The Grumpy Triker

...agreed but as all of the wonderful advice will point you at.....I had to walk on touch feel, smell and contemplate the boats in person. As I was advised on here, my whole perception of what I wanted compared to what I would buy was constantly moving....I'm a newbie of 6 months but loving it and don't know where I'd be without all of the advice, banter and thought provoking comments on here! These folk are quality.....quite often running off topic on a historical banter trail but it all makes life more amusing and helps the stress levels - MOST of the time

Cruiser every time for me and am a lone live-aboard....sitting out on a summer evening after work and that is to myself or to colleagues who visit Swanley Bridge did a great job on my behalf....very open, very honest and worked hard on both seller and buyer behalf. .....beats the monopolistic mafia style brokers hands down.

The main issue I had, apart from a useless broker for first boat is that you negoatiate a price in the water normally, and based on the condition of the boat you see, sadly the most important bit is below the water line so a survey is essential....£300 boat out and in plus £500 survey then whilst it's out you get it blackened so if all of that is covered then £1,200 is good. Then you find something and some people hide behind T&Cs conveniently ignoring any verbal discussions....but most will say no more movement because you'd already negotiated down.....sellers market and they seem to do what they want, especially when buyers are normally on a mission. How much do you want it!?....is the £3K before survey?...or after?.....being honest you need £5K in hand afterwards because things will go wrong and you will want to change things. I've spent mine plus some, and now doing my own rebuild work after having to strip the front 1/3 to 1/2 of the boat.....partly own choice but also leaks hidden by the insulation, other leaks not Good luck and enjoy, when I get back to work I'm hoping to use mine instead of hotels so with you on that one

Mine is sat on a plywood base with no underneath ventilation - below the ply is the pump out tank and gaps to the bilge...there have been signs of damp on the wood but that is down to a leaky vent from above (my excuse but no real damp issues & mattress fine even after quite a few years of varying use / ventilation. New mattress required when I can afford it but for different reasons......just sounds a bit strange to be so damp given the lack of use before I bought mine.

will take a look.....AO.Com do it at a push but you have drill down first Ooohhhh...that sounds like a cattle prod to the backside comment!?....I know you NEVER provoke in fun but!!?

Finging slimmer depth ones is tricky as I can't any filters on size...was sure some sights use them but not any I can see atm Am fast coming to the conclusion that this is best way for me.......am not a 'Skim Jim' and big longer leg jeans weigh heavy so the 11/7 KG option is probably safest. Hooking up every couple of weeks is no great pain as am still working so makes sense for this option.

Not getting involved in this one

Dishwasher!?....not even dreamt of one of those.....I am the dishwasher

Cheers for that - do you use any special powders/liquids?

Now that is a bugger....bit like my first flat, bought a new bed but couldn't get the old one out without chopping it up into small pieces. Was a steel framed bed as well Think I would only ever use mine when shoreline attached, given expectation on power requirements

Cheers for that....is it a gravity drain at end of cycle or a pump out?...guessing a drain....would then need to think of how to fit it in the shower room as was looking at the compacts so cheers for the warning. Don't fancy the launderette route but not sure how people find it......and always worried about the waste water, not being too up on which powders / liquids to use on a boat.

Hi all, Next on the list is a washing machine solution.....I haven't made up my mind whether to have one or if it should be twin tub in the shower room for ease of draining or if it is a fully automatic with dedicated electric cable from the shoreline power connection. can you advise if you have one, if so was it worth it .....given that I am not going to be in one place all year.....and if so which is the best option. Pumping out the automatic is an unknown to me....sorry edit added - just to clarify, in that am not sure if it goes straight out into the canal or into a sewage tank etc.? As always many thanks in advance folks....need to sort this before I start the rebuild as IF I get one, it will go in the first part of my rebuild...using the l-shape I'm cutting out of the back-up loo.....else this will be shelving. Cheers folks

My three are pretty good and love the boat so happy for them to stop over, will keep the 6 berth options for now. Equally, having an option of making up three doubles is good for when a couple of old friends fancy escaping their families and we can have a boys long weekend with a few beers and a bit of fishing. The kiddies also like their home comforts so no danger of them wanting to stay too often.

