BOATS AND CANALS

On "Sorceress" it has been suggested that we install a battery charger to keep the batteries charged via 240v land link while the boat is in the marina durring change overs. The boat is in use 45 plus weeks of the year and too me seems a waste of money, as everyone seems to have managed since her launch in 1994.
OK, some owners don't arrive for some 2 or 3 days, and in heavy rain the bilge pump may have a little work to do which could drain the battery a little. What's the thoughts or advice any of you gould give us. I'm a little unsure as to spending some £300 if it's not neccessary.

Cheers Pete

_________________
Pete Russell NB SORCERESS

I would be more concerned over having to use a bilge pump in the first place, it may be better to cure the reason for a pump having to be used. The only bilge pump we have on Hadar is in the galley area because we have a washing machine on-board and the boat-builder recommended having one fitted there as the chances of a washing machine flooding are possible. A boat shouldn't have water coming into it on a regular basis, especially if it is due to rainfall. You need to cure the problem.

Even water leaking in through the stern tube is a red flag, stern tubes should not leak. Until we had the stern gear on Hadar replaced earlier this year our stern tube had not leaked, not even a drip, and we hadn't even tightened the stuffing box in 6 years of continual cruising.

You may be better in the long run spending the money on stopping the water getting into the bilge in the first place, rather than spending money on pumping it out. Relying on a bilge pump is not a good idea, as if it fails then bye bye boat!

_________________
Regards
Keith Lodge

Point take Keith, and our bilge is reasonably dry. But the Question is! is a battery charger realy needed?

_________________
Pete Russell NB SORCERESS

Always useful to have one on-board though, especially for what they are suggesting. Make sure that any charger is capable of delivering enough power to cope with the load that will be applied, no point having a 10Amp charger if the average consumption is 15Amps. It all depends on what electrical items are left on during this time that it is required.

I am surprised that there is not already one fitted.

Do you have an Invertor on-board to produce 240v AC? If so check whether it is solely an Invertor or in fact an Invertor/Charger, I would be surprised that if you have an Invertor that it is only an Invertor, they are more commonly combined Invertor/Chargers.

_________________
Regards
Keith Lodge

We do have a 240v ac inverter which is only 3 years old, but asfore being a charger aswell il'l have to check.

_________________
Pete Russell NB SORCERESS

I use one of these

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NEW-4W-FOLD-U ... 0702167234

_________________
Laurie Booth
http://www.pamelasalem.net

I thought it was needed for a stern tube to drip a little bit while the boat was being used. Then when you have finished for the day, to use the grease gun to stop the drip. I have a bowl under my stern tube with a bilge pump going into it.

_________________
Laurie Booth
http://www.pamelasalem.net

I guess it could be down the the type of stuffing box and stern gear, but as far as I know it shouldn't leak, if it does then either it needs tightening up or the packing needs replacing.

Has it ever been tightened? If not then try tightening it, but make sure you turn each nut by the same small amount to ensure the stuffing box remains straight, do not tighten one nut up first, as this will damage the inside of the stuffing box and the shaft, turn each nut by one face of the nut alternately only until some resistance is felt, but do not over-tighten. From new it can be tightened until about 1/2" of gap is left, once it has reached this point and it still leaks then the packing needs replacing.

_________________
Regards
Keith Lodge

Must be my box that requires the drips, it only drips when the shaft is turning and stops dripping when the grease is applied and stopped rotating. I expect there must be box's that this does not apply to, yours must be one of them. All the boats I have been on have dripping stern tubes, when in use.

_________________
Laurie Booth
http://www.pamelasalem.net

A right so because other boxes do it, that makes it right? That is where I have been going wrong then,

I better take up robbing houses, because other people do it, it must be right

Well that's the theory

_________________
Regards
Keith Lodge

_________________
Laurie Booth
http://www.pamelasalem.net