Big Problems Around The Corner:

Like many around West Berkshire I'm an Oil user for heating/hot water.

Alarmed to see in a trade magazine that the Government is intent on phasing out
"off grid" appliances (eg oil) by as early as 2022.
Perhaps cravenly following some EU edict?

Presumably initially would apply to New Builds not being signed off
under Building Regs. if the builder had installed an oil or Calor heating system.

But will they also extend to banning existing users having an oil boiler replaced?
Failure to comply with the new Regs. leads to unlimited fines apparently, as
will apply with the updated Part L Building Regs from April 2018 regards
fitting of any new boiler.

Article references DEVIZES; there 60% of the 25,000 dwellings are on oil; that
constituency is represented by Claire Perry, the Minister of State for Climate Change
& Industry.

Hopefully this'll get delayed ad infinitum, as getting all existing oil users to use
electricity makes no sense as we're on a wafer's edge regards supply already.

Surely LPG is "off grid" also?

Yes absolutely, hence my reference to Calor; unsure if solid fuel falls
within the scope too?

I can't in my wildest dreams see this being applied to existing structures. In fact even with new build, if it can be demonstrated that no other form of fuel ie; gas can be accessed. Unless the intent is to force everyone to use electricity for heating. Don't see it somehow.

This is old news, fuel industry have known about this for ages. Price will probably be the biggest driver anyway. It's a pretty obvious step if you think about it and yes, the future is electric.

That's an interesting point to add, is there any reason for it? Is it based on something I mean or just something you've made up in your mind?

EU targets on Co2 emissions.

Which the UK actually promoted!

And? Your point is?

Pretty obvious if you'd bothered to read the rest of the thread. Or should I spell it out?

Gonna snow Tuesday, lots of snowflakes, be good company for you

Might be easier if you get an adult to do it.

Your Carer presumably?

Yay, looking forward to it! A day when all you 'little businesses' stay at home. 'Sorry luv, can't make it in this; we'll 'af to reschedule'.

Yes it's a tough life, I can stay at home with a nice glass of red, researching boats while docking the pay of anyone who rings in 'sorry boss, can't make it in cos of the snow'' I'm dreading the whole experience. Give us a tootle while you slog into your dreary little makework through the slush eh?

Aah, perchance to dream! Still it might just work out. Better than fretting about if there will still be a market when it's your turn to unload it, sell up and use what's left for the motor launch and the seniors studio flat. Seriously, hope your imminent retirement plans hold good and market or natural forces don't hit too hard.

Stock markets at record highs, exports booming, sterlings gaining against the dollar and the euro, why worry?

Dead right, and will you, the classic, local little man actually benefit? Quite possibly today and so your ambition will be fulfilled, but, even you must admit, that achievable as it will be, that ambition was necessarily limited. Again, no issue with that, save to survive on our own in the future, we really need business people with a lot more fire in their bellies. As you rightly say; why worry, tomorrow is for the next generation.

The next generation know everything, they keep telling me that, so let them manage, same as I had to. Oh and I import my base units from China, re engineer here and them resell throughout the UK and parts of europe. Not bad for someone who started out by banging out second hand ex rental TV's.

Indeed, it says a great deal; nothing can take that away. I think fir me, at least, you've summed up the issues neatly. First, there aren't many of you still around, in the words of Max Miller 'don't make 'em like that any more'. Second, you have to import the base units and third, you have to re-engineer to resell. Just how long before the Supplier sees an extra bit of profit and tries to do your bit too; which is, of course, the classic free market model.

I import because it's far, far cheaper. I re engineer because different jobs require different seal materials, different flow valves etc, the cheaper cost of purchase allows me to do this comfortably. The supplier is just that, a supplier, my market is juuust a bit too developed for them. A bit like ford trying to make televisions Its called seeing a gap in the market and exploiting it. Successfully. No there aren't too many like me around, too many without the will, wit or anything else and just content to jog along on their employers coattails. So thanks for the compliment! And please stop worrying, no need, healthy order book. And, if the £ weakens, cheaper imports and if it strengthens, more profit on exports. OK, so, my biggest concern is flybridge? Or no flybridge? Oh **** these first world problems!

