Are you a do-it-yourselfer?

[GilStump]

I am. It ain't always pretty, but then neither am I.

[Sinuous]

In theory, yes. Just bought our first boat.

I know engines, I know electrics. I'm not so strong on plumbing and woodwork...yet.

[JungleJim]

In the past I've paid an "expert" to come to the slip and take care of what's needed. Going forward I'm planning to do most on my own. I've been reading up on Casey, Caldwell, etc. and the sailnet posts for the past year and feel pretty confident DIY.

[wolfenzee]

What counts is I didn't HAVE to do anything to my boat to get it to the point where I could do what I WANT. She looked alot prettier when I first got her (in the same way a plastic boat looks pretty, neat, clean and ready to go)< she looks rough now, but I am doing alot to her.

[jephotog]

Fix my own car, although regret it when halfway done sometimes. Build my own house, it may be done some day. When I get my next boat will probably do all my own work. Not sure on rigging and sails but am reading up on those subjects now just in case. Couldn't afford boat ownership otherwise.

[jepomer]

I enjoy working on my boat, but also enjoy sailing. Fortunately, I have two sailboats - one that is ready to sail on the water and a second one that is undergoing "rehabilitation".

I can do many things. What i don't know, I try to learn. The work goes much slower, but I gain much personal satisfaction from it.

There are things that I cannot do. I use a professional for those things.

[wolfenzee]

I am haveing alot of trouble doing all the stuff I am doing by myself, what really pisses me off is when people say "Wouln't you feel so good when you are done and can say that you did it allll by your self." One example is a project I just finished which with two people might have taken a week (or less) took me over two months. Spending a couple extra years to be able to say I did it all by myself is not worth it.

[jepomer]

Even when I can technically do things myself, there does come a time when I know I need to have someone else do the work for me. Sometimes it is time to do the work. Sometimes it is the tools or skills are not there.

I do try to keep an open mind as to what really needs to be done.

[pdqaltair]

The way I figure it, sailors can fix all of the essential stuff. Daysailors have to get help. I've met a lot of daysailors out there pretending to be cruisers, waiting on "engine trouble" or "electrical trouble". Often they're nearly proud of it, that they can wait for someone do something simple.

Learning to sail takes a few months. Learning to be a sailor takes longer.

[jepomer]

There are people who are technically/mechanically orientated and people who are not. The more someone goes out away from the shore, the more he needs to be able to depend on his technical abilities. Those without the abilities will tend not to go very far and will probably be the first to call for help.

So, I believe it is our abilities that push us toward activities. We may all want to do all things, but we can be good at only a certain things. It is important to know our limits.