but possible) the black is used for an AC live so yellow should be used for all the negatives not black.

Positive cable – a positive cable (battery volts) may be any colour except

• Black,
• Brown,
• Blue,
• Green,
• Green/yellow,
• If a 3 phase boat yellow because that will be negative.

recommendation or good practice

Red is used for all positives except switch positives i.e. the wires between two 2-way switches; the cable from the switch to an item (light, pump etc) should be a different colour to red. The means when testing if it is red it should be at battery volts, any other colour that is allowed to be a positive that will need a switch switched to be at battery volts.

back to the rules:

securing cables and what can run with what or not run with what

All cables should be secured every 300mm, unless they are supported in a conduit or ducting. Where there are only DC cable in the duct they do not need to be secured, if other cables are also in the duct, AC for example, secure every 300mm to keep the two cable types at least 100mm apart.

DC cables should not be run within 100mm of AC cables or gas pipes unless protected in a conduit. (Recommendation I tend to use split-corrugated conduit secured every 300mm to 1000mm) within the duct.

To make this clearer there are two situations

• A Gas Pipe in the picture

All cables closer than 100mm to a gas pipe have to be in conduits be they AC or DC.

• No Gas pipe in the picture

If AC and DC cables are closer than 100mm one of them has to be in conduit to separate them away from the others.

All cables should be protected anywhere they can be abraded by the vibration of the boat etc, This particularly means where the cable crosses an edge of metal or wood, even plastic, goes through a hole in a bulkhead (wall) be it wood or metal etc or where they cannot be secured at 300mm intervals, conduit must be used.

I think that is about it but anyone shout if I have missed anything

finally

You should now have all the information to purchase the cables you need with the terminations, the correct size of fuse/switch board and do the DC installation of the boat from the Batteries via fuse board to the electrical items.

in the appendix are

• How two 2-way switches can control things from two different positions.
• A copy of the full one page drawing of the Lighting circuits
• A copy of the full one page drawing of the Sockets etc.

Copies of the originals are available from me via the 12 Volt Boating Group