How Do You Get It Done?

Buy a new one every year!

I once recommended a medium caliber handgun, and shooting one's toes off one by one. Less painful, less costly, and less recovery time than owning a boat.

Join one of those Time Share Yacht Clubs. Then you just show up at a location and drive the boat away and bring it back dirty and walk away.

Hey, that's pretty good!

I have had decent success, over the years, with putting absentee owners with 'caretaker' captains who do a weekly service: exercise the machinery & systems and report on what needs fixing. This takes all of an hour.
Interestingly, it is sometimes the owners who take the, um, frugal route and the ensuing neglect is their own fault.

Our family boat was owned for 30+ years, a 1955. Wood hull, fiberglassed. The best thing that could be done was use it frequently, and we did. All fluids and systems were checked at least weekly and the boat was exercised at least every weekend (if nothing more than running from Mystic, CT to Block Island, RI). The yard typically had all week to do any work that we noted; they didn't have to chase down gremlins or hope that the owner would figure them out. The boat moved often enough that the bottom and all underwater moving parts were fairly clean, so if and when we got hauled underwater issues were a lot easier to find and repair.

One of the best things that can be done is to have the kids in the family take an interest, and have the little bilge rats cleaning every nook and cranny the way we did.

It needs to be impressed upon new owners that a boat is not a car or an appliance. You can't just hit the key and go, and take it in to the dealer every 5,000 miles. You can't just leave it docked and throw a sheet over the couch then come back next spring to hop in and go. If people want an expensive car, they should buy an expensive car. If people want a cottage, they should buy a cottage. If they want an RV, they should buy an RV.

Some new owners should even have it drummed into their heads that boats don't have brakes, either. I'm sure we've all seen some really bonehead moves at gas docks through the years!

Everyone has to learn at some point.

And they have to learn lessons that can not be taught by someone else, can not be taught through reading, but by yourself through trial, error and the expense of failure. (emphasis on the expense / define failure as you wish) This typically means you destroy the first few boats you own.

I've always said, one of the happiest days of my life: The day we bought our 5th (fifth) boat.

I know most major boating areas have "Yacht Management" companies. These companies will not only wash and wax but do interior cleaning, engine and systems check and even refuel if wanted. This will help the boat remain "ship shape." The companies in Maryland will do this service for most any boat over 30' for a seasonal package price. This might allow those technically challenged owners to keep their boat looking and operating good.

For nearly 50 years, Monaco Boat Service have done just that. I used to take a walk in the morning and watch the guys opening up all the boat covers of all the wooden Rivas, starting up the engines and checking them so the owner could go out on just a short notice. Some boats are also stored on racks in the rock and you just call and tell them when you want to use it. So, for anyone prepared to pay for a perfect maintained boat, there are people prepared to do the job. Have a look at all the Rivas, nice intro http://www.riva-mbs.net/index.html

Although it may be outside the budget of the smaller boats in your range, we provide a complete scheduled maintenance system that can be scaled down to suit smaller craft.

Essentially we visit the yacht, photograph and catalogue every item of equipment that requires regular servicing and then produce a manual (both paper based and electronic) which details not only what has to be done and when, but also shows you exactly how to do it.

If the owner is not on board then this is something that can be passed on to the company/person responsible for the maintenance and as there are step by step instructions on how to perform the tasks accompanied by photographs of the actual equipment then it should be an easy task for them to complete.

As simple report could be developed to send to the owner detailing the work done each month. The system covers ALL equipment on board, Mechanical, Electrical, Deck and Safety.

Agreed that it is probably a bit simpler here in Lauderdale, but the theory still works.

If a detailed, yet simple to follow, set of instructions are created, preferably with photographs to show grease points, valves to be exercised etc. are created then it boils down to finding someone who is able and willing to follow these instructions on a regular basis.

However, I suspect that is where the root of the problem is, finding someone reliable and at a cost where the owner can see that the outlay will reap it's rewards in terms of less money to be spent in equipment that has not been maintained.

Unfortunately it is far too common that boat owners let the regular maintenance and upkeep of their vessel slip, particularly in the size range that you mentioned in your initial post.

Even here, you don't have to look too hard to find the distressing site of boats that appear to have passed the point of no return, particularly those in the 20 - 40' range.

We are currently working with a couple of yacht builders doing exactly that and talking to more to try to get them to buy into the concept. When a new boat is finished, we go on board and catalogue every item that needs regular maintenance, including mechanical, electrical, deck and safety equipment and put together a schedule with detailed, but easy to follow, instructions and photographs of the actual equipment on board.

However, this is mainly for boats over 60' (the majority using our system are in the 100' - 150' range), I suspect the cost could be prohibitive for smaller craft, although our system could be easily scaled down it still needs someone to go through all the equipment and produce the plan. However, there is no reason why we couldn't do a generic one for the smaller standard production boats and then effectively license it to them....food for thought.

I would submit that the yacht management team is the best way to go. I think that all the manuals and photos in the world will not encourage an owner to check engineroom stuff if he is just not inclined to do it.

I am the type of yacht owner who, on a regular basis, hires a mechanic to come aboard and check fluid levels in the engines and gen. They were aboard today in fact. I'm pleased to report that all was fine. For me, it makes sense to do this as I am not terribly mechanical. To have a pair of trained eyes in the engineroom on my boat, taking a general look around, tends to help me head off problems before they occur. While they are in there, I have them look at the steering fluid and pressure, and pick up on the bilge pump float switches to test each one.

I will happily do my own weekly wash job, but the mechanicals aboard my boat are left to the mechanics.