Witchword

My dad died in May from mesothelioma, as a result of asbestos exposure as a 17yo apprentice. He was given a glass of milk when they came out of that dusty room "to wash it down". Sadly the peak of meso incidence is likely to be in about 2020, according to his consultant. I've been made aware of a boat fairly local to me, whose owners burned decking. Their boat has corroded badly around the chimney (which is destroyed) and in the drip spot on the gunnels. I certainly wouldn't burn any sort of treated timber even as kindling. Really. Not good.

Anyone know what the costs might be of replacing a pump-out loo with an eco loo? I know I should ring the company but I work most of the time they're open, and I usually forget during that small window of opportunity because it has to compete with the rest of my life outside work!

Apparently it smelled bad all the time, and there was some problem with the fan. But as I said higher up, I also know a family who swear by their composter. I do want one- but obviously conscious of budgets and so on, and I want one that works. The loo I have now (pumpout, Sanimarin) frustrates me daily, though that's the toilet itself rather than the pumpout. We have very few male visitors, it's me and my daughter (5) plus occasional friends- though most of them are female too!

I've heard from someone else that the Airhead was disastrous in their boat and they replaced it with a cassette style thing. What composting loos would people recommend and which would you avoid?

I am a complete evangelical for the smaller life. I'd much rather have time to spend with my daughter, than money to spend on her. I also find that doing work you enjoy, rather than spending five or more days a week feeling you're in hell, is worth several thousand pounds a year. If you were self-employed working from home, would you technically need a commercial boat licence? Or would that only apply, like insurance for a house, if you actually had an office or shop there? I mean, the people mentioned above, the translator for example, would they need a commercial licence?

The shadows of lettering on my boat from a previous previous owner says that they were hairdressers and pool table re-coverers. But it isn't clear whether these businesses ran from the boat itself! Artists, makers and writers could do well afloat, couldn't they?

It's a Numax charger and it's showing a red light. It used to whir if I used the strip lights but now it doesn't. I don't have the full manual for it. On the cut at the moment so it'll be interesting to see what happens when I plug back in. Usually it puts green and orange lights on. I haven't seen a red one before...

Yes there is credit in there. When I ran out, the fridge went off. The batteries are new. What does it mean if one is shorting? It is back up to 90% or 12.8V now. I just don't like things changing for no apparent reason, it makes me nervous!

Digital, that's about all I know. It has various settings including volts/amps, and %age/ time to discharge.

Normally, when on shoreline, my battery monitor tells me that the batteries are full (it displays 104%, usually). Today it registered 90% and now 85%. Something somewhere is using battery power instead of shore line, is it? Or is the Numax battery charger ("plug in and forget about it") not working properly? Or something else?

Yes, that's right, you'd stop paying tax in the UK if you were in France for that year, or more than half of a year as pp said. You can later claim back the NI contributions from the other EU country's social security system if you return to the UK and claim a pension within a certain time (it didn't work for me as I was too young when I came back, according to HMRC!). Sorry, should have read the whole thread before replying!

Sending condolences and sympathy. My dear dad died last week, and it's so raw for us, I can only imagine what hell my lovely mum is going through. Same as you. I don't think it's something you ever get over, but in time, hopefully, you learn to live with the pain.

I haven't read the whole thread so apologies if this is a repeat, but I've seen an ad for (I think) "Eco Toilets" which describes a loo which separates the liquids and solids. Liquids can be emptied under the hedge perfectly legally, or added to a compost heap if you have one; the solids, with no added chemicals, begin to break down and also turn into compost, or put into a conventional loo or an Elsan. I know someone who has a similar system and it works really well for their family. It's what I'll aim to convert to eventually- far better for the environment and great for cruisers.

I took a mooring so that I could avoid the problems of not having one. I don't own a house as well, I don't breach my mooring's T&Cs but I stay at my mother's house and cruise in order to do this. I don't have a council tax in my name because it's in her name. Perhaps I should ask her to add my name to the bill. I agree with the pp who mentioned a 10-year plan. I too would like to know the long-term intention. And who is driving what- because as mentioned, the housing situation will become even more desperate if people are driven off their boats.