Engine Help please

[watermanmax]

Ok,
So hope I don't break any rules here, but I am going to rant a little bit.
So May 23 we put the boat in the hands of our Mechanic....and are told should be 4-6 weeks.
Ok...had to overhaul both engines just to be sure, (I did account for this, so I am not shocked or disappointed) I wanted to make sure Engines are 100 % because we are doing the Americas Great Loop.
We went back to boat in August...and sat in hotel rooms, condos, and friends' houses. All awaiting the last little bit of work.
The motors are overhauled.... they are installed.... just 4 exhaust manifold, 2 alternator, 2 starters left....and test it.
That has been the status for over 3 weeks, so after a lot of frustration, anxiety, and sadness, we drove home 1700 miles away and now we just sit every day waiting for a phone call.
In 3 days, it will be 6 MONTHS!!!! since we started this repair. We just want our boat back and do the great loop.
Before I went with this mechanic, I called around to over 55 companies to do the repair...and they all said No because it was gas, or over 20 years old.... this has all been very disheartening, our dream is fading into a nightmare.

What should we do?

[goboatingnow]

Delays in finishing this sort of things are very common. Never give boat people “ open ended “ instructions.

[Lepke]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

Delays in finishing this sort of things are very common. Never give boat people “ open ended “ instructions.

And don't make any final payment until everything is done and accepted.

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by Lepke

And don't make any final payment until everything is done and accepted.

Yep but delayed payment never helped this sort of thing

[bil56]

no sorry,
we poor customers are dependent on shipyards and mechanics,
our only way of action is our payment ...

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by bil56

no sorry,
we poor customers are dependent on shipyards and mechanics,
our only way of action is our payment ...

Don’t pay them they never come back

[Shrew]

May 23rd. You turned the boat over in the height of the season. Even in colder climates, everyone is clamoring to be in by Memorial Day.

1) I'm surprised he committed to only 4-6 weeks.

2) I'm not surprised it has taken 6 months.

[Bill O]

Are the exhaust manifolds (w/new gaskets), alternators and starters already purchased (if replacing) and just need to be installed? Not super hard to install starters and alternators. The exhaust manifolds would only be slightly more difficult to install.

Maybe a silly question, can you do any of the final work yourselves? If so, could go back and do the work yourselves? Just a thought.

Being far away there isn't much of a way to light a fire under the mechanics back side too get them motivated.

[RaymondR]

If you don't demand a time for completion they will use your work for filler work between those jobs which require completion within a specified time.

I have found that the only effective cure for having to accept bad boat work is to learn to do it yourself.

[henryk]

I would never, ever let anybody to work on my boat when I’m not around

[NYSail]

When you speak to mechanic what is his response? Did you tell him up front your schedule? Did he have issues getting parts? I know my friend that is a marine mechanic had supply chain issues. Very unreasonable with no explanation.

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by NYSail

When you speak to mechanic what is his response? Did you tell him up front your schedule? Did he have issues getting parts? I know my friend that is a marine mechanic had supply chain issues. Very unreasonable with no explanation.

Sadly the OPs story is more common them not. The worst thing is open ended instructions “ service my engine , fix my engine “ etc.

Secondly you need to monitor and agree each step. Because one of two things happens either the guy takes forever and replaces everything or virtually nothing gets done.


In boating mechanics are easily thd worst “ trade “ as they are perpetually “ fighting fires”. They need very carefully agreeecinstructions , careful monitoring and the parts supply chain needs to be worked out clearly.

The conmob outcome is as the OP finds completion Jim time runs forever or nothing gets properly done

Threatening payment rarely achieve anything if a mechanic can make 2-3x on another job he doesn’t care a toss when you pay him. These boys often have too much income at any peak times.

The key is step by step tasks.

[Turtle Blues]

Keep communicating, straightforward, not adversarial . Don't be the call they don't want to take but stay on their radar. As you stated a lot of companies didn't want to undertake the project to begin with, you found 1 and they are close to completion. Being patient should get you there.

I have seen projects take up space in the shop for 6 months, every step identifying some additional component that is NLA or back ordered indefinitely. In the present supply chain environment everything causes delays. Good Luck

[watermanmax]

Over 6 months and still waiting....he has all parts...."one days worth of work".....for nearly a month now...... (Sigh)

[merrydolphin]

So sorry. I went through this on an engine replacement job. All I could do is remain calm, and patient but be there. Express interest and concern but in a positive supportive way. I know that if I got on the wrong side of this mechanic, it would work very much against me. It got done and done quite well. 3 months after the job was done the boat was a total loss from a hurricane! Oh well.