You're all incompetent!

Salty John

Salty John

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www.saltyjohn.co.uk
I’ve just concluded a debate by email with the manager of a marine electrical products manufacturer. Discussing customer support and warranty issues I told him that his product would typically be bought from a chandlery and fitted by the boat owner.

His reaction to the fact that boat owners might undertake the installation of DC electrics was scathing:..... boat owners haven’t a clue when it comes to the engineering of their boats but to save money or to feed their ego or just for something to do they take on jobs beyond their competence...blah, blah, blah. Boats catch fire etc, etc. you can buy a scalpel but it doesn't mean you can do surgery etc.

I was quite surprised at this attitude. after all, the item in question is only a 12v bilge pump switch!

It had never occurred to me that the typical boater would employ an electrical engineer to fit the bilge switch he'd just picked up at his local chandlery. I'm sure some do but I've always imagined that most boaters would take the DIY route.

So, do you know your own level of competence or are you inclined to set about open heart surgery because it looks easy?
 
The chap you were discussing this with clearly is unaware of a major part of his market...Given the name of this forum, the idea of paying someone else to do an easy job like fitting a bilge pump switch will be an anathama to most forumites - however, if everyone had the same attitude, a lot of marine businesses would go bust!
 
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He's also on dangerous grounds.... there are probably a good handful of people on this site alone that have forgotten more about DC electrics than he ever knew....

I'd never pay someone to do a job for me unless it required really really specialist skills or tools. Its not just that i'm tight, but also, that I enjoy doing the work myself, know its done carefully and to a high standard, and most importantly of all, means that I know my own boat inside out for when it goes wrong!
 
Surely, Half the fun of doing it yourself, is the c*ck up that invariably ensues?

What would I do for half the season, without spending hours, swearing at inanimate objects, returning over and over to the chandler as I continually forget certain "bits" to complete my installation?

Not to mention using tools that are being forced to do jobs they are not designed for ( using a knife as a screwdriver ring a bell?), then looking for sticking plaster/gaffer tape/ kitchen towel to stem the bleeding.

And, I haven't even touched on the invariable b*llocking or tutting you get from friends,forumites when you tell them what you've done.

This then leads to stories of woe/death/divorce and no doubt near misses from someone who knew someone.

This is then pulled apart by everyone else.

Jaysus, if I were to use an engineer, none of the above would occur! Where would I be then????

Besides, theres always insurance if it does go t*ts up :)
 
I've only had someone else do two things on my boat: 1) new standing rigging with a new jib furler; 2) new engine hoses.

The furler guy cocked up by not installing locktite on the foil bolts, and the hose guy insisted on installing a looped hose against my instructions/wishes and the loop ended up rubbing on itself.

I do all the rest. Last week replaced our exhaust hose from the muffler with my son's help. Friends with the same boat have received "quotes" for the same work for over $600!!! Less than $200 in materials and three hours of work (OK, we had to stop and think about it a few times).

I know it was done right and how it all works.

Did the same with electrical over the years.

My first effort was a bilge pump switch. Coincidence???
 
Only jobs I will unconditionally pay someone for is plastering and large areas of tiling. Neither of which are relevant to a boat.

Pete
 
Incontinent:? Moi?

Salty John said:
I’ve just concluded a debate by email with the manager of a marine electrical products manufacturer. Discussing customer support and warranty issues I told him that his product would typically be bought from a chandlery and fitted by the boat owner.

His reaction to the fact that boat owners might undertake the installation of DC electrics was scathing:..... boat owners haven’t a clue when it comes to the engineering of their boats but to save money or to feed their ego or just for something to do they take on jobs beyond their competence...blah, blah, blah. Boats catch fire etc, etc. you can buy a scalpel but it doesn't mean you can do surgery etc.

I was quite surprised at this attitude. after all, the item in question is only a 12v bilge pump switch!

