Tom Morgan

Paul - it's a Norman 23, with petrol outboard.

While I think about it - I'm forgetting my manners. I bought a lovely boat and am really happy about it, but I should have mentioned how grateful I am to the forum members who gave me such good and helpful advice when I was asking questions to get a bit of knowledge before going to look at it. Thanks, all.

Thanks you TheBiscuits. That's the answer I was hoping for!

Well, we bought a boat! Now for a newbie question about transferring ownership via the CRT website. I've registered and am having a good read of the site, but there's something I'm not sure about. I can see how a seller can "transfer out" a boat following a sale, and the new owner can "transfer in" the boat and then (with evidence of insurance and BSC) buy a licence. Does the new owner have to wait for the seller to "transfer out" first, before he can "transfer in" or is it possible for the new owner to just get on with it?

Thanks very much for your answers, all.

Thanks, Martyn. Much appreciated.

Thanks for your replies, mates. I'll come back to this topic in a while when actually looking for an available slipway. At the moment, I haven't even got the boat, though that may change in a couple of days! (The boat would be licenced, insured and have a current BSS before it goes into the water, by the way).

Is it acceptable to ask a marina to let you use their slipway just to put a trailered boat into the water and then the boat and car/trailer leave immediately, paying just for the use of the slipway?

Thanks to you all for the advice, especially for the names of a couple of insurers to try.

Not the first thing this newbie thought of, Alan, but glad you mentioned it and I will remember that.

Thank you for your prompt reply, Ex Brummie. Much appreciated.

If I buy a relatively inexpensive GRP cruiser, with 2 years BSC still to run, and want only third party insurance, are insurers likely to insist on a survey? I'd be grateful for any guidance on this.

Sorry - beginner's ignorance of the subject! However, all replies are of use and interest to me, though of course, not intending to waste anybody's time..

I should have mentioned (and will try to remember to do this for future questions) that my target boat is a GRP cruiser, outboard motor, 22 foot or so, in case that makes any difference.

Me again with really basic questions for my "information gathering". How much does a boat survey cost? Does a surveyor charge the same price regardless of the size of the boat?

The boats Naughty Cal provided links to are really nice, but they would stretch my hoped-for budget a bit. As Dora the Explorer has noted, they are too wide for the canals around here, so this has prevented any agonising about the extra two or three grand I would need to find! Thanks everyone for your replies. Each one of them has helped me and I'm taking it all on board (pun intended) and learning a lot. Edit to answer Naughty Cal's question, which I missed earlier. As my boating expeditions are likely to be relatively short compared to some, at least to begin with, I would like to keep the boat moored here in the Midlands to make it quick and easy to get to when the opportunity arises.

Sorry for not giving much information - I never expected such detailed and considered replies. I'm very grateful for them. The GRP/petrol combination, is what I can afford so I must accept its limitations. Family circumstances mean that my boating will be within these limitations, anyway, I think. I'm still in the very early stages of looking into it all and know nothing, but I was thinking of a marina when not cruising, with shoreline availability and recreational boating to begin with, only a night or two at a time. But I will look out for diesel boats too, and see how they compare price-wise.

Hello all. A new member here, a non-boater at present. I've been binge-reading the posts here and have learned a lot, especially about grp boats, which is the type I'm hoping to purchase. Just entering "grp" in the search box has given me a virtual encyclopaedia of knowledge and experience to learn from. So thanks for that. My question is: How does an outboard engine charge the batteries? I assume it isn't as good as the big inboard engines I have seen in boating videos. I'd be grateful for any answers.