Spring Start-up Package

[dingbat]

Re: Spring Start-up Package

It was painful to know I needed X,Y or Z but they wanted to do A,B, or C. At one point, they were insulted when I hauled the boat out of there so a friend and I could work on it. Their business model was (and is), "wait for something to fail catastrophically, then have the blind-faith owner/dolt cough up 3500 bucks for it." I guess they get away with it. I know a lot of people that use that marina and it's all salt water boaters, and most ARE naive and ARE paying for whatever breaks.

That marina doesn't know how to change manifolds and risers*, but they know how to sell/install a reman engine that hyrdolocked or rusted out from water intrusion.

*point being that they don't replace them as preventative maintenance -- only as an engine install.

The problem with PM is that you are walking a fine line. If you a find a bunch of stuff that needs done every time you look at the boat customers think your nickel and diming them to death. The alternative is what you describe. Damn if you do, damn if you don’t.

 

[Philster]

Re: Spring Start-up Package

Oh, exactly... but once you suggest some PM to them, you suddenly realize they don't have your best intentions in mind. They prefer the folks just use their boats and then they hang parts on them during the week while your away. Don't do anything that might avert a disaster (as in save your engine), because they would rather sell you a reman engine in a couple of years and install it over the winter. No, we don't have time to be installing no inboard mounted flush kits. After the salt eats your engine alive, we'll just sell you one of those.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Spring Start-up Package

to me, the best repair shop is one that will give you the long list, then tell you which ones are critical, advisable or ignorable (best when based on good knowledge of how and where you run the boat) and for the big ones, give you three options, from most expensive to least, to fix it and the ups and downs of each.

Once you find a shop like this, I think it's important to support it. let them do some of the work you can do. Buy a propeller or a case of oil from them even if you can get it cheaper from the faceless internet or worse, the Big Chain Store. Tell the owner what a good job the mechanic did.

I know the thing that aggravates all of us is when you shell out hard earned money to get someone to do it for you and they do it worse than you would; you have to bring it back or follow-up on details yourself, etc. it's not just in boats, it's everywhere.

 

[Sunsetrider]

Re: Spring Start-up Package

I know the thing that aggravates all of us is when you shell out hard earned money to get someone to do it for you and they do it worse than you would; you have to bring it back or follow-up on details yourself, etc. it's not just in boats, it's everywhere.

It takes a lot of trial and error, or sometimes plain luck. Once you eliminate the scammers and the incompetent, the pickings can seem to be slim. We drove to Florida for a break in Feb., so I tried out the new garage in town to swap out my winter tires for all-seasons for the trip. Felt good about my safety until I discovered they had put 45 lbs in each tire and had 1 tire on backwards. It was clearly marked as directional. How many times do I have to learn to double-check everyone else's work?

 

[tpenfield]

Re: Spring Start-up Package

It takes a lot of trial and error, or sometimes plain luck. Once you eliminate the scammers and the incompetent, the pickings can seem to be slim. We drove to Florida for a break in Feb., so I tried out the new garage in town to swap out my winter tires for all-seasons for the trip. Felt good about my safety until I discovered they had put 45 lbs in each tire and had 1 tire on backwards. It was clearly marked as directional. How many times do I have to learn to double-check everyone else's work?

Yup, it is everywhere . . . Just 'cuz you hire a professional to do something does not mean it is professionally done.

 

[dingbat]

Re: Spring Start-up Package

Yup, it is everywhere . . . Just 'cuz you hire a professional to do something does not mean it is professionally done.

Let?s not forget that a ?professional? is a person who earns his living from a specified activity. Nowhere in the job description does it say they have to do good work or even be competent at their ?specified activity?.

You know what happens when you "assume". Do your home work.... before you make that mistake