Alan de Enfield

You (not the seller) would be expected to pay the costs of having a survey done, this includes 'getting it so the surveyor can do the survey'. As has been said it would be the norm for the owwner/seller to take it for a 'last run' and save you the travel expenses - Maybe the owner works and cannot afford to lose 3 days work (1 day each way and a day for the survey). If you were to hire someone to take the boat then you'd be looking at £150-£200 per day + expenses. If it feels like the 'right boat' then forgo the survey.

But they would than pay £billions in tax to the UK Government instead of the Norwegian, Iranian or ............... Governments

Not necessarily - the immersion heater is NOT the calorifier - it is simply an additional (optional) electrical heating element, your calorifier could function perfectly, but the immersion heater dfinitely will not work if it is not connevted to 220v AC (mains)

The BSS does allow for 'straight thru' piping but it must be protected where it goes thru the bulkhead to prevent chafing. LPG pipes passing through metallic bulkheads or decks must be protected by the use of sleeves, grommets, cable glands, bulkhead fittings, or equivalent. If the pipe is not protected (or installed via a bulkhead fitting) it will be a BSS fail.

The left hand side switch is rated at 6 amps and I would have thought would normally be / should be the one that works the immersion heater, which will draw just over 4 amps if it is a 1000 watt element. The one next to that is rated at 16 amps, and would 'normally' be the one that provided power for the the rest of the boat (battery charger, toaster, etc etc)

Why is it ? The likes of Tesco etc are going to buy a wee bit more diesel than "John on the fuel boat" and will get a large 'quantity discount'

No question "is there anything else we should know that may affect the quotation" etc etc It would be simple for them to add another couple of words and make the question ............ If you answer (honestly) 'Lithium' then they can ask more questions re battery chemistry, installation etc etc. I have found that it does not benefit you if you try and hide facts from the insurers. IF you are found out, you go on a black-list and will pay very high premiums, if you can get insurane at all.

No2 Son lives up at the 'top end' of Scotland - they are curently getting gusts up to 80mph along with heavy snow.

The same as with cars - if you have 'boosted the engine', fitted larger wheels/tyres, added a 'sports kit', lowered the suspension, etc. your insurance will be invalidated if you have not informed them.

Why would you think that ? Not at all - I think you are coping well and I know you'll have a real sense of achievement at the end. It is an excellent example for newbies looking to do a project - no one ever believes that it'll take 4 or 5 years but it does, and you need real "stickability" to suceed.

When you purchased this boat (was it about 2 years ago) did you have a survey ? were you aware of the condition and that it was a major project ? You seem to have had problems / faults with everything from internal fit-out to curtain rails, to chimney roof 'rings' to electric and water. Has any part if the boat actually been 'trouble free' ? I'm sure you will have real satisfaction when it is actually finished and you can go cruising.

Then if you intend to come thu Nottingham and onto the Trent choose your boat with care - a couple of the bridges around Meadow lane are quite low - and, if you do have a wide beam the beam can restrict the height of bridges you can use. Hopfully the picture makes sense. On an arched bridge, a NB with a higher airdraft can use a bridge that a WB with a lower airdraft cannot

This one ? Apologies if this is your picture. I simply asked google pictures for a 'cutaway boat calorifier' and it gave me this. There was no indication of source I have today tried to follow it back to its source and it ended up at a 'dead' link in 2012

Yes - there is typically a question like "are there any other pertinent facts that may affect our quotation or offer of cover ?"

A calorifier can be designed to be installed horizontally or vertically - make sure you get the right 'type' Here is my Horizontal one (yellow foam jacket. and my Vertical one (blue jacket)