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Safety requirements for waterways license


vonBenningen

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if it is anywhere within the green area below you will have problems regarding mooring since this is the area that was signed last year.

if it's within the blue area I suspect that you will run into problems before too long (since it seemed that a lot of the boats that were in the green moved into the blue)

image.png.284e616bbe073068e4d3d6cfdadbb554.png

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Yep, thanks just checked the price. So now I know that, can anyone provide a rough estimate of insurance and the license fee? I'd really appreciate it! Or a point in the right direction.

2 minutes ago, Jess-- said:

if it's within the blue area I suspect that you will run into problems before too long (since it seemed that a lot of the boats that were in the green moved into the blue)

Yeah it's in the blue area. Thanks for that

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1 hour ago, vonBenningen said:

Hi ditchcrawler, Can you explain what you mean by this? Why is it unlikely to be licensed as a houseboat even if I live on it? And what does that mean for me (and my money)?

Well if it was Licensed it would have a BSC which should enable you to licences and insure it, but I dont think you will get a houseboat licence without a mooring. Where he is he is basically squatting, its not an official mooring, the same reason all the signs forbidding mooring have been put up elsewhere, because people thought they just had the right to stay there. Most of the boats there will probably have just pleasure boat licences at the best. Out of interest what sort of money are you considering handing over for this boat.

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17 minutes ago, john6767 said:

For insurance you well be looking at sub £100, possibly even the £50 mark.

Well that is reassuring! I thought it would be a few hundred at least!

ditchcrawler, I'm currently the high bidder with slightly cold feet at £896. My max bid a couple of days ago was £900 and considering he had quite a few bids already I was assuming I wouldn't get it for that. Considering insurance is much less than I expected, I may be willing to go to £1000 max. 

As a continuous cruiser, if and when I attach an outboard (I've asked whether the steering is functional), presumably I wouldn't need a mooring initially to get licensed for that?

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41 minutes ago, vonBenningen said:

Yes it's right at the entrance to the Kennet

This is my feeling exactly - could end up with problems down the line. Then again, I don't want to stay in one place anyway

Here's the link to the listing, btw. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Old-Viking-Houseboat/253467127282?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m1431.l2649

Certainly doesn't look like its had £1000 spent on it. No sign of any fire extinguishers which is a BSC fail for starters. 

Edited by bill brown
Corrected spelling
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the 2nd picture in the listing for the boat (white tarp) is taken on the tesco moorings (the boat opposite is quite distinctive) the 1st picture (blue tarp) does appear to be from further downstream (just the other side of the kennet entrance) where the footpath is right on the rivers edge

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1 hour ago, vonBenningen said:

As a continuous cruiser..., 

Continuous Cruiser is a status which exists only on the CRT waterways, where you either have to have a home mooring (not necessarily on CRT waters) or you have to "cruise continuously" i.e. moving your boat a sufficient distance at least every fortnight.

Have you checked the EA licencing requirements for the Thames - details are here. Whether the boat is licensed as an unpowered pleasure boat, launch, or houseboat the forms require you to state your usual mooring. 

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1 hour ago, bill brown said:

Certainly doesn't look like its had £1000 spent on it. No sign of any fire extinguishers which is a BSC fail for starters. 

Where does the gas bottle live? Is there a proper gas locker complying with BSS requirements?

The lights and bilge pump run off crock clips on the battery. That won't pass the BSS. And how do you recharge the battery?

I wouldn't be surprised if this was one of those boats where all the electric and gas systems were absent from the boat when it got the BSS which was necessary to get it licenced. So they have never complied.

 

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32 minutes ago, David Mack said:

Continuous Cruiser is a status which exists only on the CRT waterways, where you either have to have a home mooring (not necessarily on CRT waters) or you have to "cruise continuously" i.e. moving your boat a sufficient distance at least every fortnight.

Have you checked the EA licencing requirements for the Thames - details are here. Whether the boat is licensed as an unpowered pleasure boat, launch, or houseboat the forms require you to state your usual mooring. 

You can declare as a CC’er for a gold licence though

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18 hours ago, vonBenningen said:

Do people continuously cruise with nothing but an outboard motor with a steering arm?

Hi - just wondering if anyone can answer this for me? The steering on this boat is not functioning, no wheel, no cables etc. So could I feasibly run it with an outboard motor, petrol/diesel...? Or is that going to be too expensive? Or too much of a hassle? Or both?

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Petrol is not that easy to find canal side so will often require walking with the fuel tank.

If you can sit beside and a little in front of the engine then most smaller outboards can be driven by a twist throttle on the steering arm (part of the OP) and a gear lever on the engine case/tray but I would be far more concerned about battery charging. Smaller outboards, especially older ones  tend to have very limited charging outputs.

Over the years diesel outboards have been made but they are rare and possibly expensive beasts. They also may be rather heavy for the transom of that boat.

Petrol will be expensive because there is no "allowance" for domestic use but may be a similar price at a supermarket to canal side propulsion diesel.

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Steering using the standard outboard arm and controls may be OK for an open boat.  But on Viking 22 the cabin will make it very difficult (unless you work for a circus) to see where the boat is heading.

If you were just moving a boat a short distance just once, you might somehow bodge it with a temporary stick or a look-out (left-hand-down-a-bit?) - but not really practical.

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2 hours ago, Tony Brooks said:

Petrol is not that easy to find canal side so will often require walking with the fuel tank.

If you can sit beside and a little in front of the engine then most smaller outboards can be driven by a twist throttle on the steering arm (part of the OP) and a gear lever on the engine case/tray but I would be far more concerned about battery charging. Smaller outboards, especially older ones  tend to have very limited charging outputs.

Over the years diesel outboards have been made but they are rare and possibly expensive beasts. They also may be rather heavy for the transom of that boat.

Petrol will be expensive because there is no "allowance" for domestic use but may be a similar price at a supermarket to canal side propulsion diesel.

And on the Thames its extra expensive, I would expect it to be about £1.60 lt now if not more.

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1 hour ago, Naughty Cal said:

I'm pretty sure that is a Norman as well not a Viking!

Spot on! It's a Norman 23.

£900 for a shed with no hood, barely an interior and a decidedly unsafe looking bottle stove...Walk away!

Edited to add: After a second look the old bottle stove appears to have been swapped for a reasonable looking burner...Tripling the value of the boat.

Edited by carlt
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2 minutes ago, vonBenningen said:

Well a yacht for use on canals/rivers for the most part. A gold licensed yacht. But one that's good enough to cross the channel. Yachts seem to be better value in general

Not that many yachts capable of safely crossing the channel have only a 6ft 10 in beam - say 7ft at a pinch. Then there is the keel question. I doubt many bilge keelers  draw less than 3ft (sat 2ft 6" to be safe) so it will have to be a drop keel and I bet it rolls horribly with the keel up and the keel case takes up internals pace.

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