B.O.A.T. - Break Out Another .....What was the last amout you paid for a repair?

[Cptkid570]

We all know the saying "Boat = Break out another thousand". But, realistically, what was the amount that you paid for your last repair? Who did the repair? You? The shop? Who diagnosed it? You? The Shop? The helpful posters on iboats?

My example: 3.0 liter Mercruiser, Alpha One. One time when I was out, every now and then I would hear a firm "Ka Chunk" from what sounded like the engine compartment. Then it became a constant noise, more of a grinding "GRRRR". I got the boat in immediately. I got home, the first thing I did was pulled the outdrive off (I suspected it was the gimbal bearing or U-joint). U Joint looked great, I started the boat up with a hose sticking into the water inlet. Engine sounded great. Noise was gone. Gimbal looked fine. Popped the top off of the outdrive and about 4 teeth on the upper gears were missing or damaged.

Repair: found a used alpha one outdrive on craiglist that had come from a 3.0 engine also. $200 + $10 gasket = $210. My impeller on the old drive was new, so I swapped that out too. Granted, I replaced it with a used drive, but this is a major repair, cost way less than the "thousand"

 

[JaCrispy]

$13 - New valve cover gaskets, reset the rocker arms.

Before that...$24 and a can of brake clean - clean/rebuilt carburator 4bbl Rochester.

I do all my own work.

 

[nickcunn]

I spent $20 on an anchor that went to bottom without hitting bottom, same day I ran my prop upon a rock bar. Prop from iboats with shipping $100 and some change.

 

[nickcunn]

I spent $20 on an anchor that went to bottom without hitting bottom, same day I ran my prop upon a rock bar. Prop from iboats with shipping $100 and some change.

 

[Mel Taylor]

I boat in two lakes with lots of rocky bottoms and underwater hoodoos along with fluctuating water levels so the underwater hazards are difficult to keep track of even when you know approximately where they are, so my main maintenance and repair costs consist of replacing aluminum props on my 30 horse Evinrude. Ranges from none to a couple of props per season.

Other than that I pay someone to replace the impeller every three years or so. Don't remember the cost but 'taint enough to break me.

 

[Mischief Managed]

An hour ago I fixed the windlass on my boat with nothing more than brake cleaner and grease. The free-fall mechanism got stuck in the free-fall mode and I could not retrieve my anchor without hitting the anchor up switch several times. The mechanism just had some old, dried-up grease on it. Works great now.

I had a drive problem similar to to yours and fixed it myself with a freshly rebuilt Bravo upper gear case I found on craigslist for $500. That fix has held up for 4 years so far and was an absolute bargain.

 

[Starcraft5834]

My last repair was an attempt to "upgrade" to electronic ignition.....$100 Mallory espark..installed per directions ran like crap..put points plate back in runs perfect.moral of story..if it aint broke dont break it....basic maintenance will keep a mercruiser running a long time..very well...remember.."air dont freeze" thats a plug for dry winter storage

 

[Cptkid570]

Thank you for your responses. I read so many threads on here about repairs when I think a lot of us on here are boating enthusiasts with a knack to do our own repairs and rebuilds. When you fall into that category, repairs don't cost nearly as much.

Not long ago, I had the splines on the steering arm strip. I found a used transom assembly on CL for $125. Tons of labor (engine pull, outdrive pull, etc). But, the entire job cost me the $125 + I replaced the transom gasket while it was all apart.

 

[81 Checkmate]

Ill have to chime in on this one......Been a boats owner for the last five years. For example...My son bought the Checkmate 4 yrs ago and when he got it.. it would not start...Nothing, no crank.. not even turn over. I could not fig it out so i told him to drop it off at the boat mech place.....my son called me later that day and said they would not even look at the boat becouse it didnt have a Marine carb on it and i said well how much.....He said $100.00 bucks just to look at it and tell us that it had a street carb and they would not mess with it untill we changed out the carb... I said pay them and bring it home and ill fix it myself....and i said that will never happen again! Thats when i joined iboats!

Now i have a fully restored 1981 Checkmate that is awsome............Thanks to all the knowlage on iboats for the DIY!

