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BSS In Lockdown


Mike Todd

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Does anyone have any experience of arranging BSS in the current lockdown?

 

We are due to have our first BSS this spring and as far as I can see the previous suspension of BSS has not been reinstated. It also seems that the examiners are currently able to work so my problem is that we cannot travel to the boat to sort out the minor things usually undertaken before the arrival of a BSS Examiner.

 

Any advice?

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I only just realised my BSS was about to run out when I went to renew my EA license on the Thames, so I now have to get one done. I firstly spoke to the marina, as I need to go down and prepare the boat for the BSS exam. Was told by them that it is fine to come down to the boat and also fine for the examiner to come at anytime. I personally think this kinda makes a mockery of this lockdown and all it is trying to achieve, but it does mean it can get a certificate done at some stage. I am personally not rushing to do this, and the EA can wait for me to renew

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57 minutes ago, thames s23 said:

I only just realised my BSS was about to run out when I went to renew my EA license on the Thames, so I now have to get one done. I firstly spoke to the marina, as I need to go down and prepare the boat for the BSS exam. Was told by them that it is fine to come down to the boat and also fine for the examiner to come at anytime. I personally think this kinda makes a mockery of this lockdown and all it is trying to achieve, but it does mean it can get a certificate done at some stage. I am personally not rushing to do this, and the EA can wait for me to renew

But your marina don't make the lock down rules, just what they are happy with.

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Ours is due in April. The marina is happy for us to come and prepare the boat and for the examiner to come and do the job. However we're not happy to travel 50 miles to the boat, either in a hire car or on the train as things are at the moment. I don't want to catch this nasty thing even if the rules say we can travel to do essential maintenance. I spoke to a local examiner just after the current lockdown came into play. He said that as we don't need it doing until the begining of April then could we ring him back nearer the time. He was confident that he would be able to get us done in time but he wasn't sure of the rules as they stand.

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2 hours ago, Mike Todd said:

Does anyone have any experience of arranging BSS in the current lockdown?

 

.

 

Any advice?

   It's a bit soon for that, as the lockdown has been in force for only a few days.

But we had Trojan's done during last year's restrictions. We posted the bot keys to the examiner. He went to the boat and carried out the work. Then he posted the keys back to us, and we posted his cheque to him. It was all fairly painless.

   he is, incidentally, a CWDF member. P.M. me if you'd like to know his identity.

 

Oh, and the boat passed, too!

Edited by Athy
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2 hours ago, thames s23 said:

I only just realised my BSS was about to run out when I went to renew my EA license on the Thames, so I now have to get one done. I firstly spoke to the marina, as I need to go down and prepare the boat for the BSS exam. Was told by them that it is fine to come down to the boat and also fine for the examiner to come at anytime. I personally think this kinda makes a mockery of this lockdown and all it is trying to achieve, but it does mean it can get a certificate done at some stage. I am personally not rushing to do this, and the EA can wait for me to renew

 

Would it be an idea to check your insurance to see whether it needs a valid BSC?

Edited by Ray T
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Alas, we are 4.5 hours drive away so cannot realistically visit without an overnight stay which seems to be outwith the present rules! My main concern is to check (LTRU) that the gas locker floor is visible although the issue might be if the examiner finds some minor item that I could easily fix if there. I would only anticipate a problem if there were a difference of opinion between RCD (which currently covers the boat) and BSS - I seem to recall that someone reported on here that they had had an issue with this.

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5 hours ago, Mike Todd said:

Alas, we are 4.5 hours drive away so cannot realistically visit without an overnight stay which seems to be outwith the present rules!

You could pay someone to sort out the minor things to which you refer , possibly the surveyor might do this if you ask nicely. It could be lest cost than the cost of driving 9 hours.

.

 

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This all seems totally avoidable if the BSS folk simply give an extension like they did last time. Perhaps this somehow hasn't dawned on them, but there's a clear precedent. Maybe a phone call would provide a swift resolution and you can "stay at home" like Boris says?

