gringogordo

I'm sure its non-residential (I notice its under 'Living Afloat'). This may be inconsequential (often is) but it's a fairly easy place to control if they do take it seriously so you should also check that out. Ben.

Is this the guy who charges more for disabled passengers ? (This is a complete libilous slur, but there is some vague point, I'm sure, I think...!!!!!)

Surely, if the facts are as reported, they made a mistake and should have made an apology. Anything else is bad practice and a sign of someone you don't want to do business with? Whether you or I would want the TV or not is surely irrelevant ? Anyway whilst there are other customers there are also other boat hire companies and the bad feeling from a case like this will hit the boatyard much more if it gets in the "unwanted supplier" category than the customer who gets in one companies "unwanted customer" category. Cheers, Ben.

Hi, I used to live at Thames and Kennet Marina a couple of years ago. Expensive, no laundarette and you need a car (well I had a motorbike) as there is a long drive which still leaves you in the middle of nowhere. They were reliable and friendly but expensive. I went from there to living as a bridgehopper between a blitel further up than Sonning to around Caversham and it was fine. At the time there weren't many doing it in Reading and a fair few moorable spots on the Thames. I don't think this will have changed. Although it was good to be in a marina first while I got used to it. For what its worth I reckon you should do 3 or 4 months in a marina just to get the feel for it and then jump in... I never regretted leaving and the sense of freedom living on the Thames more than made up for the lack of immediate water and power. Cheers, Ben.

There was water inside the hull which has been there quite some time. Obviously I should have checked this before. I think there is corrosion from both sides, but mainly from the inside. As it was the buyers survey I don't have a complete picture but my impression is it needs a fairly extensive replating. Cheers, Ben.

Hi, I've just had some pretty bad news from a survey. The hull of my 36'er is corroded and between 2 and 4 mm thick. This is jsut the base, the sides are okay. The surveyor quoted around 3k+ to the buyer (potential and now moving to ex-buyer status!). I will get a quote after X-mas but I was wondering if anyone would like to give me any christmas cheer by suggesting it will be much cheeper (surveyors being bound to paint a negative picture) than 3K or if anyone has any light to shed on hull replating in general. I'm working and its not a personal disaster so I'd rather get a true picture than receive sympathy!!!! Anyway I prbably deserve it for not having ripped up the floor and created a hatch in the last 3 years... Also apologies if you don't consider the hull to be a piece of equiptment! Cheers, Ben.

Thanks to both of you by the way. I sent her Davids info and also pointed out Tony's comment. Which was very valid (and got me out of any more work!). Just waiting for the survey next week. Its an old boat so it'll be very interesting (never realised I was so pessamistic by nature!)

Hi does anyone have any views on which the best boatyard around Bath/Trowbridge is (price and work quality!). As I understand it there is one in Dundas and 2 (or more?) in Alvechurch (Staverton and Hilperton marinas) ? Basically I'm sellingmy boat and the potential buyer wnatsto get a survey and get the blacking done but I don't really have any knowledge about it to help guide her (other than the fanciful "Nah, you don't need a survey, not on this boat...") Thanks, Ben.

Just got a reply from DEFRA to my complaint (made on Contact David Milliband). Aplogies if this standard looking rewsponse has been posted a 100 times already... Dear Mr Dishman BRITISH WATERWAY’S FUNDING Thank you for your email of 12 October to David Miliband about British Waterway’s funding. I have been asked to reply. Defra, like most Government Departments, has to operate within a tight financial regime. It continually needs to make its operations more efficient and to look for savings to meet changing circumstances and unexpected demands on its budget. In recent months, it has had to face a number of new pressures, among them the need to develop its emergency preparedness in response to Avian influenza, and the introduction of a new payment scheme for farmers. Defra is having to address these financial pressures through close scrutiny of its budgets for the whole of the Defra family. Government Departments do not ask Treasury for extra funding every time they face budgetary pressures which inevitably arise from time to time. Sound financial management requires budgets and spending to be kept under regular review and challenge and to be adjusted as new pressures and demands arise. Defra is having to position itself to meet a challenging Comprehensive Spending Review settlement covering the years from 2008 to 2011. A number of other government departments have already received settlements, announced in Budget 2006, most of which were of a 5% decrease year on year. Defra’s current budget work is paving the way for it having to re-prioritise and re-align expenditure with priorities. Ministers have done this in a way which they consider to be fair, appropriate and balanced. Cumulatively, the reductions made during the year, have ranged from 10 to 15% across the major delivery bodies. BW’s cumulative cut is just over 11%, towards the bottom end of the scale. BW had anticipated grant funding of £62.590m for 2006/07, based on an indicative headline figure issued for management purposes. Following the open review of budgets, BW was notified in April that its 2006/7 grant was £59.429m. This was subsequently reduced in year to £55.497m to help meet further financial pressures within Defra. We can offer no assurances on the level of funding BW will receive in 2007/08 or future years, and we know that we are facing a challenging Comprehensive Spending Review 2007 which will demand that we continue to make further efficiencies. Any reduction in funding is difficult, but it must be put in context. British Waterways has received £524m in grants from Government since 2000. This includes £42 million between 1999 and 2004 to enable it to reduce its safety maintenance backlog and a further tranche of £30 million over the financial years 2001/02 to 2003/04 for infrastructure improvements to bring its waterways up to a sufficiently reliable standard to attract new business and opportunities on to the waterways. BW’s Business Plan 2005-2009 shows that it wishes to be less exposed to the uncertainties of government funding by increasing income from its commercial operations. Waterways Minister Barry Gardiner recently met British Waterway’s Chief Executive, Robin Evans, and explained the current challenging climate for public expenditure. They also discussed the benefits deriving from the inland waterways and just how much British Waterways has achieved over the past five years. For instance, BW has not only eliminated its safety maintenance backlog and facilitated the restoration of 200 miles of canals. It has also made a tremendous contribution to stimulating regeneration and delivering benefits for the public in general. Barry Gardiner understands Robin Evans’s concern about the impact of the cuts on BW and agrees with him that BW need to become more self-sufficient so that it can reduce its reliance on grant aid. Barry Gardiner will be meeting Robin again shortly when they will look further at the implications of the cuts in funding and how BW can continue to position itself to meet Government and Defra priorities. I hope that this helps to explain the situation. For more information about the work of Defra, the website address is: http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/ Yours sincerely Andrew Morrissy Customer Contact Unit

