CJR

What I mean is, do you have to pay the 60/40 split on diesel? i.e. is there a different ruling for qualifying ships? As you are a qualifying ship, can you use red diesel on the continent or do you have to use white like all other leisure craft?

I understand that a qualifying ship allows for VAT free on all labour and parts for the boat, but does it then exclude it from the 60/40 rule for diesel?

Where can I get a Dukes of Hazzard air horn?

So Basques on one side of the river, Irish republicans on the other and only a mile from the border. Do you think I am on a safe mooring?!!

The hot weather even extended to Ireland this weekend! Got the kids swimming in the river to prove it!

This hire boat is moored across the river from us this evening. I don't recognise the flag out the back - can anyone help? The Swiss, Germans and Austrians are particularly proud of bringing the biggest possible flag to fly on holiday, but I have not seen this one before....

Back to the flag subject - we wanted to have flag to fly here in ireland, but it can be a bit of a touchy subject here. Many people fly the ensign just over the border, but of course it is not too welcome in the south so many fly the Erne or Shannon flag instead. Our daughter designed our own flag which we called our family flag. We created it using bits of material but it is getting a bit frayed now. Does anyone know where we could get one printed and made properly to our design?

We've got tickets for the 3 days as we are camping at the site. Anyone else camping there?

Not really what we're looking for - need something to fit on the back of the boat! Something trial like.....

Does anyone have or know of someone who wants to sell an Enduro type motorbike - 200cc - 400cc trial type to go on the back of my wide beam? I am coming over from Ireland for Crick next week and looking to buy a bike if I can, to bring back. Maybe something like a Yam XT, Honda XL, or Suzuki SP 400 style. Prefer 4 stroke '80's era. Cheers folks.

Let's be sensible here. Obviously if a boat has to be brought back in a screaming hurry and in bad weather you would not expect to be charged anything, however if there is time (which is often the case) I have no problem in paying a small amount for a pleasurable trip. My other half has done both these types of trip, not paying for hurried trip but paying a bit of diesel for a more leisurely one. At the base where we are moored, there are several regulars that have 3-4 days to take a boat down the Woodford river, which you could do in a single day if pushed. Never heard of any complaints from them - just wanting to know when they can do another trip!

You only pay for the diesel you use i.e.you leave with a full tank and it is topped back up on return - you pay the difference. To clarify the issue on insurance - it is not the yearly insurance it is the standard collision damage waiver that is always paid when you hire a boat. Varies in price depending on the size of boat, but it starts from €79. This ensures that the pilot is covered and is more careful with the boat! Usual price for hiring could be up to €2000 in peak season, so quite a saving to be made if you are available at short notice! The one-way hire agreement is popular as people like to keep going in one direction, rather than turn back and retrace your steps. It is good business sense to give customers what they want, and try to re-coup some money for the return trip. Lorries do the same - when have you ever heard of a free 'back load'?

Absolute Nonsense. No one has a job of just returning boats to a base on the odd occasion! There is always someone available to bring a boat back - usually a previous full paying customer who has expressed an interest in returning boats for a reduced rate. Here in Ireland they have a large list of such people who jump at the chance to have a cheap hire boat for a few days! They don't don't have their own boats and just enjoy the waterways. We have taken advantage of this ourselves a couple of times. The boat yard staff do not have the time to bring back the boats themselves, and it is not frequent enough to warrant a paid member of staff for just that! As WJM said - it is creative thinking on the part of the boat company and also a good opportunity for people who can't afford a full rate booking to get a cheap holiday - sounds like a 'win -win' to me. They are only charging for the diesel used and for insurance to make sure they are covered if the boat gets damaged en route!!! These seem like reasonable costs to me for a cheap cruise. Would you lend your boat to someone without insurance and be happy for them to bring it back with an empty tank after their holiday on your boat??

Please let me know where i can get a weeks cruiser hire on the Thames for under 200 quid

Is anyone interested in moving cruiser hire boats back to bases for the cost of insurance and diesel used? If so, drop me a PM and I will forward your details to a hire boat company based on the Thames around the Oxford and Windsor area. They need boats returned to bases on a short notice basis. Handy if you live in the area and want a cheap cruise!

So is everyone here saying these are definately still available? We have been searching the net to find suppliers and most seem to only stock the sealed marine and leisure batteries. If you think they have been 'mis-informing' us, then we shall be back on the phone to them to 'discuss' further... Just out of curiosity, what should we expecting to pay for M110 baterries? The price seems to jump somewhat as soon as it crosses the Irish Sea, but we have agreed a price for £74 each incl. VAT (from Belfast) for the 113ah sealed types, which seems a good price for here.

Just enquired today about replacing my 6 x Numax M110 110ah battery bank, and was advised that these were no longer available. Manbat advised that only sealed units could be got now and said the Numax LV26MF 95ah sealed unit as it's replacement. Aparently another EU regulation..? These seemed alot smaller than our originals, so we have instead ordered some Numax CXV30HMF 113ah sealed units for £74 each. Anyone else know about this new regulation?

and being British in another country! Sun out this morning now...waiting for the inevitable irish rain!

Last week we were outside in T shirts, today we have had about a foot of snow and gales and the side of the boat has a snow drift against it! Sitting here getting thrown around, the wind howling and it still has not stopped snowing - I reckon the water level has gone up 3 feet today! I'm having a whiskey and going to bed....just hope the fenders don't start banging around....

Hi there. I assume your main concern is Lough Ree if you are coming from the Grand? My suggestion is to maybe spend the night at Coosan Point or Hodson Bay and then go for it across the Lough at first light, when the lake is generally calmer. Put your nose out and see what it is like - if in any doubt, turn back and try again tomorrow! Take any advice from the lock keeper at Athlone, as they will know the forecast well, and the lake is affected differently by different winds. It is always a good idea to go across with another boat - safety in numbers! And definately take a good pair of binocs as the markers can be very hard to spot! If you are in a canal boat it will probably take 4 - 5 hours to cross in good weather. In my experience mobile phone cover is pretty good on the lake - none of the holiday hire boats have any other type of radio except their own mobiles! If you are really worried though, maybe try and borrow a VHF. Once you have got as far as Quaker Island you have passed the worst (three quarters across), but unfortunately there are no moorings to pull into from Coosan or Hodson untill this point, and if you need to get somewhere here then try for Lecarrow. There is also Barley Harbour but it is not as sheltered. Once you can see the smoke from the power station in Lanesboro you are pretty safe! The rest of your journey up the Shannon should be plain sailing. One of my favourite moorings is at Drumsna - quiet, sheltered and walking distance to pub and shop. Have a great trip!

We buy green diesel for 63 cent per litre or red diesel over the border for 53 pence a litre. A bag of anthracite (40kg) for 15 euro, which I guess is about £11 - £12. Not too bad for Irish prices.