WhiteSuit

our last boat had travel power. We used to let the engine warm before putting the machine on, we had hot and cold fill but also found the travel power would make a cold belt squeal despite condition and tension being correct. We also timed switching on the washer to lock free and mooring free cruising. As Nick said once that heavy current consumption phase was done with we never had a problem on virtual tickeover. We also used an electric kettle, you certainly need the revs up for that as it makes the engine grunt when switched on!

I too had a Shotbolt with this arrangement which worked well until going up in certain locks. The incoming water from the paddles could get in the drain holes to the well deck cover and fill the box. Mine was on rollers with the step to the front doors incorporated. You just rolled it into the boat and shovelled into the stove. Current boat has a coal store incorporated into the steps down to the boatman's cabin right beside the stove. Works very well. The best boat I had to avoid the coal dust mess had a diesel stove, very toasty and clean

mine got very stiff (inside a trad stern so protected from the elements) and I carefully dismantled, cleaned and regreased it. While doing so the boatbuilder owner of our then marina saw what I was doing and told me I was wasting my time, I would have to replace it. It worked fine for the next 6 years we owned the boat so well worth doing. I definitely agree that squirting it with WD40 will be a waste of time. You might get a short lived improvement which will suggest the controller is at fault.

This, although on our share boat the filler and mattress tended to split apart. Our last boat had the same with a memory foam topper and no cavern used to open up with that. We always used to say we had our best nights sleep on this.

Interesting comments about surveys which have numerous threads in their own right. I had the same surveyor for my two first boats who I learnt an awful lot from being present at the time. Unfortunately he is now retired. What you get from a survey in my experience is a detailed lesson in the boat and the market at that moment, along with hull condition. Anything else is a bonus which gives you virtually no legal comeback if mistakes come to light later. When I sold my last boat I was told by the purchasers surveyor the boat didn't have the described galvanic isolator. I went to the boat, opened the electric cupboard and photographed said isolator which was the first thing in sight. Needless to say I would never have used that surveyor. I have had some poor experience with house surveyors and the only one I would use again is one who makes estate agents in my location shudder if he is appointed. One of the boats I viewed, which with its charm and fine lines was saying "You want me" in a sultry way, had a year old survey from someone who came recommended on here. I would have have taken a chance on hull condition based on that and the fact it had been blacked whilst out for the survey. That left me to confirm that everything else was working which the brokers wouldn't allow. I cynically wonder if the brokerage gets a decent rate for it's offices in the marina because of the number of lift outs and subsequent work provided through surveys. The second viewed boat fell into the category of one which had not been prepared for sale in any way as in Crewcut's comments. I too find that surprising. I still feel miffed that despite me saying why I needed to hear the engine in my initial phone call that was not allowed at my visit. Would I deal with this broker again? You are buying the boat not the brokerage, if the boat is one that you want you have to buy wherever it is sold. The boat was marked up as sold on their website within 18 hours of my visit. Maybe the purchaser was already interested and the broker applied pressure of my visit to hasten their decision and I was only being used as a stalking horse, who knows?

I thought everyone would work that out

Looking for a boat with an old engine in a proper engine room, I thought I had found a couple of potential boats at one broker in the East Midlands. I used this broker to sell my last boat and had no issues over that sale. I rang and made appointments for both boats making it clear I needed to hear the engines if the boat was as good 'in the flesh'. My first boat had a Kingfisher which was rather loud, though a nice sound, in particular when bouncing off lock walls. So much so that it used to be a relief to pull the stop after a few hours cruising. Having travelled over a hundred miles to view, the first boat ticked a lot of boxes so I asked to hear it run. The response was we don't start old engines till you have agreed a price and paid a deposit. The deposit would have included a £1000 non refundable portion. They would run a modern engine but there was no way you could move away from the jetty. How can you tell if a boat can stop/start, is manoeuvrable and the gearbox is functioning without trying it? "We are not here for a jolly" was the response. Every other boat I have bought, through brokers, I had a test cruise. They seemed to think that a survey would show any issue but by that stage it would have cost me at least £2000, deposit lift out and survey, which I would loose in order to confirm the boat was right. They also would not connect leisure batts or gas to check everything was working. The boat that ticked the boxes for me I would not even have had a survey on as there was a year old survey to view. But I would have needed to check everything was in order before putting an offer in. I wasn't prepared to put an offer in under those conditions. I was told that I could hear the engine running, possibly, if I made arrangements during the week. That was exactly my understanding of my phone call making this appointment. Needless to say I didn't put an offer in and so did 200+ miles and left with a real feeling of bad taste with the broker. Am I just being a bit Victor Meldrew or would you spend tens of thousands of pounds on something you hadn't properly viewed?

I sold our boat about 18 months ago due to a change of circumstances and lack of use. Typically I am now missing boating. So, looking at shorter boats (our last was 57'), internet research is showing marina prices to be almost as high for a 40' as we were paying 18 months ago. I know everything has increased but I found that a bit of a shock. License fees also seem to be similar, in that the 40' is almost our old 57' rate. Are people paying the advertised rates or are deals being done? It does seem that the independent marinas are disappearing , selling out to large groups so more of a cartel possibly.

The last cassette I bought for a 200 had wheels and a handle and performs just as the old variety did. The 2 major drawbacks were less capacity and a handle which felt sharp and uncomfortable to use. The wheels on a towpath are next to useless. My complaints to Thetford fell on exceedingly deaf ears!

I saw it and was tempted back onto the canals. Lovely interior the lounge is almost reminiscent of a gentleman's club.

I sold my boat last spring through a broker. It sold within a matter of hours for the asking price which was approximately 50% more than I paid about 9 years earlier. Part of the reason for selling and leaving the canals was that I was recouping all my investment into the boat, including maintenance and improvement, and I thought the market was overheated. There appears to be two major groups buying boats, those that cannot afford mortgages or renting costs of bricks and mortar and those with affluent pensions to afford the lifestyle. These you would think will continue but I regularly peruse the Duck and brokers sites and boats like ours appear to be slower to sell, often with price reductions. Although I miss boat life tremendously, from a financial point of view I believe I sold at the right time. That said I will only be proved right or wrong by hindsight. At the end of the day do you want to boat and have you the finances to do it. As has been said already life is for living it is not a dress rehearsal.

We had a year at Park Farm and would endorse Haggis' comments. We only left because we sold the boat. Our use was similar to yours and our needs were a safe park for the car when on the boat and a safe mooring for the boat when we weren't. It was very handy for diesel, we had texts from Halsall when they were coming and would fill the boat when we wren't there, good service. Dave, the caretaker, would warn you if you were running out of leccy and top up for you as required. It was also better value than most although that may change as they are due to build a clubhouse and more facilities. That shouldn't be a problem in the short term as look how long Orchard has taken and they are the same owners. One thing which have never found at any other marina, they don't keep a boat key for emergencies. Fortunately we never had such needs and Dave would have contacted us if need be but we were over 200 miles away

Interested to know how you research places, we tend to use 5 van cl type sites where possible but seem to find lots of no overnight parking/sleeping signage. Scotland is different and we will wild camp when we head up there with a similar usage system to you.