We’ve had a recent run of boats coming into the shop that have required repowering. Many of these have needed the work for a frustrating cause: the boats broke down due to problems that could have been prevented if they’d been correctly maintained. Some actually sank!
Lack of proper maintenance can cause a boat to sink
There are a few issues that, left untreated, can cause a boat to take on water. Here are a couple we’ve seen recently:
- Transom shield corrosion: The transom shield holds the drives to the boat. It had started to corrode, and instead of treating it, someone just painted over it with antifoul before bringing in the boat for servicing. Had the owner not attempted a cheap solution, we would have picked up the corrosion during servicing and treated it. If you use a one-stop shop for all of your boat servicing, this sort of problem won’t occur.
- Deteriorated shaft log Seal and skin fitting: These hadn’t been checked for far too long, and they’d crumbled to the point that water wasn’t just getting in, it was getting in so fast that the bilge pump couldn’t keep up. Too much water got in and the boat sank. An annual professional servicing would have caught the deterioration while it was still minor and treated it.
Lack of maintenance = big cost
A recent customer went out for the day on his boat, thinking mostly about what a lovely day it was and how much he’d enjoy the trip. What he didn’t think about was whether the boat had been serviced recently, or if the basic maintenance aspects were up to scratch, such as oil levels. While he was out on the water, the engine ran out of oil, and stopped, seized. Fortunately, he was only out in the Broadwater, so he could get towed home and was not in danger. Not so fortunate was the fact that the lack of regular servicing and oil checks cost him a complete engine!
Another customer at least knew what he was getting into when he bought a second-hand boat that hadn’t received regular maintenance and he negotiated a discount on the purchase price because the engine was in bad condition as a result of the findings of a pre –purchase inspection. The heat exchanger was badly corroded and one cylinder was showing very poor compression. However, with the engine repaired and refitted quickly and on-budget, he’s now completely happy with his purchase – and is determined to keep this engine well-maintained.
Spend a little now to save a lot later
Tempting though it can be to rely on DIY for your boat maintenance, it can end up costing you a lot more money than you save. Remember that professionals have a deep knowledge and understanding of boats, and can recognise and fix potential problems before they damage your vessel.
Contact us to discuss your options for repowering your boat.
