Boat has me paranoid.. can't even enjoy it

[ericp501]

I bought my boat last year and feel like I haven't enjoyed it cause there is just always something wrong.. First my starter mount broke, then my trim pump went, then my bellow got a hole, then my shift cable froze.. and this is all since I summerized it this year! I just went to put it in my marina an hour and half away today but it had a small trickle leak that looks to be from the shift bellow cause the guy did a bad job. So now the boat is back home AGAIN!.. And even as I was trying to put it in and out of the water with it slightly trimmed up I was so nervous to give it gas thinking something else was going to break or go wrong. I'm so paranoid to take it out on the water now, I've spent more time fixing it then I've actually spent on the water. I'm really thinking about getting a refund on my slip and trying to sell the boat, but I feel like I'm so close to it being a working machine and I love being out on my friend's boat. I just don't know how much more I can put into this thing.. As of right now its been a huge waste of time and money. My heart is in my throat, my hands shake and my stomach has butterflys everytime I go to launch it now. Anyone else ever go through this? Did you get over it? Have you ever made it through a season where nothing went wrong?

 

[oops!]

Re: Boat has me paranoid.. can't even enjoy it

at the beginning of the season.....there is usually a ton of stuff to do on a boat......and you never know till you are on the water !

it sounds like the boat just needs maintenance.

it will take some time to do it.....a new bellows.....shift cable,,,,and going over all the systems....once you have the bugs worked out...

ebjoy.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Boat has me paranoid.. can't even enjoy it

Most of the boaters here have boats for pleasure. Being worried about the boat is not pleasurable. This is why I always recommend new boaters spend more money, and buy less boat, to get reliability as the #1 most important feature of the boat.

Even new boats have problems. But old boats have constant problems--the onlyones that don't are the ones that have been owned and carefully maintained by the same owner for years.

 

[ericp501]

Re: Boat has me paranoid.. can't even enjoy it

I guess.. I just hope its not like this all the time and I just need to fix some of the older parts. My boat has to be kept an hour away at my parent's place since I live in the city and have zero space for it. All the driving to work on it is getting very old. And I simply can't justify spending what the marina asks for to fix this stuff when I know I can do it myself at 1/20th the cost.

 

[ericp501]

Re: Boat has me paranoid.. can't even enjoy it

Most of the boaters here have boats for pleasure. Being worried about the boat is not pleasurable. This is why I always recommend new boaters spend more money, and buy less boat, to get reliability as the #1 most important feature of the boat.

Even new boats have problems. But old boats have constant problems--the onlyones that don't are the ones that have been owned and carefully maintained by the same owner for years.

This is a very good point!!.. I would have gone with less boat, but a new boat was just not an option. Mine is a 96 wellcraft that I picked up for next to nothing (right place right time) so I dont' mind putting a little time and money into it.. I just get very worried that somethign horrible is going to go wrong on the water or Im going to come back to my slip to find the boat under water. I have tow insurance and a 101 thrust trolling motor.. I dont' know what more I can do to make myself feel better about it. Like I said, I've just had so many things go wrong I can only picture more things going wrong.. I really haven't gotten the chance to see the "joy" in boating.. atleast not on my boat.

 

[oregoncruiser]

Re: Boat has me paranoid.. can't even enjoy it

I feel for you!! I went through the same thing. I finally got all the bugs worked out of it, I think, lol!! But even after that each time I took it out I always heard mystery noises. Most of which were probably in my head. Nonetheless, I just never had confidence in the boat. I sold it, took my lumps and moved on.

With my luck, the new owner will probably never have to touch a thing!! But it's not like a car that you can pull over and call a buddy to come pull you.

Think it over and decide if you can work through it and develop confidence in the boat. If not, comsider cutting your losses and turning it over. Just my $.02, hope I didnt offend!!

 

[kmarine]

Re: Boat has me paranoid.. can't even enjoy it

I have owned many boats and it does seem like things break in spurts. The key issue is anxiety of annother break down is ruining the fun and you cant relax. Some of the best mechanics can and do make mistakes. You should ask them politely to take care of it and if they are reputable they will. I had blown two engines in 1 season, and after a ton of headachs with warrenty issues I was ready to get rid of it. after two years of trouble free use I look back and am happy I did not. Just dont take any mechanical work on any machine not just boats for granted. Look at the work and ask questions if somthing does not seem right or if you hear a strange noise. the folks here will be glad to answer any questions.

