Please excuse my rant but I just don't understand about something made apparent on this forum. Most of the boats have $2K worth of engine or more and lights to run at night. Why would anybody take a trip up a creek or into the dark without $20 multi-meter. How are they going to charge their $60/mo. iphone if there's no power at the nav station. If their phone works and they call for help and the tech asks if there is power to the starter are they only going to answer that when the the button pushed nothing happens? Why would they not want to know where electricity is available to run some necessary gadget for their transportation back home or which part is broke and needs to be disconnected? Or if there is a loose wire at the dock is it ac or dc is it dead or hot?
Electrified
- Thread starter LloydB
- Start date
This must have been heavy on your mind to post that at 1:00am. Helping out on someone's dark boat until late? 
I don't know; as a very mechanically inclined person, these simple things baffle me. When it comes so easily, and truly simple concepts that are not exactly cutting edge. I have a regular/preferred customer right now that I gave a sympathy meter too a couple of weeks ago, and i would bet a hundred bucks he hasn't opened up the box at all. I have tried several times to explain the difference between AC & DC voltages to the sum of, "your auto and boat is twelve volts, and the house is 110v". Mostly. And he'll never get it. Very smart individual that is self employed successfully. I wouldn't do his job for a million bucks a year, but he likes it, and I evidently don't need money bad enough. It ain't like he's pushing a hot-dog cart..
My brother-in-law to this day can not change an auto battery. He shoots in the low 60's at golf and is a pro. Very good obviously, and makes enough money to hire people to do these things. With no inclination to learn this at all. In my immediate neighborhood, I'll bet there isn't two guys here that know how to jump start their own auto. While it's fair to say this area doesn't attract your common mechanic, it is still puzzling that these simple skills go utterly disregarded. Sadly these are simple things that don't have an app. Google will not start a dead engine. I had an incident a month ago, a USArmy general no less that powered out offshore. After an hour of trying to describe how to series two twelve volt dying batteries straight to the starter to re establish power, I gave up and told him to call Sea Tow. Damnnnnnn.. How frustrating.
Some people will never learn. They just do not want to. I haven't taken a new customer in over a year and have tried hard to just retire, but people like this keep me busy. Must be some sense of obligation, but now I wonder if I am just enabling them..
I'm ranting as well. Go figure. Mechanics are, or they are not. There certainly seems to be no shortage of business, whether you want it or not..
I don't know; as a very mechanically inclined person, these simple things baffle me. When it comes so easily, and truly simple concepts that are not exactly cutting edge. I have a regular/preferred customer right now that I gave a sympathy meter too a couple of weeks ago, and i would bet a hundred bucks he hasn't opened up the box at all. I have tried several times to explain the difference between AC & DC voltages to the sum of, "your auto and boat is twelve volts, and the house is 110v". Mostly. And he'll never get it. Very smart individual that is self employed successfully. I wouldn't do his job for a million bucks a year, but he likes it, and I evidently don't need money bad enough. It ain't like he's pushing a hot-dog cart..
My brother-in-law to this day can not change an auto battery. He shoots in the low 60's at golf and is a pro. Very good obviously, and makes enough money to hire people to do these things. With no inclination to learn this at all. In my immediate neighborhood, I'll bet there isn't two guys here that know how to jump start their own auto. While it's fair to say this area doesn't attract your common mechanic, it is still puzzling that these simple skills go utterly disregarded. Sadly these are simple things that don't have an app. Google will not start a dead engine. I had an incident a month ago, a USArmy general no less that powered out offshore. After an hour of trying to describe how to series two twelve volt dying batteries straight to the starter to re establish power, I gave up and told him to call Sea Tow. Damnnnnnn.. How frustrating.
Some people will never learn. They just do not want to. I haven't taken a new customer in over a year and have tried hard to just retire, but people like this keep me busy. Must be some sense of obligation, but now I wonder if I am just enabling them..
I'm ranting as well. Go figure. Mechanics are, or they are not. There certainly seems to be no shortage of business, whether you want it or not..
HF often gives them away free at checkout or buy one for less than $5, but Chris covered pretty much why,
Sum
To be honest, I don't see how anyone can operate a boat WITHOUT being a mechanic, electrician, and carpenter. The maintenance and repair list I go through each year is endless. What do others do ? ? ?
And POWER BOATERS ................. how many of them even get back to the marina is amazing .
Chris has gotten to the heart of the matter. People don't want to learn. I think they get a look at the back of an electrical panel or at an engine bay, are instantly overwhelmed, close it back up and hope they'll never need to service it themselves.
Like Chris said, it's the same with the auto industry. I rebuilt the engine myself in the car that will take me to work this morning. I'm no genius. It's not as complicated as some people assume that it is.
Like Chris said, it's the same with the auto industry. I rebuilt the engine myself in the car that will take me to work this morning. I'm no genius. It's not as complicated as some people assume that it is.
Lloyd,
The answer to your questions are simple.
Not all boaters are created equal man, either because of money, ignorance, sloth, indifference and/or stupidity.
With all the available services out there today, I see more & more owners that rather take the easy approach & just have someone else fix it. Take for instance some threads on this site. How many times do we see questions posted & think to ourselves, this guy couldn't spend five minutes first delving alittle deeper, but would rather just throw it out there for guys like us to do his homework for him? When I see these threads like a few I saw this weekend, I wouldn't waste my time trying to help those that don't first try to help themselves.
This may seem a bit cold but, over the years I have seen many unnecessary problems this has caused.
Part of being a responsible boater is to try & be a jack of all trades. Knowing alittle about your mech/elec. systems & having the necessary equip. can prove to be a lifesaver, not to mention having a good trip as opposed to bad.
I always remind my guests that if you go to sea knowing there is something not right with your boat, rest assure the sea will find it at the worst possible times. Owners have a responsibility to equip their boat properly. You don't have to have it all, but you should have the important stuff installed or at hand.
CR
The answer to your questions are simple.
Not all boaters are created equal man, either because of money, ignorance, sloth, indifference and/or stupidity.
With all the available services out there today, I see more & more owners that rather take the easy approach & just have someone else fix it. Take for instance some threads on this site. How many times do we see questions posted & think to ourselves, this guy couldn't spend five minutes first delving alittle deeper, but would rather just throw it out there for guys like us to do his homework for him? When I see these threads like a few I saw this weekend, I wouldn't waste my time trying to help those that don't first try to help themselves.
This may seem a bit cold but, over the years I have seen many unnecessary problems this has caused.
Part of being a responsible boater is to try & be a jack of all trades. Knowing alittle about your mech/elec. systems & having the necessary equip. can prove to be a lifesaver, not to mention having a good trip as opposed to bad.
I always remind my guests that if you go to sea knowing there is something not right with your boat, rest assure the sea will find it at the worst possible times. Owners have a responsibility to equip their boat properly. You don't have to have it all, but you should have the important stuff installed or at hand.
CR