What Do You Pay For Or Do Yourself

Triggered by the teak thread.

There are many things I am quite able to do on the boat, but some of these I would prefer to pay someone to do. Other things I would rather not pay for and do myself.

What things do you do, or pay to have done?

I'm thinking from the posts I have seen on here that there are many who do EVERYTHING themselves. And good on you for being able and willing to do that!

For example:

I will NOT mess with electrical - DC or AC.

I will replace pumps and many other straight plug-in same replacements. Like batteries. I even replaced a manual head with an electric one on the last boat.

I will not wax the boat in the Florida heat. That is a young man's job!

I will top up fluids (steering, engine and tranny) but I prefer to leave the annual engine maintenance to the authorized engine guy.

I will pay for the bottom job and the twice yearly diver to clean and check zincs.

Great question.

Engine:
Will: change oil, coolant, impeller, and filters for engine and genset. Wash the boat, service the head and empty the holding tank. Make up dock lines, fender lines, and ground tackle. Replace bilge pumps and switches, do work on the DC and AC electrical systems. Replace vent lines, water lines and fuel lines. Maintain hydraulic steering system.

Pay for: Compound and wax. Bottom painting. Quarterly bottom cleaning by a diver and replace zincs as needed. After cooler or turbo servicing. Installing new electronics such as AIS transceiver. Fiberglass repair.

If I was retired, I would do more myself as I would have more time. Since my time is limited, I want to spend my time playing with the boat instead of working on it. However, going down to the boat to do some of the maintenance and upgrades is something that I do enjoy. It is a form of playing with the boat.

I pay for bottom paint, and waxing of the boat.

The rest I do myself

dhays, you're hired!!

I'm doing all technical but nothing glorious that my job from 20 years..

we pay for:

exterior and interior cleaning, compound and wax, stainless steel maintenance, bottom cleaning by diver but I'm doing zincs under water.
for sure antifouling and fiberglass if need it (this is too scratchy to doing this job)
wood work and varnish and canvas if need it..

all the reste if for me, driving at sea my boys

We pay to get the boat hauled, and that's it.

Luckily, we have a retired diesel mechanic in the family and a good friend is an electrician. I don't like bothering them, so I end up trying to figure things out on my own and only call them for advice when necessary. When I'm truly in over my head they come down to the boat, which has only happened a couple times.

Must send kudos to TF member C lectric who has been a wealth of information because his brother-in-law was the first owner of Badger. How he remembers so much from so long ago mystifies me!

I'll pay for anything that requires grinding fiberglass, sanding or anything else that takes over 3 days

Holy Crap! Am I the only one who doesn't compound and wax?

FlyWright said:

Holy Crap! Am I the only one who doesn't compound and wax?

Click to expand...

No, so far no one has said that they compound and wax!

I'm like Murray except we don't have a fairy godfather

We pay for haulouts, prop work, prop shaft work, some electrical work like installing the Xantrex but I install stuff like radar, hydraulic steering, anchor capstan and bilge pumps ect. We have an engine that was new 10 years ago so nothing I can't do there. We had the BW gear rebuilt and the repower while we were living in Alaska. We do all our own painting, oil changes and general maintenance.

Pay to have bottom painted. Costs too much to have the boat in the yard and my wife and I in a hotel while I bottom paint.

Pay to have the cap rail varnished if it needs to be sanded down to bare wood.

Pay for carpentry work as I am incompetent at finished woodwork.

Pay for major mechanical work such as changing the stater on the genset or the values on any engine.

Most everything else I do myself, or at least give it a try. Electrical work I find to be a breeze, plumbing is frequently physically painful, and electronics installation is often frustrating.

I don't wax. I do polish the metal. I have done everything when I was younger and didn't have the extra money. I'm not good (read impatient) at fiber-glassing, fairing, and painting. Sean does that and the waxing. I do all the plumbing, electric, electronic, and mechanical installation and maintenance. Don't work on the inside oily parts of engines. Have scrubbed the bottom but will also pay others to do it. Sean is also a better welder than I am. As probably most of us, I'm loosing upper body strength. So there are things that I want, could, and used to do.....that I can't anymore. Sucks when the mind is willing, but the body isn't strong enough anymore. Everybody should have a Sean!

Ted

menzies said:

Triggered by the teak thread.

There are many things I am quite able to do on the boat, but some of these I would prefer to pay someone to do. Other things I would rather not pay for and do myself.

What things do you do, or pay to have done?

I'm thinking from the posts I have seen on here that there are many who do EVERYTHING themselves. And good on you for being able and willing to do that!

For example:

I will NOT mess with electrical - DC or AC.

I will replace pumps and many other straight plug-in same replacements. Like batteries. I even replaced a manual head with an electric one on the last boat.

I will not wax the boat in the Florida heat. That is a young man's job!

I will top up fluids (steering, engine and tranny) but I prefer to leave the annual engine maintenance to the authorized engine guy.

I will pay for the bottom job and the twice yearly diver to clean and check zincs.

Click to expand...

