PD1964

Why not just call and ask Sillsden boats, I imagine this is the company you've hired from, they should have all updates on the closure.

Most people take what you say with a pinch of salt, on here and in the real world, opinionated little man.

I would say it depends where you are in the country, down around the London area I imagine there would be a need reading the "New to Boating" threads from people in that area who have just bought an older boat and want to modify it to make it a livaboard. It will also depend if it is in a Marina as most Marina's have a list of contractors with a proven record, gas safe, public liability insurance and experience with boats, it may be more difficult to do work on marina berthed boats. Where are you in the country? and have you got the means of traveling with your tools and are able to work on boats on the towpath? I wouldn't expect to make a fortune as most boaters who buy older boats that need work do it for one reason, that being it's all they can afford and have little spare cash once they pay for license, insurance, moorings etc. Good Luck.

But what I can gather the owner sadly died, so the business could continue to operate, either run by his family or employees until a new owner/investor can be found and if not the boats in build completed and the business closed, or are there other thing a foot?

Have you got a bill of sale or proof the boat is yours and final payment has been paid? I take it the owner just passed away, so maybe it will back up and running in a while and all will be sorted, or is there something else happening that the other boats in build owners should be worried about?

The good thing is at least you have the DOC for the hull and a WIN, I'm sure the rest of the paperwork will be there but due to the recent circumstances it may a while before everything gets back to normal. I take it the owner just passed away and the company was profitable and has not gone into bankruptcy or any other insolvency measures?

With regards to my post about CE plate the long 14 digit number is the WIN (Watercraft Identification Number) which now replaces the CIN/HIN. which is unique to each craft, The Manufactures Identification Code for Fernwood is FWB so GB-FWB-

If you want to sell it within the next couple of years you can't and I believe it is illegal to sell by a broker without the RCD/declarations of conformity. There is a big difference with the new RCD regulations and new builds compared to much older boats, so you can't compare the two. The owner needs the RCD from Ferwood it's that simple or it could turn out an expensive nightmare.

Has it got the CE plate fitted. If so it will have the Manufactures Identification Code on which will be something like GB-FER-NB1234-G-18-3 if it has this number will be on all the relevant paperwork, it is important you get the hull declaration of conformity and all paperwork from Fernwood, they should have all the paperwork in the chain to sign off the boat and issue the final RCD. You must contact Fernwood to get this and not just sail off thinking it will be ok it will not. It will be very difficult to get a third party RCD on your boat and could end up costing you thousands.

There were a quite a few changes in regards to boat builds that are regarded as "fit for use" to the RCD requirement and compliance in Jan 2017, making it more difficult to get a RCD from someone other then the registered builder, I've even heard that the British Marine Federation(BMF) has set up official organisations in various parts of the country that are only allowed to RCD a boat if one is not issued by the official builder with costs varying from £2K-£10K, all this was to do with regulating new built boats and making it more difficult to home build/sailaways. You need to get all the relevant paperwork RCD from Fernwood or it could turn into a nightmare,

Why would an ex working GU boat at 71ft 6ins even want to go on the northern network where it can't go anywhere except the large electric commercial locks? Speaking to most people who have done the lock no one has ever known a 70ft doing it.

International interdeck, plus a good pair of sailing deck shoes.

Another numpty reply coming "Not really Bothered" obviously your the "sensitive" type

Being a Hudson owner you probably think your better then most anyway, then again we just have your word for it. Anyone else on here done it in a 70ft boat?

He was a volunteer last time I went through, most of the New Boaters that go through there can't figure out how the lock is done, with the sequence of the swing bridge and the gates, often leading to delays for boats and the farmer that uses the bridge to access his land.