Also as its free its the sort of site you put the details up on and then forget all about it... Some may not be for sale

Can't be too much help, but I went down the K&A about 2 years ago, while working, so largely 2 long days cruising at a time followed by 5 days sitting, and had no problems at any of the moorings. My guess is that, at this time of year, you won't have any problem overstaying the vistor moorings if you are only there a week or so. Cheers, Ben.

You just have to find a place to park close by that is relatively safe and weon't uipset too many people. Whe I lived aboard near Reading this was the biggest negative side as I had a nice motorbike as my main vehicle and it got pushed over at least 4 times and eventually some of the more talented locals rolled it into the river... got a good payout from the insurance mind but I have to admit if I went back to bridge hopping this would be my major concern now... Although cars are far less vunerable so I think you have less to worry about. Cheers, Ben.

When I was in Bath Marina last year it was about £2000 / year for a 'residential' mooring. £500 of this was for 'increased use of facilities' effectively to turn a blind eye. This was for a 36' narrow boat so I don't know what the cost of something larger would be - although I have to admit at the time I was just grateful to get a mooring (although the £500 for nada still leaves a bad taste in my mouth). I'm now on a BW canal side mooring the other side of Bath and its around £1000 (although still not residential and with far fewer facilities than the marina) Ben.

This is quite reqasonable isn't it ? I'm selling a cheap boat (come on come on get your cash out...!!!) And at the moment I'm expecting the buyer to stump up the money for the survey. The main expense of the survey seems to be having it hauled out of the water. Having said that once done I'm prepared to haggle based on the surveyors report but there will be a point at which I'll walk away from the sale. As a seller I have had a few people walk away because there is no survey so I assume you can find quite a few where the the seller has had one done recently... It is tricky, personally giving an opinion on complete ignorance, I would walk away - if someone is constantly chaing ing the terms on which you made an initial agreement without even an apolgy and a tacit admission they are changing the terms then I'm not sure how much you would want to trust them even before the survey happened. Ben.

I was a liveaboard at the T&K marina 2 or 3 years ago. There were lots of liveaboards. Basically they were happy to turn a blind eye to it and even encourage it. It must be said this was just after opening a new section and so they were keen to get boats in and there has been a change of management since then, but I think you will be okay from that point of view-although as ever with a non residential mooring there are no guarantees (on top of this that section of the Thames is great to live on (I left the T&K and lived free as a bridgehopper around there for a while)). Ben.

Hi, I finally painted the (fibreglass) top of my boat at the weekend. Fantastic, compared to waht it was anyway. I need to paint the top part of the black (steel) now. Gunwales down to the runner (?) Anyway I am completely ignorant about this activity and I wondored if anyone could give me some advice. Firstly I should point out it is an undermaintened 36' cruiser stern from 1978. The black above the waterline is very out of condition going down to rusty metal at places and being thick in other places. The metal below is quite pockmarked. I was wondoring a, if it needs to be expensive blacking paint as it's above the waterline. b, if anyone knows what the non grip 'sand' is called which you add to the paint for the gunwales (thus covering up their pockmarked nature) (this was recommended by a passing boat owner yestarday - any negative views!) c, what the best preperation for steel is (eg is normal sandpaper okay or should I use wet n dry (sorry I really am ignorant!) d, what is the red undercoat stuff that seems to be used a lot e, what the best cheap way to deal with the rust is Anyway thanks for any advice you can offer! Ben.

