I thought I was getting a boat to go boating…….

Presentation

Presentation

Well-Known Member
TECHNICAL Contributor
Oct 3, 2006
4,404
Wisconsin - Winnebago Pool chain of lakes
Boat Info
280 Sundancer, Westerbeke MPV generator
Engines
twin 5.0's w/BIII drives
Turns out I got a boat to wax it, clean it, maintain it, have things break, some that I can fix, some expensive things that I can’t fix and need to have fixed for me.

Oh, I also bought it to make my retirement investment choices look comparatively good.

How about you?
 
There's a thread going on right now on another forum I'm on....how do you cutback to be able to afford boating like you do.

In the end, its all worth it. I wouldn't have it any other way!
 
Owned a boat for a short period of time 2009 July 20th and I'm learning a lot more about the expenses, the small things add up quickly...

Today the mechanic called and said he has to replace the anodes which he is charging me $160.00 not bad considering I'm lazy. He also said the prop shaft is bent and needs to be fixed 1300.00 for a boat I'm selling and it could use an acid bath at 12 dollars a foot :)

Can't wait to see what the new boat needs if the 410.00 marine survey pans out :smt101
 
haven't had mine out of storage yet, haven't even seen it since Jan. so far i've bought a vhf, life jackets, ski flag, boat lift, canopy, marina slip, etc, etc, etc.......

i will finally see it friday or saturday, and i can't wait. all the money spent is worth every penny!
 
I consider boating and the associated expense as a very acute illness, for which there is no cure.:smt089

Instead of paying with physical pain as in most ailments, this illness inflicts financial and mental pain.:smt013

Oh, by the way... there is NO CURE - so we just learn to live with it!:thumbsup:
 
As you may have guessed, I have some unplanned repair expenses ahead of me.

The frustrating thing is I have been having them do a drive pull and alignment check, grease, lube, gimbal tork, etc every year. Last year it was a new coupler. I also got new bellows.

I always thought that water in the drive shaft bellow had to come from a leaking bellow. Nope. If the o-ring gasket for the exhaust has a leak the water / exhaust mix will work its way up and into the bellow and ruin the gimbal ring. But wait, there’s more. The shift cable has some thingy on the back side that can come loose. Mine did and that compartment in the drive is wet also.

So they pulled the other drive…..its wet too. The bellow looks great on the outside, wet in the inside. Pin hole leak? We will not know until we get it out and look at it.

Two drives pulled and maintained every year, nothing but issues.

I swear half the boats in the marina never have their drives pulled. I’m not sure they even change gear lube. Somehow they just keep going.
 
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Just don't make the mistake of getting fed up with the latest repair, dump the boat onto the market at a big loss, only to discover that your neighbour down the dock bought it - and he never has another problem with it from that day on!

Hang in there!
 
Doug, I know you’re a few years out from it but think of the bright side. Boating- yearly operational cost is less than yearly college cost for one kid! Hey- Who is saving for retirement when were having this much fun!
 
Escapade said:
Doug, I know you’re a few years out from it but think of the bright side. Boating- yearly operational cost is less than yearly college cost for one kid! Hey- Who is saving for retirement when were having this much fun!
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Got that ahead of me times three.

(crying)
 
I tried to tell my son that the world needs good marine mechanics.......he didn't listen
 
I just spent 4 days polishing and waxing my Boat. Looked great. Then the 5 inches of rain came down and voila black streaks everywhere. Now I get to do it all over again.
By the way I've come to the conclusion boats are suicidal.

Jack
 
earthmover17 said:
I just spent 4 days polishing and waxing my Boat. Looked great. Then the 5 inches of rain came down and voila black streaks everywhere. Now I get to do it all over again.
By the way I've come to the conclusion boats are suicidal.

Jack
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You are making three mistakes: keeping the boat outside, in the water and using it.

Stop doing those three and it will take a lot less work and money.
 
