Alan de Enfield

But then after 2 weeks use (presumably without any charging)...................... "after 2 months away, the domestics and starter were fine and I was very happy. 2 weeks after I got back I attempted to start the engine and it just made a noise"

Are you saying you left the boat for 'a couple of weeks' and left the fridge, freezer and a large wine fridge all running ?

That statement covers over 5000 square miles

It is not just the lack of maintenance, things like water quality, boats moored close by with 'leaky electric' or even microbial attack (which can eat thru 20mm of steel in a year [worse case known]) You either gamble "it'll be allright" or you pay for your £1000 survey to find out. I'd be more worried about MIC than a bit of pitting - surveyors suggest that around 85% of steel inland waterways boats could be affected to some extent. No one can tell you the condition of the hull without seeing it. No one can tell you any different

Maybe you missed where I said ...................

When filling diving oxygen cylinders a great deal of care has to be taken - all of the equipment (hose, regulators, the cylinders etc if the cylinder has previously had 'air' in it it must be flushed) has to be thoroughly cleaned. When working with Oxygen at 200 bar (about 3500 psi) it can make quite a 'bang' if it makes contact with oil or grease.

C&RT do not have any legal responsibility to provide, toilets, potable water, or waste disposal - in fact the Waterways legislation specifically states that they can charge if such services are provided. Don't poke the bear - you may regret it.

An interesting, yet flawed, comparison. There are several million vehicles on the UK roads which are MOT exempt, and their owners are effectively self-certifiying them as safe and roadworthy.

And who do you think provides the answers to the technical questions asked by the RCD bureaucrats ? When manufacturers need a techinical question answering they ask the RECREATIONAL CRAFT SECTORAL GROUP (RSG) who discuss with the necessary experts, have a meeting about it and then pronounce a decision, which is then endorsed by the RCD/RCR Example :

You are correct - if the ISOs are not followed then an RCD/RCR "notified body" is required to undertake tests showing that at least equivalent performance is met. All additional cost and hassle .......................... Follow the ISOs and you get "automatic presumption of conformity" Me to. Edit to add (from the RSG) Article 31: Presumption of conformity Where a conformity assessment body demonstrates its conformity with the criteria laid down in the relevant harmonised standards or parts thereof the references of which have been published in the Official Journal of the European Union it shall be presumed to comply with the requirements set out in Article 30 in so far as the applicable harmonised standards cover those requirements. If the ISO standards are not followed : 4. Verification of conformity by examination and testing of every product 4.1. All products shall be individually examined and appropriate tests set out in the relevant harmonised standard(s) and/or technical specifications, or equivalent tests, shall be carried out in order to verify conformity with the approved type described in the EC-type examination certificate and with the appropriate requirements of the legislative instrument. In the absence of such a harmonised standard, the notified body concerned shall decide on the appropriate tests to be carried out. 4.2. The notified body shall issue a certificate of conformity in respect of the examinations and tests carried out, and shall affix its identification number to each approved product or have it affixed under its responsibility.The manufacturer shall keep the certificates of conformity available for inspection by the national authorities for 10 years after the product has been placed on the market.

But - there are forum members on here who insist that building an RCD/RCR compliant boat does not require the builder to comply with the relevant ISO standards.

Yes, thankyou, that is what I do.

Knowlegable "engineers".

You obviously did open an account, and entered you bank/card details but then forgot to cancel the charges on future months. I regularly get offers of one-month Amazon prime free of charge - then £7.99/month. You just have to be organised enough to cancel it before the 'end of the month'. SWMBO signed up for a trial of an expensive cat foot (£1 per 100g tin) at a 75% reduction in price - problem being, she went away on holiday for 6 weeks and didn't give it a thought, when a shipment arrived I thought nothing of it (I did not know about the 1st discounted shipment). Then, another shipment arrived and I thought this is odd - looked at the bank statement and there are two decuctions for £56 each. I phoned the company up and explained that SWMBO had some 'difficulties' and often bought stuff we didn't need, or want, anyway they let me cancel the contract despite it being a 12 month contract.