how does a boat gain your trust?

[krisnowicki]

I finished alot of work on my boat and she runs real well. I was wondering how a boat gains your trust? How long do you run it before you know it will run... It seems ironic because the more you use it... the closer you get to the next repair.

So how does she earn your trust....

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: how does a boat gain your trust?

getting to know your boat, how it handles, and what it won't. doing all the preventative maintainance. if you suspect something is wrong, check it out before next trip.
a membership in seatow, or tow boat, also get their trailer roadside package, it is cheap, and trailers are not covered by AAA and the other auto clubs.

 

[SS MAYFLOAT]

Re: how does a boat gain your trust?

I trust my boat more than my tow vehicle I tend to make sure "ALL" things check out before it heads to the lake for the season. Its just too big to haul back and forth, so it gets left in its slip.

During my spring checkout, I double and triple check things before it leaves the house. This will be my 8th season. All I've done as for the mechanics of the boat is preventive stuff. Only one time it let me down and that was last fall. I was getting ready to leave the slip to haul it out. Wouldn't run smooth. Cleaned the distributor and was able to get it running well enough to haul out. Put a new one on this spring and hope it makes at least another 6 or 7 years.

Trust I would say is how much you know your boat. About like the stuff you know about your wife that gains your trust,,,,,,Maybe sorta?!

 

[CN Spots]

Re: how does a boat gain your trust?

I have no problem trusting my boat.

It's all the junk that's in it (motor, electronics etc.) that causes me grief.

 

[salty87]

Re: how does a boat gain your trust?

after a repair, if she starts up on the first try 2 or 3 outings in a row...it's all good. tools are still onboard though

 

[boat1010]

Re: how does a boat gain your trust?

Just like most are referring to. Preventive maintenance. When you buy new you pretty much figure it will run good for you. Most of the time thats true. But when you buy used you don'[t know how it has been treated. Maintenance wise. So after a while and it runs for you and you do the maintenance and keep it tuned you KNOW that it will get you from point A to point B without failing you. And of course there are always exceptions to that. Sooner or later almost everything has it's day. Happy boating.

 

[81 beachcomber]

Re: how does a boat gain your trust?

Do the preventative maintenence and like salty said, bring a tool box. This keeps me at ease.

 

[mphy98]

Re: how does a boat gain your trust?

I just spent 300.00 on preventive maintence so I can keep the trust. Every 4 or 5 years you should replace the impeller, change oil every spring, spark plugs every 3 years, cap and wires every 5 years. Batterys come in for the winter, fresh charge in spring and off we go.

 

[Shizzy]

Re: how does a boat gain your trust?

its the same as trusting a lady, untill she gives you reason to doubt her, things are fine.

 

[CheapboatKev]

Re: how does a boat gain your trust?

Perhaps the real question bear with me here..Not to get too deep....

Perhaps the underlying question should be..

How confident are YOU with your repairs, the vessel, well it is an inatimate object that is only reflective of the quality of work invested...

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: how does a boat gain your trust?

P.M. on a regular basis. Listening to your motor, watching the gauges and the feel of how your outfit is performing. If it does not feel right it probably isn't. Initial start up as it normally does and a good tell tale stream. I often lean out and feel the temperature of the water coming out of the overflow while one of the children are driving. Then I sit on the back seat and enjoy the ride.

 

[phwrd]

Re: how does a boat gain your trust?

I tend to be a bit more practical and a bit more superstissus'...

I hope that as long as I take care of the boat (cleaning, maintenance, taking care of the little things) , then She will take care of me....

And of course, How well we work together in different conditions, sea's, depth's and how forgiving She is on the water (when i do something stupid) has a lot to do with it.

Figure we just need to learn to work together. . .

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: how does a boat gain your trust?

All that and remembering to put the plug in !!!!!

 

[Nandy]

Re: how does a boat gain your trust?

I finished alot of work on my boat and she runs real well. I was wondering how a boat gains your trust? How long do you run it before you know it will run... It seems ironic because the more you use it... the closer you get to the next repair.

So how does she earn your trust....

I get the trust immediately after it runs the first time. It helps a lot if you have the feeling you did the best work and did not cut corners.

 

[bassboy1]

Re: how does a boat gain your trust?

Well, seeing as I built everything but the bare hull in most of my rigs (and will be building even the hull on the next), and have done rebuilds, or at least major refurbishing on most of my outboards, I know that if it is going to give me trouble, it is either a design flaw from the company of the motor, or a misdoing on my part. So, the real question is how well do you trust your work. The only thing besides your own work that could really cause it to loose your trust is lack of use, as that destroys everything. I use mine very regularly, know it inside and out, and take the proper preventative maintenance steps (which are few and far between with regular use), and deal with a problem when it starts to occur, not when it escalates, and my boat has my complete trust.

 

[CheapboatKev]

Re: how does a boat gain your trust?

Well, seeing as I built everything but the bare hull in most of my rigs (and will be building even the hull on the next), and have done rebuilds, or at least major refurbishing on most of my outboards, I know that if it is going to give me trouble, it is either a design flaw from the company of the motor, or a misdoing on my part. So, the real question is how well do you trust your work. The only thing besides your own work that could really cause it to loose your trust is lack of use, as that destroys everything. I use mine very regularly, know it inside and out, and take the proper preventative maintenance steps (which are few and far between with regular use), and deal with a problem when it starts to occur, not when it escalates, and my boat has my complete trust.

yep

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: how does a boat gain your trust?

i do not run gauges on any of my boats, my ears tell me more than a gauge could. i use a mini tach to set up the boat and motor, and take it off. to me gauges can ruin a trip, and just cause worry, when they malfunction.

if i were to invest in a gauge, it would be water pressure.

 

[triumphrick]

Re: how does a boat gain your trust?

Who here keeps a log of PM's? I have a factory manual for my Yamaha motor and follow it to the best of my ability. I keep track of my work using the motors hour meter. I chart my work and keep a boat log for both of my boats. There's nothing so frustrating as not being able to remember which Spring, Fall, etc. I did my plugs or impeller!
As far as the boats go, everything gets tested regularly, and as SS mentioned, especially before any long term mooring where maintenance is not as easy. I never leave for the ramp without starting the boat the night before or that morning if not launching really early.

 

[Shizzy]

Re: how does a boat gain your trust?

If I had more boat Im sure I would. I just go more on doing it regularly during the season.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: how does a boat gain your trust?

I don't trust mine that much. It's too old. I don't worry that much when I'm crusing around that it will die on me but when I'm stopped fishing somewhere I do worry about it restarting. It is sometimes difficult to get it started. I wish it was less tempermental because I'd love to be able to toss my dad the keys and let him use it but I doubt he'd be able to get it going if it acts up. And I ALWAYS start it in my driveway before I leave for the lake.