How practical are you in PBOwnership?

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Gsailor

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Many of us have evenings and weekends to work on our boats.

Others have a lot of disposable income and their time is rather spent not working on their boat; fair enough.

I hate to spend money on something I can do or replicate even if I can afford to buy it.

I re-rigged my first ever cruiser with Norseman terminals; I learned a lot about cutting 9mm strand.

I sprayed my boat; more prep work than spraying; I was very proud of the finish (I did buy the paint!)

I do buy flares !

I have learned quite a bit about dc wiring and even electronics and fixed items.

I can now sew lots of things too.
 
All sounds very interesting and good to give encouragement to give it a go. Perhaps submit a few article to PBO? I’d be interested to see how you approach your projects.
 
I have in the past completely stripped and rebuilt several engines, including rebores, new pistons/bearings etc. Also modified interiors with new part bulkheads, majorGRP repairs. Also made some quite good sails for smaller yachts and dinghies.

Now I do mostly basic stuff, hopefully quite well, and pay someone else for a lot of jobs, especially if they involve physical contortion and/or seriously hard graft or genuine proper engineering experience. The major advantage of extensive DIY is knowing how things are done, how long it might take, and knowing when a boatyard quote is taking the mickey, even at typical boatyard hourly labour rates, which they do need to charge as they have a lot of hidden overheads.
 
jwilson said:
I have in the past completely stripped and rebuilt several engines, including rebores, new pistons/bearings etc. Also modified interiors with new part bulkheads, majorGRP repairs. Also made some quite good sails for smaller yachts and dinghies.

Now I do mostly basic stuff, hopefully quite well, and pay someone else for a lot of jobs, especially if they involve physical contortion and/or seriously hard graft or genuine proper engineering experience. The major advantage of extensive DIY is knowing how things are done, how long it might take, and knowing when a boatyard quote is taking the mickey, even at typical boatyard hourly labour rates, which they do need to charge as they have a lot of hidden overheads.
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Making sails is an art I have not learned.
 
I think that your line about hating to shell out if you can do it yourself is the key bit (at least for me..) My last (small) boat I made just about everything, apart from some blocks.
I was interested in furling gear, so tried an idea with bicycle bits (as used in classic stuff) for a friend's boat. 16 yrs on, it is still in use.
Sails, I got a quote from a firm we had used when my father was busy. Since I can use a sewing machine, I bought the 'Sail Makers Apprentice' off Amazon and set to.
Think I got a nice set for slightly over 15% of the quote. But, these were sails for a gunter faering at 15ft, you would need to get a tougher machine than mine for heavier ones. (I do have a large loft space to lay out)
DIY, if you are reasonably handy, can save a bundle .
 
DownWest said:
I think that your line about hating to shell out if you can do it yourself is the key bit (at least for me..) My last (small) boat I made just about everything, apart from some blocks.
I was interested in furling gear, so tried an idea with bicycle bits (as used in classic stuff) for a friend's boat. 16 yrs on, it is still in use.
Sails, I got a quote from a firm we had used when my father was busy. Since I can use a sewing machine, I bought the 'Sail Makers Apprentice' off Amazon and set to.
Think I got a nice set for slightly over 15% of the quote. But, these were sails for a gunter faering at 15ft, you would need to get a tougher machine than mine for heavier ones. (I do have a large loft space to lay out)
DIY, if you are reasonably handy, can save a bundle .
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For me it is more a matter of knowing that the job has been done properly. I have read far too many tales of expensive boatyard jobs that turned out to be ineffective, in a few cases positively dangerous.

(Edit: ineffective, not effective!)
 
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vyv_cox said:
For me it is more a matter of knowing that the job has been done properly. I have read far too many tales of expensive boatyard jobs that turned out to be effective, in a few cases positively dangerous.
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Me too
After being out of boats for a bit, I answered a post on here about an engine problem close by. Sorted it. The owner was the local rep for the CA, which lead to several others with hassles. Lot of lack of imagination in the local yards.
 
