Pretty much everything except machine work. Sweat equity, its the only way I can afford to play.

I do it

maybe Ill try your way this year, I paid with blood last year those dang hose clamps always jump out and bite ya

WOW after reading alot of the responses I feel worse than before. I do the waxing and minor stuff but, I was just talking with my wife the other night that I wish I knew so much more about the engines and drives I have some issues with my boat that I would really love to get fixed or see if there is really a problem I would be willing to be a helper for anyone close to me for the chance to learn. After just buying the boat and having to have the transom assembly replaced along with some other stuff she said " One more dollar in that boat and it will be grounds for divorce " hince the boat was named "Grounds For Divorce" so if anyone wants an apprentice I would love to learn either on their boat of they are willing on mine. Just send me a PM

yep, exactly what i do to. actually ever since i have been boating i have been trading up. started out years ago with a 16 foot speedboat and kept trading to bigger projects till right now i am in a 1989 34 ScarabIII and get this i have put out zero cash for any boat. in other words i paid nothing for my 34 Scarab other that sweat eqity over the years. the latest trade was the best though. my previous boat was an 85 260 Scorpion which i made very nice over the last 3 years. so nice that i was approached several times out on the river by the owner of this 89 ScarabIII wanting to trade down. well . . .one day i took a look at it and took him up on the offer. things 100% original with about 400Hrs on it and for the most part turn-key, just needs a serious cleaning/buffing. gonna spend a year or two going over the boat and improving it for whatever my next trade will be dont get me wrong i put as much money into these restorations as i probably would in boat payments if i had any so i figure six of one half dozen of the other. luckily i really enjoy working on my boat(s) and being in the business helps

If you aren't out on it , you're working on it!

I do it all myself! The fixin season up here is much longer than the usin season, and I just really want it to be an expression if me , good bad or otherwise.
I normally do all the work on my toys, but this winter I was busy so I had a so-called expert do some minor maintenance on my sled before I went away on a trip, turned out the night before leaving I had to pull the skidframe out to fix all the experts f___kups. MORAL of the story: if you want it done right, do it yourself.

I keep it clean. Where do you find the time to work on the boat? If I attempted to do everything myself and something went wrong my better half would swiftly kick me in the family jewels. I would much rather have an experienced marine mechanic handle the task, repetition makes competence.

I like working on my boat. If I ever bought a new one
the first thing I would do is try to make it faster.
Sometimes I work on it so much. I actually get frustrated
I just walk away for a couple of days.


Its the only way I know.
Obsessive compulsive I think my wife calls me.

Now can I get back to working on it?

I have to work on mine, I can't afford to have someone else work on my stuff, wish I had that kind of money but I don't. Plus mercury rapes you on parts which makes it hurt in the pocket even more. Gettin so it isn't even worth the hassle anymore.