LMBoat
Well-Known Member
Here's the follow-up: As a DIY'er, I usually haul the boat every 12-14 months and I do the bottom paint, hull waxing, zincs, and the usual bottom maintenance <I find it rewarding, and I have been called cheap>. I last hauled the boat in Jan '06, and the bottom paint was still in good shape, but I decided to haul it, do my usual bottom maintenance and fix the cutless bearings, plus I need to have the boat hauled for an insurance survey anyway <that's another topic>.
The DIY yard where I usually go, told me that had a press for the cutless bearings, but after I got there, they didn't have one. All was going well until that point. Props off, set screws out, etc. They said they would get one, but it would take a few days. I called around as well, but the best that could be found was a mechanic with a press that would come over and R&I the cutless bearings for $300. I already had the new bearings. This is a story all by itself. I called around to get the bearings and was quoted prices from $85 to $300 each. I found them from the strunt manufacturer for $18 each <another reason I do my own work>.
The press guy comes over and boom, in 2 hours both were done. No runs, no drips, no errors. He has the same press NeverMonday has. While $6K seems high, it is a stout piece of equipment and did the job easily. It is the right tool for the job.
I finished the boat Sat morning and launched at noon. Boat ran great and is back at the home dock.
My project to do all the work <2 coats of bottom paint, waxing, zincs, cutless bearings, prop checks, etc> took 3 days. The bill for the yard, mechanic, parts, supplies was $1,325 <have you seen the price of bottom paint lately?>. If you compare that with what I would have paid for someone else to do the bearings, bottom paint, detail the boat, zincs, props, etc. it was worth it, plus I needed to haul the boat anyway for the insurance survey
Larry
The DIY yard where I usually go, told me that had a press for the cutless bearings, but after I got there, they didn't have one. All was going well until that point. Props off, set screws out, etc. They said they would get one, but it would take a few days. I called around as well, but the best that could be found was a mechanic with a press that would come over and R&I the cutless bearings for $300. I already had the new bearings. This is a story all by itself. I called around to get the bearings and was quoted prices from $85 to $300 each. I found them from the strunt manufacturer for $18 each <another reason I do my own work>.
The press guy comes over and boom, in 2 hours both were done. No runs, no drips, no errors. He has the same press NeverMonday has. While $6K seems high, it is a stout piece of equipment and did the job easily. It is the right tool for the job.
I finished the boat Sat morning and launched at noon. Boat ran great and is back at the home dock.
My project to do all the work <2 coats of bottom paint, waxing, zincs, cutless bearings, prop checks, etc> took 3 days. The bill for the yard, mechanic, parts, supplies was $1,325 <have you seen the price of bottom paint lately?>. If you compare that with what I would have paid for someone else to do the bearings, bottom paint, detail the boat, zincs, props, etc. it was worth it, plus I needed to haul the boat anyway for the insurance survey
Larry
