Meantime

Particularly the bottom of the last page. Apart from naming them, the BA have done everything else to point people in the right direction!!

It's worth mentioning that it's not so much the charge rate you need to change for the swap from flooded lead acid to gel, but the charge voltage. Most chargers will charge FLA at 14.8V to give the most capacity, but at this voltage it will cause gassing and loss of water which will need to be replaced. Since you don't have the option to replace the acid in gel or sealed lead acid you need to ensure the charge voltage doesn't exceed 14.4V the point at which gassing normally starts. Most chargers just have a setting for the type of battery and adjust the top charge voltage appropriately, but some just have a voltage setting and expect you to know the charge voltage the battery will take.

Bill Housden is still the manager of that department and very helpful.

Just received my toll renewal the other day. A few days later than last year when it arrived on Valentine's day! There is a link to the latest copy of the Broadsheet Newsletter. Very interesting piece on the bottom half of the last page!!! Probably about as close as they could go without actually naming companies!!

The problem with advice is that if someone asks for advice and ten people replied, you'd probably get 10 different answers, some absolutely right and some not so. You then still have to do your own research to decide which advice, or combination of, you want to take. I'm sure most advice is given with good intention, but even the most well meaning person can get it wrong sometimes as well. However sometimes some pieces of advice given can lead to a very interesting thread drift from which we can all learn at times. Most of us never stop learning. So I guess the moral is give advice if you want, but you won't be right all the time, and don't be offended if your advice isn't taken, or disputed. Oh and keep an open mind because you may also learn more. Forums such as these would be a lot poorer if people didn't offer their advice, requested or not, but they are a lot poorer for the constant petty point scoring.

Thanks Robin, that is the one that I have been looking at. I currently have a plug in thermostat that turns the tube heater on and off at 7 degrees, but have no idea if the electric is on remotely, which is why I had been looking at the iSocket. My only other concern is where the boat is moored has quite poor mobile phone coverage so not 100% sure whether its going to work for me or not. I guess that with a £40 round trip to check on the boat occasionally its going to be worth a punt as three saved trips and its paid for. One thing to note Robin, is that the one in the amazon link above only supports 2G which has been phased out by Three and I think EE are doing likewise. I wonder how long before other networks follow suit. There is however a newer 3G variant available on the manufacturers website, I haven't looked around yet for cheaper suppliers. http://www.isocket.eu/

You actually picked a very good example, because no you cannot through Hoseasons, BUT you can if you go direct to Barnes. Both the boats you quoted are Barnes boats, and they are currently promoting the fact they allow solo hirers. The really strange thing is that I'm sure if you do book direct with Barnes you will be allowed to book a solo hire, but Barnes will also still have to pay a commission to Hoseasons because any direct bookings that take a boat away from a promoting agency such as Hoseasons, normally still attracts a commission for the agent!!

Then why would anyone make a booking not knowing what the terms may be when they go to take over the boat. It can only be the terms in force when you make the booking. If it was the current terms then that would have a huge impact on the advance bookings which a lot of these yards need to balance the books. Dangerous ground IMHO.

Simple really, just explain that since xyz date we changed our terms and conditions and now do not accept bookings for solo hires. The boat you have just seen would have booked before that date. Although it's very academic, because how do you know if someone is solo cruising? The other person may be in the heads! Not many people go down the river advertising how many people are on board. No difference to me taking out a Broadband offer with BT and then two months later they are offering the same deal but throwing in a £100 gift card, or some other freebie. Mobile phone tariffs change all the time and it depends on when you signed up, or took out your contract.

An interesting point relating to the last paragraph. It's been stated that the change is not related to insurance, but is related to bringing the terms and conditions in line with Hoseasons. So does that have to apply if booking direct with Richardsons? But more importantly surely the booking is subject to the terms and conditions in force at the time of booking? Now if something were to change outside of the control of the company, such as insurance renewal specifically not allowing solo hire then that is understandable, but in this case we are being told it is not down to the insurance company, therefore surely there is no reason why the original booking cannot stand along with the terms and conditions it was booked under? Not sure if I would be happy entering into a contract if one side could change the terms at the drop of a hat! For things beyond their control understandable, but just because the business has decided to realign its terms with a partner?

This seems a very strange decision. We are being told it is to bring the terms and conditions in line with those of Hoseasons and that it is nothing to do with insurance. That I can certainly believe because Barnes are still happy and even promoting the fact that they will do solo hires, and yet they also use Hoseasons. So I guess Barnes are happy to keep their own terms and conditions and not align themselves to Hoseasons and their insurance company are happy with that. Makes me think though that I would be very wary of booking with a company that doesn't allow solo hires, or insists upon 2 x people over the age of 18 in every party. I can see a number of scenarios where someone could inadvertently fall foul of the companies booking conditions. 1. Mum and Dad + children booked on a boat, take the boat over and are happily enjoying their holiday when something happens elsewhere within the family. Aunt or Uncle, Grandmother of grandfather taken ill. Home or business emergency. Not serious enough for the family to cancel their holiday, but one of the parents on board the boat may decide to curtail the rest of their holiday to go and attend to the sick relative leaving the remaining parent to carry on with the children on their holiday, or could they now? Wouldn't that then fall foul of the new conditions? 2. Mum and Dad + children booked on a boat and prior to the holiday something important crops up at work for one of the parents meaning they must make an appearance for a day or two back at work. They intend on starting their holiday with one parent disappearing for a couple of days leaving the remaining parent with the children until they return, or can they now? 3. Thursday start holiday, Mum cannot get the Thursday and Friday of work, so Dad intends on going to start the holiday with able 13 and 15 year old, and Mum will join the group on the Saturday, but not any longer under the new terms? All seems very short sighted to me and I'm sure has a bigger impact than just the small number of people who may solo hire. Even as a group booking, I would now be nervous of situations that may occur that could needlessly curtail the holiday for everyone.

