John Hartley

If this is the first boat you have looked at do not do anything until you have looked at many more. If nothing else it will give you some comparison on this one

As part of the crew for NB Python a 1930s ex working boat converted to a canal maintenance boat, I would advise the OP to be extremely careful in his choice of hull. Ours sprang a leak several years ago culminating in a huge bill to have her re-bottomed. Not over plated but a complete new one. Not cheap. Also it draws a lot of water and so on some canals mooring is problematic. On the Trent its spectacular performance is a site to behold. We love her.

For my two solid fuel stoves at home, [Please dont tell London Mayor] I burn wood logs. What else would they be made off. I pay £285 for 1.25 ton delivered to my door. This keeps both stoves going all winter, not 24/7, most evenings only. The smaller logs get transported to Hawthorn to keep her warm through the winter. With some smokeless to keep it in overnight. At a rough estimate it costs me around £350 per year to run three stoves. To my mind its money well spent. We are toasty at home and on the boat.

The plastic tank on Hawthorn is the original fitted in 2000. It has a plastic hatch on top, [no I have never opened it] and is still fine. Whats the betting now I have said that something goes wrong with it. Why did I open my big mouth

Cleaned my first boats tank about 25 years ago with a wet vac down the filler hole. Filled it several times with water, sucking it out with the vac until about the fourth or fifth time the water came out clean. I then left it a couple of days to dry out before re-assembly. I used a bamboo cane attached to the end of the vac hose to move it around the bottom of the tank. After I had finished I attached some string to my torch dropped it into the tank to inspect it. No further problems for the next ten years until I sold the boat. When i spoke to the current owner a couple of years ago it was still ok with no further action required.

If you find it, it may be that the filter is blocked and needs cleaning. That will sort the slow running problem.

Its strange but when I built my first boat in the early 90s then ventured out on the cut and read the Waterway press the same sort of discussion took place. Letters to the editor from disgruntled of......... You know the sort. Now I read the forums and the same sort of gripe appears here. Nothing new really just the way its expressed. I find that boaters, hirer,s or owners are there to enjoy themselves. If you treat people with respect then usually they do the same to you. Of course there are exceptions, and its pretty easily to spot them within a few seconds of conversation. So ignore them and do not let them ruin your day. Happy boating

Why would you buy a new boat with no intention of moving it. It makes no sense. A static caravan would be much cheaper less maintainance and probable cheaper ground rent than a mooring.

This is my first posting on the forum. I have read a large amount of advice on here and gained an insight into problems that may or will occur on my travels around the system. Unfortunately I am in the position electrically of being a numskull. So some of the advice goes over the top of my head not entering my feeble brain. The point of this posting is to ask well meaning contributors who have a wealth of knowledge not to overdue the technical aspect of the problem. If the OP is like me he does not access the site when on the cut so replies may be later than would be helpful to those answering the question. If the OP decides not to take the advice, its his choice and his money so should not be castigated. Regards Johnh