The Narrowboat Guide 2nd Edition by Jones Tony;

Author:Jones, Tony;
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
Published: 2023-09-15T00:00:00+00:00

UTILITIES

Cruising will test your boat’s mettle more than being safely tucked up on your mooring. Murphy’s law says that you’ll discover a problem when you are out and about, so be sure to check the systems you rely on before casting off into the unknown.

Electrical issues are by far the most common cause of all boat breakdowns according to Jo Dortona at Snaygill Boats. After spending the winter months hooked up to the mains, many boaters find their batteries are no longer reliable. If you only check one thing before setting off on the first cruise of the season, it should be that your batteries are up to the job and holding a charge, replacing them if necessary. Cleaning the battery terminals and connectors is another sensible precaution that can save lots of time and headaches.

Another common electrical fault lies with fuses – the 12V system and inverter being the usual culprits, so check those first. Bilge pumps, bow thrusters, horns and headlights probably won’t have been used over the winter period so you may not know if they’re still shipshape. Make sure you have spare fuses, bulbs, cable and an adequate tool kit before you set off.

Water

Burst plumbing joints and other leaks are common seasonal afflictions for boats that have been moored up for a while in freezing conditions. Of course, most boaters will have prepared their boats for winter and therefore will have negated most of the risk, but it can never be eradicated completely. Burst pipes will make themselves evident sooner or later, so it makes better sense to check the plumbing now rather than find a big watery mess when you put the system under pressure.

Hardware can suffer in the deep freeze too, so check water pumps and shower gulpers have made it through the winter unscathed. The units themselves and the plumbing attached to them can spring a leak if they get frozen. Similarly, both hot and cold water tanks can be damaged by freezing too, so that’s another check to cross off the list before you get going. Then, once you’re sure you’re free of leaks it’s time to fill your tanks in readiness for the cruise ahead.

Gas

Servicing gas appliances every year is recommended and should be carried out by a qualified and registered gas-safe engineer. It doesn’t really matter when this service is done, but it seems logical to do it before the high-usage season starts. You’ll want to check your gas connections for corrosion and replace them where necessary. Check too that all connections are tightly done up, as the expansion and contraction caused by changing temperatures can slowly cause them to move.

Finally, now would be a good time to check that you have enough gas for your next cruise. Half-cooked dinners and cold showers are enough to dull anyone’s boating enjoyment, and we wouldn’t want that.

Toilet

Given the horrors that might become apparent, checking the toilet is usually the last job on the list. If you have a pump-out system you might

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