Carpediem44DB
Well-Known Member
- Aug 18, 2015
- 3,230
- Boat Info
- 2000 Carver 506
2006 44 DB Sedan Bridge
- Engines
- Volvo TAMD 74 P
I am collecting all of the bits and supplies to do my yearly preseason engine, drive and genset services. When I bought the 506 I was given the service records from the prior two owners going back to 2012. The latest invoice was from the local Volvo Service Center for a dockside engine service. It basically entailed engine, drives and genset service with oil and filters. The shop sent two techs to do the service and charged each out for 8 hours. The bill totaled $3500 and change!
I will be doing the service myself and I will time myself, not rushing things to save time but I am quite sure that I will do what they did in about 6 hours. I feel for the folks that don't have the mechanical acumen or interest to do even the most basic of tasks like change oil and are at the mercy of the service center's billing department. I ran a aircraft repair shop for 25 years and am fully aware of the margins service providers work with. I would just find it difficult to enjoy my boat if I had to spend that much money on top of the other fixed costs of ownership. I sat down and built a budget for the 506 the other day and conservatively calculated a monthly cost of ownership excluding major repairs at $2500/mo. I put $3000 per month in the boat account to build in a repair cushion. For us that basically would be a house payment for where we live and having none now we are comfortable spending that on a past time that we both thoroughly enjoy.
I shutter to think of what others spend annually to keep their boats up having to rely on professional service providers for every little repair or service.
Carpe Diem
I will be doing the service myself and I will time myself, not rushing things to save time but I am quite sure that I will do what they did in about 6 hours. I feel for the folks that don't have the mechanical acumen or interest to do even the most basic of tasks like change oil and are at the mercy of the service center's billing department. I ran a aircraft repair shop for 25 years and am fully aware of the margins service providers work with. I would just find it difficult to enjoy my boat if I had to spend that much money on top of the other fixed costs of ownership. I sat down and built a budget for the 506 the other day and conservatively calculated a monthly cost of ownership excluding major repairs at $2500/mo. I put $3000 per month in the boat account to build in a repair cushion. For us that basically would be a house payment for where we live and having none now we are comfortable spending that on a past time that we both thoroughly enjoy.
I shutter to think of what others spend annually to keep their boats up having to rely on professional service providers for every little repair or service.
Carpe Diem