Just about the same here, will do varnish work and misc sealing etc. Will do oil and trans fluid changes. Recently did a minor tank fitting repair. If wood work needed doing I can handle that, did it for 30 years, but mechs and elecs, forget it.

I don't ; wax , Fiberglass repair, engine repair, wood work mods, bottom.
I do: pretty much everything else

menzies said:

No, so far no one has said that they compound and wax!

Click to expand...

I mean I don't pay someone to do it and I don't do it myself! It ain't done on FlyWright. It's the way we roll.

FlyWright said:

I mean I don't pay someone to do it and I don't do it myself! It ain't done on FlyWright. It's the way we roll.

Click to expand...

You don't wax your woodie?

I do it - wash it after every use from anchor light to waterline, compound and wax (uuugh never ends), oil changes, filter changes, preventive maintenance such as disassemble/clean/reassemble the shower sump, parts changing such as replacing a FW pump, rebedding hatches and portholes, replacing and resealing navigation lights, trailer light replacement. I do the project management from start to finish on the things I DON'T do, including product research and vendor selection.

I hire out - Volvo Penta Technician for drive servicing and engine maintenance beyond fluids/filters, bottom renewal, trailer brake renewal, wheel bearing maintenance, electronics installation. I plan to have some gelcoat repairs done, and possibly add some interior hatch trim for a screen. If I need any fiberglass work, it will be contracted.

Balance

I try to do most anything on the boat myself. But When faced with time vs money spent and I have to make a choice between paying someone and enjoy going out I'll pay someone to do a job I can just to play. I prefer using someone for electrical work and heavy mechanical. I keep all the fluids changed, service the engines, wash the boat.
Now if it's a question of whether to wax and stay or go and play it's always the latter so I am with Flywright.

I'd be happy to pay for a lot more stuff if I found someone reliable and quality. Right now, I don't do bottom paint and I don't trust myself enough to do electrical involving genset, charger or inverter. I have paid for some gelcoat work and once I paid for a contortionist to paint my bilges.

So far on this boat I've paid someone to:

Lift the boat & bottom paint;
Replace the standing rigging;
Replace/upgrade the running rigging;
Apply prop speed.

Done Myself:
Replace windlass;
Recore deck in bow area;
Re-bed most deck fittings;
Pull engine, Prepare new engine bed, set up engine mounts & paint bilge;
Install new fuel tanks, fuel filters and fittings;
Install new engine & gearbox; align shaft, repack stuffing box, replace prop;
Move batteries; Rewire 90% of electrical;

I do everything on our boat with the exception of exterior varnish!
Oh, and I hired out the soda blasting of the hull a couple of years ago...
This is my spring work list for 2014. It is a fairly typical list for our boat. I like my stuff to work!
2014 Worklist Esmeralde:

* Soda blast bottom
* Sand and fair bottom
* Apply 5 coats InterProtect 2000e
* Sand smooth with 80 grit
* Apply 5 coats Hydrocoat ECO (rolled and tipped)
* Sand smooth with 400 grit
* Remove inboard Genoa tracks for gelcoat repair
* Re-bed Genoa tracks
* Clean and wax hull
* Clean and wax deck and house
* Clean teak decking in cockpit and transom
* Perform annual engine maintenance including:
* Adjust valve clearance, replace valve cover gasket
* Remove, clean and reinstall heat exchanger
* Replace engine coolant
* Replace raw water impeller
* Replace emissions diaphragm in engine breather
* Replace engine v-belt
* Change engine oil and oil filter
* Replace fuel filters
* Inspect cooling hoses
* Inspect fuel hoses
* Check all clamps for tightness
* Clean engine and bilges
* Check charging system for correct regulator settings and operation
* Perform sail drive major maintenance:
* Replace cone clutch
* Reseal lower unit
* Reseal input shaft (after sliding engine forward to gain access)
* Strip exterior underwater paint, inspect drive body, apply barrier coat
* Service Gori propeller(replace hub saver rubber parts, clean, inspect)
* Torque keel bolts
* Commission fresh water system
* Replace propane regulator
* Inspect propane hoses
* Load test batteries
* Check operation of battery charger/inverter
* Perform wiring inspection
* Perform chafe inspection of hoses and wiring below decks
* Perform windless maintenance
* Perform winch maintenance
* Inspect all lines
* Inspect rig and rigging
* Clean stainless

When I wanted to install a generator in our boat, I had the yard install the beds but I took over from there.
Bruce

I had a yard soda blast and paint Stella's bottom; after I retire next month (WHOOHOO!!! ) I'll probably do my own bottom-painting.

I generally try to do whatever I can myself first. If I think I'm over my head technically or time-wise, I'll bring in a pro. I had the yard do our rudder bearings and packing as well as new engine mounts and alignment.

I have installed 13 new below-the-waterline through-hulls and seacocks and am finishing up a major electrical refit (both AC and DC), including new inverter, IsoBoost transformer, house bank, alternators, external regulators, switches, fuses, breakers, and what seems like miles of wiring. I'm consulting with an ABYC-certified tech on this latter project.

