Dig at DIYers

[sailbadthesinner]

Further to my engine course post
I found this on the course notes for a dielsel marine engine course at Reading College

' It is still a fact that the small boat, marine trade is still very much a cottage industry, and as such the standards of workmanship and practice leave much to be desired in an unacceptable number of cases. This is not helped by the large DIY fraternity, a number of who appear to be less than conversant with good practice.'


Ouch!

Rather be with a drink in boat
than in the drink with a boat

 

[Chris_d]

Re: True Though !

...its worrying some of the obvious questions that get asked on this forum, but at least they ask I suppose, a lot must carry on regardless.

 

[dickh]

My experience is that most DIY's make a point of finding out about their engines and are probably more carefull about how they complete the job than the professionals - IMHO. I accept there are probably very good professionals who are good, however if you DIY you will know your engine very well and will be able to fix it in an emergency.
Don't forget most DIY's cannot afford boatyard charges and also enjoy working on their equipment.
This forum helps considerably in that everyone is willing to share their experiences and tips.
Most boating people are very keen to pass their knowledge on to new comers - last weekend I met a guy who has a J27 like mine, he was a newbie, and although he was a motorcycle mechanic, could not get his old Volvo diesel to start easily, and in conversation with another sailor we sorted his problem - just a matter of the correct starting procedure. He was very pleased.

dickh
I'd rather be sailing...

 

[Mike_02]

I have to diy my own engine. I have a Dolphin petrol engine and even Sea Start are at a loss to do anything with it. I have asked loads of boats engineers for help and advice over the years and they haven't got a clue.

So as a result i can strip it down all on my own..and fix just about anything anywhere.

 

[sailbadthesinner]

I agree entirely
I am technically inept, this is now something i wish to address. I can normally coax the old seagulls we use to life but this is really been a trial and error over the years.

Having watched the forum for a couple of moths i have come to the conclusion that setting out withouot a basic knowledge is to do yourself no favours. I accept not all people want to get involved in the maintanence etc of their own boats. I myself (when i get a proper cruiser) will only probably do basic maintanence but i am slowly feeling i might enjoy getting to know how it all works so i can fix it and build up a knowledge. It has been my experience things bust when ...on a lee shore in in a hoolie or in path of tanker etc.

It was like that when i found it

 

[tr7v8]

As someone who was bought up playing with things mechanical, some of the things I see done by so called professionals make me go cold. Personally if it is my neck on the line, I do a good job without the constraints of time and money.
Having just brought a secondhand boat and started finding out where some of the overheating issues come from, I have been horrified at the mess around the heat exchangers etc.
I suspect that some DIYers are bodgers bu they are more than outnumbered by the numbers of so called professional butchers who have the temerity to charge for what they do!

Jim
-----------

 

[longjohnsilver]

Silly questions

No question has an obvious answer otherwise it wouldn't be asked. The only way to learn is through experience or to ask.

We've probably all watched the millionaire prog and shouted out the "obvious" right answer to the dummy in the chair, and likewise have been astounded on other occasions by their knowledge.

So in my book no question is stupid and as you say it's far better that someone asks.

 

[mtb]

I proberly got a carburetter for that !!.

Mick

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/boats
I want a big steel ex trawler / tug v / cheap or swap for tug

 

[longjohnsilver]

DIY =

Best definition of DIY came from our local RNLI coxswain

Don't Involve Yourself

 

[rich]

nm

rich ) Why pay, when you can do it yourself?

 

[aztec]

Re: Silly questions

damn right, very sensible reply, one i would agree with wholeheartedly. all the training in the world is just other peoples first hand experience, all you need to do is bottle it and you've got the best "course" you could wish for.

interested in stuff that needs mendin'

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/s.amos/index.html

 

[mtb]

Re: Crawler !!

LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/boats
I want a big steel ex trawler / tug v / cheap or swap for tug

 

[oldharry]

Of all DIY bodges....

My all time favourite was the bloke who WALLPAPERED his cabin.....

'But its bathroom grade vinyl' he explained, wondering why it looked so bad 6 months later.

 

[mtb]

Re: Of all DIY bodges....

I think the best one I saw was a hillman hunter engine and gearbox bolted in as was , !! I heard it coming from a long way off
but did it go or what

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/boats
I want a big steel ex trawler / tug v / cheap or swap for tug

 

[graham]

Re: Of all DIY bodges....

I have seen a Reliant Robin engine used in a 26 foot lifeboat conversion.It was freshwater cooled with a simple galvanised pipe run along the outside of the keel to provide a heat exchanger.

He used third gear normally. Going astern was very slow due to the low gear ratio but in those days the ability to go astern at all was a luxury.

All the experts said it would fail but it gave sterling service for at least ten years before the boat sank on its mooring during a storm.(Another boat dragged its mooring and the two battered each other to death.)

Theres room on the Sea for DIY people and those that like someone else to do the work but when you breakdown miles from anywhere in the middle of the night its better to have some skills and tools of your own.

 

[mtb]

Re: Of all DIY bodges....

OOh was it the side valve engine , (standard engine) I have a carburetter for one of those 26mm solex

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/boats
I want a big steel ex trawler / tug v / cheap or swap for tug

 

[jfkal]

Can only agree. In most professsions (and that includes mine) it is pretty normal that you do not get paid if you screw up. The leisure marine industry seems to be one of the few exceptions. They charge you ridiculous prices and most of the time the job is lousy. 10,000's of $ later I decided to try myself and guess what - for a so called non-professional I am doing a pretty good job. Since then my engine purrs like a cat, the shaft does not wobble anymore, My windwane got installed without bringing the boat up and the mast down. All instruments work, so does the manual windlass, one of the so called professionals reassembled wrongly and the next professional advised strongly to buy a new one. Guess what, I turned one gear the other way round (BTW I am not a mechanic) and it worked again after 10 mins.
Best of all. Out at sea I can look after my boat myself.
As far as I am concerned 90 % of the boatyards may go out of business rather sooner than later; and most will if the continue to work the way they do today.
The other ones are welcome to request my consulting services, since thats what I do for a living ))))

 

[jfkal]

Re: True Though !

Well true. Just ignore them and move on or if you have time to spare drop them a reply. I also asked stupid questions in the beginning..........Problem is I guess that technical stuff does not get tought in the training classes for boaters. Maybe a good business idea. Engineering basics for the seasoned sailor. An introduction on how to avoid feeding the local shark at the boatyard ))

 

[jfkal]

Re: Of all DIY bodges....

Mind you. Titanic had wall paper as well. It only peeled under water after a unqualfied captain decided to try cohabitate with her the same space already occupied by an iceberg. Waht do we learn: Never wallpaper an iceberg Q.E.D.

 

[jfkal]

Re: Of all DIY bodges....

That;s what MY BOATYARD did to mine until I rectified it myself. Speaking of which ..... .. Appears to be that the the yards are the DIY'ers after all.