Boat owners clueless about maintenance

[deeman7777]

What?s with boat owners these days? I saw one 2003 Larson the other day and the owner, while a very nice guy, had NEVER changed the lower unit gear oil. Ever! Also, never had the impeller or bellows changed!! This is an 8 year old boat!!

I called on a Sun Ray 270 from 1999 and the guy was clueless about Bellows and gimbal bearings. He hit a rock with his outdrive 5 years ago and claimed to me ?they probably replaced the bellows and checked the gimal bearing then? These owners make me nervous.

I get more concerned looking at boats for sale by brokers who will lie when asked about service maintenance.

It seems like this is the world most dangerous sport ? or some sort of game show. You buy a boat (after survey and inspections) and pray you didn?t just buy someone elses problem or ticking time bomb!


Rant over! I feel better!

 

[TyeeMan]

Re: Boat owners clueless about maintenance

I here ya loud and clear. Then those same people get pi$$ed when the boat breaks down and it's the boats fault or the dealer charged me to much to fix all the stuff that likely would not need to be fixed had they done the maintenance. It's going to get worse, trust me. People these days can't think for them selves any more.

 

[tpenfield]

Re: Boat owners clueless about maintenance

Many people view boats (and their boat) as a car that floats. Think of how many people really understand the inner workings of the cars that they drive each day? A small percentage. . .

This same logic gets applied to boats, but the reliability is a lot less with boats and the issues are more prevalent. therefore, you get a lot of folks that do not understand much about their boats and may not understand why it is in their best interest to learn. So, they don't learn.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Boat owners clueless about maintenance

Many people view boats (and their boat) as a car that floats. Think of how many people really understand the inner workings of the cars that they drive each day? A small percentage. . .
.

Agreed. and as cars get more reliable and maintenance free, people will assume boats are, too (and to a great degree they are). Back inthe day, gas stations kept water by the pumps for the radiators and batteries. No one checks them any more. Oil goes for 10K; spark plugs for 75K; tires don't go flat or lumpy; hoses don't burst. Transmission fluid? Who checks. No points and condensers to gap and replace. Just sit on your butt, turn the key and go--the way most teenagers have always regarded cars. And boats.

 

[Chris1956]

Re: Boat owners clueless about maintenance

I blame it (and everything else) on video games....

 

[etracer68]

Re: Boat owners clueless about maintenance

I have seen a family a few blocks away, buy a NEW 19ft boat, and the boat is outside, no cover, and bow tipped down. Its been there for about 2 months now. Im sure they feel, "its a boat", the rain water shouldnt do anything. I drive by eveyday, and just shake my head.

 

[jmarty10]

Re: Boat owners clueless about maintenance

A friend of mine blew an engine a couple years back. Overheated the engine. Bought the boat in 2002, blew the engine in 2009. I told him 7 years with out changing the water pump was a hell of a run!

 

[deeman7777]

Re: Boat owners clueless about maintenance

The more I call owners, the more I am amazed. Water impellers and bellows service are just not on their list of items to receive maintenance.

 

[LippCJ7]

Re: Boat owners clueless about maintenance

I hear ya guys but I think its just the fall of western civilization in general, my truck is a 2006 dodge ram cummins with 240,000 miles and I do everything to it, my boat is going to be 13 this year, common between them is they both look and drive as if they were new, these are my babies and I baby them, others just don't have the same commitment, if nothing else it does provide comic relief.