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It would be unreasonable for C&RT to penalise anyone for an expired BSS on a boat that is not in use.

But as I said a BSS renewal is possible even if it involves a little expenditure.

 

I think many of us have spent more in the pandemic on things like home deliveries / buying online is not always the cheapest  . I certainly haven seen a reduction in monthly outgoings despite the car and the boat both having done low mileage .

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2 hours ago, Phoenix_V said:

Hardly essential travel though is it even if the rules technically allow it

Thanks everyone - BSS suspension looks possible if ten government are tempted into banning non-essential trade working in the home as is being floated this morning. I must admit that I had thought that (in normal circs) the examiner was not permitted to 'do' things in order to complete the examination.

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22 hours ago, Paladine said:

I would have thought that attending your boat to ensure it complies with the BSS would come under the exemption for leaving home "to fulfil a legal obligation".

If you can employ the boatyard where you moor to do any necessary preparatory work, then it is not essential for you to travel to fulfil the legal obligation.

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33 minutes ago, David Mack said:

If you can employ the boatyard where you moor to do any necessary preparatory work, then it is not essential for you to travel to fulfil the legal obligation.

One could also say that, if one can pay to have all one's shopping delivered (or even get it delivered for free), as one can with all the supermarkets, businesses that have an on-line shop as well as a physical shop, etc., it is not essential for the vast majority of the population to go to Tesco, Waitrose etc., but that activity hasn't been prohibited, or even questioned.

 

The legislation (enforceable) only says, "No person...may leave or be outside of the place where they are living without reasonable excuse." It sets no limit on the distance that may be travelled, nor does it require the travel to be essential.

 

The guidance (unenforceable) says, "...If you need to travel you should stay local – meaning avoiding travelling outside of your village, town or the part of a city where you live..."

 

I was offering the OP a possible answer to his problem. It would be for him to decide whether, in his particular circumstances, that answer is appropriate or not. Since he has now revealed he would have a 4.5 hr drive to get to his boat, I wouldn't say it was appropriate, but it might be for someone living closer to their boat, facing the same situation

Edited by Paladine
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6 minutes ago, Paladine said:

One could also say that, if one can pay to have all your shopping delivered (or even get it delivered for free), as you can with all the supermarkets, businesses that have an on-line shop as well as a physical shop, etc., it is not essential for the vast majority of the population to go to Tesco, Waitrose etc., but that activity hasn't been prohibited, or even questioned.

 

Scotland tightening up, new rules announced today :

 

  • Click and collect services limited to essential shopping such as clothing, baby equipment and books
  • Customers no longer allowed to collect takeaways from inside restaurants - food must be handed over through a hatch or doorway
  • Now against the law to drink alcohol outside in public in all level 4 areas
  • Statutory guidance on working from home - anyone who worked from home during first lockdown should do so again
  • Working within homes now limited to the essential upkeep, maintenance or functioning of the home, by law
  • Scots may only leave home for essential purposes - and may not stay out for other purposes afterwards

 

 

Forcasts suggest England will go down a similar route but will actually ban click & collect.

Edited by Alan de Enfield
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Each of the four UK nations have got their own rules. I'm commenting on the rules for England as they stand, not as they may be in the future. There is much speculation in the media about the direction in which we may be heading, but it is just that - speculation. No confirmation from HMG yet.

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10 hours ago, Phoenix_V said:

Hardly essential travel though is it even if the rules technically allow it

And in a way its not only you who has to determined that it's acceptable to drive 200 miles round trip to your boat. If you get stopped by the cops you've got to persuade them that it's acceptable and reasonable.

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When I got my bssc I knew there were faults in the gas, so I explained to the examiner, who was gas safe that the boat needed work, what he did was do the examination first, wrote down the advisories, then did the work, then issued the clean certificate, nothing to do with lockdown. 

Edited by LadyG
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