Think id much rather pay for everything to be done, but I simply cant warrant or afford it. In the end I much prefer turning up and putting the Kettle on and chilling out. The sad fact I never pay anyone and you just have to get on and do what you can.
Steveeasy
 
I enjoy doing stuff on the boat, it is why I bought one, BUT and it is a big but I will not do some safety critical work, e.g. rigging, as a rigger does it every day and I would do it once or twice in a lifetime.
 
Sandy said:
I enjoy doing stuff on the boat, it is why I bought one, BUT and it is a big but I will not do some safety critical work, e.g. rigging, as a rigger does it every day and I would do it once or twice in a lifetime.
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Have you some examples? Later... weird... your post has no examples but the quote above does. Renew page and example is in there... time lag between edits I am guessing.

I did my own rigging once as said, but I probably took 5x as long as a rigger because I wanted it perfect; especially the forestay!

Bit like cars; I can do brakes and cambelt change but I take a lot longer than a mechanic.

I wouldn't fix my own radio unless it was just a fuse. I wouldn't fix laser flares or AIS or radar.
 
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During the 25 years I have owned my yacht the only things I can remember paying others to do are:

Making new sails and covers.
Dismantling the sections of a Rotostay foil that had corroded badly, using special tools.
Making new standing rigging.
Welding work.
Skimming a cylinder head.
Scraping off antifouling paint.
Repairing electronic instruments.
A gel coat repair (that I could have done better myself! )
 
I conform to the pattern emerging by doing everything myself except where someone else has knowledge, experience and tools that I don't ( eg rigging, engine lifting) or am getting too old to do well (antifouling removal). As a rule, I can usually do a better quality job myself and learn a lot about the boat from doing it. But it takes time to plan and execute some jobs as you unravel getting replacements and fitting them into difficult locations. A mirror on a stick and litter picking tool are really useful!
 
Gsailor said:
Have you some examples? Later... weird... your post has no examples but the quote above does. Renew page and example is in there... time lag between edits I am guessing.
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You are correct, I did an edit after posting giving an example. I have a habit of hitting the post button then thinking, an example would be useful. Put it down to my advancing years and shortening attention span.
 
Over the years I have installed a bow thruster, electric windlass, radar, instruments, holding tank, partial rewire and many other items / jobs. I have repaired sails and covers but limited by the sewing machine.
Standing rigging and sails I have left to the professionals but try to learn from them by watching. I have over the years found the majority of the trades very helpful with advice on how to 'look' after various items and carry out repairs. It does mean though that when I make contact with them I have exhausted most of the 'amateur' repairs and run out of options .....
 
Gsailor said:
I hate to spend money on something I can do or replicate even if I can afford to buy it.
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Combined with procrastination this attitude is my curse and a trap.

I've spent far too long on the hard this time (too ashamed to admit how long) and have resolved never to get the boat lifted again without paying someone else to do the work.
 
Sandy said:
I enjoy doing stuff on the boat, it is why I bought one, BUT and it is a big but I will not do some safety critical work, e.g. rigging, as a rigger does it every day and I would do it once or twice in a lifetime.
Click to expand...
I have done my own rigging. It's simple engineering stuff. Rerigged my last boat completely. Replaced all the mizzen stays a couple of years ago on this boat. Fitted a new compact strand 10mm baby stay for the main mast at the same time. I used staylok fittings for all of it. I also installed a second forestay furler and running backstays. I quite enjoy rigging and have sorted out a few rig problems for friends.
I built mt own watermaker 10 years ago. Saved thousands of pounds in the process. I do everything on my boat. Almost never get anybody to do any work apart from the respray we had 2 years ago. Me and my wife replaced the aluminium toerails. A big job requiring the headlining panels down in the whole boat.
We recently did the galley and both heads work surfaces with self leveling epoxy. They look fantastic. Like glass.
 
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