Hey Ho

Quite To Julynian: I'm not in the insurance industry so, as I said earlier, I'm no expert. Because I'm no expert, I can't really post with any authority as I don't really know what I'm talking about. You on the other hand appear to be posting with complete authority. From the tone and content of your posts, I think you might be that dangerous specimen - the person who doesn't know that he doesn't know what he's talking about. LOL, as you keep saying.

I'm with you on the pub thing, and I likre to think of forums as a bar room. I make my 'better qualified' argument on the strength & (to me) logic of the arguments so far, as if I was in a pub in fact. Indeed

I've always liked gentle souls. Would you prefer an insecure argumentative soul? I don't know how many hire boaters have been held personally and financially responsible for danage caused, and I don't suppose tommytelford does either. Neither, I suppose, do you. None of which changes the legal position, which has been explained clearly & logically by others better qualified than us three, at a guess.

They were a small company and, now you mention it, were a strange outfit to work for. You won't be surprised to hear that they ceased trading some time ago. The fact remains that they did discriminate against drivers with multiple non fault claims. Actually, discriminate might be a bit harsh as surely any business can decide who it accepts as customers on whatever criteria they feel like. I've never heard of insurance companies loading premiums for multiple non fault claims but I suppose they'd be perfectly entitled to if they wanted to. I'd have thought it would depend on how they chose to assess risk & which part of the market they were keen to attract. No expert as you can possibly tell

I used to work for a vehicle hire company. Anyone with more than two claims over the previous three years was refused hire. If didn't matter whether these were fault or non fault claims. So there can be consequences, in the motoring world at least, of non fault claims.

As has been said, having people on board your boat in the course of a business does get more complicated. I think (no expert) that food hygiene legislation is enforced at a local level so I'm not sure how that would work if you were moving around. Having cast my doubts, I do think you might be onto something here. The Gongoozlers Rest has been upheld as an example, and it does seem successful. I don't know whether it actually is, but it was for sale recently at a significant premium over what the boat itself would be worth, which gives an indication. Whether it sold or not, and for what, would give a better indication but I don't know that. In my fat boy's breakfast experience, they weren't cheap but were usually busy, so there might be something in it. If it's anything like burger vans, there might be a hefty premium to pay for the mooring. Might not be though - as I say, no expert. If it was me, I think a mobile service might work really well. Bit like a coal boat as others have said. As a liveaboard, a passing fast food boat every few weeks would be tempting indeed. Your margins might be better too, but you'd probably need to be a couple to make it practical - one cooking whilr the other does the steering. Like any boat based business, I doubt you'll ever get rich. Might just be able to fund your lifestyle choice though. As I've said, I'm not really qualified to give any advice but happy to give encouragement in the hope that you're around with decent food when I'm living aboard.

On this subject, why were Springers built with V bottoms? I'd have thought a V bottom would be more complicated to build than a flat one, although maybe they'd use a bit less steel due to cutting the corner at the base/side joint? Is a V bottom perhaps structurally stronger & therefore better with thinner steel? Trying to answer my own question but no idea what I'm talking about!

Bet you're over the moon. Nice looking boat, hope you'll be happy together.

Yes indeed, small world! I'd forgotten all about The Windmill. The Bazz Jastards were, to be fair, no starangers to sackings As I recall... 'We've had a request, but we're going to keep playing anyway'

Old friend of mine had a jazz quartet - The Bazz Jastards He was a lot older than 17

And here I am I heard of the event via this thread and being fairly local, popped down for a look. Glad I did too. Not a Hudson fan really, I went mainly for the chance to see boats in various stages of build, having never seen anything but completed boats before. There were six partly fitted-out shells that I was able to have a good look round. They were all at different stages so were a great guide to fitting out a boat - which is what I'd hoped to learn. I spent over an hour on these, & the day would have been worth it just for that. Other than the six 'company' boats, the basin was full of privately owned Hudsons which the owners were happy to show people round. As it happened, I didn't actually have to ask anyone to look round their boat - plenty of them invited me aboard. They were clearly proud of their craft, and rightly so. Their boats seemed well built. Nothing too special, but everything seemed right. Decent joinery, not outstanding but workmanlike and definitely fit for purpose. What was particularly noticeable was the care that people took with the upkeep of their boats. Some of the boats I looked at were well into their late teens but were indistinguishable from new. So, my day out didn't leave me wanting to slot into St Steve's build schedule, but it did leave me seriously thinking about a used one if the price was right. As long as it didn't have any rivets By the way... I have to say what a lovely bunch of people they were. From chatting, they were from many backgrounds. Everyone I met was welcoming and a pleasure to be with.

