2. I Bought A Narrowboat & Install Solar Panels. Aitch Passed The Hull Survey With Flying Colours
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- Опубликовано: 8 фев 2025
- 2. I Bought A Narrowboat & Install Solar Panels. Aitch Passed The Hull Survey With Flying Colours. For Continuous Cruising & Living Aboard Solar Panels Are A Godsend, And I Do Some DIY With My Boat Still In Lea Valley Marina. And Hopefully Buying Aitch Will Be The Beginning Of My New Life On The Cut.
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Narrowboat Channel
Narrowboat Cruising & Lifestyle
NC&L
neat cabling, MAN AFTER MY OWN HEART !
Fitting them Solar Panels is a must on one of these Narrowboats Karl!
I think I would have drilled one hole in the centre of each bracket or just used one of the already drilled holes, then drilled a total of eight holes in the roof, Vince; I think one bolt for each bracket would have been ample for my patience and aging 💪😆 Anyway, good job...belt & braces!
I make you right. It was all new to me in them days haha!
subscribed and watching from British Columbia, Canada. The lake I live by doesn't allow houseboats, I think because we're landlocked. Love your canals and happy to go adventuring with you
Thanks for subscribing, and I'm happy you're coming along for the adventure!
Love watching you. No airs and graces, just telling it as it is. Good job.
Thanks Marietjie, love reading your comments too!
Really love how informative your blogs are. Great stuff. Easy going and lots to learn from you. Excellent
Thanks John!
@@NarrowboatCruisingLifestyle my pleasure. Only found your vlogs a day ago and I am on episode 6 already. I really do enjoy your stuff. Thank you sir
@@johnwilkinson9153 I'm really happy that you are enjoying them John. Makes it worthwhile me making them!
Congrats on your purchase,you must be very excited,enjoy your new life😀
Thanks Susan, excited and a bit nervous!
That’s a nice cable and solar job, I’d be well happy if I had to do my panels and it came out that good, happy boating.
Thank you! But I was an electrician in my other life!
@@NarrowboatCruisingLifestyle Yes I can tell, you make it look easy.
Excellent video looking forward to more episodes.I would be interested to see how you cope with locks single handed.
Cheers Helms Mann, please don't laugh too much when I attempt to do locks single handed!
Could Just use the Sikaflex to bond the panel brackets to the roof. That's what I used to bond solar panels and runners to campervan roof. Rock solid after. Great job with the wiring and MPPT.
good idea Mange, would have been a lot easier.
Enjoying your videos so far - looking forward to watching your learning curve. Good luck!
Thanks Mike, That's hope I don't make too many mistakes while I'm trying to pick up how its done!
Great video, can’t wait for the next one!
Thanks Vikki
You seem like a chilled and relaxed guy and i look forward to watching your new adventures, congratulations and i wish you all the best from sunny hertfordshire.
Thanks Alan, appreciate it!
What a professional proper job!
Thank you mate!
Love to watch these DIY Videos! Please keep them coming and job well done.
Thanks Michael I will do!
I'm learning so much from your step by step projects! Thanks
I'm glad Emily, thank you!
Nice job tapping the holes with your cordless drill. I was waiting for a broken tap but you did it like a pro! Very tidy job on the cables. Congratulations on your new purchase. I wish you every happiness. Subscribing from Wales, Utah, USA.
Thanks Roger, that's nice of you!
My sons called Harry and I've always called him Aitch so your channel was a must .
Good vlog...trying to get into narrowboating myself so learning where I can 😉
Thanks for watching Simon, Im learning too (big time) so watch as I make mistakes, and hopefully people will learn from them!
Well done. Well done 👍
Thank you!
Some good tips there mate found it interesting - thanks
Cheers!
Oh boy, you had me at DIY, love these projects.
Thanks Kathy!
LOVED the video - Well done for thinking outside the box - Can’t wait to watch the next video x
Thanks Duck!
