Good and Bad repair yards

Any recommendations on reasonable boat yards between Blue Hill Maine and North Carolina as well as any to avoid.
I'm moving a single screw trawler that's been on the hard for three years. I'll probably need all the help I can get.

Thanks

Lots of good reasons to wait a few months. Might want to identify size, make and engine manufacturer as not everybody can haul or work on everything.

Ted

O C Diver said:

Lots of good reasons to wait a few months. Might want to identify size, make and engine manufacturer as not everybody can haul or work on everything.

Ted

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Also, what kind of help are you looking for? Mechanical, fiberglass, shipwrights etc.

Larry M said:

Also, what kind of help are you looking for? Mechanical, fiberglass, shipwrights etc.

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You forgot refrigerator repair!

For God's sake don't break your Anchor.

Greetings,
Mr. P. About 6 years back I had very good service from the Hinckley (sp?) yard in Thunderbolt GA. Right on the ICW. About 3 years back had work done at AYB in Chesapeake, VA. Again, right on the ICW. Excellent shipwrights...Mechanics, not so much. Sorry that's the most recent I have experienced.

Propnut said:

Any recommendations on reasonable boat yards between Blue Hill Maine and North Carolina as well as any to avoid.
I'm moving a single screw trawler that's been on the hard for three years. I'll probably need all the help I can get.

Thanks

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Can't help you for Maine but from Massachusetts through New Jersey Brewer has a lot of yards so one near most any place you need one. Hope you've gotten tow membership. Now, the one caveat on Brewer is that they've recently been acquired by Safe Harbor Marinas. As always they say it won't impact anything. Safe Harbor is now the largest owner of marinas. They're out of Texas. This is their second time around as operating under another name they previously went bankrupt.

Cant help with a particular yard, but on Steve D'antonio's website, he recently wrote a pretty good article on what to look for, and how you should write up the contracts.

Deltaville Boat yard in VA is one of the good ones.

In Deltaville, I'd recommend Zimmerman's. They are not inexpensive, but I have used 3 yards in Deltaville and Zimmerman's is the best of the bunch.

Just out of interest what do shipwrights...Mechanics charge $$$$ per hour other there ?

gaston said:

Just out of interest what do shipwrights...Mechanics charge $$$$ per hour other there ?

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In our area, depending on yard and on specific service, it runs from $80 per hour to $130 per hour. Now, jobs like scraping the bottom or sanding it may run less, as low as $55 or $60.

There are hundreds of marinas and boat yards from Maine to North Carolina. Subscribe to "ActiveCaptain" (free), and check their reviews. After sitting on the hard for 3 years, I assume you're going through the boat making sure all systems are ready to go before you leave. You don't want to be performing repairs and maintenance while in-transient.

I had a lot of work done at Georgetown Yacht Basin on the Sassafras River on the Upper Chesapeake. I would use them again for anything major but they are a bit too far everyday service. Reasonable? For technicians most yards on the Chesapeake charge from $95-$105/hour. Our marina charges $70/hour for unskilled labor. I don't think you will find much variation in these rates on the East Coast but perhaps so down in North and South Carolina, I don't know. In any case, I am always truly amazed at the number of folks who inquire on the forum looking for "reasonable" rates. Yacht yards have huge investments in plant and equipment. Add in the labor cost of good technicians, infrastructure maintenance and upgrading, electricity, etc, etc, and one should quickly realize that, while the nominal rates seems excessive, these yards would not be here for us unless they are able to turn a decent profit. Over the past year our Marina has rebuilt two bathroom/shower buildings, installed extensive new brick walkways, dredged some of the fairways, and is in the process of replacing decking on the piers.

catalinajack said:

. In any case, I am always truly amazed at the number of folks who inquire on the forum looking for "reasonable" rates. .

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To me, reasonable rates is getting it correct the first time and always standing behind their work. I'm willing to pay for expertise and performance. Saving a little on the labor rate but having a less dependable person, never pays.

BandB said:

To me, reasonable rates is getting it correct the first time and always standing behind their work. I'm willing to pay for expertise and performance. Saving a little on the labor rate but having a less dependable person, never pays.

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I believe the saying is, "penny wise, pound foolish".
Bruce

We didn't get work done there but we got fuel and chatted with a couple boats finishing up repairs who couldn't say enough about the place: Atlantic Yacht Basin in Great bridge VA.

The fuel was cheap...

We just splashed after a week long haul at sail harbor marina here in Savannah. It's the least expensive option around for doing your own work. They were a little lax with scheduling...

Yards can hire and lose talent in a season.

Ones with great reputations not so much.... and are better about standing behind their work or doing it right the first time.

If I was going to leave my boat on the hard for 3 years, I would narrow down yards based on external support to the yard and how it affects me also...like temporary places to stay, climate and whether they had the areas, buildings to do the work the boat needed, etc.

I would also take a drive and personally visit the top 5 or so and check things out myself before even moving the boat.

The best yard could be around the corner.

It would be rare for anyone here to have more than a handful of yards that they have personal experience with on a large scale....plus recency....so posts, ads and personal investigation will be the best answer.

The only yard I used south of NJ in years was Ross Marine just south of Charleston.

That was 5 years ago...but they are one of those older yards with a good rep. Plus Charleston is one of my favorite places along the ACIW.

psneeld said:

The only yard I used south of NJ in years was Ross Marine just south of Charleston.

That was 5 years ago...but they are one of those older yards with a good rep. Plus Charleston is one of my favorite places along the ACIW.

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I mentioned those north of NJ as if the boat has been on the hard for three years, it's going to need significant work before going anywhere and likely to need more fairly quickly in getting it back to good operating condition. Hopefully by the time he gets beyond NJ he will have dealt with most of the problems.

Two I'd mention in NC are Jarrett Bay and Bennett Brothers in Wilmington. I have a cousin who uses Jarrett Bay for all his service but I know of others looking for one time service who have run into extended waits.

BandB said:

To me, reasonable rates is getting it correct the first time and always standing behind their work. I'm willing to pay for expertise and performance. Saving a little on the labor rate but having a less dependable person, never pays.

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Said much better than I.

seasalt007 said:

Deltaville Boat yard in VA is one of the good ones.

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Deltaville Boatyard went bankrupt in November 2016. Not sure of their status right now. It was up for auction. Zimmerman Marine in Deltaville has a very good reputation. Truth be told I ran that yard for 5 years.

Sorry, I misread and thought the boat was going to be on the hard for 3 years not that it was..

If all you have to do is get it someplace, as long as the engine and steering work and good fuel....you can move the boat.

There are lots of good, small yards. One not too far from Blue Hill (by water) is Billings Marine in Stonington. They have a stellar reputation, and I have been around the yard, but never had any work done there myself.

Hinkley has a great reputation too, but be aware that they cater to "top end" boats. You may find them a little out of your price range. But it is a good yard to hang around in, drooling.

The suggestion to check out Active Captain is also a good one.

CaptTom said:

There are lots of good, small yards. One not too far from Blue Hill (by water) is Billings Marine in Stonington. They have a stellar reputation, and I have been around the yard, but never had any work done there myself.

Hinkley has a great reputation too, but be aware that they cater to "top end" boats. You may find them a little out of your price range. But it is a good yard to hang around in, drooling.

The suggestion to check out Active Captain is also a good one.

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Hinckley has an excellent reputation but some say if not one of theirs you may wait a bit.

My concern is still getting the boat in condition to start the trip. Old fluids, old fuel, old hoses, old impellers, old batteries. Just a lot of things that don't sit three years and remain in perfect condition.