Do You use a Marine Electrician?

D

Darby10

New Member
Joined
23 Jun 2010
Messages
6
Location
Gosport, Hants
www.allen-marine.co.uk
Hi,

I was just wondering whether any of you use a specialist marine electrician for any upgrades or repairs or do you use a domestic sparks/DIY?

The reason I ask is that I am considering becoming self-employed after spending several years in the Royal Navy as an electrician.

Many thanks in anticipation,

Darby.
 
With modern systems becoming complicated I think most people with recent boats woul rather employ a specialist rather than DIYing.Older boats such as mine are easier to work on in the electrical department.
 
If I need electrics doing on my boat I would use an Auto-Electrician for anything to do with the engine or anything which is 12 based. For 240v stuff I would use an ordinary electrician.
 
My good friend is a Fellow of the Institute of Electrical Engineers. He made a point of giving work to his local professional marine electrician.....


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I understand from the Senior Electrical Trades Tutor at my local FE college that these 'solutions' are called in the trade, 'luscombes'.....

:D
 
Never consider hiring a leccie for 12 v work or for connecting up electronics. It is pretty noddy after all. 240v is a bit different though tbh I've always done it DIY because I've yet to meet a leccie I have confidence in.

I doubt there are many people getting rich off yotties. You would be better offering your services to business and quangoes - they have to pay for someone with certificates. We don't and it reflects in the prices you can charge..

Having said all that there will be a world of difference between the owner of a 70 ft Sunseeker on the Hamble and people like me with a 35 ft sailboat based in the sticks.
 
Are you asking the right people?

This is after all, a practical boat owner forum.
I have a problem with my electronics which
I will have to get at expert to sort out.
No way will I ask a motor mechanic.
If you are in the Southampton area
and want your first commission, let me know.
 
Darby10 said:
I was just wondering whether any of you use a specialist marine electrician
Click to expand...
I have in the past.

I think becoming known as the man in your area who can debug NMEA sentences and get data flowing between different brands, is something to explore. Alternatively getting certified with Raymarine products and other big brands could open up a route to work.

Please note I am just commenting as a yacht owner, got no real insight into your potential new trade.
 
I have not used one yet but like another poster mine is simple. I think your idea is good though. The reason I dont use one is the cost. I would like to for conveniance purposes but the cost does not justify the service due to my electric circuits complexity.

If you could charge ordinary rates or even very competitive rates then maybe it could be good idea. A while ago there was a post and a forumite posted a picture of a mobile workshop in a van where the guy made some electrical stuff in his van and fitted it to boats. I have no idea if that was his only premises, but if it was (apart from home) he could have a very low cost base to work from.

There are a lot of old boats now with sound hulls and many have been refitted so long ago that the refits need refits! The price is falling and these forums are frequented by people asking for advise on what boat to buy and only having a few pounds. The point is that people who buy these hulls may be buying because they dont have a lot of cash or have enough spare cash now. It does not translate into automatic DIY mode by new low cost entrants to boating.

Its difficult to say if there is a market or growth potential here. Expensive sparkies, no thanks.
 
Darby10 said:
Hi,

I was just wondering whether any of you use a specialist marine electrician for any upgrades or repairs or do you use a domestic sparks/DIY?

The reason I ask is that I am considering becoming self-employed after spending several years in the Royal Navy as an electrician.

Many thanks in anticipation,

Darby.
Click to expand...

I enjoy electronics/electrics, so there's no way I'd pay somebody else to do if for me, however, I know a lot of people that are scared by it all, so I should think, as has been mentioned, if you get your name about locally you should be sorted.

On top of that, your average boat owner (that has substantial wiring) tends to be of an age that hasn't grown up with computers, thus the likes of NMEA and other things talking to each other just confuses the hell out of them. If you understand all that too, you're surely on to a winner.
 
A quick update.

Thank you to everyone who gave advice here.

I have decided to go ahead with this and have now started marketing etc and I am ready to trade.

It doesn't seem right to post a link to my website when other businesses have paid to advertise, however I will advertise on YBW when funds allow.

If you do need any electrical work doing (or any advice) please feel free to PM me.

Once again, many thanks for the advice. :D
 
Darby10 said:
It doesn't seem right to post a link to my website when other businesses have paid to advertise
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I don't think a link in the context of this thread would be unreasonable - and I'm curious to see the site :-)

I believe a couple of other posters have business website links in their signatures - as long as the sig isn't huge and obnoxious and your posts are made for genuine purposes rather than just to get the sig on the page, I don't think people would mind. Obviously I can't speak for the forums as a whole, but this discrete approach is normal and acceptable elsewhere.

Pete
 
Some myself, some professional...

In general, I am confident in myself in installing most 12V items and installing almost all instruments. The exception to the later is radar - it's not a dark art, but it is a bit of a faff to get the radome positioned correctly, wires down mast, and integrated into the GPS. Due to the expense of the unit, spending a few hundred to get it done right is worth it for many people.

I also might consider a professional if I decided to totally re-wire the boat's electrics, including a new front electrical panel, this winter. Some of that is just not knowing where to get the proper breakers for 12v circuits, and the difficulty of getting a panel etched and printed myself. The actual WIRING I could do (and to a better standard than what currently exists in my old boat!).

I did use a professional when I had my bowthruster put in, but that was in part because that work had to be done in synch with the installation of the thruster itself, and I couldn't be there for it.

I also used the same professional to put in my AC shore battery charger, because of the 240V voltages involved.

A few thoughts come to mind:

1) The professional that I use gets very good pricing on components, by buying them wholesale from Marathon Leisure and other distributors. He makes a small margin on the components themselves, but is still cheaper than I can usually buy them myself.

2) He warranties his work, and supports the installation and components.

3) He has a relationship (shares workshop space with) a well respected general shipwright, that uses him for all the electrical bits of things such as bowthrusters and other stuff that he does. In short, by co-locating with a shipwright, he has got a steady stream of support work, plus intros to a larger customer base.

4) Lastly, in the marine services business, it is very common for service providers to be late for appointments, late in completion of work, and to be sometimes difficult to deal with. Many customers don't KNOW the difference between a job done so-so, and an excellent job, especially with electrics. But ALL customers know the difference in a service provider that is reliable and on-time, and that looks professional, and one that is none of those. Do at least a competent job, advertise a bit, and have great customer service and professionalism, and you have a good chance of succeeding.
 
I do EVERYTHING myself. You learn the boat, you learn electronics and you save a **** load of money.

Ok if I had ££££££££ and a huge 60ft+ boat then I wouldn't. Actually I probably wouldn't need to!
 
Darby10 said:
I have decided to go ahead with this and have now started marketing etc and I am ready to trade.

It doesn't seem right to post a link to my website when other businesses have paid to advertise, however I will advertise on YBW when funds allow.
Click to expand...

Not a good omen Darby. To succeed in business you need to be a bit pushy and commercial rather than nice and fair. Put in a link to your website - others do so and all that can happen is you get told off by Dan.
 
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