Do you work on your boat?

[scattered_grass]

I am curious as to the extent of which everyone on here does their own handi-work, when it comes to regular wear and tear on a boat.

Do you do your own fiberglass work? Bottom sanding/painting? Other kinds of basic touch-ups, replacing zincs etc...or is this something that you have the boatyard do?

My other question to the do-it-yourselfers, would be the source from where you get your supplies? Do you buy locally, or from a mail-order catalog or what?

Any input, whether you do the work yourself or not, would be greatly appreciated.

[weekender]

I put a transome in mine. Bought the supplies in Beaufort. Can't remember the name of the place but it's one block off 70 on the right, just after the left turn going east. Really nice guy, had everything.

before



after

[clt_capt]

I do most of my own maintenance - except for the engines.

Sorta depends on the job where I get my supplies. The ACE in MHC has most stuff for day-to-day maintenance.

For Bottom paint - I do my own sanding and painting - I usually shop out the paint, buy zincs locally


Big Fiberglass Jobs -
www.raka.com
http://uscomposites.com

External Paint and Gelcoat - Only one place really -
http://www.minicraft.com/ - They can match most any manufacturer's original paint and gelcoat.

[netman9]

General filters and plugs but let a YAMAHA mechanic peek at it annually for lower unit work. No problems when we rebuilt the hydralic steering. Pumps, wiring and switches seem to be easy to fix as well. It helps to understand whats between your controls and your prop if you do a little work yourself.

[calebw]

Bottom cleaning and zincs I do myself.....

[Avenger]

Oh, where to start..

Over the last 3 years I have;
installed all new thru-hulls,
laid up and installed 3/4" fiberglass rudder shelf,
replaced rudder posts and rudders,
made new rudder tie-rod,
R&R'd manifolds, elbows and turbo cross-overs on my 3208s, rebuilt heat exchangers and coolers,
serviced injectors and set valves,
replaced exhaust collectors (sorry, didn't make those),
rebuilt strainers,
rebuilt SW washdown pump,
installed all new gauges and senders, and made bezels and covers for them,
sanded, painted and put vinyl lettering on transom,
had bottom blasted and barrier coated (yard hired a contractor and did some work themselves, there's enviro issues with bottom paint - can't do it yourself) but I did a lot of the epoxy work on the blisters,
made and installed fairings on the strut pads,
removed two dead x-ducers and their fairing blocks,
there's some other stuff, but these are the highlights.

I'm currently machining new aluminum spreader parts for my outriggers, and getting ready to put a new electrical panel in.

Yeah, I do some work on my boat...

[fmoore]

I'll do any kind of installtion - radar, GPS, sonar, etc, routine maintenance - winterizing and such and all minor engine and fiberglass repairs.

I bring it in if I can't find the problem (once so far in 4 years) and to get wrapped for the season.

There aren't any major local boat supply places because of the lack of significant bodies of water here so I find the cheapest place online and get stuff there.

[Catcher's Mitt]

weekender,

very nice job on the transom. how long did it take you.

i once had a marsh runner that i bought at a boat show in Lake Charles. it was made locally. i did the rigging on it. put a used 35 with steering, trolling motor, etc. about 4 or 5 years after i bought it, i bought a used 70 merc and had it put on. the guy went and ran it and said he couldn't open it up because the was bottom was flexing. and of course it was right before we were taking it on vacation.

so me and my dad, in the carport, on friday night...the wife, kids, mom had left to go to fausee point where we were going for a week. so me and dad are going to fix the boat before we go down to meet them. after i strip the carpet back from the edges of the gunnels, i take a grinder and cut the floor out. under the floor are two strips of particle board with a strip of FG mat, that said boat builder used to make stringers. well of course it was rotten and as limb as a wet noodle.

we go to lowes and get 2 x 4. i dry fit a lattice of the 2x4 in the bottom. that takes most of the night. the next morning i glass the bottom of the 2x4 and set them in and start screwing the lattice, that will become stingers and ribs, together. i glassed all of the wood and the joints i put mat and more glass.

i then cut a two pieces of marine plywood to fit for the floor. i glassed that in saturday night...late.

Sunday morning we get up and come up with a plan to get the boat wrapped up and get to the lake at a decent hour. the floor we cut out.....the carpet and fiber glass had seperated from the plywood. so after sanding a little on the new floor, i through that carpeted, "laminate sheet" on the new floor, screwed the console back down and loaded that mother up.

we made it to the lake about 2 pm to the squealing with joy kids that were ready to partake in some water activities away from the camp and bank. we fished and skied and had a wonderful time and the boat ran like a dream with the new motor with power trim.

When i got home i finished up the floor and re carpeted. i used it for another year and sold it to help buy the boat i have now.


i don't miss that boat but i sure miss my dad

[blueoceaneyez]

We do pretty much everything ourselves.

We take it to the Ships Chandler (Destin) when we can't diagnose a mechanical problem on our own, replace a powerhead, stuff like that.

[Deep C]

Our boat being the meticulously kept beast she is gets both. I do the bulk of all the stuff aboard.
When it comes to wiring high voltage or intricate electronics I bring in help. Maintainence on 12v stuff and basically all sysyems is me but if something technical breaks we bring in help.
I do the engine work again for routine but outside of that we bring in the pros.
Bottom is mine. Keeping clean is mine but we bring out the buffing crew twice a year. Glass is something I don't pretend to know about so if we need work done we'll bring in help on that too.