 

[ericp501]

Re: Boat has me paranoid.. can't even enjoy it

I feel for you!! I went through the same thing. I finally got all the bugs worked out of it, I think, lol!! But even after that each time I took it out I always heard mystery noises. Most of which were probably in my head. Nonetheless, I just never had confidence in the boat. I sold it, took my lumps and moved on.

With my luck, the new owner will probably never have to touch a thing!! But it's not like a car that you can pull over and call a buddy to come pull you.

Think it over and decide if you can work through it and develop confidence in the boat. If not, comsider cutting your losses and turning it over. Just my $.02, hope I didnt offend!!

Not offended at all.. I got a good enough price on the boat when I bought it that I'm pretty sure I can sell it without taking a hit, even after all the time and money I've put into it. I just keep thinking I might not be in the best position to own a boat right now. I make good money for my age, but not enough that I'm okay with throwing $500 to my marina every week. My marina is 40 mins away from my apartment. I keep the boat at my parents who live 1 hour from me and 1 1/2 hours from my marina and my trailer would be kept at a friend's place 15 mins from the lake. If I lived 20 mins from the lake and had a yard, I think things would be different. Like you said, I have zero confidence in the boat at this point and no convenient way to work on it when things go wrong... I think I'm going to list it for sale and see if it sells while I continue to try and get it ready, if one more stupid thing goes wrong stopping me from putting it in the water I'm going to get the slip refunded and just sell it outright.

 

[ericp501]

Re: Boat has me paranoid.. can't even enjoy it

I have owned many boats and it does seem like things break in spurts. The key issue is anxiety of annother break down is ruining the fun and you cant relax. Some of the best mechanics can and do make mistakes. You should ask them politely to take care of it and if they are reputable they will. I had blown two engines in 1 season, and after a ton of headachs with warrenty issues I was ready to get rid of it. after two years of trouble free use I look back and am happy I did not. Just dont take any mechanical work on any machine not just boats for granted. Look at the work and ask questions if somthing does not seem right or if you hear a strange noise. the folks here will be glad to answer any questions.

See this is what freaks me out.. you at least had a warrenty.. I don't know what I'd do if my engine went, and if the second one went.. forget it!

 

[tomdinwv]

Re: Boat has me paranoid.. can't even enjoy it

Dealing with mechanical problems on a boat is frustrating. I know, been there, done that and I am doing it as I'm writing this. The first time you take her out and have a problem free day on the water, it will all seem worth it. Some people don't keep up with the maintanence on their boats and the problems get passed onto the next owner. Happens every day. Look at it this way, when you get everything in order you should have a reliable boat that will give you years of troublefree service and enjoyment. We can give advice on wheather to sell it or keep it but that's up to you. If you do sell it, every time you pass a body of water you will feel a little lump in your chest and will think "man, if I had only kept my boat, I could be out there right now"! I know, I had that feeling after I sold my last boat.

The one thing you have going for you is you found this site. All the info you need to get your boat in tip top shape is right here on iboats. These guys can walk you through everything from bow to stern on your boat and help you get it in shape. Like I said, the first problem free trip will make most of your paranoid feeling fade away. Buying a fixer upper boat is frustrating. Just hang in there. Good luck!

 

[tpenfield]

Re: Boat has me paranoid.. can't even enjoy it

I bought my boat last year and feel like I haven't enjoyed it cause there is just always something wrong... Have you ever made it through a season where nothing went wrong?

Boats usually have something wrong . . . it is rare when I go out on the boat that I do not discover something that needs a little attention. Sometimes it is a major thing, like a starter or something. It is the nature of boats, so you will have to get used to it.

It sounds like you have a streak of bad luck going, but that should work itself out. I do most of my own work on the boat, because paying someone to do it does not always mean it gets done right, as you have found out.

Boats are not like cars where you can run them day-after-day problem free and then get some regularly scheduled maintenance.

I have made it through some outings without something going wrong . . . but an entire season ??? Forget-about-it.

 

[riptide09]

Re: Boat has me paranoid.. can't even enjoy it

I feel your pain.

I was a total newbie when I bought my boat so I din't know what to check for and the first season was a nightmare.

