Momac

And a national insurance number is required

Yes but it shows the government are serious about prosecuting offenders. I would say (in my opinion) a friend or relatives address used with their consent isn't the same as a false address providing the potential consequences are accepted by both parties.

I expect most people prefer to comply with the law.

Declaring a false address is illegal https://www.cps.gov.uk/sites/default/files/documents/publications/disclosure_10.pdf

Perhaps the OP is not a UK citizen and visiting temporarily so will not be in a position to buy a vehicle but will be able to hire . I am guessing the OP realises a valid driving license is required. Campervans have increased in value but they remain available for hire. I would say hire vehicles are in great demand. We tried to hire a car at short notice for work the other week and failed. So booking well in advance is essential.

https://www.enterprise.co.uk/en/help/faqs/drivers-licence-requirements-uk-ireland.html

No its not irrelevant. It is highly relevant. RCR is very important when exporting/importing. You imported your own boat from Croatia? to UK with no RCR scrutiny - you said that yourself. If you did the same today (post brexit) you would have needed a new PCA together with possible work like engines upgraded to the emissions standards of today. You did not need a PCA at the time because you were moving the boat within the EU. RCR is important when a UK boat is new but while that boat remains in the UK there is no further RCR activity.

In the case of a new boat the broker could be but is not necessarily the distributor , possibly the broker could be the importer The new boat may be ''placed on the market'' before the boat has been constructed but RCR requirements must in place before the boat is placed on the market. Then the boat is built and delivered (lets say this is in the UK) and sold and must include the CE plate and relevant documents. RCR requirements are then 100% satisfied. The boat may be sold as used any number of times while remaining in the UK with no activity with respect to RCR. If the boat is not exported or significantly altered there is no further RCR activity indefinitely. I dare say the original RCD/RCR documents would help in a PCA situation for export. But in practice he costs are prohibitive because there are no grandfather rights at the present time. So a used boat would have to comply with emission standards for example . So export or import of a used boat is effectively prohibited by cost. Alan, you said yourself that you did not need the RCD evidence when you imported your yacht (presumably from the EU prior to Brexit) and it came under government scrutiny for VAT. The term 'placing on the market' refers to new goods https://www.gov.uk/guidance/placing-manufactured-goods-on-the-market-in-great-britain#:~:text=A product is placed on the market when an offer,physical transfer of the product.

Is that due to having a heart attack induced by passing boaters or do they die from boredom?

For the avoidance of doubt. The event this thread is about was on a riverbank alongside open fields and well away from any residential or built up areas . Only fishists and other dog walkers aout. No mooring opportunities,

Good.

Petplan I don't know the terms of the cover they have.

Insured for most of it I think.

Vet bill came to £450

Sounds like a brain fart from that particular person. Boats not on C&RT or EA water do not require a BSS. All boats that are coastal for example. My first boat was at Lowestoft when I bought it in 2008. It had its first BSS when it was trailered by road to Lincoln. Similarly a friend bought a boat in Brighton in 2014 and had it BSS tested when it was transported to Farndon.

Here is the government guidance on that subject