songbird2

Thanks for that. I will give him a call

Hello Boaters I have today put in an offer on a boat at Thorne nr Doncaster. Can anyone recommend a good surveyor. I confess I am a bit of a novice so I am relying on someone who will check everything and talk to me about what they find. It will be out of the water at Bluewater Marina. Any advice gratefully received

Hi Maffi I don't know the model. The boat is 52'. I will find out!

hello boaters I have put in an offer for a semi trad with a solid fuel stove and hydronic diesel central heating which is partially hot air and then radiators. Whats the general experience of such systems, cost to run etc? Any thoughts would be most appreciated. This is all new to me!!

my friend cant pick up the internet at the moment where she is moored and has since called the housing dept and is thrilled to find out she can get some help so thanks to everyone. If it was me I would have said so...whats the problem?

ive passed that on its very useful. thanks a lot to everyone. i hope to hear from from smelly could you still get housing benefit if you are continuously cruising

Hi A friend of mine is wondering whether she can claim housing benefit whilst she lives on her boat. Does anyone have any experience of this at all. She is currently on an on line mooring not in a marina and is surviving on a very low income.

I have found out that the boat was overplated up to the water line at Winkwell on the GUC about 8 years ago when the current owners first bought her. So looks like the entire hull was overplated. Good or bad thing?

Thanks for this. I'm afraid experience has taught me not to trust people you don't know however nice they appear and business is business I have learned. Your advice has really helped. The boat was overplated in 2005. I think it had not been well maintained until the current owners bought it and fixed a lot of problems. It has a new engine also 2005 and stuff like that. Thanks Neil I will take a look at that list and contact the vendors to set something up about the survey.

thank you. Its private and I did ask them where the nearest dry dock was. They are based in London now so would have to come up to take the boat to the dry dock. I will ask them about a deposit and the terms under which is would be refundable.....Its a bit nervewracking

I have found a boat I like. I know I need to get it surveyed next. Do I ask the owners to take the boat to the nearest dry dock and then arrange for the surveyor to go and do the survey? Im not sure what happens next? Should I offer a deposit or something too?

Im not sure I will ask the owners though, thanks, a survey is the way forward for sure

hi , yes i do but I have just found loads of stuff on the subject of overplating on the forum and its worrying me now! aaaargh

Hi Ive been to see a boat today that I like. Its a 1989 John Pinder. It was overplated in 2005, it also got a new engine and gearbox in the same year. Should I be concerned about a boat that has been overplated at all? I will get a survey but I appreciate peoples thoughts before I go to that expense. In every other respect it seems like a good liveaboard boat. many thanks in advance, this support really helps novices like me!

thanks for all the advice. The boat has polystyrene insulation, and i guess to improve that its probably a bit messy!