MartynG

My present boat had more than a year of the BSS certificate to run when I bought it. Faults discovered at the pre purchase survey prevented a fresh BSS being issued . That was something I could not dispute. Other than that I have, with a little advance preparation, had no any issues getting a boat through a BSS exam. Presumably some defective gas lockers have been observed and this is why the examination has been extended. As far as manual lifting is concerned , and as an example , 20kg is regarded as a maximum weight for one man repeatedly manual handling building blocks in the construction industry .

The BBS examinations i have arranged to date have been completed without a need for me to be present. That seems to be the end of that arrangement........unless the examiner agrees in advance that he can lift my 6.4kg cylinder.

My Avtex is 10 years old and has only been used on a boat. The Chase is on just now. Reception is crap at the moment as I fitted an internal antenna . The old antenna may have to return. I am sure there are alternatives to Avtex. However it sounds like " buy cheap and but twice " may apply to TV sets. I have a Samsung TV at home which has served well. I don't know whether they have models suitable for 12V D.C. use.

I hardly think a basin waste of any type is going to break the bank . A rotating waste will cost a tenner as opposed to half that for an ordinary plug waste. The choice is a matter of personal preference. A flip waste will not easily fit on my boat sink so the old fashioned plug remains in use. I still have a sink at home with a pop up waste that is operated by rods and it remains in use after 28 years but has never fully sealed . The rotating waste in my home bathroom of more recent origin does however make a good seal. I think these rotating wastes are intended for a wash basin as opposed to a kitchen sink. I believe captive wastes may originally have been developed to solve the issue of people stealing the plugs from publicly accessible wash basins .

No you are not an idiot. You should be able to leave the immersion on and the heater should cut out when the set temperature is reached . Keep a look/listen out for hot water being expelled and the water pump pulsing occasionally . ........ which should not ordinarily happen. I have been hooked up to shore power for days with the immersion on full time with no issues. Does the water get scalding hot?

I have a 'flip over' type for the bathroom sink at home and it has been okay several years.

I had the same situation when I bought my present boat and started the new license from the 1st of the next month so getting the prompt payment discount. No one seemed to care about the few days remaining in the month before the license started . If concerned about a few days running unlicensed you can buy a one week license . I have bought a short term one day license a few times despite it being strictly speaking not permitted for boats on water connected to the navigation. But if they take my money via their agent they have as far as I can see, accepted a contract. I understand the one day license is to be removed from next year.

I tried contacting them a couple of years ago and never received a response. However I see their website is much improved .

I have been using Shell Rimula RT4X , now called R4X https://www.smithandallan.com/products/shell-transport/2300-shell-rimula-r4-x-15w-40/

I do agree a fuel additive is an insurance and costing in the order ot 1 to 2 pence a litre of diesel depending on the product used.

Magnet fishing should not be licensed but it should be encouraged to save issues with props being damaged and the like

My fridge is dual voltage so when on shore power there is no current flowing through the batteries . I have often wondered if the dual voltage is necessary but it does potentially allow the battry charger to be off while keeping the wine or beer chilled. Otherwise my charger is left on full time while hooked up. I don't have an inverter.

You have me a bit worried now as water or watery stuff at the bottom of the tank is precisely what i want to avoid.. I suspect my boat stirs up the fuel on the occasions we go fast . However I will consider having a look and a pump out using my oil extractor... but not just now.

I note the outcome in your case but no fuel additive is a remedy for that sort of fault.

The clear winner product I mentioned is marketed for diesel engine use https://www.clear-winner.co.uk/products/marine/