Why dont people look after boats ?

PeterM · 10 November 2008, 12:07

Having some time off work I just drove down to Mudeford to see how bad the weather was & for those that haven't realised its not very nice out there, even inside the harbour !

I watched from the comfort of the car while a guy battled to get his yacht secure on various anchors , then got in a decent 4.5m RIB come back to shore winch it on tot he trailer & go home. Clearly accepting he would be soaked ( he emptied his waders twice ) he wanted to make sure his boat was safe/ looked after.

But , looking out with the bins p there is a very new looking Valiant 5m full of water, a older Humber - full of water , 2 SIBs - one in whcih you can only see one tube ! & the other filling rapidly . All with OB on the back , I'm guessing with batteries under water etc . Saw another 2 decent sixed Avons on the River in the same state.

Why dont people look after what are clealry alot of monies worth of boat ? any ideas ? It makes me sad/angry that this happens when I know poeple who would do anything just to be able to have a boat - let along a decent RIB

P.S. There are also many hard boats , very close to being under water that will just sink unlike our inflatable friends)

Poly · 10 November 2008, 18:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blackroady

Why dont people look after what are clealry alot of monies worth of boat ? any ideas ?

I am guessing that most of these people have jobs and/or are not particularly local... with the recent weather the boat will fill pretty quickly if either the battery or bildge pump fails - and that is assuming there is an auto pump anyway.

TangoTango · 10 November 2008, 20:14

Yes it's amazing how many boats you see that are badly neglected. It is easy to see in some cases though how quickly a situation can deteriorate. If a cover is somehow blown loose for example and there is heavy rain, the boat can fill up alarmingly quickly and the bilge pump will run until the battery goes flat then it's all downhill from there. Or perhaps a split develops in the cover (normally at a point designed to funnel in the maximum amount of rain!).

I think it's either a case of more money than sense or inexperience on the part of the owner leading to a boat in a state of repair so bad he/she cannot contemplate tackling the problem so it just gets worse and worse. There are a few boats in Christchurch literally rotting on their moorings and I wonder if the owners are still paying mooring fees?

JSP · 11 November 2008, 14:25

I've seen it as well. I've seen one boat kept in a marina and has never had anyone on it in the 6 years it's been there. It's a colvic watson motor sailer, was perfect! Why keep paying the mooring fee (must be 2 grand plus)?!?

tinker · 11 November 2008, 17:08

Take a look at this then

RAD · 11 November 2008, 18:10

What ave they done to that!!

Looks like they have done a blue peter on it and covered it in tissue and glue!

The Grocer · 11 November 2008, 23:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by RAD

Looks like they have done a blue peter on it and covered it in tissue and glue!

Some of us are old enough to remember when it was all done with squeezy bottles and sticky back plastic.

Now we drive Humbers

Nos4r2 · 11 November 2008, 23:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Grocer

Some of us are old enough to remember when it was all done with squeezy bottles and sticky back plastic.

It's all a cunning ploy to cover the brand name

Channel Ribs · 12 November 2008, 17:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blackroady

Having some time off work I just drove down to Mudeford to see how bad the weather was & for those that haven't realised its not very nice out there, even inside the harbour !

I am glad to posed this one, not because I have the answer but because it relates a bit of a quandary we are having....

Given the bad weather of late a couple of our customers have asked us to keep an eye on their boats while they are away, as already noted the weather has been enough to flood an open boat inside of a week. Naturally we are more than happy to do this, a quick wonder down at low tide and drain via the trunks - job done.

However: It seems churlish not to do this for all the boats, but without having been asked to do so by the owners we are reluctant to 'meddle'.

Malthouse =

Poly · 12 November 2008, 18:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by malthouse

Given the bad weather of late a couple of our customers have asked us to keep an eye on their boats while they are away, as already noted the weather has been enough to flood an open boat inside of a week. Naturally we are more than happy to do this, a quick wonder down at low tide and drain via the trunks - job done.

Malthouse - are you providing the customers who you do this for with some sort of storage services? or are these just regular customers of your chandlery who you are providing this for as a bit of goodwill? if its for a boatyard type customer then I think you could easily include this as part of your overall service agreement (and it could be the default option - or for a more buisiness like approach a paid for extra service (a once a week check that the boat is secure, and drained - more frequently during poor weather)) - but whos insurance pays if say a trunk or bung is not secured properly afterwards. Likewise if you are offering it as a FOC service - why not consider charging for it - I know I wouldn't have minded paying someone a little extra to keep an eye on my boat when I was away.