Yep ...always confused me but then eventually you see where the compromise was....I wanted a slightly jibber kitchen but more importantly a more homely feel so all will be worth it...just need very slightly warmer weather to start the rebuild (will make my own furniture except for cupboard doors) ....it could end up a right mess, but it will be mine Good luck young lady and keep us posted!....I will do a blog site or similar when I can get my act together but loads of photos ....and yes a real bomb site....living in bed sit land on my double bed in the middle....fortunately I work around the country a bit so hotels give me an option but loving the boat and the cramped conditions....just good fun.

...and the opinion of a newbie....I had an l-shaped bench seating with table that dropped to make a double bed & have ripped that and everything else out from the front half of my boat and am putting in a diner style seating arrangement but which can convert to a more cosy seating arrangement and a bed....I am being influenced by needing to make sure my 3 kiddies can come aboard and everyone be comfortable ...but happy with my choices. .....just have to build it now

Might struggle on a roundabout in some towns where trees are scarce Very true!

Hmmmm.....that would be good for visitors.....I could put it in the woods .....might be left alone then ...not so hot for 3 young kiddies sadly....be accurate!?....With two young lads it could need a wet room. Cheers for that - the olive oil tip is useful and got to be cheaper thN their own stufff.....hey recommend their own toilet paper....surely no-one buys that stuff except the Royals of camping!?

But surely that only applies if you don't leave them clean!?....are you saying they smell if left clean? I was asking about rubber seals deteriorating or drying as opposed to anything else. I would use mine in back-up situe and then clean and park so to speak.....not thinking of leaving a cassette stewing at half full for any length of time. As mentioned at the top of the thread I have my pump-out as norm but this is a back-up....so will be parked clean.

Just seen those, problem is that they are plumbed in and electric flush. Maybe my back-up could be electric flush but want a safety net over water supply....but as I type that I think, it is going to be empty until needed and then if water is off then it will be bucket of water into the pan job, so no issue there either. Almost criminal. I nearly got caught by that Black Friday Sale but luckily had too much time on my hands that day as working away. Double checking, as per your comments, I found thT there sale price was almost exactly as per others....so I went with others even at £1.30 extra.....a so called £40-50 saving

Know what you mean as the hob / cooker I got was £200 more expensive on the Chandlery site compared to where I bought it... lower price made it all the more appealing and just squeezed in under budget.

The newer small room is for the toilet but also to store stuff until an emergency or my kiddies come aboard....with 4 of us I found two loos more comfortable ....understand the idea and thanks but definitely want to keep the spare room, hence just making it as small as possible for function. C224 is manual pump and non-plumbed in water so a real back-up but wondering if electric flush is better as have read about manual pumps failing due to impact point.

Ouch! Nicely done Saw a C224 something or other for less than that ....newer style/version....think it was £339

Some food for thought there and from others....am sure some other contributions tonight/tomorrow Have to admit, have already bought a new hob with cooker/grill as didn't want full height cooker as was the old one......trying to find a new 12v fridge of any decent size is another matter though.....sorry, off on a tangent there.

Sorry missed this one - thanks Pearly .....is it a standard Elsan experience as per cassettes for the emptying or?... Wasn't sure what 'Dometic' meant being honest

Given what you and Kev have said I could set it into the bottom right corner on an angle with some extra edging to make it look a bit more permanent and not an abandoned loo, but also enable a swivel function on the base so that I can get to the back. ....although we're now back to the battens Viking .....or it could be a Porta Potty.....not sure why but I envisage these to be the chemical toilet style and would worry about leaving them with chemicals in but out of use....no idea why I couldn't get around this but!? Thanks BWM - again, can these be set as freestanding i.e. not cemented to the wall so that I could swing it out to remove the cassette? I don't mind having a base that can be movable .....so long as I remember to fix it back in when in normal use