Grumpy Bear

The "PMR 446" radios are ideal for general chit chat use, are licence exempt and can also legally be used in all european countries and many more. You can get about 3km in ideal conditions, but they are NOT marine VHF radios. Maplin are doing some good deals at the moment around £25 a pair. The rules for Marine VHF are about to get a little easier in that the Ships Radio Licence (for the onboard installation - required even if it is a walkie talkie) will be free of charge from 1st Oct 06, and will last for life provided the details do not change. Full details at: OfCom Website At least one person on board must hold a "Certificate of Competance and Authority to Operate" which you get after completing an assessed course. You can find your nearest RYA Teaching Centre from the RYA website at: RYA Website All new radios must be "DSC capable" and to use these you must have completed the new SRC course. The old VHF Restricted licence is only valid with old non-DSC radios - which cannot be legally sold as new although you can buy and install 2nd hand ones if you wish - though not advisable. Further details are available at our website at: Priory Moorers Website Hope this is useful Mike RYA/MCA GMDSS SRC instructor/assessor

Many thanks for the helpful comments. I absolutely agree that the recommendations are there for a reason, and we don't want to get poisoned. But the existing Poloma/flue has been fitted since the boat was built some 12 years ago, and it has gone through 3 BSS inspections without a mention of the flue position. (The most recent being 18 months ago). I expect that moving the flue would require another hole to be cut in the roof, and the existing hole covered over by some method. I think I just got upset by the attitude of the guy who produced a BSS inspection check sheet dated 1999 (and thus well out of date) stating that the dimensions were mandatory and I had no choice. As you quite rightly say, a different approach might have had a different result, but I did not get a warm feeling that the chap was not trying it on. Thanks for the comments, much appreciated - and a great forum I have discovered. I will view it now with great interest. Regards Mike

No, the Boat has not failed the BSS. It is not due. The Poloma water heater died and we decided to replace it with a new one. The fitter who came to fit the new one (a Morco) is also a BSS examiner (as it happens). It was he who looked at the installation and said that if he fitted a new Marco it would count as a new installation and therefore he would have to move the flue to comply with the BSS. This would not be cheap. I think he is trying it on. Mike

Thanks for the prompt reply. Not sure of the exact distance of the flue from the hatch as I am not on the boat at the moment. However, looking at the Checklist in Part 8 of the Guide - for the examiner to tick presumably - at 8.8 we have flue terminal/air inlet positioned at least 500mm from specified locations (in italics) and below is the note: Check List items in italic are Advisory which reinforces the point in the main Part 8 para that the distances are recommended does it not? Mike

Hi, Our Paloma water heater packed up and we decided to replace it with a new Morco heater (I think Morco have taken over Poloma). When the fitter came to fit it (also a BSS Examiner) he indicated that the flue would have to be moved because it is not 500mm (20ins) from the hatch. However, the BSS Guide at Part 8, para 8.8 says that the distances are only RECOMMENDED as below. The fitter says they are mandatory. The paragraph says: "To minimise the risk of flue gases re-entering a boat it’s recommended that flue terminals and air inlets are not positioned within 500mm (20ins) of ventilators, opening ports, hatches, or windows. There is also a risk that flammable vapours could be drawn down into an appliance and for this reason the same separation of flue terminals/air inlets from re-fuelling fittings or fuel tank vent outlets is recommended." So what is the answer? Do we have to move the flue which will be somewhat expensive. All comments welcome. Mike