Book excerpt: When owning a narrow boat, or any engine-powered vessel, it is vital to ensure that the engine is kept in good working order. Narrow Boat Engine Maintenance and Repair is a practical guide to help keep your engine operational, and your boat moving. It also provides instruction on how to identify faults and, where possible, how to fix them. With its focus on diesel engine operation, and the systems found on most vessels, this is a useful resource for any boat owner. It provides practical guidance to undertake everyday maintenance on your diesel engine; it demonstrates how to complete a service and locate and resolve common faults; explains the theory required to understand each of the boat's main systems and shares the practical skills and techniques that engineers spend many years learning. This invaluable resource will be of great interest to those who own and run narrow boats, those starting out and more veteran boat owners. Superbly illustrated with 264 colour step-by-step photographs and 60 technical diagrams.