SimonM

Or a shaved hare ?

As a new member to this forum I can't comment about how things have run in the past, however I have been an active member of 5 non boat related sites over the years (with only 1 or two telling offs ) One particular forum I'm a member of uses a neat trick to moderate. What the mods did was set up a "snippiness" sub forum, and when things get rowdy would copy post text into that thread, editing the original post to say something like "Moved to snippiness: link here" If a small group of people really want to go hammer and tongs they could continue the personal stuff in the snippiness, however they tended not to as now they might as well carry on via PM, as they'd lost their "audience" It keeps the content more factual stuff vastly improving the signal to noise, but because the moderated stuff isn't fully deleted the poster doesn't feel like they are being censored. In addition still holds a place in the thread so subsequent posts don't seem random (which can happen with a full delete). Personally I also found it a little more transparent. Of course anything that was legally dubious was still removed (often with a text edited to say "removed for legal reasons")

But how else are they going to get you to watch 30 seconds of adverts before a completely boring 5 second clip of some petrol water pumps off in the distance?

I am completely onside with this. A good friend of mine decided a few years ago that he would go this way. He was somewhat down on his luck, and borrowed money from relatives to buy a "cheap" boat. Without wanting to go in to too much detail, he sadly passed away a few years later. However the debts he'd accrued, mainly boat related, had driven a huge wedge between him and his family. Whilst he was in a hospice he asked myself and another of his friends to go and clear out his boat, in part because his family refused to have anything to do with it, in part because he was embarrassed about it's state. The place was complete squalor, milk bottles used as urine holders (he'd stripped out the toilet planning to replace it), rotting food, filthy everywhere and it stank to high heaven. So I have seen how the dream can turn to a nightmare... That doesn't mean people won't continue to view it as a cheap form of living, and products won't be made that cut corners to fulfil that demand

Find a friend with a decent compressor, alternatively go to a kwik-fit or similar and bung them a fiver. You need both volume and pressure, car tyres lack pressure canisters lack volume.

Isn't that what sockets are for? Maybe this was designed as something to be "moveable", jumping between hook-ups, rather than something truly capable of self-sufficiency.. If it's cheap, you intend to leave it on a permanent mooring (esp. in a high cost part of London) then maybe foregoing a proper engine in exchange for more living/ storage space is worthwhile. Ultimately my view is evolution of modern machinery is at least in part shaped by economics(and socio-economic factors), not necessarily "fittest".

Or a Renault Twizzy and strap it on the roof

Last year I hired a mini-digger to build some hardstanding around a shed in the back garden. I sat there happily clearing some overgrowth, when I notice a bit of a "scratch". I looked up and there were lots of insects buzzing around the lights. The scratch got worse, and then I felt more. I had clearly disturbed a big wasp nest, and the first one to sting me clearly had let out some sort of attack pheromone. I jumped off the digger, running to the safety of the house, having to strip off as I went because they had started crawling inside my clothing. No idea how many times I was stung, but it hurt for hours.

Oh I know the symptoms, I have acquired n+1 bikes and n+1 cars over the years (much to my wife's annoyance!) In my defence this is a shared pastime so fingers crossed she brings some moderation to the table

It's in my nature unfortunately, so now my impatience will see me pacing the floors until I have the keys

So the deal is done! 54 ft "Castle Class" originally supplied from Nottingham's Castle Marina using a SWDS Hull, previous owner from new. Reverse layout with mid kitchen, diesel fired stove (not as quaint, but arguably more convenient), pump out toilet, 1600w inverter, beta engine, all in near original condition. Mooring spot secured at Castle Marina (walking distance from work). All in all I think every box has been ticked! Waiting on survey, but hopefully we'll be cruising within a fortnight.

Aside from the legal issues (specifically the 50m exclusion zone*), the other thing to look into is public liability insurance. I had some FPV model aircraft many years ago, you can join clubs that will extend insurance on membership. One thing I will say, is the novelty soon wears off. * TBH this is clearly widely ignored, but I suspect it's not going to be long before someone causes an accident ignoring the rules, and the authorities crack down.

You won't be jealous when I am armpit deep in filthy cold water trying to unwrap questionable items from the prop

So spent the afternoon driving round Rugby/Northampton area. Saw 9 boats in total, the first one out at Blisworth was almost a winner, but the cross bed and me being 6'3" meant it had to be ruled out. For someone shorter I'm sure it would make a fantastic boat, clearly well looked after. http://rugbyboats.co.uk/listings/egret-51ft-cruiser-stern-narrowboat-2012/ Nothing at Whilton stood out, but it did go to show how important a good fit-out is. I also get the impression the list price on many are priced to do deals. ABNB at Crick stood out as very professional, fantastically detailed information packs, and priced sensibly. We have taken a couple of brochures to mull over. One being well over initial budget, and open saloon area needing some thinking about guest sleeping, but the detail on the boat was absolutely first rate. (Oh and I thought the folding doors in the semi-trad sides were a neat touch) http://www.abnb.co.uk/boat_pages/3034web/3034abnb.php?BoatID=3034 The other being nigh on perfect bar a cramped dinette bunk that when converted to a sleigh style bed which would be too short for my eldest who's the same height as me, oh and now my better half has added "duck hatch" to the mandatory requirement list http://www.abnb.co.uk/boat_pages/3053web/3053abnb.php?BoatID=3053 Busy day!!!

Thanks cuthound, that makes sense. I'm not the sort of guy to back out of a deal, or indeed chip a price after the fact, so this is fine by me. At the end of the day I've done the maths, and going into this well aware it is going to cost.