June 2006 and summer looks as though it has eventually arrived.
The boating season in the UK has been slow to start this year, with the rain and cloudy days through to the end of May, would be buyers of boats have been put off by weather conditions.
Perhaps now the sun is shining it will be plain sailing for all and we will see boat sales at least equaling last years figures.

If you are interested in purchasing a boat then why not give us a visit at www.boatstogo.co.uk
or www.allboats.co.uk all our boats for sale are privately owned and we have a large variety on show.
Also on the above sites you will find general information on owning a boat for the first time

Everyone is out to profit this Christmas in the UK.
Scam and con artists, fraudsters you name them their about in abundance, trying to relieve you of your well earned cash.

With the Christmas rush upon us, beware of the these blood sucking people using every method they are really good at, to convince you of legitimate or illegitimate propositions to give you extra money this Christmas.

Watch your bank account deplete in money if you give them any details whatsoever, you wouldn’t do such a thing would you?, well you would be surprised at how many people do give them bank, credit card details or money.

Here are some of the scams around at present.
E-mails that look like they came from a bank, building society or other legitimate financial institution to trick unsuspecting victims into giving up everything from their bank account information to their social security number. People receive an e-mail that looks like it came from a financial institution, such as the Woolwich building society
You click on the link in the e-mail, and view the company Web site, complete with logos, artwork, and perhaps even a legal disclaimer. There will be boxes for passwords, account information, social security number and anything else the scammer wants to steal from you.

Phone calls, telling you have WON either money, holiday or some other type of appetizing gift.
Your excited about winning, you listen intensively to what they are telling you, then comes the scam.
We need administration fees from you to process the win, why on earth if you have won something would they be asking you for money.

At this time of year, con artists prey on your good nature and feelings of remorse for those who are under privileged at this time.
E-mails telling you that a Mrs. Virginia of the United Kingdom was killed in a car accident, and your are the sole beneficiary of her $12.5 million estate. All you have to do is provide them with your bank account number, and the money will be transferred from the Habib Trust Bank of England.
Or similar E-mails, telling of the condition of illness they are presently suffering, and can you send them money to help their suffering.

The older community are especially venerable to these people, asking for all types of things like sick requests, to send money to pay for a funeral, flowers, or other requirements to aid the passing on of a departed relative or friend.

Preying on women seems to be the most popular method for these scammers.
Take this example for instance, you receive a phone call in the middle of the day while your husband is at work.
The caller claims to be phoning from an American insurance company in co-operation with a well-known women’s organization.
He says that for £14 per week females can be insured against varying forms of female cancer, such as breast or ovarian cancer. A payout of £75,000 is said to be received if claims are not made for 15 years.
They will then tell you about the different cancers that affect women nowadays. You will ask them to send you some information on the insurance policy but then you will be asked for your bank details, as this offer is only available right now over the phone.

Could you ever imagine this call about one of your siblings in trouble with the police or other authorities.
The culprits make calls often on prepaid cell phones, which are difficult to track, generally to elderly people, falsely claiming to be police officers or lawyers dealing with a son or daughter in trouble, and demand cash be transferred quickly into a bank account to save their child.
Sometimes they pretend to be the children themselves. Such crimes have grown so common they're called ``It's me, it's me'' fraud.

I could go on for ever writing down the scams of today, tomorrow there will be a new one out.
Just remember the following:
It is quite easy for someone to set up their own Internet web site, covering subjects from health insurance plans, financial investment opportunities, get rich quick schemes, stock market investments, currency trading etc etc.
Replicated Web sites are recreated so thoroughly it can take experts some time to confirm they are actually a fraud.

So beware, DO NOT give money to people you do not know, investigate the Company, checkout their credentials from reliable establishments, the physical address of its headquarters, not a post box office number, registration of a Company with http://www.companies-house.gov.uk/ And any other method you can think of.
Do not let the above put you off using the genuine services offered by legitimate companies.
Just use your common sense when approached by people, or using services from the Internet.
The saying goes " you get nothing for free in this life" so if you suspect something is amiss, then don’t pursue it.

Top Ten Tips For Safer Shopping online1---------All of your usual shopping rights apply online:............see www.consumer.gov.uk

2---------Know who you're dealing with: get the seller's phone number and postal address

3---------Be aware of terms and conditions: check payment and delivery details

4---------Keep records of what you order.

5---------EU Law protects you against fraudulent use of your payment card In

EU transactions: credit cards give you extra protection.

6---------Only give your payment card details over a secure connection, and never by

email: never disclose your PIN number to anyone, and never send it over the internet.

7---------You usually have at least 7 days to cancel an order and request a refund

from an EU retailer.

8---------Check your payment card statement carefully: you have at least 90 days

to report a suspect transaction.

9---------When you buy goods online from outside the EU:

·
you are an importer and may be liable to pay any Customs Duty and VAT;

·
err on the side of caution as it may be difficult to seek redress if problems arise

10--------If you have a problem, contact the seller then, if you need to, the payment

company, local Trading Standards Office and any 'trustmark' organisation

the seller is registered with.