Debdale Wharf have some moorings that they set aside for working on boats, as well as hard standing with 16A electricity. The hard standing is cheaper than the moorings and of course your boat wouldn't need to be licensed. They're near Foxton locks so maybe not too far from the area you wanted. I have no connection with them - just visited them earlier in the year & was impressed with the setup there.

I think Tuscan's insurance would have covered him in the marina, or indeed any marina. Hence my remarks re "insurance purposes". On another positive note, the tunnel tug Sharpness was a thing of beauty. Liked the ice breaker Pelican too.

Hmm, so the insurance you've paid for doesn't cover you to navigate the canal that someone unknown to your insurance company has decided to have a parade on? This pilot - did he poduce evidence of his own insurance cover in the event that he'd damage your boat? Not serious questions at all, just a wry observation on the rubbish people spout in the name of health & safety. On a more positive note, I was there today & it was good

Cheapskate alert... Any suggestions on where to park nearby? As someone else said, I realise this isn't really in the spirit of things but I'll undertake to spend at least the car parking charge within the show. Or the beer tent. I've learned from this thread that Starry has pink hair and a motorbike and that nicknorman has a wooden glider. Having been in posession of two of these things myself, I'm feeling even more at home here now

To do the nut up in the first place they'll have used a socket on the end of an extension bar or two. From your pictures It doesn't look too difficult to remove the steel pole. If it was me, I think I'd do that & then get to work with the socket set. Seems like the 'proper' way

You are assuming correctly

Thanks for the replies so far - just the reassurance I was after. The boat search has been a funny old thing. I started off over a year ago looking for a trad with a fixed double bed at the back. After viewing a fair few boats, that's morphed into a proper trad with a bmc and engine room. The loveliest of them do seem to draw around 2' 6". As an aside, a while ago I posted about the possibility of buying a shell & doing a self fit out. I'd have been happy to do that with a contemporary fixed double at the back boat, but I'm drawn to the used market for the trad bmc/engine room boat. Must be the lived in look. nicknorman - thanks for a useful post. For me too, getting to the side would be less important than being able to navigate the cut in the first place.

Would a boat of 2'6" draft be ok for someone to cruise the majority of the system, not in too much of a hurry, but not wanting too much grounding hassle? Still looking to buy, most of the boats I've liked have been around that draft. This must have been covered many times before but I can't find the threads, so any links would be great - thanks.

Yay, hope it goes well. Have fun

I've never actually met anyone in favour of HS2. It seems to be the sort of project that's much loved by politicians though and is gaining a worrying amount of traction - to use a politician's sort of word - as a result. The amount of money it would cost seems completely out of proportion to any possible benefit it could bring. Getting on for £2,000 for every working taxpayer in the country. As a result of this thread, I've had a look at the HS2 website where I've found this: For every £1 invested, the wider economic benefits of HS2 will return £2 Where do they get this stuff from? HS2 will (not might, or could) return double its cost? Politicians seem to be swallowing these kind of figures hook, line & sinker while back in the real world, no-one else is.

Joshua, from the pictures I can see why you absolutely love her. A cut above, to say the least. ETA: I've been looking at the pictures for 15 mins now - must tear myself away. Not the work of your average boat fitter I don't think. So, who did the fit out?

Boatmans cabins are left handed (stove, table, bed) without exception. Doesn't matter at all, but is odd all the same.

Likewise. The portholed inspection launch look is, er, different. Doesn't half look good though IMHO.