Crazy Idea?

[TangaraToo]

I’ve had a thought (rare) that may be crazy but then again just might have merit so I’m throwing it out to see what others think.
At the moment I’m not in a financial position to own my own boat. A few years down the line when kids have finished uni and the mortgage is no more will be different matter but not right now.

However, I am pretty good at cleaning, fixing and maintaining most of the things that make up a boat. Reading a lot of threads on here it would seem there are a large number of boats around that get little use and often end up not looking their best due to lack of TLC. This can’t be a good situation for the owners when they do get some time to use their boat when they would want to sail rather than do maintenance.

So do you think there are owners out there who would like their boat looked after, maintained, kept sparkling etc FOC (except parts) and in returned would allow me to use the boat when they are not?
If this isn’t a crazy idea how would I go about finding such an owner?

 

[PeteCooper]

Sounds good to me - when can you start on mine?

 

[Bobc]

Take a look at this. Specifically setup for your idea.

http://www.boatbuddys.co.uk/

 

[TangaraToo]

Guess not such a crazy idea as I thought.
Thanks for boatbuddys link. That has potential.
Pete, have responded to your PM, just location my be a problem.

 

[cliff]

Sounds good to me - when can you start on mine?

+ 1 on the West Coast

 

[TradewindSailor]

It is a good idea, but it does have problems.

Essentially you are looking at forming a partnership, however informally. The boat owner has to trust you to look after his property and carry out maintenance to an agreed standard. It all falls down if one partner believes the other partner to be taking an advantage.

I met a guy recently that was tasked with looking after a yacht down here in the South Pacific. He had no money, but he was paid a little for food etc.. He is able to sail the boat as he pleases, provided it is available to the owner when he wants it .... the caretaker leaving the boat for the time the owner is there. Sounds idyllic. BUT HE felt he was being taken advantage of as the owner left the yacht in a state when he finished his cruise!!!!

I used to look after a yacht. The owner would give me money when I asked for it so I could repair and maintain it to my standard. All went well until he returned to cruise and I was to stay on as captain. The problem was: he was now in control of buying the parts and materials, and he would buy the cheapest rubbish that he thought would do. It wasn't worth my time to continually repair the boat, and knowing that the yacht that I had taken so long to get into good seaworthy condition was no longer trustworthy. I left and bought my own yacht ...... and never regretted it!

My advice is :
1 make sure you get on really well with the owner
2 that the owner is not a skinflint
3 that you both agree the amount and standard of the maintenance work vs sailing time

and remember, yachts are very expensive to maintain and even more expensive to take to sea. Just check out what it would cost you to charter a yacht .......

 

[TangaraToo]

+ 1 on the West Coast

East or south coast I could do. West is probably too much of a journey to do regularly.

 

[TangaraToo]

My advice is :
1 make sure you get on really well with the owner
2 that the owner is not a skinflint
3 that you both agree the amount and standard of the maintenance work vs sailing time

Wise words. I've had experience of similar arrangement in the horse world. Sometimes it's great and others left me feeling a little used.

 

[sighmoon]

I once tried to advertise half a wooden boat on exactly this basis. I got no takers. Wooden boats need a lot of work.

Fibreglass boats don't generally need a lot of work, if they are already seaworthy, and for my part, the reward isn't big enough to risk my pride and joy in the hands of an unknown.

 

[Cantata]

My brother was in such an arrangement years ago (he was the maintainer), worked well for him but obviously the relationship between the two people is key to success or failure.