Again, well done, it works for you. So, I can appreciate your viewpoint. So long as the opportunities remain open to grasp and those not willing to seize the opportunities are kept in docility, no issue at all. When you are dead, you are dead, it really is up to those left to sort their own salvation. I must admit, seeing so much publically funded munificence thrown at inappropriate schemes or even just taken with not a glimmer of gratitude, I'm minded to join you.

Definitely no flybridge, I mean why would you? Not using it in the med are you? All that weight, all those maintenance issues? for perhaps 2 weeks if your lucky enough for the sky's to clear and it stops raining? When I go down to use mine I spend most of saturday just scrubbing seagull poo off the topsides. I can just imagine you with a seagulls nest on the sunpads

Slight re-think here recommended TM! Surely there is someone who you could get to do the scrubbing; or are you one of the type who like to tidy before your cleaner arrives?

I often wonder what happened to Rumbelows.

I get that as well, everyone does. I have a plastic owl on my radar mast, use it in conjunction with a wind gennie on the cabin roof seems to make them sit somewhere else.

I'll try that, after all, when life hands you lemons, make a gin and tonic! That's what I say.

Seagulls round the boating lake in Viccy Park are you sure?

Oh Cognosco! You such a fuunny little man!! Why you do that? (giggles)

So you don't know my sex either then?

Have you got exclusive rights on being silly now then?

Just because you have a large model boat (probably) does not make you a superior poster you know!

Sooo fuunny why you so funny funny little man.

Yeah I saw this gap in the market and decided to exploit it!

Shame we don't live on the coast, nice gap that needs filling there. Set up an agency providing people to scrape seagull s*** off boats as it looks as if boat owners have to do that task themselves. We could even use the boats to collect the cheap labour.

What using imaginary scrapers to scrape imaginary s**t off of imaginary boats.
Well ok providing our couple of Walter Mitty type posters can actually pay of course!

Already been thought of I'm afraid, lots of 'boatcare' specialist companies around who offer that service. Sort of marine Molly maids. Very popular with the corporate hire set. Mines been craned out for the winter now anyway, new layer of antifouling and a new anode.

Not for you I'm afraid, probably be as **** at it as you have been at life

Good to hear, just surprised TM clearly hadn't and was having to spend precious time cleaning his boat himself suggesting he'd be better off with a caravan on Selsea.

And of course you know my life as well as my sex eh?

I expect you are jealous because my yacht is bigger, better and has a very much nicer mooring than yours?
Yours must be far too old for me if it needs antifouling and a new anode. Max two years before I pass mine off to little irks like you!

I thought this "mine is bigger than yours" banter was restricted to 15 year old school boys and the annual bonus handout to those bankers (sic) who think they deserve it.

Yes, right, what are you doing on here? I hear there's a clean up needed on aisle six, run and get your mop!

The first part sounds about right for cognosco.

Bold statement seeing as no-one has mentioned size or age of boat or where they're berthed, so all in all a pretty depressing attempt at trolling

On a sadder note I see Oyster have gone bust. Depressing, more so for the workers.

Come on Sir William! Nice attempt at irony though.

In boat terms, count me out. Last thing I'd ever want. My old man had one; worst problem was thinking up excuses for not 'coming for a little trip to France'. No tears shed when we waved that goodbye.

Oh ok fine us proper CEO's are not adverse to helping out the lowest links of the chain when we can.......Will my helicopter be able to touch down ok......and which of my stores am I required to attend?

But please Sir he started it!

I'ts not for everyone I concur, just like sitting for hours at a time watching some overpaid witless buffoon kick a pigskin up and down a pitch isn't my cuppa tea. What boat did he have by the way? genuine interest.

Maybe your imaginary helicopter flown by your imaginary pilot can touch down on the deck of your imaginary boat on its imaginary mooring before transferring to your imaginary limo and being driven by your imaginary chauffeur to one of your imaginary stores! That would be nice! Still if it makes you happy while you flip burgers thats ok with us.

Oh come on do keep up please! We don't flip burgers in my Michelin starred owned restaurants even a Burger King attendee like you should have that kind of knowledge!

I personally don't own a helicopter, cost Vs usage didn't work for me. So we just hire one when we want one, usually it's for the f1 and Ascot so it wouldn't make sense.