George and Dragon

Fascinating!

Why do you think the genny would be less efficient than a conventional diesel? When you cruise with diesel propulsion the engine runs all the time whether you're moving or not. Electric motors aren't like that. They turn only when needed.

I think you'll find it is. Either way I would want additional protection against unintended operation which an enclosure would provide. On my boat the 12V switches/overloads are very easy to brush against while entering or exiting the cabin from the stern deck. Discovering the lights are not working in the front cabin can be an annoyance. One day I will laser cut an acrylic cover to reduce the likelihood of this.

I love my neighbours. It's the house that needs upgrading.

However, when the government promises a universal benefit (£400) it needs to make sure that everyone gets it. 30 years ago I had a girlfriend who did just that. Aga for heating and cooking, candles for light. The house did have electric wiring and the petrol genny lived in a shed.

That depends on the household... I've just put my direct debit up to £200 pcm. A couple of weeks ago my energy supplier was suggesting I reduce it to £123. On Monday that was £169. We have a logburner at home which usually costs about £2 per day to run so probably should say our winter heating cost is nearer £300. £10 per day! Words fail me.

Let's hope the support for business announced today by that well known socialist Rees-Mogg brings some relief.

Good points. How much does the PV system cost to add to the existing electrical system? I see Bimble's cheapest offering (350W) is £450 + VAT. Even at 64p/kWh (which is where commercial rates were heading before Ms Truss said she'd help businesses out) that's going to take some time to pay back. You're in a marina on a shore line so Tony's points about the cost of diesel and engine servicing don't apply. On the basis that it's a quarter of the size of Tony's system and needing to drag every last milliamp out for LAs (do you have Lithiums?) you might get 225 kWh. That's going to take 45 months to break even if you do the install yourself. BBC News is now reporting that businesses will pay a wholesale rate capped at 21p/kWh. I think we can assume that excludes VAT @ 20% so about 25p. That takes the payback time out to about 15 years... it's your money - spend it as you choose.

Alan's rather brusque point about the power audit is worth considering. If your batteries are down to 12.2 (fully discharged) by bedtime then you may need a bigger bank. If it's fully charged at the end of a day's cruising...

My guess would be a visit by a senior politician or senior Royal. Lincoln isn't renowned for being a very radical place...