Robin, I see elsewhere (where I'm not a member) that you mention installing sockets that can monitor temperatures and turn equipment on and off etc. Do you have a link to them please? I have been doing some research myself and found a company in Finland that make a product called iSocket, but would be interested in others for comparison. Good luck with the test on Monday. Hope it passes, or at least any rectification is minor.

Unless you can arrange for a group of you to get together with a few extinguishers to be serviced at the same time, then servicing is unlikely to be viable compared to new ones. Are you moored in Herbert Woods at Potter? because they probably have an annual service of the extinguishers on the hire craft and might let you add them to their lot for a small fee of course. It's worth adding that a lack of service is not a BSS failure as such. If the gauge is in the green, there is no obvious signs of rust or damage and the safety pin isn't missing then it should pass. If there is a manufacturers express expiry date, or replace by date, (this is not the service date) then it will fail if beyond that. That is the main time when evidence of a recent service will give you a pass, even if the express expiry date has been passed. Guidance from BSS, NOTE – portable fire extinguishers having passed the manufacturer’s express ‘expiry’ or ‘replace by’ dates are acceptable if supported by evidence of servicing in accordance with BS 5306 by a service technician within the last 12 months. Evidence must be in the form of a service label on the extinguisher and an associated invoice or service report on headed paper from a company recognisable as an extinguisher servicing company.

The BSS only covers portable extinguishers which must meet the minimum 5A/34B rating. It doesn't appear to cover fixed engine bay systems, other than a BSS examiner would advise of the illegality of halon if present.

Unfortunately the BSS prohibits that, I guess on the basis the user has to make a decision and have knowledge of correct type for fire etc. It states that the extinguisher must have a minimum rating of 5A/34B which for instance would mean you couldn't have CO2 on board as that is only suitable for class B and E.

A BSS oddity, the minimum requirements are specified for class A and B fires, there is no mention of class C (flammable gases) Since LPG if fitted is part of the BSS test then why not minimum requirements for class C extinguisher. Dry power is the only one that would cover Classes ABC.

The BSS states that each individual fire extinguisher must be a minimum rating of 5A/34B, therefore it must be capable of class A and B fires. CO2 is only suitable for class B fires and therefore couldn't be used. Foam would be ok and I guess a mix of foam and dry powder as they both are suitable for both classes. You must meet minimums for the BSS, but can exceed this as I have done. The minimums for your boat being over 36ft are 3 individual extinguishers, of which each must be a minimum of 5A/34B, but with a minimum combined value of 21A/144B. My boat only needs 2 extinguishers and a combined minimum of 13A/89B. I have 3 x 13A/89B (basically 2kg) extinguishers in suitable places. The BSS also covers fire blankets and escapes, but interestingly doesn't cover automatic fire suppression in engines bay unless I've missed it. I have attached the latest BSS regs, of which section 6 deals which fire extinguishers and also shows all nine of the allowable certification marks. ecp-private-boats-ed3_rev2_apr2015_public_final.pdf

The ones I referenced above do get cheaper for delivery the more you order. I note that the ones that Islander referred to are also certified to BS EN3. The ones I linked to are also certified to MED Marine Equipment Directive. It would be worth checking the "budget" ones on Amazon to ensure they will meet the BSS fully. The BSS makes particular mention of the fact that CE marking does not indicate certification of performance to EN3. It also makes no mention of Lloyds register certification. There are nine accreditation marks that the BSS will accept at least one of. CE marking alone is not one of them. I believe in any case that Tim Waters carries new ones, so if that were the only fail he can sell you some. Good luck with the test.

Robin, Tim Waters is a very fair and good BSS tester, so your in good hands there. I think you said you needed fire extinguisher's? I've used the following and they are one of the best and cheapest I have found by quite a margin. As I know your aware, don't even think of looking in a chandlers unless you want to line their pocket. https://www.fireandsafetycentre.co.uk/Products/1457/2kg_Dry_Powder_Fire_Extinguisher.html

Why is Canvey Island closed as well?

Now I'm no engineer, but when it was still in the dock they closed the airport and evacuated houses around it in case it exploded and the shock wave through the water and the ground caused buildings to collapse. So what was protecting the tunnels from exactly the same thing?

It's ok to give advice that's not been asked for, most of us do that all the time on here, just don't get upset if it's not listened to

Are they affiliated to the carafloat club?

As an owner, I cannot see anything in my insurance policy that prohibits me from solo cruising, having to have two adults on board if there are children on board. In fact even the section about helming is not age related, or restricted. All it says is that I must be satisfied of the competence of any one in charge of my boat. I think I'm right in saying that the BA regs are more stringent than my insurance company when it comes down to age and helming. So why the difference for hire craft? OK I guess there is more chance of a novice skipper, but then there are novice private skippers. I wonder if it is to do with the hire companies using the minimal insurance they can find for financial reasons? After all I think most of the damage done on boats is normally completed by the yards themselves and if at all possible they try and complete the work on any other boat that may have been damaged by one of their craft, so I can imagine in most cases their own insurance is only called upon for the most severe of incidents, or where a private skipper insists upon the repair being carried out by a yard of their choice.

As is being insulting and confrontational to other members. Perhaps a look closer to home first?