stingy tightarse survey

[aztec]

good man... can't dissagree with any of your sentiments.

interested in stuff that needs mendin'

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[aztec]

"if it's expensive it must be good" or heres another "if you have to ask how much... you can't aford it" or "you don't get nothing for free" or "you have to pay to get good quality/service" what a load of bollox! welcome "tightarse, you're with friends now.

regards, steve.

interested in stuff that needs mendin'

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[david_bagshaw]

Ok add me to the list

for the following reasons

1 cost,

2 it is almost impossible to find a yard that actually does what you pay for and on time. (without paying a kings ransome)

3 if you fix it now in port hopefully you know what to expect when it goes wrong at sea.

4 there are no boat yards in the north sea / near to hand / speak your lingo / carry the needed spare when you need them.


do I need to go on .... self reliance


Happy mendin!!!!


David
www.euroboating.net

 

[aztec]

maybe we could start a skip club. i often see posts requiring old kit, wood,ply and the like. we've all got old rubbish that would do someone else.

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[aztec]

welcome to the list, it's got a bit long now! ;-)

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[aztec]

just had a look at your profile, you're definitely on the list! sir we salute you..

interested in stuff that needs mendin'

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[Paulka]

Being a tightarse led me to .... let others do the job!
At least some of them.
For instance: antifouling, "heavy" engine maintenance, painting, varnishing.
Here, my calculation:
1.- Materials: the professionals get a substantial discount (20 - 25%) on all materials, paint, brushes, sanding paper, etc. Here in Spain, they will let you take profit at least of part of this discount.
2.- Manpower: I was in the lucky situation that I could, and did work overtime which was paid at a premium (25 - 50%). The income I got for the overtime was used to pay the peoples working on my boat while I was working the overtime. Thus, at the end of the day, I earned more than I paid, and could enjoy sailing as soon as I was done with my job.
3.- Special tools: wherever special tools are needed, you end up at either buying them at high cost, or doing a lousy job with "normal" and usually inadequate tools, damaging whatever you're trying to fix, .... and your tools. The professionals usually don't charge you for the tools, except for what is included anyway in the hourly rate.

Of course, there are jobs I prefer to do myself, so, they are done exactly - hopefully ;-) - as I want them to be done, and at a lower cost, as those are usually time consuming, and "undemanding" ones.

As I discovered, age is an important factor as well! I like my confort more and more, and appreciate when the work is as effortless as possible!

It's just my opinion!

Paul

 

[aztec]

very valid points paul, points that i would agree with.however, my job does'nt allow me to do overtime, does'nt pay me enough to afford a "decent" boat (with all the other costs of a family, but it does allow me time off, to play about with house, cars, boats etc. i just wondered firstly whether there were others in similar situations, who would'nt be able to have boats, if they had to pay high prices for rerpair/maintenance.

my mate has a lovely boat 35ft twin engines, realy pretty, just remortgaged house to fit new engines! £7.5K each.. i know marine engineering is somewhat seasonal but bloody hell, i clould have bought and fitted two lorry engines, marinised them, painted them hamerite blue, and gone on holiday to barbados (was going to to to antigua, but could'nt spell it) for that.

boating does seem to be an income based hobby, but i hope to get as much enjoyment out of my little boat in the bays of the dorset coast, as those that can afford to cruise the med...... yea right!!!

best wishes, steve.

interested in stuff that needs mendin'

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[graham]

Ive just spent an hour melting the end of some inch and a quarter pipe( some waster was going to bin it) so it will fit on my inch and a half bilge pump connections./

Im very proud of the result ,it brings a warm glow to my tight stingy arse heart.

I like the idea of a "virtual yacht club skip" type forum.

Judging by the replies there will never be much in it for very long.

 

[Jcorstorphine]

Great engine, simple to work on and no special tools, conversion kit available from Lancing marine. I converted one in about 1980 and it was then 7 years old and had been in a Post Office van. It is still running as I came across the new ownere of the boat a few months ago. The engine is still built in India and spares can be got from AMC in preston

J

 

[oldsaltoz]

G’day Steve.
I do all the repairs, maintenance, and modifications on our boat, and a fair bit on other people’s boats from time to time. I have seen some of the “professional” work on other boats, even fixed it for others. I like to know how well a job is done, rather than assume the pro’ did it right.
No job is too big and no job is too complex; you can find just about any information on any subject these days, so why not improve your own ability. If I do run into a problem, I can’t resolve I rely on my network of friend and contacts in the trades.
If you think you cannot fix, modify, or manufacture any item, speak to someone who can or study the subject, the information is out there, use it.
I also keep a very close eye on developments in design and innovation in the marine industry and find it fascinating; there is nothing greater than completing a project well and looking back with pride saying, “I did that”.
Just read my post, I must look up ‘get a life’…

Andvagoodweekend Old Salt Oz……

 

[Guest]

Well...........you did ask.
I cannot claim to be poor, in fact..........
But I cannot abide paying people to do a job when I can do it myself. I don't know what it is. Am I a control freak ??. Am I so cynical or vain to think that I know best.
Or am I just the same as all the posts above me - I enjoy understanding the problem, working out the solution and having the satisfaction that it is little me that sorted it out. Or is it just a poor excuse for being an absolute tightarse ??.