First time out I had to get towed back in because the electric trim motor died when I had the motor up. I was trying to figure out what was wrong with motor because it wouldn't run. It was out of gas because the fuel gauge was stuck on full and it didn't work. The trim motor was rough going up and down before hand but I thought the boat hadn't been used in a while so it would work its way out.

Second time out, testing the repairs from the first time I had to paddle several miles back. My **** stream went from spits and spurts to almost nothing. That was a water pump kit and another day of lost boating due to repairs.

Did I tell you about my electrical problems that caused grief off and on for the first season.

They key is to stick with the repairs and get the boat reliable. My first season was a nightmare. My next 2 were great and I am looking forward to this year. Once you get her squared away you will be OK. In fact if you do a lot of your own work, like me, you will be better than OK because you will know every inch of the boat and what has been done. Right now I would never sell my boat. Took me to much work to get it reliable and the way I like it.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Boat has me paranoid.. can't even enjoy it

Maybe you need to rethink the economics of what you are doing. "Saving" money by spending your time can be a false economy. And I keep a boat an hour and a half away from home (with a $12 toll one way to boot) so I know the dynamic--an old boat that often needs attention, and on which I rely for transportation.

Here is where you are penny wise and pound foolish: "My marina is 40 mins away from my apartment. I keep the boat at my parents who live 1 hour from me and 1 1/2 hours from my marina and my trailer would be kept at a friend's place 15 mins from the lake" Your junk is spread all over creation!

First, regardless of time, you got the boat for next to nothing. Consider the repair bill to get it running and safe to be part of the purchase price. That is smart thinking regardless of the time.

Second, if you keep it in a slip, you have to have the bellows fixed right. That is the achilles heel on an I/O and why many people prefer outboards for a slipped boat. Bite the bullet and get it fixed right.

Third, you have a "free" place to keep the boat. Let's leave aside that it's at your parents and the benefit of getting in the family time as well as someone to keep an eye on it, do a little light work for you, etc. If it weren't for them you would be paying what, $100/month to slip the boat? consider that savings part of the budget. You have a set-up where DIY is not practical but storage is free, so the trade-off is less DIY.

Next, "your" marina needs to move closer to the boat. Or change marinas. whichever is easier. I don't get the "my marina" part; you just need a mechanic and he doesn't have to have a marina.
And the "free" trailer storage is costing you as well, although I don't get the connection of trailer being 15' from a lake and the boat in the water and the marina somewhere else. Sounds like you need the trailer close by, at least unitl you get squared away. (I keep a boat in the water at home with the trailer in a cheap storage lot, but it has short hours on weekends, so I often worry about needing it to pull the boat out if I have a problem then).

Figure out how much you get paid a week for how many hours. Consider the 3 hour round trip at that rate, plus gas, to go fix something. How does that compare to an extra $$ to have the mechanic do it? Factor in the fact that you traded a day's boating to drive your boat all over the county to get it fixed. Worth it? Just like you chose to live in an apartment, rather than in a house with a commute and a yard, it's simply a choice driven by economics.

Believe me, I feel your frustration. Growing up we had a boat with constant problems that got more road miles (to the shop) than water miles. I've run unreliable boats in isolated areas in dangerous weather; had the same feeling driving beach trucks where you didn't even want to turn them off unless you were back at the house. A boat you aren't comfortable with isn't worth it, but it's hard to walk away when it's "just this one thing to fix." They all have problems, but yours are compounded with the distance issue--one I know too well.

 

[JoLin]

Re: Boat has me paranoid.. can't even enjoy it

I just keep thinking I might not be in the best position to own a boat right now. I make good money for my age, but not enough that I'm okay with throwing $500 to my marina every week. My marina is 40 mins away from my apartment. I keep the boat at my parents who live 1 hour from me and 1 1/2 hours from my marina and my trailer would be kept at a friend's place 15 mins from the lake. If I lived 20 mins from the lake and had a yard, I think things would be different.

You make some excellent points right there. There's a 'right time' to have a hobby as expensive and time-consuming as this one. If this is stressing you, then yeah, maybe it's time to take a step back. My guess is that you'll be back before long with a simpler boat in better condition than the one you have now. We'll keep a light on for ya...

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Boat has me paranoid.. can't even enjoy it

or a boat that isn't as maintenance intensive, like a basic outboard on a self-bailing hull.

 

[jigngrub]

Re: Boat has me paranoid.. can't even enjoy it

Mine is a 96 wellcraft that I picked up for next to nothing (right place right time) so I dont' mind putting a little time and money into it.

