Rizzo

Thanks for the prompt replies. Yes it's a pre purchase survey and getting the current owner to move it covers my backside nicely.

After years of drooling and dreaming I am finally in a position to buy my first narrowboat. The boat I am thinking of buying is moored on a private section of the the River Wey. The boat is not licenced, insured or BSS certified. The current owners just visit to start the engine occasionally. To enable the boat to be surveyed it needs to be moved to the nearest slipway /boatyard which is about a mile away on the navigation proper. My question is, am I allowed to get the boat to the boatyard without any of the above. Once surveyed it can get BSS and Insurance then finally a licence. The mooring will be rented to me from the landowner. TIA Jon

How about these 180 bends http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/15mm-22mm-copper-180-degree-return-bend-plumbing-diy-new-u-bend-/161161553662

I wonder how the jump in charges from £4000 to £14500 was thought of. Did the Increase in fees by so much not even give an inkling that business would not be able to trade and the general public would be deprived of a way onto the canal. Will the Basingstoke revert back to a stinking ditch and be ignored by Hampshire and Surrey County Councils yet again.

The Deepcut flight is in desperate need of water supply and conservation.

In the very early 1980's I was an unemployed spotty 16 year old. The youth opportunity programme (YOP) was formed to give such acne ridden kids a chance to get off the dole queue and do a bit for the community in return for £11.50 a week. I and few others spent months rebuilding a lock at Deepcut and loved every minute of it. The lock gates were made in an old army swimming pool next to the canal and were floated down to where they were required. Water shortage problem were evident then and many schemes like back pumping and building a reservoir were discussed but none came to fruition. The Basingstoke canal deserves to be used as a navigable waterway if only because the huge amount of work that went into it's restoration. It really is time a reliable supply of water was found to enable the canal to reach its full potential as one of the most beautiful and tranquil of all the waterways in the UK.

That always worries me. I am quite often more qualified in my work than the guy testing me. (not blowing my own trumpet)

Now that's an eye opener

Oh! The BSS check is a contentious issue?

Looking at the Bss site there is training and exams to become a qualified Examiner. It's not cheap and I see safety inspection with certificate being carried out for £100 plus. Is this a typical price for a BSS check and is there plenty of work for existing Examiners. The costs to the examiners involved indicate to me that the price per inspection is on the low side. I am looking at this with the view of applying to become an approved Examiner. Thanks in advance.

As a qualified Electrician and gas safe engineer my overheads are £1200 a month before actually get to earn any money for myself. This does not include time out for training and exams every five years. £50 an hour makes me a good living but I am no millionaire. (Unfortunately)

Thank you

Thanks for the speedy reply. I was thinking more along the lines of how many boats are registered now compared to 25 or so years ago.

I am considering buying a narrowboat and I was wondering just how congested the canals are. I last owned a boat in 1986 and travel was fairly traffic free then. Does anyone have an idea of how many boats are on the canals now compared to then. Thanks in advance Rizzo