Presentation said:
I swear half the boats in the marina never have their drives pulled. I’m not sure they even change gear lube. Somehow they just keep going.
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When I walked through the boat barn, I see all of the old 80's & 90's out drives that have all but corroded away, missing skegs, annodes, props with jagged blades. I don't know how some get away with it either.
 
Expense is all relative. I actually consider the cost cheap considering the memories I'm creating for my three kids. All they talk about all winter is what we're going to do this summer on the boat. "Where are we going this year dad?" "Do you think we'll take a long trip again?" "Can we stay there with mom while your at work?" (making $$ to pay for all the upkeep:smt101) I couldn't put a price on them wanting to spend time together...like I said - Boats are cheep - how much would we have to spend to create these kinds of memories without our boats? Our boat name started when we were boating on the St. John's with all the gaters...not much fun for my kids at that time. Now on the Chesapeake, my oldest son (11) wants to rename the boat "Hell Yea Dad". So I told him to shut up and keep waxing...cause we sure as hell can't afford to have someone else keep this thing shinny:lol:
 
earthmover17 said:
I like your thinking ,but it is a boat so it would still figure out a way of sucking money out of me. Boats are crafty that way.

Jack
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If only I could teach the admiral parts of that statement.
 
One of my coworkers once said "If you can fly it, float it, or f*** it you're better off renting it."

Funny!
 
NoThanksDad said:
Expense is all relative. I actually consider the cost cheap considering the memories I'm creating for my three kids. All they talk about all winter is what we're going to do this summer on the boat. "Where are we going this year dad?" "Do you think we'll take a long trip again?" "Can we stay there with mom while your at work?" (making $$ to pay for all the upkeep:smt101) I couldn't put a price on them wanting to spend time together...like I said - Boats are cheep - how much would we have to spend to create these kinds of memories without our boats? Our boat name started when we were boating on the St. John's with all the gaters...not much fun for my kids at that time. Now on the Chesapeake, my oldest son (11) wants to rename the boat "Hell Yea Dad". So I told him to shut up and keep waxing...cause we sure as hell can't afford to have someone else keep this thing shinny:lol:
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This is the truest statement yet. The best memories of my childhood summers were up at our cabin, spending time on my Grandpa's boat with him. The memories are priceless. I do not put a price tag on family togetherness. The bonds and memories you make on a boat are with you forever, plus its a great way to release stress. Even working on it helps, maybe you should pick up a wrench Doug...at least you'll know it was done right!
 
firecadet613 said:
....maybe you should pick up a wrench Doug...at least you'll know it was done right!
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Um, thank you, although I am taking your comment as an insult.

I am not a professional marine mechanic. I am a business person; father of three and I do what I can on the boat within the abilities of my knowledge and my ‘wrenches.’

I do as much of the work on my own as I reasonably can. This includes detailing and general maintenance. For example, on the drives I changed the anodes, cleaned them and touched up the paint. I have replaced things like the IAC, belts, etc. I’ve installed electronics like the chart plotter and winterized the boat and its systems including the motor, generator, air conditioning and fresh water system.

I’m about to give the boat a tune-up, meaning new plugs, cap and rotor.

However removing a Bravo III drive without a lift cart nor alignment tool, nor the knowledge on how to properly repair the issues described is beyond what I have done so far and do not expect this to change.

Even with having what I feel is a trustworthy mechanic do the work as I was there he did a consult with the marina manager / senior mechanic in helping to find then exhaust leak that was getting the drive bellow wet.

Are you strong enough to dead lift the weight a Bravo III has as you are bent over under a swim platform with metal trim tabs sticking out on the sides? I’m not and I will admit it. I’d drop the darn thing on the floor or my foot, cause my back go out and miss the boating season in pain. Do you have a tool to pressure check the drive? I don’t. I had this done as a ‘just in case.’ Do you have that funky tool to check for a bent shaft? I don’t.

Again, I took your comment as a insult.
 
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