It had never occurred to me that the typical boater would employ an electrical engineer to fit the bilge switch he'd just picked up at his local chandlery. I'm sure some do but I've always imagined that most boaters would take the DIY route.

So, do you know your own level of competence or are you inclined to set about open heart surgery because it looks easy?
Click to expand...

What twerp!
Think we want names or a healthy clue to the identity.

The money saving, the confidence that the job has been done as well as possible and knowing the finer points of the workings of the boat are a few reasons for DIY.

Brushes with alleged professionals have not been good in my experience.
Their only training is to turn up late and suck air through their teeth whilst talking up the bill and expressing amazement that we have not caught fire, sunk, been arrested or gassed in our beds.

Without exception I have been shafted by engineers.
The last one told me he had to replace the engine mount rubbers whilst replacing the stern gland and cutless bearing.
The most professional bit of his act was the full palette of creativity he brought to the bill he composed to rival the Greek national debt.

He was as much a stranger to the truth as he was to any pretence of engineering skill.

So, anyone know a good engineer who can replace my engine mounts? The ability to ensure that the engine and the shaft are aligned [this time].
All this so the stern gland lasts a bit longer this time?
 
This is all very very interesting. Here is another angle. All work on my yacht has been done by proffesionals and I have the receipts to prove it.

There are two advantages with this; 1.. I have a full warranty for the work!!
2..When I come to sell the yacht, I have all the paperwork to prove that it was proffesionaly done.

Yes I do certain small jobs myself ie. Change oil and filters fit bilge pump swithches, chnge bulbs, re-fit tri-colours (a friend went up the mast-my bad hip)

Peter
 
I am sure we can also call on local skippers that we know for help and advice if we are not sure. Recently got my friend to check my radar which was not working. He knew nothing about radar but good on electrics, found loose wire Hey Presto everything worked.

I used to get most of my work done by professionals but as I have gained experience and confidence I tend to tackle jobs myself.
 
I reccon that as most of us self maintain and up grade our boats we know how to repair them.

Which means that when things go wrong we can fix them ourselves.

Which means less wear and tear on the RNLI

It would be interesting to see the number of rescues of owner/drivers vs Charterers...

Anyway, working on the boat is almost as much fun as sailing it- for me anyway.
 
I watched the local yard do a basic engine service on my former boat (after I sold it). They managed to get the engine sounding rougher than a chap smoking 40 Navy Cut per day because (I'm pretty sure) they either didn't fit the CAV filters correctly or didn't bleed the lines properly. The sound of unhappy engine went on for some time whilst a lot of teeth sucking and pondering occurred. My heart bled for the good engine that I had maintained for the previous 7 years, I'm just glad the new owner was not in earshot. I tend not to use them myself....
 
Stemar said:
Full set of scalpels. Most of my patients have survived. :)
Click to expand...
That would be the ones that got up and ran away!

As others have said, it pays to do your own, so you know it's done right and you know how to fix it. I was reminded of a friend who had the wiper switch on his car fixed for £50, as the wipers wouldn't park. They pulled the parking supply wire off - fixed! I did however "pay" a mate to do my antifouling when my back was crank...

Rob.
 
Salty John said:
His reaction to the fact that boat owners might undertake the installation of DC electrics was scathing:..... boat owners haven’t a clue when it comes to the engineering of their boats but to save money or to feed their ego or just for something to do they take on jobs beyond their competence...blah, blah, blah. Boats catch fire etc, etc. you can buy a scalpel but it doesn't mean you can do surgery etc.
Click to expand...

Is he by chance related to Gerald Ratner? :D

I think if you spoke to Garmin or Raymarine, they would say that quite a large proportion of their kit is brought and fitted DIY..
 
:)

Given the state of the wiring on our previous boat when we bought it, he may have a point!

I guess it's always dangerous to generalise - there are certainly a lot of bodgers around who are only saved by the fact that it is just 12v. I've got a bit of paper from a university somewhere that says I'm qualified (at least I was a very long time ago) to do it, so I'm all right Jack!
 
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