Great fun ! cracked me up ! Ive been living in Cornwall for last 40 years but im now thinking of doing the same as you. I was born in Hartford and i know exactly where you are, spent all my childhood on the river there messing about. Ill let you know when I get mine and ill look out for you.Have fun enjoy yer new life.
Thanks Richard, let me know how you get on, and I'll keep my eyes open!
@@NarrowboatCruisingLifestyle Will keep you posted.
Great job.
Thanks Narrowboat Will
You certainly know ya stuff
@@allanmarshall4582 Thanks Allan!
@@NarrowboatCruisingLifestyle wish you luck on your travels. Jealous really. Wish I could do the same .
@@allanmarshall4582 Thanks again Allan, I don't know your circumstances, but it took me a while to get to this stage. If you really want to do it, go for it!
New to the Chanel liking the solar install
One of the best things I've done on the boat!
Also new. Watch cruising canal side of London. Wonderful!!!
Nice work Vince and good news on the survey. These videos will help a lot of future boaters. Hope you got some fenders sorted 😀
Cheers Lazarus, yes I made a bit of a schoolboy error, the fenders were tucked away in the engine bay. been fine ever since.
Good job and great result from the survey 👍
Thanks Harve
New subscriber from Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada. You seem to have a good idea of what your doing. Looking forward to your adventures.
Thanks Charles
You could have used VHB tape. It's known as eternabond in some places. You can get it at RV (Caravan) stores. We use it across the pond on RVs without issue even at highway speeds. At the low speeds of narrowboats, you could flush mount without any issue, or holes.
I will have to look that VHB tape up. Sounds like something that could be very useful!
Your boat name reminds me how I flummoxed a school teacher recently doing some school work at home with my boy (thanks COVID) the question was "what five letter work sounds the same even if you remove four letters. Like most dads when my boy could not get the answer, I had a go. I worked it out to be AITCH. The teacher marked the word as wrong and had never heard of that spelling of H. The correct and only answer according to her was Queue. To say I played my face over this is an understatement.
Nice story presterjohn (made me chuckle)
Greetings from Muskoka, Ontario. I’m an avid viewer of narrowboat vlogs and look forward to your adventures.
Thanks Gerry!
Hi Vince... greetings from South Africa.... well done on getting your boat... So pleased it all went so well for you... nice job on the solar panels... aside from physical damage to the cables my concern would be heat from the steel roof and ultra violet rays from the sun.... thanks for sharing and looking forward to following you on your journey... keep safe until the next one....
Thanks for the comments, you keep safe too!
Job well done!
Thanks Andreas!
It's a good thing that you appear to know something about electrical matters when it comes to installations. Personally, I know how to change light bulbs and mess with my laptop. Awesome video, good luck with your adventures and life on your narrow boat. See you again. Take care...
Thanks John, yes I have worked in the Electrical Industry for 40 odd years, hope to see you on here again!
I just discovering your chanmel, and one day hope to have a Narrow Boat, keep up the great work buddy.
Thanks Dean
Great to see a new narrowboat channel Ill be watching :) I fit Panels to RVs- At 100kph they stay there with 6 dabs of Sikaflex. no screws needed Oh And sorry but the shadow of your chimney will ruin the output of that back panel. watch your Amps meter- you will lose a good 4 amps when the shadow runs over it
Thanks for the advice, I Will take it all in for the next time I install Solar!
Very interesting, great job!
Thanks Mike, Glad you found it interesting!
Keep up the good work bro
Thanks, will do Shaun!
Hi Vince I am pleased you got the boat, I saw it listed online and it looks fantastic inside and out, I am very interested to find out how the
solar panels work out over summer and winter, they might have some old fenders in the yard to tie you over, looking forward to the next episode and good job on fitting the panels you made it look easy,
Hello Si, I found some fenders in the engine bay (Bit of a schoolboy error) the solar panels have made a massive difference, but it will be different in the winter.
Great job done there
Thanks Robert!