As soon as you start charging for the luxury it means you then clearly have no "moral" duty for those who aren't paying for the privilidge.

JSP · 12 November 2008, 18:46

Polwart has a point there Mike as far as insurance goes. If something was to go wrong they could easily point the finger you way. Watch yourself.

TangoTango · 12 November 2008, 18:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by malthouse

Naturally we are more than happy to do this, a quick wonder down at low tide and drain via the trunks - job done.

Malthouse =

A word of warning - I was told that my Cobra would take in water if the trunks are left down!

Nos4r2 · 12 November 2008, 21:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by TangoTango

A word of warning - I was told that my Cobra would take in water if the trunks are left down!

Not if it's dried out...

Channel Ribs · 12 November 2008, 22:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by Polwart

Malthouse - are you providing the customers who you do this for with some sort of storage services?

Not an obligation or charged service, just the local* harbour with a couple of dozen boats of which a handful we look after in one way or another. So do we do them all, or wait to be asked?

* Local as in a 2 minute stroll

As for watching ourselves and insurance etc, that is the crux of the issue. As a free community effort it would not be insured or guaranteed....

Poly · 12 November 2008, 22:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by malthouse

Not an obligation or charged service, just the local* harbour with half a dozen boats that we look after in one way or another. So do we do them all, or wait to be asked?

* Local as in a 2 minute stroll

Is Alderney small enough that everyone knows who owns which boats and that it still has community spirit? I would have thought that it was and in that case it would be seen in the spirit it is intended in - but e.g. on the solent it might not be the same.

Even then I would be looking to make some (small) amount of cash for the effort - if not directly then indirectly from customer loyalty. So I would be making sure people know I am helping them. Afterall if you left them to the elements you would be able to sell more batteries, pumps, solar panels, cleaning products etc.

[EDIT - I see you added that you added that you don't consider this part of your business function therefore not insured. The question is does the "customer" percieve it that way? How would you feel if I "tampered" with your bailers? Would you feel more comfortable if the local boat yard did it?]

PeterM · 12 November 2008, 22:59

Deos this come back to feeling of fear that we all feel about 'doing the right thing' ? As an individual if I can see I can stop somones boat being damaged I will do it. But as a 'company' - who knows why might point the finger.

Lets not forget that liability can be seen both ways ie you can be just as liable for NOT doing something as if you do something!

Its not long before we get to situation of the 2 PCSO's that did nothing as they wern't trained in water rescue ( has come up on posts before now).

If it was my boat & the guys looking after it saw it full of water & didn't lower the trunks I'd be pretty upset. Whats the worst that can happen if you dont put them back up ? - you end with a boat full of water through to the next low tide , when it dries out & empties again. If you dont lower the trunks the boat if full ofwater the whole time ! ( assuming they are RIBS & wont actually sink).

It more stuns me that the owners of the boats ( if they can) dont check or formally ask ( Pay)someone to check . I know I'd pay if I couldn't do it myself !

TangoTango · 12 November 2008, 23:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nos4r2

Not if it's dried out...

Couldn't be more dried out at the moment - it's in a warehouse

Channel Ribs · 13 November 2008, 08:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blackroady

Lets not forget that liability can be seen both ways ie you can be just as liable for NOT doing something as if you do something!

That is my worry, we are damned if we do and damned if we don't. If someone's boat sufferes serious damage, ie engine ruined and someone points out that we had emptied the boat next door once a fortnight for the whole of winter - are we to blame?

I think the best solution is to ask the Harbour Master for his view. We are happy to do it as a free (unguaranteed) service and it is up to him to tell us whether to seek permission or to do it by default. I think I know which way it will go.

TangoTango · 13 November 2008, 14:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by malthouse

That is my worry, we are damned if we do and damned if we don't. If someone's boat sufferes serious damage, ie engine ruined and someone points out that we had emptied the boat next door once a fortnight for the whole of winter - are we to blame?

Or someone says his boat was damaged because you didn't empty it often enough!

Channel Ribs · 13 November 2008, 15:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by TangoTango

Or someone says his boat was damaged because you didn't empty it often enough!

Quite so!

After popping in to see the HM we decided to put this message on our web site:

"We are happy to check on boats moored in the inner harbour and to drain rainwater from them, but in agreement with the Harbour Master we need owners to contact us first to request this free service.
(Nov 13th 2008)"