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River Canal Rescue


canalboater2012

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Are many of you fellow boaters members of RCR if so wot do you think of there services if you have had to use them?

 

Wot type of membership do you have?

 

 

Had to call them twice in 2012, I can't speak highly enough of them. We have Silver membership.

 

You will get some that don't rate it but I speak as I find.

 

 

Dave

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We have Gold membership. We have this because we let friends borrow the boat.

 

When we first got the boat (3rd owners 4 years ago) it had been somewhat neglected by previous owners so it broke down several times in the first year of our ownership.

 

RCR were good, pleasant and efficient.

 

I do feel however that one young lad who came to a call out could have done with a little more training before being let loose. We were only his 2nd call out so he was somewhat nervious.

 

Again this is our impressions.

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We have been Gold members for some while. Generally very pleased - though on one occasion they sent out a beardless boy "engineer" who could have benefitted from a bit of senior supervision. I got the impression that all the engines he'd previously encountered were small, had four cylinders and were based on something made in Asia, rather than large with two cylinders and made in Manchester.

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They are reasonable, although they are basically an insurance company - - We have only used them once, and hope we never need their services again - took 8 hours to arrive, the third party mechanic was extremely laissez-faire, and eventually I diagnosed the problem, not him, and I arranged for the replacement parts - not him.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited for spellling

Edited by Grace & Favour
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Been good for our share syndicate, sometimes it's their own engineers, sometimes a local boatyard sub-contracts for them, not always quite so good perhaps. Their accounting seems to struggle with retained membership, but they sort that problem out when brought to their attention.

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Are many of you fellow boaters members of RCR if so wot do you think of there services if you have had to use them?

 

I joined the RCR for our son so that he doesn't have to call out dad if there's a problem. The engine on the butty is a bog standard BMC 1.8 and, theoretically should be pretty straightforward to fix. A quick phone call and a photo of the broken part is usually all that is required. However, the main problem is getting a spare part to the boat if you are out in the sticks. This is where RCR has been invaluable. For example, they responded very quickly with a new water pump when the pulley shaft sheared. Whereas it was a real traipse when I had to pick up a replacement starter motor myself. For this level of service, the Bronze membership is fine.

 

On the other hand, if I had a major problem with the Kelvin, I'm not sure how much use they'd be. On the odd occasion when I've needed help – another broken water pump (I seem to be unlucky with these)– a phone call to a Kelvin expert was the solution.

 

Edited by koukouvagia
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We've had to call them out a few times over the past few years - as we're inept! They often came within a few hours and sorted us out without much fuss. We have bronze membership. One of the complaints I've heard about them is quibbles about what's covered as replacement parts - but the primary reason we have them is so we're never "stuck" - and because of them we never have been!

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We have bronze membership as insurance against major breakdown that I can't handle myself.

 

In over 6 years with our current boat we've only needed them once. That was recently when the starter battery failed. Our only reason for calling them then was that we were in the sticks. We haven't a car and couldn't get to a battery supplier.

 

Their service was prompt and efficient, though we were disappointed that their engineer couldn't remove the dead battery for us. Given our circumstances we couldn't take it anywhere ourselves, so were left with it on the boat for ages, until we got to Sawley. A minor gripe really.

 

I'd say it's not cheap for what we actually need but when you need it the service is invaluable.

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We have bronze membership as insurance against major breakdown that I can't handle myself.

 

In over 6 years with our current boat we've only needed them once. That was recently when the starter battery failed. Our only reason for calling them then was that we were in the sticks. We haven't a car and couldn't get to a battery supplier.

 

Their service was prompt and efficient, though we were disappointed that their engineer couldn't remove the dead battery for us. Given our circumstances we couldn't take it anywhere ourselves, so were left with it on the boat for ages, until we got to Sawley. A minor gripe really.

 

I'd say it's not cheap for what we actually need but when you need it the service is invaluable.

 

Given they could have 'weighed it in' and got some dosh for it probably their loss really... B)

 

It will likely be down to some regs. about waste disposal/transport I would guess.

 

Last time we 'proper' broke down this was also down to our starter battery but we had literally just moved outside the marina were we moored at the time and were about 100 yards away from our car.....

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Are many of you fellow boaters members of RCR if so wot do you think of there services if you have had to use them?

 

Wot type of membership do you have?

We have used them a couple of times. Well worth it. We have bronze membership.

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I took out the gold for the first year as was cruising with a friend and my engine was a re fit we knew little about.

We went up to the peak district and back, having to call them out twice.

The same pleasent chap come out both times, once for overheating(termostat stuck) and probably one of the only things I did not carry as a spare(new one had only just been fitted), throttle cable.

Again I could have replaced but we were inb the idle of no where in a strange northern town with no transport, plus it was no extra and it was fitted.

I wil def have at least the bronze before I go off on any more adventures.!! :lol:

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Given they could have 'weighed it in' and got some dosh for it probably their loss really... B)

 

It will likely be down to some regs. about waste disposal/transport I would guess.

 

I offered a scrap yard several dead batteries about a year ago, and was surprised when he refused them. He said the lead is so thin and hard to get out, they aren't worth the labour it takes to process them.

 

But these ARE rich softie southerner scrappies :D

 

MtB

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Are many of you fellow boaters members of RCR if so wot do you think of there services if you have had to use them?

 

Wot type of membership do you have?

Bronze - serious breakdown last year, got a load of advice and £1000 towards a gearbox repair. Hope I never need them again, but worth it for peace of mind, especially in an old boat, with an old engine and an ancient boater sitting on the back who can't get down into the engine bay very well any more.

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I offered a scrap yard several dead batteries about a year ago, and was surprised when he refused them. He said the lead is so thin and hard to get out, they aren't worth the labour it takes to process them.

 

But these ARE rich softie southerner scrappies :D

 

MtB

amazing - I got £5 each for a ordinary car batteries not long ago - no quibble and also weighed in some small sealed lead acid (alarm batteries). That was a 'proper' scrappie (in't north) where they sorted it all out and weighed it.

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Only used them the once.

 

It was our first weekend out on the boat after we'd bought it and we ran out of diesel.

 

The local lockie gave us the number of the nearest boatyard who said they could come and sort us out but would have to charge a call out fee. They then asked if we were with RCR. We are so they said "Phone them, they will contact us and we can sort you out for just the cost of the fuel". Result.

 

I've taken pains to keep the tank full since!

 

SAM

Ryde

IOW

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Are many of you fellow boaters members of RCR if so wot do you think of there services if you have had to use them?

 

Wot type of membership do you have?

 

First class. My driveplate died on xmas eve afternoon and they answered fone within 10 seconds and arrived and replaced driveplate on boxing day at precise time as arranged. :cheers:

 

Tim

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