I think those of us that are technically minded really enjoy the challenge of keeping all the bits on a boat together. Also if you can understand the problem well enough to explain it to someone then it is likely that you can solve it.

Only ever had 3 jobs done in 14 years - making new steel engine beds [blacksmith in yard], making and doubling up the frames in massive old gaffer to take the engine beds [shipwright] and a very small engine job that completly stumped me.

I'll tell you the engine job because I still cant believe it.

First boat was Hurley 22 with Watermota engine [petter mini cub about 6 hp] and come Spring wouldn't turn over [electric or hand - wouldn't budge an inch]. I shit myself, newly married no spare money and thought the engine had seized. Dream was going seriously wrong.

I like to know who I'm dealing with so my Nav teacher [ a she ] recommended great mechanic who sails. He went down to boat.
Problem was: water pump had been leaking a bit and spraying a bit over the engine. The flywheel was somewhat encased to protect me I suppose. The clearance between the flywheel and the casing wasn't great [why should it be] and the seawater had settled at the bottom of the casing and spent the winter growing fur to the point where it met the flywheel and just locked the whole thing up rock solid.

Ran fresh water over it for some time until it dissolved/washed away. Best £30 I spent in a long time.[OK it was 1988]


This may be another point - if you do all your own stuff then, when you are forced to pay for others, you really appreciate the skill and work that they bring to the job. There really are some very skilled people out there and it is humbling to see the skill they bring to their job.

My wife despairs of me - I picked a lovely Cetrek 30A battery charger out of the skips at Titchmarsh. I even phoned France to try to get that bastard to work but no such luck. [Yes i really really did try everything] It went back to Titchmarsh about 6 weeks later.

best wishes to all you tightarses


Andrew

 

[Guest]

Silly me.
I forgot who is reading these threads
Well that Cetrek battery charger went back in the skip about 2 years ago so don't go running for your car keys you lot.

Do the internet companies take a reverse charge call ??
Andrew

 

[dickh]

Yes, I like doing things myself, as usually can't afford the yard prices, although whereI am they are reasonable. One of the few times I used them was last year 5 days before our annual cruise when the loo large seacock jammed and the handle was wrenched off. Didn't have time to do it myself and the tides were wrong for laying on the posts, so got the yard to do it. I also enjoy making things to improve comfort on board at a saving over the bought items.
Current problem is the alternator has packed up, local car electric repair shop says it needs a new regulator but can't source one yet - its a Lucas A127 55Amp with insulated return so can any one out there help?

 

[WayneS]

Except for electronics, I do the lot myself, for 2 reasons. One because I cannot afford to pay someone and two so that when something breaks out at sea, I know how to fix it.

In the last week I have learnt every twist and turn about Hydraulic drive systems, how they work, how to test them etc etc.

I take every problem as a learning experience.

There you go, another stingy bastard to add to your list.

 

[aztec]

hi wayne, interseted in your experience with hydraulic steering, looking at fitting it on my boat, trying to source parts without the word "marine" creeping into the quote!

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[Gordonmc]

Hi,
The BMC 1500 was originally marinised by Thorneycroft (now defunct) and dubbed the T90. It is a standard unit fitted to L10 vans and Sherpas, so actual engine parts are easily come by.
Getting hold of a bell-housing may be a problem without a doner unit. Woods of Crediton had some Hurth gearboxes on the shelf... maybe they could help. The early marinisation parts, a Bowden heat exchanger and Pioneer manifold cooler are discontinued, but a combined manifold/heat echanger is available from Lancing, AMC and ASAP.
Good, solid, no nonsense motors which develop around 35hp at the flywheel.
Best of luck!

 

[aztec]

aus-bloody-trailia! g'day mate, sunny out there? i agree, any one can do anything if they want to, all you need is the right informatio/training, and the right tools..and lots of time. and plasters, and pain killers...and...

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[WayneS]

Actually mine is not steering, it's the drive. Engine direct-drives a pump which drives a hydraulic motor which drives the prop. Does away with gearboxes and shafts etc.

Cheers

Wayne

 

[aztec]

altanators eh.. usually all mountings are the same, if you undo the three long bolts you can turn the "adjustment" lug round to suit. as long as youve got the standard push on type lucas connection you should be able to fit just about any altanator. a good bet is one from a sierra, they have 55 amp output and a tacho out put on some of them.

iv'e found that replacing the plug and connections, if they are even a little dirty prevents problems developing later.

good luck, steve.

interested in stuff that needs mendin'

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