Why I listen to Maine Sail

[kcbillb2]

I don't post a lot, but I suspect this thread will get lots of replies...

I personally take his advice because he works on boats professionally. Now, I've also worked professionally on lots of industrial machinery, in the precision optics and the quartz industry.

If you've ever done that, you take the advice from someone who works at it for a living.

Naturally, I do research on anything Maine Sail advises, but I've never yet (so far) found any "credible advice" posted anywhere that contradicts him.

Anyway, just trying to stir the pot a little bit here, let the games begin.

[Minnewaska]

Can't imagine anyone is going to push back on that. MS is a great contributor.

[mikel1]

I consider MS to be a pretty good last word authority.

[PorFin]

There are a lot of folks who "work on boats professionally" that I wouldn't let within ten yards of my boat, so that's not exactly a selling point for me.

Having said that, if ever the need and opportunity arose I'd hand our baby over to MaineSail in a heartbeat.

He's borderline OCD about every little detail, which isn't something that is usually appreciated in a boss or co-worker but sure is nice when you're talking about important stuff like brain surgery, hostage rescue, close air support and boat maintenance.

For those without access to the Web, Don Casey and Nigel Calder are the "go to" guys -- MaineSail does that same thing (and dare I say in a more understandable, straight forward, non-equivocating manner) for folks in multiple forums, and for that I am in his debt far more than he will ever know.

[dabnis]

I don't consider myself even being close to an expert on anything. However, I have been "messing around" with boats, cars, trucks, motorcycles, and just about anything else that burns fuel for over 60 years. Agree with Porfin that just because someone is a "professional" it doesn't necessarily make them good at what they do. It does, however, give them the opportunity to learn about a lot of different things as compared to just working on one's individual boat. I think I have read just about all of what Main Sail has written and learned a whole lot from his work, which in my opinion, is as close to being perfect as it can be. If I still had a boat and was in his area I would pay double the going rate to have him work on it.

Dabnis

[smackdaddy]

+1000 on this thread.

MaineSail is undoubtedly The Man.

[jrd22]

I've learned a lot from MaineSail's posts, and what impresses me most about him is that he's always willing to help a beginner with a problem. If I ever get to Maine, dinner and drinks are on me MS.

[Maine Sail]

Wow guys, thanks! I do try hard to be as accurate as possible but with many things there are just multiple answers and my stuff becomes opinion like everyone else. As I have always said DO NOT JUST TAKE MY WORD FOR IT!! Do your own research too.

I agree whole heartidly with the sentiments about about "professionals" and that not all "professionals" are good or strive to be the best at what they do. I think a lot of this is because many of these guys are getting paid $12.00 -$18.00 per hour while the yard is billing them at $90.00 to $120.00 per hour. At those billing rates they simply can't do the job in the manner they might, if it were their own boat they were working on. Because of this the job often gets done poorly, the boat owner complains, and $hit flows down hill to the service tech. Customer angry, yard owner angry technician dissatisfied... It is a vicious circle that can lead to complacency and frustration.

I was lucky enough to be able to do this as "side work" for over 20 years, and used the side earnings to fund my own boating "habit". I did this while working a very "white collar" job (hydronic (manufacturers rep), phama & biotech industries).

Getting sick and tired of the big business BS I pulled the plug a while ago and have been able to concentrate on this full time. It's great to be my own boss, not the baby sitter of many or even a few. I now answer only to myself and my customers... It's easy!!

Because of what I did for suit & tie work, lots of "science" and GOBS of BORING clinical reading & research, I have a tendency to do LOTS of research and not stop at something and accept it as a "because that's the way you do it" answers. I actually don't mind reading installation manuals even though most are written like GARBAGE.... Whether that level of research is good, or bad, for "marine work" is debatable....

I am happy folks like what I write and photograph but please don't just take my word for something. I am only human and CAN & DO make mistakes.... I usually try to correct them but it happens...

While this may seem like a simple job, it really is, if you stop learning you are just being lazy. Saw this all to often in the medical field. Even with this "simple" field I have found you can never stop learning if you don't want to.

Most of the guys I compete against are not college educated and don't hold a degree above a tech school. My customers seem to like that I can converse with them on their level on things other than fixing their boats. It has allowed me to not yet need to advertise, even in a bad economy, I like that.

While I get Calder and find it easy to read and understand MANY of my customers don't. Folks often like easy and that is where I try to differentiate myself from others. I also believe ANYONE can DIY if only shown how not told how....



Again, thanks for the kind words!!!

[Danjcon]

Originally Posted by Maine Sail

While I get Calder and find it easy to read and understand MANY of my customers don't. Folks often like easy and that is where I try to differentiate myself from others. I also believe ANYONE can DIY if only shown how not told how....

This is the key thing that you do differently from Calder and Casey. When I first got my boat, I read everything I could to try and understand how to maintain all the various systems. But there is a gap between the reality of your own boat, and a hand drawn sketch, or a far-off photo of something that looks nothing like what I am trying to deal with. (Like how to maintain a Volvo diesel looking at a photo of a Yanmar).

You do a great job of teaching how to do something (crimping a terminal on a wire) that most other books just assume you already know how to do.

I always check your site before I tackle anything. Just wish it had even more stuff on it.

Thanks

Dan

[CalebD]

And MS is even humble. Who would have thunk it?
Adding my voice to the choir singing the "Thank you chorus".