Starcoaster

Though I don't have my own boat yet (so feel free to disregard) I feel kind of like this- but more like 'if you can respect my boat when you moor and take care not to hurt it when tying up or getting across, then by all means, knock yourself out...'

Now I don't expect anyone to tell me their deepest secrets as to how they ensure their boat is secure when they have to leave it and go ashore away from it for any length of time... I might be a dodgy burglar for all you know. But I am wondering, generally do all of the entry doors onto any given boat have a reasonable lock, or have some way of securing them, and can anyone give me some advice on the best way to secure a boat? I have not bought one yet but am looking to buy soon, more than likely a GRP but maybe if my numbers come in, a NB lol. And any tips as to the best way to make it as secure as I can in my absence. Many thanks.

Thanks everyone for your input. I have four cats (yes, don't start...) all aged 5 or 6 and all have been indoor/ outdoor all their lives. Two were feral kittens who came around to me in their own time. They have all managed ok with me moving house three times in their lifetimes (I have of course been very conscious when I moved, that the new place had safe outdoor access and was cat friendly) so I think they will take to a move ok, but being on a boat will be very different for them, particularly when I have to move the boat. I am aware that even on a residential mooring the boat will need to move sometimes due to marina needs and boat maintenance etc, but think I will try to minimise this, and at the mo much as I love the idea of cc'ing, I can't see that it would be the way to go, for them, certainly not at first. They will still have to be indoor/ outdoor as they have always had free run and I don't agree with turning them into indoor only cats. (I accept I will need to keep them shut in upon first moving and for a bit after any subsequent moves.) They're all fit, healthy and active and used to going outside, and I wouldn't want to try and change that. I have started trying to go the way of 'Pavlov's dogs' cat style, and ringing a bell for food to get them to come in when I want... As the shyest, most skittish of them all would sell his own soul for a whiff of tuna, that may work...

Might your son be able to do the full bottom? At 2k that would possibly make it feasible to make an offer on!

Wow thats unlucky! Hope you recover ok and aren't going to have too many problems not being able to earn for a bit. And hey, at least no one caught it on video... Right?

Thats a good point, I was just wondering why I was thinking it was a Springer and think I must have picked it up from this thread as none of the three ads I have found for it make any mention of it being a Springer.

My flat it full of loads of the spiders that are really big in terms of leg span but really small in that they are spindly and have really thin legs and bodies. These don't actually bother me at all, but what I want to know is, are they a particulat type of spiders in their own right, or are they juveniles of the killy killy huge fat hairy sprinters and I should hoover them up now before they get too big and scarey?

Hi, can anyone give me some more info on boat surveys please. What is covered in a survey/ what kind of information do you get? I have heard of a hull only survey, is this considerably cheaper and is it worth considering or would it be foolish not to have a full survey? Approx. how much is a full survey/ hull survey? Is there a way to work out approx. how much it will cost depending on the size of the boat? Is the price about the same for a nb and a grp or considerably different? Thanks!

Thanks for posting, always keen to get lots of viewpoints. I do appreciate what you're saying, and if I did have some leeway in my budget I might consider it. But not only is 7k going to wipe me out financially, but the boat will also be my home, so I just don't think I can gamble either the money or the peace of mind, particularly as I feel that the sellers are trying to hide at least the hull issue and maybe more, and the boat doesn't currently have a bss (from what I can establish) which implies more work needing doing as well as the hull. It's true that it might not be about to sink, but as indicated, with the hull as it is, it's uninsurable and back to not being able to take such a massive gamble with the little money I have, I can;t risk havign an uninsured/ uninsurable boat. If you have any idea on the cost for welding either patches or the whole thing, I'd be interested to hear- If not with a view to having it then just out of curiosity. At the link on Whitton marine, http://www.whiltonmarina.co.uk/used-narrowboats/details/1533.aspx it says the hull plating specification is 6/6/3mm, can anyone clarify what that means? Also it says it has a flat hull.