Believe it or not, the old saying "You get what you pay for" is true. I'll bet you got the price you did because the PO was having the same problems you're having with it and he just wanted to be rid of the aggravation.

You should've gone through this boat from stem to stern as soon as you got it.

Solving your boats problems by process of elimination will be an ongoing project given your boats age and the way it is kept (slipped), and it wouldn't surprise me if a full restoration due to deck and transom rot was in your near future. You've had water intrusion problems and your boat is kept in a damp environment and you don't really know what kind of problems the previous owner(s) have had or how they kept/stored/maintained the boat.

Ever heard the old saying" when you buy used. you're just buying someone else's problems"? Sometimes it's very true.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Re: Boat has me paranoid.. can't even enjoy it

once you accept the fact that a boat is a hole in the water in which to pour money, you can start enjoying the boat.

I have found over the years that used boats usually cost as much in repair/maintenance as new boats do in payments/maintenance

my suggestion is to spend 2-3 hours going over every inch of the boat. go thru every system and make a list of items that need attention and/or repair. then categorize the list into nuisance items (want to fix) and critical items (need to fix). then start working on the critical items.

we are all here to support and help where we can. the tasks will seam daunting, however you dont eat an elephant in one bite, it takes many many small bites.

 

[BonairII]

Re: Boat has me paranoid.. can't even enjoy it

once you accept the fact that a boat is a hole in the water in which to pour money, you can start enjoying the boat.

I both agree and disagree with this thought.

Boating is only as expensive as you choose it to be. The bigger(and newer) the boat/motor is , the more expensive to run and repair.

Buying "new" is probably the best bet for people new to boating and/or those who don't have the time/patience or inclination to do their own repair work.

I'd be more afraid to buy a 4+ year old motor(out of warranty) than a 30+ year old motor because the older motors are simpler to work on....and parts are much cheaper. Not to mention the fact that many newer motors require advancing troubleshooting techniques and may require specialized tools.

IMO, the biggest mistake the people new to boating make is not realizing that boats/motors require regular maintenance(esp. PREVENTATIVE maintenance)....and if they are not mechanically inclined, that maintenance is very expensive if done by a mechanic.

 

[ericp501]

Re: Boat has me paranoid.. can't even enjoy it

once you accept the fact that a boat is a hole in the water in which to pour money, you can start enjoying the boat.

I have found over the years that used boats usually cost as much in repair/maintenance as new boats do in payments/maintenance

my suggestion is to spend 2-3 hours going over every inch of the boat. go thru every system and make a list of items that need attention and/or repair. then categorize the list into nuisance items (want to fix) and critical items (need to fix). then start working on the critical items.

we are all here to support and help where we can. the tasks will seam daunting, however you dont eat an elephant in one bite, it takes many many small bites.

Thank you.. I've actually done a number of things on the boat already. I do enjoy working on it and I have replaced/upgraded just about everything (at least thats what I always think, then something else goes wrong).. I had the bellow done because I figured that would give me peace of mind knowing they are new, and they are still giving me problems >:O

 

[ericp501]

Re: Boat has me paranoid.. can't even enjoy it

Heres a list of some of the things I've replaced. I've done a ton of other little things as well.

NEW TRIM PUMP, NEW BELLOWS, NEW IMPELLER, NEW SHIFT CABLE, NEW starter, new Carpet, new seats (front & rear totally custom), new floor around ski locker(little soft everywhere else very strong), new pedestals, new boat cover, new window supports, NEW Battery, NEW trailer tires, smart tabs installed, new stereo, new cig lighter, 2nd bilge pump installed, New LED nav. lights, new fishing pedestal up front, new custom steering wheel, new bilge fan and led switch, new horn button, new trim switch in new location, new folding rear seats which can be placed higher and used as sun pads. blue padding installed on swim deck, new bilge vent covers (others were broken), fixed a broken starter mount with a proven method holding 5 years strong on other boats (bought it broken without knowing, did this fix and its been stronger then when it came off the line), Storage net on side wall, vinyls all cleaned and painted, new spark plugs (also checked for signs of water in cylinders, they look good)

I just know I'm going to put this thing in the water and my gimble bearing is going to go, my engine is going to hydrolock somehow, or one of my bellows is going to pop off and sink me before I can even get her out of the water. Thats all I can think about happening.