Date: 18 March 2015. Hiring Expertise.
© janice142
Living aboard for a budget boater
means we need to be able to fix a great variety of systems. It is
impossible to stock everything needed for all contingencies though
we do
our best. I do have got a fairly decent tools inventory however there are
times when I simply do not have the tools nor experience required to do
a job
properly.

Though I do have
Calder's Boatowners Mechanical and Electrical Manual 4the
Edition aboard there are times when I need
outside help.
And all too often knowledge is lacking
too. For proof positive of that, I remind myself that I chose that
man I married. What was I thinking?!? But I digress...
As for paying for stuff you can do yourself? Well,
we are not getting any younger and frankly knowledge is
valuable. With effort we should be able to rent the tools or supervise muscles that
can do the physically challenging work.
For instance, I am more than
willing to paint the bottom of Seaweed. There is no way in Neptune
I will ever sand the bottom of this boat. That is a filthy job and I
won't do it.
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But sometimes it is not the knowledge that is lacking. The
willingness is there but the tools for the job are not. That
happened to Daddy too, long ago. You see,
we had blown a head gasket on that first diesel.
Side Note: I do
not recall the
original motor brand, but it was followed by a Perkins. The final
was a Cummins. Over a span of nearly 50 years, three diesels is I
suppose about right...
This is our boat, docked on
Sister's Creek in Marathon, FL:

We needed to repair the blown head
gasket. It was copper and at that time we did not have the welder required
for the job. Buying new was not an option.
According to my opinionated Daddy, electricians are the slobs of the universe.
That turns out to be a very good thing. You see, we went behind a
shopping center and scrounged up lots of wire. Using a Buck knife I
stripped out the wire.
And yes I still have that same
knife. It's been sharpened a few times as you can well imagine.

In any event, after removing the
coating from the wires we had enough copper for the job at hand.
Next we walked until we found an
old garage. The owner would not do the job himself. Instead, he agreed to rent the use of his welder to my
dad.
That fellow watched Daddy make the
repair. When finished the shop owner refused payment. He said he had
learned more than any fee would cover. Free. I was so proud of my
Daddy.
How cool is that?
I am not saying every job will turn
out like that particular head gasket repair. Being prepared to hire
tools or expertise will not alter your testosterone level.
You still "have it" and if
you are smart enough to hire someone to do the work? Well, good for
you!
Do you rent expensive tools you only need for a
once-in-a-blue-moon job?
Are you the sort that wants a double cabin boat so you'll have your own
tool workshop afloat?
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