Tom Nighy communicated closely with industry and realised the practical problems of boatbuilders testing for sound and emissions.

He also realised that the industry had addressed many of these issues and proposals at that time were unlikely to improve quality of product, but merely add overhead cost. We are fortunate that a simple solution was found for displacement craft (such as that on inland waterways), but like most things these days was given a mystical name of the Froude number and Power Displacement ratio.

The concept is quite simply that a displacement boat running at 'slow' speed is inherently quiet compared to high powered planing type craft. The use of a calculation (the Froude number) determines by boat speed and waterline length the likelihood of a noisy boat, and narrow-boats fall well within the specified limit of 1.1. The Power Displacement ratio on narrowboats usually fall below 2, with a limit of 40 being unacceptable.

Manufacturers of engines have spent substantial amounts of money on developing clean engines. The simple boatbuilder follows the proven line of 'installing in accordance with manufacturers instructions' and as long as the engine has the sacred CE stamp of approval and the boatbuilder does the 'Delmonte' sign - we can all sleep soundly.

So why the article of 'doom and despair'? You don't think it could be related to the products manufactured by Halyard, or the expensive service offered by CE Proof or even the £250 CD Rom from BMF?

Come on BMF - A simple guideline note in BBwould be far more assistance.

Yours faithfully, Eddie Baldwin Midland Canal Centre