rogerbum
Active member
- Joined
- Nov 21, 2004
- Messages
- 5,929
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- C Dory Year
- 2008
- C Dory Model
- 255 Tomcat
- Vessel Name
- Meant to be
Is it just me or does something seem fundamentally wrong with almost all boat service places (and for that matter most businesses involved with boating)? If I need work done on my car, I call in and make an appointment. I show up at the appointment and leave my car in the AM. Usually by 10AM maybe earlier, I get a call with an estimate and I'm told how long it will take. Usually the work is done that day - maybe it takes a day or two longer if parts have to be obtained. Something major, like body work is usually done within a week or two. Regardless, I get a fairly accurate estimate of how long it will take and the job is done on time and on budget.
Contrast that to work on my boat -- let say I need 100 hr service done. I call the various vendors and most say "We can't tell you exactly how long it will take. We're 2-3 weeks out right now, we don't do appointments, you have to bring your boat down to get in the queue." So, you bring your boat down and 2-3 weeks later, you've heard nothing, so you give them a call. Either they haven't yet started on it, or parts of some sort are on order or the one person who actually knows anything is out at lunch etc. Usually days, sometimes weeks, pass and eventually many phone calls later you get the boat back and you get to repeat the cycle sometime again in the future. I'm not complaining about any specific vendor, I have this kind of thing happen with every vendor I've used to date. It seems endemic to the industry - maybe people who get involved with the marine industry do so because they can't stand schedules or working in a hurry - I don't know. However, it seems to me that once someone figures out how to run a marine service shop more like an auto service shop - e.g. with timely service and rapid turnaround, they'll make a good bit of $'s.
Just ranting as it's been about a month since I dropped my boat off for the following service -
• 100 hour service on the engines (twin Honda 40hp)
• replace idle cable on port side engine
• check all other cables for cracks and replace if necessary
• check impellers and replace if necessary
• check all fuel lines and replace as necessary
• disassemble and re-seal any through-hulls below the water line (in particular, the depth sounder transducer).
• Clean and grease all steering related components
• Replace fuel filter
• Replace batteries
and I still have no idea when it will be done or how much it will cost. Of course, I have to make the phone calls to get any info as the service is not proactive in this regard.
Contrast that to work on my boat -- let say I need 100 hr service done. I call the various vendors and most say "We can't tell you exactly how long it will take. We're 2-3 weeks out right now, we don't do appointments, you have to bring your boat down to get in the queue." So, you bring your boat down and 2-3 weeks later, you've heard nothing, so you give them a call. Either they haven't yet started on it, or parts of some sort are on order or the one person who actually knows anything is out at lunch etc. Usually days, sometimes weeks, pass and eventually many phone calls later you get the boat back and you get to repeat the cycle sometime again in the future. I'm not complaining about any specific vendor, I have this kind of thing happen with every vendor I've used to date. It seems endemic to the industry - maybe people who get involved with the marine industry do so because they can't stand schedules or working in a hurry - I don't know. However, it seems to me that once someone figures out how to run a marine service shop more like an auto service shop - e.g. with timely service and rapid turnaround, they'll make a good bit of $'s.
Just ranting as it's been about a month since I dropped my boat off for the following service -
• 100 hour service on the engines (twin Honda 40hp)
• replace idle cable on port side engine
• check all other cables for cracks and replace if necessary
• check impellers and replace if necessary
• check all fuel lines and replace as necessary
• disassemble and re-seal any through-hulls below the water line (in particular, the depth sounder transducer).
• Clean and grease all steering related components
• Replace fuel filter
• Replace batteries
and I still have no idea when it will be done or how much it will cost. Of course, I have to make the phone calls to get any info as the service is not proactive in this regard.