Good job
Cheers Richard!
if need quick inexpensive cable protection for those wires, go to an Automotive parts store and get the 'split' plastic flexible casing, wire protectors, if want to order, can get in variety of diameters and colors and with a little modification around the fixed mounting points areas to the casing, can fit in place, after fitting, can just zip tie around
That's exactly what I will do if I find that it's needed! Similar to what I said, but will save me the aggravation of splitting one side myself, Thanks JFK64 Kennedy
You did very well Vince, considering the amount of work involved. Good luck and hope to view you on your journeys. Onwards & upwards
Thank you x
Just found RivNuts. Definitely the way forward Vince.
I've got the crimping tool But no nuts Nobby!
@@NarrowboatCruisingLifestyle Must be our age Vince. 😂
Good job! Looks great too!
👍👊😎
Best job I've done on the boat, they have been a Godsend!
New subscriber here; just binge watching all the old episodes; thanks for giving us something to watch during lockdown; much appreciated. I have to ask, how do you put up with all the armchair experts; they'd drive me nuts?! 😁
Cheers Pavlos, as long as people are not nasty, I don't mind!
Great video
👍🏼
Thanks Darren!
Just for future reference you can buy combination drill/taps, saves a lot of time (Amazon have them)
How technology moves on and leaves old dinosaurs like me behind! ha ha
Great Video. I hope when you start cruising you will at the start of each video take the time to show your starting/stopping points using some type of map because a lot of us would like to follow your trip using Google Earth. Just Subscribed. Charleston, South Carolina
Thanks Russ, Yes I probably will do that, I dont really want to use google earth but I will use something like the nicholsons guide.
Done a nice job their mukka.
Cheers Martin
Have joined your journey juat before Christmas 2021. Loving your story already & looking forward to more
Hope you enjoy the other vlogs Karl!
@@NarrowboatCruisingLifestyle just watching this again. pound to a penny you're also an electrician... i'm going off everything including the state of your terminal driver ;-) - hope you're around when i need an extra pair of hands
@@MrDiscoseeker You're right Karl! Bit out of practice nowadays though!
Make youreself a top box from decking use the panels as lids you can open the lid to face the sun plus you have extra storage out of sight good look
Give it a year or so and I might wish that I done what you said!
Just started watching
Maybe an idea to get a cb radio at some point but make sure its sideband so your signal will get right out
There will b a shop somewhere to help set you up
Hope your life is great
Cheers!
@@NarrowboatCruisingLifestyle how do you feel now youve got away from the rat race and u can go anywhere on the canals
@@indiana146 I won't lie to you, its hard work being locked down during the winter months! Other than that, I love it!
@@NarrowboatCruisingLifestyle good i live in an old weavers cottage in darwen near blackburn i walked past this cottage in winter of 81 82 14 ft drifts and i always said i it comes up for sale ill buy 32 yrs ago it did and i bought it its grand on our lane its quiet during day
I had to retire on ill health 15 yrs ago im only 56
But im doing my radio amateur licesnce this year until lockdown over i cant get my pal to put my aerial up but ive got some long wire aerials ill just put out bedroom wind ow
I suffer terrible pain but ill get there ill keep in touch
My house is paid for and my mrs is a good un she agreed to me sticking a 22ft aerial on back of cottage
Take care
@@indiana146 All the best with the amateur radio, and whatever else you are dealing with! Regards Vince!
Will save you a few bob DIYing and save your battery life great idea.
I love where you have Moored Million pound
Mooring your at there I wonder what a 3 bedroom semi starts off where you are at the moment?
I see you have got roof insulation, good job. 👌👍
I would imagine its quite expensive!
Congrats on your Purchase of Aitch , Also Was that Drill going in Reverse lol, as it looked that way in the video , yeah better to get some conduit or Cable trunking for the External wiring 😎😉👍
Thanks George, no the drill was going in the right direction, it also looked like it was spinning slower on film. Might be a good idea to protect the cable, but it is designed for being used outdoors, it has a very thick & tough insulation and is weather protected.
I will keep an eye on it though!
Great vlog!! interesting...
Thanks Project WaterLily
Great videos by the way
Thanks Mark!