Shopping online is new to the UK, to check you are using a secure payment site,both Netscape Navigator and Internet Explorer use a safe connection called secure sockets layer (SSL). SSL scrambles all the information that passes between your browser and a secure server with high-gradeencryption. Not all Web sites use SSL, but responsible commercial sites license expensive secure server software from browser manufacturers to ensure the safety of commercial transactions. How can you tell if you're connected to one of them? There are two major signs. First, instead of seeing http:// at the beginning of the Web address, you'll see https:// (the extra s stands for secure). Second, on Netscape Navigator, the key icon at the bottom left of the screen will be bright yellow, intact, and on a dark blue background. Internet Explorer uses a less obvious icon: a little padlock in the middle of the status bar at the bottom of the screen. Either of these icons means that only you and the Web site at which you're shopping can see your detailsSSL does more than encrypt transactions. It also certifies the site you're dealing with. A small group of independent certifying authorities, including RSA Data Security (www.rsa.com) and VeriSign (www.verisign.com), validates commercial sites with digital certificates. Before your browser allows a secure server connection, it gets confirmation from the certifying authority that the connection is kosher. To find details, click on Netscape's key. Or in Internet Explorer right-click on the page and choose Properties. Pick the Security tab in the dialog box that pops up. The browser will show you certification details such as when the certificate was issued, where the company you're dealing with is based, and which certifying authority is vouchsafing the site.

So is online shopping truly as safe as mail-order or shopping direct? Well, you need to know whom you're dealing with no matter what shopping medium you use. But as long as you're aware of the potential dangers of giving out personal information online and take steps to check that the information will be secure, it's not much different from going to the shop direct-except the prices are often better and you never have to find a place to park.Just think! Banks use the same procedure to move huge amounts of money every second of the day, As long as use a secure connection to make your transaction all should be safe.

Safer shopping from,
Janet
www.uk-shop-and-buy.co.uk

Many people are now turning towards the Internet to view, sell or purchase their Boat, resulting in people being introduced to the waterway system for the very first time.People wishing to learn about our canals, rivers and narrow boating, and perhaps either hire or own a narrow boat for the first time, are advised to read on.

WATERWAYS-In Britain there are now well over 2,000 miles of navigable canals and rivers, which boats can cruise.These canals and rivers cover most of the country, both England, Wales and Scotland, with virtually all of those in England interconnected. The canals make up most of this, and built some 200 years ago are either narrow or broad.The narrow canals can only take boats up to 6' 10" wide in their locks, hence the name narrowboat, and these canals make up the majority of the waterways, particularly in the midlands.The bridges too have restricted width on the narrow canals.

WIDE BOATS-The broad canals have locks of twice the width, or over, allowing either wider boats or two narrowboats to pass though side by side.The navigable rivers too have locks, which serve the purpose of giving depth for navigation.Major rivers, such as the Thames, Severn and Trent however, have much wider locks than canals, allowing even larger boats.

LOCKS-It is the locks that restrict the width of boats that can use the canals.A lock is basically a chamber that holds water and accommodates the boats to either lower on raise them to a lower or higher level. A lock is therefore needed to follow the level of the ground.

USE OF LOCKS-Locks are quite simple things, with boats going into the lock then the crew shutting the gate(s) behind the boat.If the lock is lowering the level of the canal, it is simply a matter of letting the water out of the other end until the same level is reached, then opening the gate(s) to proceed on the lower level.the level is up, it is just a matter of letting water in the lock from the higher level, until again, the water in the lock is level with that above, then proceeding on the higher level.The water is regulated by sluices which are operated by simple handles, known as windlasses or lock handles, carried in the boat.The locks on the canal system are many and varied, but all work on the same principle.Staircase locks are when a number of locks are connected, but with these there is usually a lock keeper at hand to guide you through them.

BOAT TYPES-There are two distinct types of boats on the waterways, the narrowboat, constructed nowadays of steel, and measuring up to 70 feet long and cruisers, of varying widths and lengths constructed of plastic.On the canals it is more usual to find narrowboats with a sprinkling of narrow cruisers, whilst on the rivers, particularly the major ones, cruisers are more prominent.Narrowboats, though all 6' 10" wide, come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Mostly though these steer from the rear with a tiller, but even these have a variety of designs.

WELL EQUIPPED -Narrowboats are very well equipped, with normally full cooking facilities, refrigerator, hot and cold water and heating.They are designed with all manner of sleeping facilities, very often now with fixed double beds.Power is provided by batteries, which are charged by the engine's alternator, with the better engines having two alternators, allowing a high capacity one for the services. This power is used for driving things like water pumps, lighting and sometimes refrigerators and diesel heaters.Narrowboats are nearly all powered by diesel engines, and use 'red' diesel which does not attract fuel tax.Unlike the smaller cruisers, narrowboats usually have around 6' 3" headroom.