My mooring is on a bend on a narrowish section of the K&A and I get a lot of people going to fast past me. Hire boaters are the worst for this but I wouldn't really draw too much distinction. But to be honest around that area between Bath and Trowbridge there are so many boats moored up that for every 5 miles you get 0.5 - 1 mile without nose to tail mooring. Around this stretch I tend to just go at half speed or I would never get anywhere. Maybe I'm wrong to do this but surely the canal is primarily about moving your boat up and down it? Ben.

I know nothing about this but I moored in Reading (not very upper!) one winter and was a little lucky. The guys I was speaking to though said you only need a couple of fence posts attacked to the side to srop anything untowrd happening so its not that bad... Except the flooding can go on quite far at times so you might have some difficulty getting on and off and living a normal life if you are a live aboard. Also I have an old lister 2 and some days it was quite tricky to manouvre around although I expect with a bigger engine and/or a bit more experience this wouldn't be suck a serious consideration (although it would probably be worth stocking up so that you never have to manoevre in the swrst conditions). Ben.

I wave back if someone waves at me but I must admit I get a bit sick of constant waving. I pretty much save my waving for small children on the towpath as I'm going past as it seems to make them happy. I'm a miserable southener I guess but after a while I just get sick of waving at everyone after a while and only wave back so as not to be rude. As for stopping and chatting I think as much of this is about lifestype and time as about personality. I'm working full time and doing a part time degree and sometimes take on extra work in the hope of being able to finish the study without working. At times I measure every hour by how much I get done... Not ideal but its not about not wanting to get involved or being worried about friendly people its just a question of time. You may argue that I have my priorities wrong but ... then again maybe I'm just miserable.

I love that idea. Wait until you see the faces of the marina boys and girls who come out every weekend and moor at the same 2 or 3 moorings every weekend, every summer gather raound and complain about some of the boats they percieve to be not playiong according tho their rules. I'm not a bridge hopper or even a live aboard, but the ideas of so many righteous noses being put out of joint has made my friday afternoon! Ben.

I must admint that although passing on warnings about the prison moorings and 'caversham' park moorings the only time I ever got burgled was outside Tescos! Wouldn't be put off by that though (but I agree that if you get there on a weekend it will be very busy). Personally I love Sonning and my only regret from moving away from the area is not spending the summer loitering around Sonning lock area!

In reading - turn left out of the canal onto Thames - 100yds to Tesco (as previously mentioned). Convenient and useful spot if you are going to town, but turn right towards Sonning and after about 1/2 mile there are lots of possible riverside spots for about another 1/2 mile in great country scenery - still only 45 mins walk from town but also only about 5 - 10 mins walk from The Bull in Sonning - good pub (food is expensive but very good)! Rumour has it to avoid the prison moorings and also the moorings further up from Tesco by a big park as there tends to be some petty vandalism in these spots (although as always its overstated + at this time of year there are probably enough boats around to look out for problems... Cheers, Ben.

oooo that could be emnbarrassing as she needs a good paint job..., but I'll try to get one.

Thanks for that I think that definately descibes the bilge although its not smelly (the shower and sinks go straight to the cut though so this may be why). I'm not sure who built it as the paperwork just says 'unknown'! It was built in the late 70's though. Again, thank you - very helpful. Ben.

Hi, I boat my boat a couple of years ago without much knowledge or investigation. There are two things about it which I kind of took for granted then but wondor about now (out of mild interest, I won't be offended by your views / the reality!). I'd be interested in real story / your views if you're happy to give them (!?) 1) It has a fibreglass top. I can't see the benefit to this, mobilesa and TV's etc seem to work fine in all steel shells and I can't see the weight difference being a big benefit ? The downsides of the fibreglass top as I see it are it is more fragile - I can't lay my semi naked body on the top while drinking a stella (an advantage maybe!) and it doesn't seal perfectly at the edges. It doesn't leak at the seal (especially with maintenance) but however much mantenance I do it is always damp around the gunwhales (at that level inside) during damp periods. Are fibreglass tops a failed experiment, a cheap build option or something else...? 2) The engine 'room' is under the decking at the back of the boat. It is permenantly wet. the bilge pump always leaves about 1/2 - 1 inch of water at the bottom. The seller told me this was normal and is even good as it prevents rust. I can't imagine its too bad as I've had a mechanic look at it once and he didn't scream but I think a lot of the better maintained boats have dry engine spaces and this surely must be better. Is there a right or wrong, or a good reason for allowing the bottom to be wet? Cheers, Ben.