Yeah I know a narrowboat would be much better for lots of reasons, but I have to work with my budget. :-(

Blue, I'm of an old circus family, at my Mother's house there's a picture of my Grandparents with her when she toured Europe!

I think Alan is right, I pretty much decided that that sounded like the likely chain of events myself. I agree they're probably looking for a mug now who thinks for that price it's not worth a survey. Horrible thought, but I bet they will get someone. They have not replied to my enquiry, funnily enough! I am on Apollo Duck, ebay etc. daily looking for new listings! Under 25ft is not realistic for me to live on, and I also want a shower! I can buy a boat cheaper than 7k and use the rest of the money getting work done, but as there is very little I am capable/ willing to risk doing for myself I would have to account for any work being at shipyard prices not DIY prices. So anything that needs a lot doing to it or says 'project' I read very carefully but usually move on.

Wooden boats scare me lol... Cheers everyone who has posted.

Thats cool, I was already committed to the idea of a narrowboat being well out of my range and looking at grp boats between 25-30 foot, but I'm sure you can understand how when that boat came up in my search at that price it caught my eye!

Ok this is where you all get to laugh at the optimistic poor girl, but my budget is up to 7k. And for that it needs to be good to go and not need anything major doing for at least a year, including having good enough antifoul for a year. And not be about to fall apart totally within say the next five years either! Moorings, licence etc. I have budgeted seperately, but yeah for the boat itself, 7k total for the sale and anything that may need doing. Generally ones I am viewing are grp cruiser types.

Thanks for replying. That statement about the plating was on the previous sale from the marina, so I don't know if that has maybe been done... I may be being thick but does that mean the anodes need doing or the hull itself? Is that something that costs masses? I have now emailed the seller asking (perhaps cheekily but they don't have to answer just as I reserve the right to try and protect any future investment!) how come it's up for £5,300 now when it sold (presumably to them) on ebay for £8,700 only two months ago... Will let you know if they reply! It's a 1977 manufacture according to the Marina site.

http://www.gumtree.com/p/for-sale/chelsea-emily-cruiser-style-narrow-boat/87545203 A nice looking 33ft narrowboat at £5,300... There's got to be a catch, surely? Can anyone suggest things to ask about it if I phone up? (And if there's not a catch, paws off, I saw it first lol ) Edit to add- I found that the boat was for sale previously by a marina, but don't know how much longer ago that was. I assume the marina sold it to the new owners, and if you view the .pdf file they had it up for double what is being asked now... http://www.whiltonmarina.co.uk/used-narrowboats/details/1533.aspx AND!! Edited again. It sold on ebay at the start of July for £8,700 http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/320719794898 and yes the current ad on Gumtree is definitely a new one as it's only been up one day... What to make of this!

I only just noticed your boat is called Mabel Stark... Did you name her or was she names when you got her?

This has got to be the most random thread ever. **Steps firmly into the 'no chips with lasagne' camp** Oh, and whats with this recent thingy of serving chips with curry instead of rice? Damn you Morrisons cafe, you freaks. Does anyone remember the old Heinz salad cream adverts? Brilliant. (Although I would just like to add the caveat that I don't consider salad cream to be an edible material at all. Well, unless I'm feeling a bit gippy and need something to speed up the vomiting process.)

Thanks for clarifying guys. The pictures on that one link made me proper shudder. Horrible thing to have happen to someone, I'm sure.

Wow I totally misread that the first time around! I'm a holy terror for gazing into other people's windows, and yet perversely it annoys the crap out of me when others do it to me! I keep the curtains closed if it's a problem.

One of my cats loves to play with spiders, she's useless as she harasses them rather than putting them to a swift death and usually loses them for me to deal with. Apparently spiders don't taste good- She ate one one day, and then threw it up about 90 seconds later still alive.

Sorry for going a bit off topic with this, but I'm new and just wondering if someone can clarify for me what the term being 'stuck on the cill' means. I think I can pretty much piece it together from reading the thread, but how does it happen or how to avoid it? And I'm not quite sure I follow the logistics of how it sinks one end?

Oh hells yes, I haven't felt this invested in anything in years! So right lol!