Generally, I enjoy working on the boat when I have the time to do it. I always learn a lot, have a great feeling of accomplishment and less anger over paying someone for what sometimes turns out to be half-assed work.

I have a running list of work that needs to be done between now and our three month trip in March. Some I will do, others I can't or won't. See below.

Source and install A/C pads in Salon and Master cabin - self
Move start battery cable and install cover - self
Get integrated display on main screen to work - self with tech help
Test out center fuel tank - self
Resolve fuel return issue to port tank - self
Purchase emergency windlass lever - self
Have yard resolve dingy outboard issue - yard
Remove un-needed inventory from boat stores (charts, books etc.) - self
Check engine, genset spares and make sure X2 supply including fluids
Spares - self
Check bilge buster power supply issue and resolve - hopefully self
Replace water filter cartridges - self
Bolt down loose fresh water pump - self
Source suitable fishing gear - self
Have life raft recertified - Datrex
Have engines serviced – watch fluid and filter changes process - Auth mechanic
Source 50’ 50amp shore power cable - self
Resolve 24v external and internal light issues - self
Get carpet squares for bare wooden steps - self
Install engine room and rear cameras - electrician
Install complete tool box - self
Have EPIRB recertified or replaced - Datrex

I don't have a firm list, but rather a conceptual approach.


If I know how to do X, have the tools, and it won't hurt me, I'll probably do it.


If I don't know how, but have the tools and it won't hurt me, I'll probably give it a shot.


If it takes special tools, or will hurt me, I'll hire somebody. The "hurt me" category would include things lke bottom work (sanding, painting, etc.), changing my port side raw water pump impeller (except in emergency), and so forth... Anything where the after-action effect will be that I can't walk, can't sit or stand up straight, can't bend my arms, can't move my fingers, etc.


-Chris

I can't be the only one here that Barters?? So will add another catagory...

I have the yard...
Winterize engine & gen
Haul & block
Shrink wrap - Have done this w/ a group in the past but logistics w/ others became a problem

I Do...
Routine maintenance - engines, gen, A/C, hull, topside & most aux equipment / systems - fluids, filters, "zincs", belts, checking, cleaning, troubleshooting as able
"Improvement" projects (Exs: can be found on web link in Signature)
Most Repairs while cruising
Hull wash, polymer seal, bottom paint - hull & gear anode check / replacement
Topside wash, machine polish & polymer sealing (hired the hardtop roof this yr and plan to in the future)
Canvas work (previous boats - none on current boat except sun shade screens I did)


I Barter...
I guess I'm lucky to have a 2 - diesel mechanics - 1 also a truck body/ paint guy and a hydraulic professor/mechanic in our marina - I do all of their canvas, woodworking and general "I could use a hand" work - they help me and teach me their specialties... e.g.
Worked together to troubleshoot my alternator charging problem - found MS wired fire control box incorrectly
One did the hull finish spray painting (for the repair mentioned below) I helped him prep & spray his hull stripe.
One walked me through basic diesel checks & maintenance the first season
Just completed valve adjustment on my Yanmar

My yard is busy and not trying to drum up business - they welcome "competent" help working w/ their guys in some cases.
Last yr We worked together to install new through hull Xducer & fairing block
Also did some fiberglass structural stiffening on hull - I assisted and did external repair, fairing & finishing (see above)

Full disclosure - I am retired and have the luxury of time ( bad knees & hip so starting to "farm out" more of the grunt work like hardtop polish & sealer)
I take pride in knowing my boat and the systems and being able to troubleshoot & repair when necessary.
I have to say I did much the same while working with a smaller / simpler boats

I do everything myself except:

- Wash, wax, etc.
- Bottom paint
- Fiberglass work
- Finish woodwork
- Machine shop & stainless fabrication

Sounds very similar to a lot of other people.

I do everything myself except hauling and launching. Last Springs work list included:

1. Replace 12 planks and 8 frames on the hull topsides

2. Repaint hull and trim. Varnish transom, cabin house and all interior wood.

3. Install new battery (build and install battery box, make up wires and do installation)

4. Commission all systems

Previously I refamed the forward half of the boat, built a completely new interior, replaced 8 feet of the keel, Built new engine beds, repowered (I did have the new engine physically put on the but but did the install myself), built a completely new cabin house, replaced all systems including the complete fuel system.

On my fiberglass boat I do all everything except haul/launch and canvas work. I do glass work, mechanical, electrical, wood work, etc.

I do all my own machine work and welding.

When it is easier to do it myself than to find and have someone else do it, I do it.
When I hire someone else, I often supervise, even though I am pretty sure I get charged extra for my assistance.

Pay for: Haul out, bottom paint, diver for zincs (water is too cold for my candy a$$ here in the NW).

Myself: Wash/Wax/Polish, Interior cleaning/Teak Oiling, electrical repairs (AC/DC)/additions/modifications, Engine maintenance/repairs, Drivetrain maintenance/repairs, genset maintenance/repairs.

The real problem I have is the ability to have time, money and motivation concurrently.

But the beer in the fridge is always cold...