If you would like to view more information on subjects like,
Boating and the cost incurred of owning or Hiring a Boat.
Or
Boating, Maps and usage of Boat

Well now you have an idea of what is involved in owning a Boat the next step is to visit us at
either Boats To Go UK boat sales or Allboats International boat sales.
Once there click on either Narrow boat sales, Inland craft sales or Sea craft sales to view privately owned Boats for sale.

weather conditions changing to those of winter and closures of certain waterways, force us to think about the boating season is over.
Fortunately this is not correct, now is the best time of year to think about repairs and preparation, selling a boat or buying a new one.
Statistics show more boaters use this time period to gain an advantage over others who just sit there and let winter months take their toll.
Winter preparations that can be advantageous are draining water pipes and tank if not living aboard adding antifreeze to the engine, putting antifreeze in the toilet, sink, bath or shower drains, as this stops the water trapped in the "U" bend freezing and cracking the pipes.
Check there are no small holes that vermin, like mice or rats can enter as they love a cosy home for winter, but can cause hundreds of pounds worth of damage if allowed entrance.
Leave a few containers around full of salt, and this eliminates the problem of condensation.
Move furniture away from the side of the boat, as the sides of the boat can become very cold and cause damp.
Remove all bedding, clothes, linen and any other items which can be taken home, cleaned and aired for next season.
Eliminate theft as much as possible take all valuables from inside and outside of the boat.
Clean inside of the boat throughly, this will not only stop spiders etc. from habiting, but will save you a lot of time when you come to enjoy next year’s season.
Make sure you leave your boat securely locked and tied correctly to its mooring.
Statistics also show, more boats come up for sale at prices well below season prices.
This is therefore a particularly good time of year for buyer and seller alike to get exactly what they want.
Janet
www.boatstogo.co.uk
www.allboats.co.uk

Is yours Big or small?Would you like a longer or smaller one?Maybe the width is not suitable?Perhaps, you could not manage a larger one? Does it perform well?Will it last forever? Is it suitable for all your needs?YOUR BOAT AND YOU ("well" what did you think It was all about?)
These are questions related to boating we get asked frequently.
It is the locks that restrict the width of boats that can use the canals.A lock is basically a chamber that holds water and accommodates the boats to either move them to a lower or higher level. A lock is therefore needed to follow the level of the ground.
The narrow canals can only take boats up to 6' 10" wide in their locks, hence the name narrowboat, and these canals make up the majority of the waterways, particularly in the midlands, bridges too have restricted width on the narrow canals.The broader canals have locks twice the width, or over, allowing either wider boats or two narrow boats to pass though side by side.The navigable rivers too have locks, which serve the purpose of giving depth for navigation.Major rivers, such as the Thames, Severn and Trent however, have much wider locks than canals, allowing even larger boats.

The colour you choose for your boat, could reveal something about your personality.
YELLOW Quick thinking & sharp-witted.
RED Takes risks & likes a challenge.
SILVER Status-conscious, stylish & elegant.
WHITE Refined, reliable & image-conscious.
BLUE Reserved, careful & considerate.
GREEN Methodical, thoughtful & loyal.
BLACK Success-oriented & ambitious. Can you relate to any of these findings?

Beware boat sales scam

UK is now at the forefront for scams, which have run the course around the rest of the world.
Private sellers of boats for sale, beware you may receive from a potential buyer what seems to be a genuine offer to buy your boat.
The email includes something like the following:


You are selling an item over the Internet - it could be a boat for sale. You receive an email offer to purchase your item and the buyer says he'll send a bank Cashiers check. The buyer is from Nigeria or "West Africa", but has a business associate in the United Kingdom who will send you the cashier's check. Then you are told that for some reason the check was already made out to you for an amount larger than your asking price. The buyer asks you to please deposit the check, wait for it to clear, and then send him the difference -- "but only after the cashier's check clears, of course."
You are sceptical - but, sure enough, the bank cashier's check arrives by Fed Ex, it looks real, your bank accepts the check, and the bank assures you the funds are in fact available. So you wait the time the bank recommends to verify, that the check is clear and then you wire the difference to your buyer in Nigeria and prepare to ship your item.
A week later your bank calls: "We're very sorry, but the cashier's check was counterfeit" -- a superb copy, but worthless. Your account is frozen. You must pay the bank back the entire amount of the cashier's check. You may even be considered a fraud suspect yourself.
Your "buyer" disappears. About the only good news: sellers rarely get to the point of shipping their items abroad.

Protect Yourself
If you are selling online, be extremely sceptical of any offers
 from overseas to a party you do not know
 paid by cashier's check
 from buyers sending more than the purchase price of the item
 from buyers who seem more worried about payment than the shipment of the item to them once payment is made
 from buyers who show little or no concern to the condition of the item they are purchasing
Also, a bank may make money "available" to you almost at once if you deposit a purported bank cashier's check, but that's NOT a guarantee the check is authentic. It could be returned as counterfeit up to three years later, and the bank will hold you responsible for the money.

Because contact details are published on most boat for sale adverts, you may also receive a phone call with similar content to the above and how convincing they are over the phone, especially when you are eager for a sale.
Also just emerging is a postal letter which describes the above, so beware especially when you are eager for a sale.

This information has been reported from clients using www.boatstogo.co.uk and www.allboats.co.uk web site.
We are aware of other similar boat sale services on the Internet receiving these same scams.

Janet
www.boatstogo.co.uk