Just found your channel and subscribed, lvoe the idea of a narrowboat. Did it make you nervous to spend presumably a good amount of money on the boat to then drill 16/17 holes into the roof? Haha. Looking forward to watching the rest!
No, I was more nervous about handling the boat with no tuition! Hope you enjoy the others.
Looks good, you know what you’re doing anyway👍🏻 I’m not being rude, or at least trying not to be, I’d really like to know, what made you want to buy a narrow boat, give up everything you had and live aboard? I love boats, my dad had a cape island boat and then after that a wooden hull broad beam sailing racer( she was actually build in the UK) so I spent a lot of time on the ocean but never on a narrow boat. How are you finding it so far?
Hi Jill, I'm finding it good so far thanks, as to what made me sell up everything and move onto a boat, I'm going to be a spoil sport and say that i will explain why in future episodes! And no I don't think you're rude, just curious.
Did you sleep ok on your second night after getting used to it ? I wish you well in your new life adventure.
Thanks Keith, I've slept like a log ever since!
Flexable conduit for internal wiring...Capping for external. Much neater and less likely to be in the way when walking in the roof. You simply sikaflex the capping...no need to drill. TBH you could have sikaflexed the panels.
Thanks for the advice!
Personally, I would have used a Grab Adhesive. Panels are so light they would have just sat there.
Your probably right Nobby, but I took the belt & braces approach just in case!
Narrowboat Cruising & Lifestyle I know what you mean. It just looked so painful drilling those dammed holes, 🥺 great job, so all due respect to you.
@@floatybyboaty Thanks Nobby!
Whats it been like living on the boat compared to land living so far, enjoying it ?
It's nice, still haven't moved the boat out of the yard yet. I'll let you know what it's like when I get moving. I'm looking forward to getting the other side of London, where the moorings are more plentiful!
Why in centre better off centre so you have walking space along one side of the roof.
very rarely, do you need to walk on the front of the roof Edward, I suppose it comes down to preference!
looks like you need a drill with 'grunt'.
You coud be right Alan!
You know you can glue the panel brackets down with Sikaflex 512
I know that Pop! but I'm a belt and braces man (I stuck them and Bolted them) I was trying to make them PERFICK!
No cutting grease -> Engine oils does the job too
yes you are right Flyby
Even in the UK I imagine that UV damage will wreck havoc on those cables. So it would be best to get them in conduit or in a race way of some kind. Since they are already run, I would look for a race way option versus a slit in conduit.
The cable is rated to be UV and weather resistant, I was more worried about it getting knocked about, i will look at this race way option, thanks for the comment.
@@NarrowboatCruisingLifestyle google cable guard, this is what we use in telcom industry, pretty decent stuff, would be a challenge to fasten to roof deck without drilling holes however I think it could be done. www.ebay.com/itm/PVC-Flanged-Wire-Guard-U-Channel-Surface-Cable-Raceways-1-2-1-2-4-/132012627895
@@missinglink7709 It looks like a stronger version of what I would call Capping, I will keep that in mind for the future.
cutting oil would help and not forcing the drill
Cheers for the advice!
Hey Vince I've traced you back to the beginning.
So let's see what you have been up to.
Hope you find it a bit interesting John!
Cheap drill bits
you should NEVER drill direct into your roof ..... it would have been better to have some brackets made then welded to the roof then your solar fitted to them
WHY
no fenders ? really ,
go to Sailing Emerald Steel on YT. The owners made a video showing how to make good looking fenders out of tyres and old line.
I took possession of Aitch late on a Friday, the yard had already tied the boat up with no fenders, the next day I dug about and found some fenders, problem solved!
I’ve got all this to come and being the worst DIYer in the world it’s one of the buts I’m not looking forward to, me brother is gonna get sick and tired of having to follow me round doing odd jobs for me !
You'll have to make sure you keep in your brothers good books!
Narrowboat Cruising & Lifestyle he will be glad of the break from the wife !
Looking good keep posting videos of wot you are doing
Thanks ARLITL I will.
Job well done👌👏
Thanks MrCptjohn, that's something I do know a bit about!