The Ongoing Saga. Boat repairs.

[hlb]

I posted a few months ago, about the problems of getting boat repairs in Wales, some will remember.

It started with Polymarine, who are based near by in Colwyn bay, my order was ignored. Then it was the recommended upholstery firm, that came five times, but could only refurbish the whole boat and redesign it, not repair the little damaged bit. I had to cart the cushions and fly bridge seats back home to get them sorted. Then came the on site anti fouling lot, I'm sure they were on drugs, a host of daft questions and giving stupid answers. They even recommended a bloke on a scruffy liveaboard as an engineer, even though they were part of a joint venture that did the engineering next door. The liveaboard bloke never turned up to do the job. I tried an elecricery bloke that was advertising down town, but his wife was ill, tried another who turned up. then disappeared again. The on site mending lot seemed to have issues about what and for whom they mended thing for, six months ago, when they finally mended the webasco, only two years old. It took them three months to get round to it. I thought today, I'd give them another chance. Things may have have gone wrong before, or whatever.

So I rang them today, eventually got through. It was like the Spanish inquisition again. We will call you back. But no one did.

Gave up, tried another firm. Got more sense and said they would look and ring back.

Iv'e gone through about ten firms now, the vast majority dint turn up. the ones that do, dont do anything.

The latest one is ringing me back when they have had a look. Hopefully.

 

[Tidnock]

what is it you need doing?

 

[Pendana]

I guess its a case of if you want something doing ..............do it yourself!!
Seriously I've found that it's really difficult to get any services done here in the north east. The only Volvo agent is in Newcastle and needs three months notice.
Canopy repairs or renewals are done now by a chap in the Lake District.
It seems if you are not Solent based or at least south coast based there are few people who service the marine leisure industry.

Eddie

 

[Wiggo]

Absolutely. We get ignored and ripped off much more promptly, and a much greater choice of people to be ignored by. But I guess that's one of the reasons it's so much more expensive here.

 

[Tidnock]

there is a problem that adds to this, whereby, for the past 25 years apprenticeships and trades have not been in vogue. I come from the construction equipment industry, supplying excavators, fitters are a dying breed and very hard to find.

There are few or no technical colleges anymore in many regions and how many of us have or will be encouraging their children to be striping engines down in the rain and cold, so some of the reason you cannot get many jobs done is because we live in a high tech, push button society.

 

[hlb]

I cant believe it, after umteen goes. The one I wrang yesterday is on the job.

New oil cooler.

 

[Tidnock]

I cant believe it, after umteen goes. The one I wrang yesterday is on the job.

New oil cooler.

Is it M.E.S.

 

[hlb]

Is it M.E.S.

Yep.

 

[BlueSkyNick]

Maybe an opportunity for someone set up a new business, provide a decent service, and corner the market.

 

[Philiz]

I cant believe it, after umteen goes. The one I wrang yesterday is on the job.

New oil cooler.

That'll relieve yer of a few beer tokens

 

[Tidnock]

Is it M.E.S.

Yep.

They are doing some work for me as we speak, they seem very knowledgeable, obliging, and ring back when they say they are going to, so far I am very impressed. Although I have not seen their work yet, their service and approach is excellent.

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

there is a problem that adds to this, whereby, for the past 25 years apprenticeships and trades have not been in vogue. I come from the construction equipment industry, supplying excavators, fitters are a dying breed and very hard to find.

There are few or no technical colleges anymore in many regions and how many of us have or will be encouraging their children to be striping engines down in the rain and cold, so some of the reason you cannot get many jobs done is because we live in a high tech, push button society.

Er, I don't think so. Thanks to Crash Gordon's credit crunch and it's effect on the construction industry, I'm afraid that plant fitters are ten a penny at the moment. I get e-mails and CV's regularly from fitters asking for work and some from highly experienced people. Yes, it will be a problem in the future that young people are not attracted into the industry but, at the moment, it ain't

 

[Tidnock]

Er, I don't think so. Thanks to Crash Gordon's credit crunch and it's effect on the construction industry, I'm afraid that plant fitters are ten a penny at the moment. I get e-mails and CV's regularly from fitters asking for work and some from highly experienced people. Yes, it will be a problem in the future that young people are not attracted into the industry but, at the moment, it ain't

Well, what I did not say, was, I retired at 44 when we sold the company in April 2007 right at the peak. I am sure there are a good few fitters looking for work now, however, there was, and still is, an increasing shortage of fresh blood coming into the trade or any trade for that matter, whatever the economic climate, this remains the same.

The original post was focussed upon boat repairers and I drew a general analogy, populous wise there would have been a limited number of quality experienced boat engineers operating in the area concerned pre recession, as there will be post recession, in fact they probably are unaffected.

 

[AndieMac]

Often tradesmen find working on boats 'unneccessarily' difficult, unless they are a boat specific workplace, and understand the often, less than straightforward, issues that are involved with getting it right.

We hope to find cheaper alternatives with mattresses, canopies, joinery, mechanics etc... and often get disappointed with the result of the job and the attitude.

The non boat-specific tradies find it a lot easier to work on truck canopies, production line domestic bedding, mostly square kitchen cupboards and family cars. The job is done, they get the cash and go home. They don't need the hassle of odd shapes to work around and having to travel to marinas or moorings.

Pricing the job becomes an issue because of extra time involved in travelling, reshaping, refitting and battling the effects of corrosion. The boat owner does not want to pay for the extra time and the tradie feels arkward charging it (some do anyway), and so starts more problems.

An experienced boat tradesman is a valuable commodity and should be supported, understanding they are few in numbers and only work 8 hours a day!