Cheapest Refit and Maintenance

[CptTyinKnots]

For those bluewater sailors out there, where have you found the cheapest countries to refit and main your vessel are? Everyone knows the American Economy is on the fritz, maybe you've had some good luck in other places.

Things I am looking for:

Haul Out
Storage
Engine rebuilding
Sail Repair and Replacement
Paint
Wood
Mechanical Equipment (think head, galley, bilge, etc.)
Lines
Anything else you can think of

[Vasco]

China, but why would you ask a question like this?

[CptTyinKnots]

Well, mostly because I'm a cheap bastard, but partly because I just get off on information like this. Have you had any work done in china? What'd you get done, and how much did it cost? Local currency and/or USD/GBP equivalent, if you remember.

[bubb2]

Originally Posted by CptTyinKnots

For those bluewater sailors out there, where have you found the cheapest countries to refit and main your vessel are? Everyone knows the American Economy is on the fritz, maybe you've had some good luck in other places.

Things I am looking for:

Haul Out
Storage
Engine rebuilding
Sail Repair and Replacement
Paint
Wood
Mechanical Equipment (think head, galley, bilge, etc.)
Lines
Anything else you can think of

I don't mean to sound wrong, but if you can not do every thing but the engine rebuild and sail replacement you have no business being off shore.

[CptTyinKnots]

Seriously, guys, can we cut the naysaying. I have no intentions of being off shore for a few years, at best, and potentially never. Further, I'm not talking about paying someone else to do it. I'm talking about cost of parts. Stop trolling, if you've done work on your boat in other countries, post your story here. If not, shove off.

[brak]

parts cost about the same world over. there are very few marine part manufacturers and theirs are the parts you'll find anywhere.
from my experience, US has the lowest parts prices of anywhere else. I am sure chinese parts may be cheaper in china (or may be not) but my experience with those is such that I'd avoid them at all costs.

A weak dollar and low sales taxes help keep things even cheaper here relative to virtually any other country.

So, if I were trying to refit a boat - I would do it here, in a US of A, probably would have chosen Florida because they seem to have lower prices than, say, up in Chesapeake or New York, excellent choice of suppliers and qualified labor. But that's just me.

That said, with any refit you get precisely what you pay for. Sometimes less. Never more.

[bubb2]

Originally Posted by CptTyinKnots

Seriously, guys, can we cut the naysaying. I have no intentions of being off shore for a few years, at best, and potentially never. Further, I'm not talking about paying someone else to do it. I'm talking about cost of parts. Stop trolling, if you've done work on your boat in other countries, post your story here. If not, shove off.

Just what I meant when I said, I did not what to sound wrong. But the point is do the projects yourself. Start small and move up. Learn your boat. You will be much more self reliant and save the labor costs in the future.

[artbyjody]

Originally Posted by CptTyinKnots

For those bluewater sailors out there, where have you found the cheapest countries to refit and main your vessel are? Everyone knows the American Economy is on the fritz, maybe you've had some good luck in other places.

Things I am looking for:

Haul Out
Storage
Engine rebuilding
Sail Repair and Replacement
Paint
Wood
Mechanical Equipment (think head, galley, bilge, etc.)
Lines
Anything else you can think of

If you are in a foreign country, you WILL find that it be near impossible to get parts on a scheduled timeframe. Also, additional tariffs will apply for bringing the parts into the other country (do some research on Pardy for example).

So the equation begins with the reverse engineering of expectations of you.

Then calculating the over-run you will allow.

States-wise you have UPS, Fed-Ex etc... but just because they are global - doesn't mean what we take for granted in the states applies elsewhere - and in MOST cases NOT.

Food for thought, every yard the world over charges lay-over days for the privvy of you having your boat on the hard or moored up to their docks (regardless if actively working on it or not). If it takes 4 weeks to get parts... then that is 4 weeks of lay days you have to pay.

Then consider the inevitable - wrong part sent or switched somewhere along the line. More delays.

Then you have to consider just getting to a place. Saving on labor is only relevant if you are in the right place at the wrong time. One thing world over - if they sense budget minded, they know all they have to do is lure you in. Your best bet is to stay in the states for a full refit. If it was just a bottom job or something then maybe other countries offer an advantage in savings of labor - but in the real world, you get what you pay for - especially if you do not know what is actually being done.

You got some cool advice on here - I'd save your blowhard comments for later when you are dealing on getting your boat out of the yard...But that is just me...

[CptTyinKnots]

Just found this:

http://www.sailnet.com/forums/cruisi...-stay-bvi.html

head to St. Martin in order to get so palatable food on the French side and inexpensive duty-free shopping on the Dutch side. At a guess I would say that the price of boating supplies is around 50% of BVI prices so the trip is worth it.

So I know there are cheaper places to do boat maintenance. You guys are just sourpusses.

[CharlieCobra]

My yard charges $228 per month for a 38' boat with no lay days and yes, you can work on it and are not forced to use the yard or contractors. It's in the good old USA BTW.