In addition to building new boats JDBS carry out a wide range of other services at their centrally located base. The following sections outline some of our activities
Some clients wish to modify or replace some part of their existing boat, this may be as simple as fitting a cupboard or involve extending their boat involving extensive refitting. Such projects form part of our normal work.
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There are a small number of clients who are unhappy with their boat engine. This may be because their engine is suffering from old age and becoming unreliable, the engine fitted may not be the type the client really wants. For instance, a modern engine may be preferable to a slow revving Vintage type, or the original engine may have been so badly installed that refitting or replacing is necessary. Each client will have different needs and the solutions will need individual discussion.
The years and weather take their toll on all boats, at some time every boat will require repainting. JDBS has established a reputation for the quality of their paintwork, this is due not only to the choice of paints and the skill of the painter, but equally if not more important is the thorough preparation before and between successive coats of paint. For those clients looking for a superior paint finish JDBS can offer this service. It is fair to out that this quality of paintwork is never cheap, but equally should not need doing very often. JDBS can offer simple advice regarding choice of polish to extend the life and shine of new paintwork.
Many clients wish to enjoy more home comforts while cruising. JDBS has considerable
experience in this area and can advise on the best solution to individual clients
problems.
There are three main ways of providing a "mains supply", each has
advantages and disadvantages:-
This is the cheapest solution, but is obviously not much help if a Shore line socket is not available at the clients moorings, also very few shore line sockets will be available while on holiday. Thought should also be given to the additional requirements of the EC Recreational Craft Directives which will became mandatory for all new boats in June 1998, this legislation is not retrospective but British Waterways are adopting some of these requirements for Safety Standards Certificates. A 2 pole Isolation Switch, Phase Polarity Indicator and a warning label is required explaining their operation. A Residual Current Device is also a requirement, but this is good practise and JDBS would always fit one.
JD
Boats are distributors for Victron
inverters.
Inverters are now available in a wide range of prices, quality and power output.
Better manufacturers are now offering models providing high degrees of reliability
and good protection to increasingly sophisticated domestic equipment, most of
which has some form of electronic control. Some inverters are also combined
with battery chargers which can be used in conjunction with a Shore line or
good generator. Installation is usually relatively simple, particularly when
internal wiring and sockets have already been installed. Apart from the cost
of an Inverter a restriction is the limited amount of power stored within boat
batteries and the time needed to recharge them.
These fall into 4 main types :-
Problems here are petrol storage (where applicable), moving them around (if powerful enough to be useful they are very heavy), noise, fumes and theft.
Noise levels in particular can be very annoying to other boat owners.
Some of these have been unreliable in the past and have also caused problems to electrical appliances due to their inherent lack of voltage and cyclical stability. New models are much improved but still mean that noise and vibration levels can be intrusive if owners need to use them while tied up, wear and tear to the main engine is accelerated since Diesel engines do not like working against light loads.
These are usually a semi-permanent installation being enclosed in sound deadening enclosures and double damped to reduce vibration, exhaust systems can be designed to reduce noise levels to a minimum, causing less annoyance to the boat owners and their neighbours. Not surprisingly, this is a more expensive option.
This represents a breakthrough in old technology made possible by modern engineering. In principle it is still a diesel electric generator but instead of using an internal combustion engine it uses the Stirling external combustion principle which was originally developed in Scotland in 1816. The main advantage of the Whispergen is that it can be run 24 hours a day in almost total silence. Waste heat can be used to heat water and radiators thus eliminating the need for a boiler.
In warmer weather, part or all of this surplus heat is lost to the river or canal via a heat exchanger in a very similar way to most propulsion engines.
The electrical generator produces 12 or 24 volt DC power and this is applied directly to the boat batteries and requires the addition of an Inverter to provide 240 volt AC power.
The principle has not been on the market very long but Victron have already done a lot of testing before launching the product and these units are now being fitted in a wide range of different types of boats.
The main advantage for Inland Waters is the products ability to be run for extended periods without producing noise levels that are irritating to the boat owner or their neighbours.
We advise clients to make a list of those electrical appliances they wish to use. JDBS can then advise on the most effective solution and discuss their relative costs.
It is worth remembering that there are limitations on what can be reasonably provided within a boat. Very few Shoreline sockets can provide more than 16 or 20 amps, this roughly equates to between 3 and 4 Kilowatts and that is a small proportion of your electrical provision at home.
Even if an inverter was 100% efficient, many batteries used on boats are 12 volt 90 Amp/hour, in theory one such battery could run a 1Kwatt appliance for 1 hour, the reality is poorer than that. Doubling the number of batteries is only a short term solution, it merely means running your engine for at least twice as long to recharge them, in practice it takes more than twice the time. Effective solutions to most problems can be found but there are sensible limits and the cost rises dramatically as expectations increase.
JD Boats offer a breakdown service and are also part of the UK wide C-BASS service. For more information about both services, please contact us.