Québec

This is what we wave at in the night ...though there are plenty others similar. 'wave at' lights though, we might have gone for this if I'd seen it first Auto LED key light

Hi, Not an electrical expert, but why not just get a 12v socket installed? We did, and it's very handy. Then you can attach things like this: Maplins 100W laptop charger or this Universal laptop charger

I know this is more about doors and ventilation than light, but..... re: lighting for those middle of the night runs to the loo......we've got a couple of those AAA battery powered not-too-bright (in a lumen rather than IQ sense) LEDs that stick on a surface and come on if you wave your hand in front of them. Bought ours in ALDI. Saves you groping around in the dark trying to find the light switch. Also a fail-safe if - by chance - we lose all power in the middle of the night in the middle of nowhere. You can also buy similar lights in a push-button mode, which means they come on only when you want them to but you've got to find them first if it's pitch black. re: light coming through vents......it obviously depends on where the light source is placed in relation to the angle of the vent. I would have thought, if you've got top lighting, that a couple of standard louvred vents either side of the door would prevent direct light getting through though might let a little reflected light in i.e. off the floor [edited for typo]

This is what we found when we first inspected the boat before buying it. All the fittings were split, but the pipes turned out to be OK once we changed the fittings.

Abs-sole-utely gripping! Surf shoes, as mentioned previously. Definitely 'sticky'.

Not had mice on the boat (yet) but had them in our house. Used traps - which worked - but also installed ultrasonic device mainly to prevent re-infestation, which seems to have worked. . The advice on the ultrasonic devices is that they're not so good at dealing with current infestations (existing mice will put up with the 'noise'to stay near the food supply!) but they're useful for repelling unwelcome boarders. http://www.mousetraps.org.uk/Mouse-Traps/W...Mouse-Repellent Info on mice control

Couldn't help notice that when we bought our boat (recently) every single Hep2o fitting had split from the cold but all the pipes were OK.

Been following this threead with interest as we've just bought a 40' trad a couple of months ago, after seeing lots of nbs, and have been re-fitting. We bought it basically because we liked it - or liked the idea of what we could do with it - and it was in our (minimal) budget range. The perhaps obvious thought occurs that the length of the boat is a critical factor. In regard to (outdoor) social space v. (indoor) living space, a 60' - 70' nb could easily provide both. A 30' - 40' nb can't (or is unlikely to) so you have to trade off social space with living space. Much as we liked the idea of sitting/standing out on the rear deck with friends bathed in the warm glow of the ever-present summer sun (not!), we realised that if we wanted a 'lounge' space that could also sleep two guests, kitchen, bathroom and separate, permanent sleeping area for us, then those few extra feet of indoor space a trad provided were critical. I'd also add that having taken the boat out for the first time on a freezing cold day, having a warm lower half was an unexpected pleasure! All I'd say is - trust your instincts!

Recently bought our boat after full survey, so had pretty good idea of what we were taking on. Rather than try to second guess the safety inspection by undertaking safety related work (i.e. following the 2005 BSS guide) we were advised to get the inspector in, so we'd know exactly what was required/what needed doing. Safety inspection picked up some things the survey missed (!). Got the work done. Passed on second visit. £150 including second visit.

Can't help re: your location (sorry) But are you asking for someone to do everything i.e. design. source. build and fit? Or is there some of it e.g. design and source, that you want to do/are prepared to do yourselves? We've just put in a new bathroom, or rather have replaced shower, sink, toilet (cassette) in the existing bathroom area. Designed it ourselves: it's not difficult, there only so much you can do with that space. Sourced all the fittings to ensure we got what we wanted at the best price. Got local nb plumber & electrician to put it all together.

iPad, therefore iWant? Probably. Why? iDunno. Charlie Brooker article in today's Grauniad link

Actually had nothing particular in mind ...which is why I asked the question. The answer has to be light(er), but still secure and waterprood.

Naive question perhaps...but why does the hatch have to made of (heavy) steel?

It's all about the appropriate tools matched to the appropriate skills matched to those slippery terms 'taste', 'authenticity' etc. . Agree that spacing, flow, alignment etc are matters of eye, judgement and skill. But that CAN be done on a computer...by someone who's got an eye for spacing, flow, alignment etc. and the skills to use the software to adjust accordingly. To answer the OP, I actually (heresy, heresy!) used good old fashioned Powerpoint to design our boat-name, and have often used it to design other stuff before, if necessary, moving on to Photoshop or Illustrator if I need more complex work doing. Powerpoint is pretty basic (but not THAT basic), and with some skills etc. can be used to create interesting and quite complex designs. I really can't accept the vinyl lettering = bad, hand painted letter = good argument. Both can be good, both can be execrable. Give me well designed and executed vinyl over badly designed and executed hand painted lettering any day (and vice versa!). Going all intellectual for a moment.......Walter Benjamin identified the problem way back in the 1920's when he wrote his famous essay: 'The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction'. What is being discussed here, Benjamin calls the 'aura' of the original. And people do value the 'aura' of an object, and the 'aura' comes from its uniqueness and the manner in which it was fashioned. Which is why people will queue for hours to see the Mona Lisa behind its inches-thick bullet-proof glass rather than gaze on it on their tea-towel or mug in the privacy of their homes. So the unique, hand-painted boat-name will always have (for those who know it) a special 'aura', that vinyl, no matter how beautifully crafted, will never have....but see below... ...and on a similar note.....We live in a road of Edwardian houses. Architecturally almost identical. Lots of wooden bay windows and oriel windows, lots of leaded and stained glass. It's a friendly, pretty stable, quite close-knit community, and most of us care about our houses, keeping the period 'feel', and maintaining the 'visual environment' (sounds familiar?). So, though nothing is ever said and no criticism made (now that DOESN'T sound familiar ), like is generally replaced with -usually expensive - like So when a long-standing neighbour decided to replace all their windows we were horrified to see the uPVC window installers arrive in their big glossy white vans covered in vinyl lettering. But a strange thing has occured. Yes they've used uPVC, but the end result is excellent!! They've kept all the proportions, details, stained glass etc of the original (but now rotting) windows. You have to actually go up and touch them to get that 'I can't believe it's not wood' sensation. So...uPVC v. Wood, Vinyl v. Hand-lettering. Hand Craft s v. Technology, Sustainability versus Non-sustainability..... choices, choices..... (edited for typos)

It's a BW problem as it's on their (private) property. However, also ring your local council. Our council (Trafford) has actually got a 'Dead Animals' page on its website (under 'D' for 'Dead Animals!) and the number to ring. You could argue that's it's a potential or actual public health problem. They might (very hopefully) force BW into action. Good luck.

In which case...... Kenina - feminine Gaelic 'born of fire' Cinaed or Cianiodh - male Gaelic - 'born of fire' - pronounced 'Kenneth' Keezheekoni - Native American (Cheyenne) 'fire' Fiammetta - 'little fire' Ethon - name of the giant eagle in Greek mythology. As punishment for giving fire to mankind, Zeus had Prometheus tied to a rock and let Ethon eat at his liver which regenerated every night. Bit gtruesome, but great story!