No need to pay the high doller repairs when you can come on here and gain the no-how to do it yourself.......The only time that would happen.. if i am not capable/able of doing it myself. So if you are not able to do the repairs yourself get on iboats and ask the questions so the Mechanic dosen't rip you offffff.......

 

[tpenfield]

Yea, I do all of my own work, like many of the others. . . . . . . . Recent repairs . . .

(1) Bulkhead replacement and fuel tank refurbishment = $1,000. ( repair shop cost would be about $7k, I would guess ) . . . . . .

(2) Outdrive seal and bearings - $1,000 . . . I had to buy a whole bunch of outdrive tools, which were most of the cost. ( repair shop cost would have been about $2k, I would guess, since they would have the special tools).

 

[southkogs]

I do my own too. I've only had this boat at a marine mechanic one time and I got it back more broke than when I dropped it off.

This year has been pretty light: re-wired the trailer (about $100), refinished the swim deck (about $50) and rebuilt the dog-house cover for the engine (about $30). After that it's all been just general maintenance.

 

[oldjeep]

$20 for an impeller and $4 for the brass impeller housing screw that I dropped and lost in the bilge.

 

[skydiveD30571]

$0.68 for an o-ring

Leaking trim pump, almost just bit the bullet and replaced the whole system which would have been $900. Figured I have nothing to lose so I took the pump apart and found a busted o-ring. Went to Ace and found a match and all is good now.

 

[Brian 26]

I do all my own work so I've never had that shell shock bill from a marina (yet anyway). But man those jet ski parts can ad up fast. I have older seadoos (because the new heavy ones are not nearly as fun - imo) and the maintenance is brutal. VTS housing and motor, two carb kits with needle and seats $360. If I could have found a marina to do all that work it would have been $1k+

 

[pachanga27]

$1200.00 As they say.... break out another thousand. Starboard outdrive ate the big one at 50mph. Upper gears were ...well... in pieces. The outdrive had 758 hours on it. I really do not know why it failed. To make a long story short - a used Mercruiser outdrive was the replacement.

 

[Cptkid570]

Ill have to chime in on this one......Been a boats owner for the last five years. For example...My son bought the Checkmate 4 yrs ago and when he got it.. it would not start...Nothing, no crank.. not even turn over. I could not fig it out so i told him to drop it off at the boat mech place.....my son called me later that day and said they would not even look at the boat becouse it didnt have a Marine carb on it and i said well how much.....He said $100.00 bucks just to look at it and tell us that it had a street carb and they would not mess with it untill we changed out the carb... I said pay them and bring it home and ill fix it myself....and i said that will never happen again! Thats when i joined iboats!

Now i have a fully restored 1981 Checkmate that is awsome............Thanks to all the knowlage on iboats for the DIY!

No need to pay the high doller repairs when you can come on here and gain the no-how to do it yourself.......The only time that would happen.. if i am not capable/able of doing it myself. So if you are not able to do the repairs yourself get on iboats and ask the questions so the Mechanic dosen't rip you offffff.......

I love what you said here Checkmate. Knowing how to do this yourself can save you tons of money and iboats is a wonderful learning tool. I think the highest expenses that I find on here (when a mechanic is not involved) would be total rebuilds in the restoration section. But, that is a whole different animal that just typical boat repairs.

 

[Cptkid570]

Pachanaga - A used outdrive was $1200? What kind of outdrive was it (bravo, alpha?)...

 

[dingbat]

I used to do all my own work. Anymore, I just don't have the time or patients to mess with it. If I figure in the value of my time, having it fixed is a no brainier $650 for new video pcb in gps. $135 for new water pump, pressure check and lube. $115 for prop balancing and inspection.

 

[Pony]

I joined this site when I was 19 years old and was trying to get an old trihull with a 1971 60hp rude running right so I could go fishing with my dad. 2 boats later, and I am still here.....older and hopefully wiser, trying to pass on something I have learned from time to time. Since then I have done all the work myself.

Last major repair was a $30 fuel pump, before that a water pump kit and new bolts after i snapped one in the l/u housing.

 

[Cptkid570]

Great post Pony. That is what it is all about.