Did your boat come with an owner's manual?

The original owner of our boat built a very extensive owner's manual that I'm in the process of updating now. It was all hand-typed with polaroid pictures for illustrations. I'm in the process of updating it and making it an electronic document now.

Ours came with a decent owner's manual, generic prose about how to work each system, and also including electrical schematics, thru-hull discharge locations, etc. Plus Engine manuals, and genset manuals -- both motor, and generator unit. (Not engine service manuals; I bought those separately.) That was all augmented with a stack of manuals/literature from the manufacturer of every system in the boat (ACs, charger, cooktop, etc etc etc). Well-organized, brand-marked satchel, etc.

-Chris

Today I think all boats should come with a really good manual. There's no reason not to.

I believe the manual that all others should be judged by is that for the Albin 25, written by her designer Per Brohall.

It includes almost all the info pertinent to owning, operating, and caring for the boat. There's real stability data, info on construction, handling and mooring, and basic sailing detections for the motorsailer version. Frankly, if all builders provided owner's with an equivalent manual, there would be fewer insurance claims, dumb stunts, and expensive mistakes all around.

http://www.albin25.eu/_download/albin25manual.pdf

Tad

That 1972 Albin manual is really nicely done! TY for link. Way more complete than the original one that came with our 1977 Tolly... although it is OK too. Though most items had paper when we purchased; I've gathered other necessary papers or web folder inserts for all items aboad.

I'll admit that Albin 25 manual covered everything, great job by them.
Bill

Mine came with one binder.Everything crammed in since 1984.Even orginal sales color brochure.I have since broke it all down and expanded.Each booklet or manuals are in plastic sleeves.Some of it maybe overkill,but works for me.



Sent from my Galaxy SIII using speech to text.so some words may not be perfect.but it's easier.

Only had one w/o a manual. Current boat has two shelves full.


Via iPhone.

While a pretty manual with safety tips and pictures of things I can see anyway may impress some...the manuals I prefer have the routing of the actual wire plumbing runs, parts lists with sizes of fittings (really rare), how specialty items with trim, multiple layers/parts come apart....you know....stuff that helps me BEFORE ripping off panels and crawling around and poking in impossible spots to fit while tracing runs,....etc.

Thankfully in recent years...used boats without much at least have forums and manuals on-line to help...probably help just as much as the newer more complete manuals as few owner's manuals are ever complete or written for tech level maintenance.

Carver came with extensive parts list,wiring and plumbing diagrams through hull and calving locations data sheets on all pumps, heads electrical equipment andultiple engine and transmission manuals. Pretty compete iMO

bayview said:

Carver came with extensive parts list,wiring and plumbing diagrams through hull and calving locations data sheets on all pumps, heads electrical equipment andultiple engine and transmission manuals. Pretty compete iMO

Click to expand...

This is the second time I've heard about Carver manuals being very complete. Nice to hear.

CPseudonym said:

This is the second time I've heard about Carver manuals being very complete. Nice to hear.

Click to expand...

The Sea Rays had/have pretty good ones too....

Seaweed came with a quart of oil, some junk under the galley sink and that's it. The former owner did gift me a stove-top oven that I still use. Propane stove but no tank. She had dock lines and a totally inadequate anchor plus the ugliest curtains you can imagine.

But she had potential.
I've got manuals for everything I've bought in a plastic folder case. Sorted alphabetically so stuff is easy to locate.



One thing I do with the paperwork though is remove all pages that are not in English. I don't need Spanish, French, German, how to's for my stuff. Scissors eliminate the extraneous.

On the front of each "Book of Words" (aka instruction manual) I note the date and price paid, plus any warranty times I need to remember. Just in case!

And a friend found the shop manual for my new diesel, had it printed on heavy duty paper, spiral bound with a nice cover. That has a special place in my bookcase. It's spiffy!

For me, I prefer a hard copy versus electronic versions.

To answer the question: nothing came with Seaweed but potential.

If my Bayliner came from the factory with any documentation, the previous (original) owner didn't pass it along. So I went to various websites and downloaded .pdf copies of every manual I could find, from Bayliner and MerCruiser as well as the manufacturers of various pieces of equipment aboard (water heater, battery charger, stove, head, etc.).

I printed out a copy of each and placed them in a 3-ring binder that I keep aboard, along with my registration and insurance documents.