Do you work on your engine?

[Dave Charles]

doing my own repairs

recently my wife and i purchased a mac gregor 1984 22ft the boat was in pretty good shape by most peoples standards. however i always manage to find things that can be improved upon. having grown up as a motorhead tinkering with go-carts and mini-bikes, then spending 6 years in the air force working as a mechanic,welder,machinist. i tend to do all of my own work. finding someone trustworthy and resonably priced is difficult. i also do fiberglass work as well as custom painting as a side business.

 

[Sam Lust]

Plain and Simple

I do ALL the work on our Hunter 33. Everything. Engine swap, filling holes in the hull left by obsolete senders, relocating and enlarging the electrical panel, adding neat stuff like a self made anchor platform, to setting up a trailer to carry the boat and haul it home for the winter. It's the ONLY way to make the boat your own. I have no fears of being stranded on the water because I know EVERY inch of my boat and have the knowledge (and materials on board) to fix it.

 

[Steven Clevenger]

minor maintenance regulary

I started right from the beginning changing the oil and filter on my engine. I'm collecting spare parts I might need Ie: impeller, fuel filter, oil filter and drive belt. I want to be ready for the unexpected. Plus it is a little comforting to know I have these parts on board.

 

[Erik]

3 hp outboard is easy to work on

I have a '96 3 hp Johnson outboard on my Capri 18. I also have two service manuals (Seloc and Clymer) for it and 18 years of automotive mechanic experience. The Clymer manual is the better of the two books. Even if I had an inboard diesel, I'd do virtually all the work on it.

 

[Vic Suben]

Mechanically Declined

I perform routine maintenance myself. For work that requires special knowledge of diesel engines, I hire a competent mechanic.

 

[Richard N. Myers]

Engine work

I inherited a natural aptitude for mechanical things from my father. With study and practice, I have become proficient maintaining and repairing all kinds of boat engines, outboards, inboards. I designed and built an airscrew propulsion system for a Yngling racing yacht. On that particular boat, mounting a standard outboard engine is extremely difficult. My airscrew system with a 1hp 2-cycle engine works better than even I thought it would. It is small, light, and quiet.

 

[Rick Webb]

It Will Never Catch On

This idea of letting someone else work on your boat, car, house, etc... is just a passing fad and will not last.

 

[SailboatOwners.com]

Final results

Final results for the Quick Quiz ending 9/16/2001:Do you work on your engine?32% I do it all30% Regular maintenance only25% just small projects13% I hire it all out

 

[Rick Blackburn]

Under Most Circumstances

Short of a removal and overhaul of the engine, I do it myself. A diesel is easy to understand and in the case of the O'Day 30 relatively easy to work on. i, however don not hesitate to call upon the knowledge base of the yard mechanic, who is always very accomodating and full of suggestions on how to approach just about anything.