Greedyheron

Worth checking out Hampshire trading standards website- go to b for boat. Last time I looked into this they were the ones who really understood the rcd and their site has some basic but useful information and they were quite helpful. They may be able to tell you if you would have any right to claim against the broker for example.

I looked at buying a boat without an rcd within the 5 year period- I didn't in the end but I did speak to a surveyor who assists with the rcd requirements. He told me that he could survey the boat to check whether it was compliant and advise on works needed to get it up to scratch. So that may be a possible route- depending on how much work needed doing -that might cost a fair bit though. I checked with an insurer at the time- they wouldn't insure a boat without rcd within the 5year period. I can't remember surveyors name now, he was really helpful though- somewhere in oxford I think but I guess there are likely a few surveyors about that can provide a similar service.

Thanks all- sounds like its about right then- although lime house is very cheap - I wonder if they use the same cards- would be worth a trip to collect some if so!

Hi everyone Just wandering what people are paying for electric at marinas at the moment. I'm at a BWML marina and am paying £14.90 for 100kwh. Is that about the same as other marinas? Seems kind of expensive for a business rate but then I haven't paid house rates for a long time so I've lost track. Thanks

It's probably worth you taking a look at apollo duck too- home of many boats for sale. They have boats all over the world and occasionally boats that are current or ex bars and restaurants - that way you may find something already kitted out to suit you- or at least part way there. I'd look but then I'll end up buying another boat , damn I'm probably going to look anyway now...

I've never yet worked out whether I'm amazingly good at valuing boats or whether the vendor has told the surveyor what I have offered and they have done me a favour in valuing the boat at that. It's always below asking price because I'm cheeky but I've got it spot on the surveyors valuation each time (this time we were obviously both missing a trick because the damn thing is a rust bucket- but that's another storey). I bought my first boat for about a third of the asking price, second got about 15% off, and once offered a cheeky 21k for a boat on at 38 and had it accepted subject to survey and me visting for a look but it had no rcd and was awfully put together so I kept my money (and bought the rust bucket instead, will I never learn!). Anything is worth only what you want to pay for it, offer whatever you think is right- it will either suit the vendor or it won't.

Could you find another boater to swap your wood for some diesel ? Shame for free wood to go to waste!

I can think of no where else that I would get such fast replies- thank you! Water is heated in calorifier at the moment- so immersion is off. My windows don't open so one less thing to worry about. Taps are now open- what are the chances I ill remember that when I turn the pump back on? Hopefully I'll remember! Right I'm off (cue volley of things I should have remembered but have left without doing!)

Last minute check- have I got this right? I'm away for a few days(leaving in about an hour) and its forecast to get below 0 for a couple of nights so as I now have plumbing and never really have had before( first shower on board in over 4 years of living aboard this weekend) I'm trying to do some basic frost protection. I have turned off the valve at the water tank , turned off the water pump and then opened sink and shower taps until water just dribbled out- the aim being to depressurise the system so if any ice forms it has somewhere to go- I think? Did then think to turn the shower bilge pump back on shortly before disaster struck. I'm going to leave the oil filled rad on low so the inside of the boat should stay above freezing- the back of the boat is covered (semi trad) and the engine bay is partly open to the main cabin because my other half has hidden one of the panels somewhere- so engine bay should stay warmish too. Anything else I need to do? Should I leave the shower and sink taps open or turn them off now the system is depressurised ? Going away with the taps left on feels really weird. Thank you!

We used the fireboard sold by midland chandlers in the end. It's insulation value is the best one included in the bs reg, best in that it lets through the least heat so that gap between it and stove can be smaller. It works out a bit cheaper than the victas board once vat and delivery is worked out.

Ah I think I'm an idiot. I seem to have converted from mm to m rather stupidly- am I actually looking at a ventilation area about 17.5cm by 17.5 cm? That's easier! I can have doors!

Hi everyone I'm trying to work out how much ventilation I need in the boat (just about to fit oven, hob and stove). I've used the formula on the boat safety site but seem to have come out needing a lot, would someone mind telling me if I have this right and if so how they have achieved this? Formula: (2200x u) + (650xp) + (550 x h) = mm2 (2200x 12.1)+ ( 650 x 2) + (550 x 4) So 26620 + 1300 + 2200 = 30,120 mm2 12.1 is oven at 4.8 and hob at 7.7 P, there are 2 of us 4 is the power of the solid fuel stove. So I seem to need just over 3m2 of ventilation. Is that right? It seems like rather a lot? I have 4 mushroom vents, and a solar ventilator. I currently don't have back doors but would really like some but it looks like I can only have the frame! Help, I must have miscalculated somewhere?

Could also try timbmet, we buy at trade from them so I'm not sure what kind of prices they would quote you, lots of yards buy from them. They have a base is Oxford and deliver so not a millions miles from you.

It will depend where you are. I would suggest going to a local timber merchant, that way you can have a look through what they have and pick the best bits. If you give a rough area someone will probably know the best people locally.

I can see why they wouldn't want to pay out. Now that guidance is available it would be fair for an insurance company to expect you to install and use an appliance in line with it. The guidance gives them something to point to and say 'well that was an accident waiting to happen you've been negligent'. Most policies, mine included, have clauses around keeping all appliances and parts of the boat in a safe and well maintained condition, I would expect that relates to stoves too and the guidance gives them a baseline to work from in terms of whether you installed it 'safely'.

Marvellous thanks- I shall have a look. My old boat just had two sheets of aluminium as heat shields- with wallpapered fibreglass behind. It actually stayed quite cool behind them but now that I have the chance to fit a stove myself I'd rather do it as properly as possible than live with what ifs that can be avoided.

Sounds like a book I need for Christmas, the boat should be more or less finished by then so a month or so of evenings by the stove trying not to tie myself in knots is sounding good- thanks. Maybebe I'll start with the side ones and work up to the bow fender.

Hi I have quite a collection of old ropes and am in need of some new fenders, someone else's post has prompted me to think about making some. I've found some guides via google about how to do this. Has anyone else had a go? How did they turn out? Thanks

Scrap that, midland chandlers have a board that does the job apparently at half the price - just need to get to the library now! Charlotte I guess the problem is whether the board insulates or not, otherwise the nice flammable ply behind it will burn, leaving the non flammable suff in front. What is no more ply made of?

Quite doable, we did it ourselves other than a welder cutting it out and welding in the new cross members, other than moving the thing, they are damn heavy and we still haven't worked out what to do with the tank(thinking about trying to lift it into a skip). The stop tap will likely be in a cupboard or may be under the floor somewhere near the water tank or if its an old boat you may not have one until somewhere near a tap- best follow the pipe along and it will be somewhere that you can get to it. I definitely wouldn't pay those kind of prices. Welding cost us probably £50 and a new loo a couple of hundred.

Thanks both. I'l tryl to get to the library this weekend and see if they can give me access to the bs docs. I think I'll go with the victas board- expensive but seems to be the the right board.