Fixing things constantly--Is it true?

[Don1500]

In the past month: Air conditioner electronics, air conditioner water feed (4 times)! Refrigeration unit (Had to replace it). Bilge pump. Fresh water pipe burst. Painted bottom. Engine filters. oil change. New check valve for bilge pump. raw water intake for the engine. Re-sew the Bimini. I am now building a swimming ladder for the rear.

[a64pilot]

How are you building the ladder? Materials

[twinzerfan]

last month, new washing machine, dishwasher leaked, power went out and lost fridge contents, replaced a few lightbulbs, glass fell out the garage door - who's motor hasn't worked since I moved in, banana tree got blow over by wind, broke a sprinkler line by driving off the concrete at some point, not to mention the sudden influx of ants, constant lawn maintenance, regular paint touch up, furniture "upgrades" bills....

I don't really see any difference between the owning of a house, and owning a boat. either way, you're going to be fixing stuff. Mostly it's trivial, but either way, big items break in real life no matter which setting you're in.

I know, personally, I'd rather be sitting on the boat fixing something, where I have the chance to be in a beautiful, and quiet locale, versus surrounded by the joneses and the little cretins...

[delmarrey]

Originally Posted by twinzerfan

last month, new washing machine, dishwasher leaked, power went out and lost fridge contents, replaced a few lightbulbs, glass fell out the garage door - who's motor hasn't worked since I moved in, banana tree got blow over by wind, broke a sprinkler line by driving off the concrete at some point, not to mention the sudden influx of ants, constant lawn maintenance, regular paint touch up, furniture "upgrades" bills....

I don't really see any difference between the owning of a house, and owning a boat. either way, you're going to be fixing stuff. Mostly it's trivial, but either way, big items break in real life no matter which setting you're in.

I know, personally, I'd rather be sitting on the boat fixing something, where I have the chance to be in a beautiful, and quiet locale, versus surrounded by the joneses and the little cretins...

Last fall I had to replace a ruptured water line somewhere under my 200' easement. That cost me 8 boat credits just so I could have water in the house. That is what I paid for a brand new Furlex 300S with a 550+ SF Genoa. And it still cost me $60 a month to flush the toilet whether I'm home or not.

This year I had to replace the siding on one complete side of the house (Materials $500), as well as build a new porch because the old cement steps were sinking in the soil. It cost $500 just to haul away the old cement and another $1000 for the materials to build a new porch, not including the labor, and the list goes on.........

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by smj

Ok, maybe I was wrong. Your boat doesn't smell like a cesspool, but maybe every anchorage you frequent does? Not my idea of a tropical paradise but each to his own.

Why don't you go crank your toilet...

[twinzerfan]

"i found it more to my liking to buy a boat with the lines i wanted then rebuild it. the new designs are all the same."

my sentiments exactly. Less fuss, less crapola to go wrong...

[minaret]

Originally Posted by delmarrey

Last fall I had to replace a ruptured water line somewhere under my 200' easement. That cost me 8 boat credits just so I could have water in the house. That is what I paid for a brand new Furlex 300S with a 550+ SF Genoa. And it still cost me $60 a month to flush the toilet whether I'm home or not.

This year I had to replace the siding on one complete side of the house (Materials $500), as well as build a new porch because the old cement steps were sinking in the soil. It cost $500 just to haul away the old cement and another $1000 for the materials to build a new porch, not including the labor, and the list goes on.........

I often have this conversation with my friends who own houses. "A boat; isn't that just a hole in the water you pour money into?" To which I invariably respond, "I'd rather pour money into a hole in the water I can move around than pour it into a hole in the ground!" Seen lots of friends lose lots of money in the housing market. Old plumbing, wiring, seismic retro on foundations, I've seen lots of people dump fortunes (and vast quantities of their time) on houses and not bat an eyelash. Because that's "normal".

[delmarrey]

[QUOTE=minaret;1389378]Because that's "normal".[/QUOTE

[smj]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

Why don't you go crank your toilet...

Sure thing Kenomac, sure thing

[twinzerfan]

Originally Posted by minaret

Because that's "normal".

Come on, you all know this quote, surely...


“... we are brainwashed by our economic system until we end up in a tomb beneath a pyramid of time payments, mortgages, preposterous gadgetry, playthings that divert our attention for the sheer idiocy of the charade.

The years thunder by, The dreams of youth grow dim where they lie caked in dust on the shelves of patience. Before we know it, the tomb is sealed.

Where, then, lies the answer? In choice. Which shall it be: bankruptcy of purse or bankruptcy of life? ” - Sterling Hayden

[ty.gregory]

Kenomac...?
Smj...?

be nice.

[Boracay]

There is another side to fixing the boat - not fixing the boat.

Living aboard I find that I do need to spend an hour or two most days. However most of it is not urgent stuff, usually it's something that I didn't get right when doing the refit.

I do find that it's important for my sanity to stop, or even not to do any fixing at all for a while.

Life's too short...

[Gelfling]

Originally Posted by MBLittle

A house on land requires just as much effort, time and money for maintenance, repairs, replacements and refitting. Sometimes a lot more so than most of the yachts out there.

I could never fathom how people can say "a boat is a hole on the water you throw money in" and not realize that "a house is hole on the dirt you throw money in."

Yes, traditionally houses are a better investment if that's what you are after. It's not true all the time or all over the world. The recent housing bubble (and the one 15 years before that and the one 15 years before that) proves this.

If you are a "sell my house and go cruise" sailor, your boat is your home and is as worthy of your effort as the pile of sticks you had on that pile of dirt.

If you plan on maintaining a house and a boat (and two cars and a vacation cabin), then the costs of both (all) should have been a reality to you long before you bought a boat. If you can afford it, go for it. If you can't, quit complaining and talking trash about the "money pits" you think boats are.

Those that complain are just naive people that want sympathy for their own mistakes.

If your boat is a money pit, you couldn't afford it in the first place. Sell it to someone a little more self-aware.

+1 on this. I have a house and a boat at the moment and I swear the house feels like the bigger burden. But I like repairing my boat more, so it all appears to be relative.

[carstenb]

Maybe I'm just pedantic, but I have a list of preventive maintenance jobs that I follow. Springtime, change oil/filters/waterseparator/impeller, Go over every inch of of the sails during the winter. Check all lines/halyards/blocks every spring and half-way through the season. Check all visible splits/cotterkeys/etc before you sail. Clean/lubricate/grease winches etc every year.

And I have a monthly list (takes maybe 1/2 hour) where I look things over.

'The best tip I ever got was "when something is deteriorating - fix it now. don't wait."

But boat parts are expensive. And every thing needs to be SS or similar.

Of course you could always take up knitting………………….

[Don1500]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

How are you building the ladder? Materials

Three 6' lengths of 7/8" steel tubing, 4 teak steps I found at the Sailors Exchange in St. Augustine, and about 20 chrome fittings ($8 each @ SE) total cost is about $250 but the end product will look like it was built at the factory, which would cost about $500. In the end it will be foldable and extend 2' into the water. I will post a picture when done. I also bought the best steel tube cutter I could find. ($22).

It goes into existing tubing on the pushpit. There was a ladder there at one time but the OP took it out to put in a Caphorn Wind Vane. I sold that to a boat yard for $1500 + rework to make it look like it was never there.