what would you rather do ?

[lively]

ok so i see these guys that pay to have there boat floor fixed and the motor rebuilt ..

and i see the ones who build with there own two hands .....


what would you rather do

A: pay someone and hope that they did a good job and did not do a slap it all together job ?

B: do it yourself spend a little more time and money then planned , drink a bunch of beer laughing and sweating your balls off while you figure out what do next ...

C: sell your boat and buy a dingy and a twelve - pack ? ha ha ....


-lively's pick >>>>> B..-

[wspeedin]

I would much rather do "B", however, being in a wheelchair I choose to go with option "A". Now, I am still a bit crazy and thought about option "B" but after replacing just the floor in my old Bayliner I decided it would be just out of my ability level to do the stringers in the Supra. I did however remove the motor and all the interior on my own. I will let the "floor guy" do the rest and then I will install the interior and motor on my own. Also, I am building the motor myself since I do have a few years of ford motor assembly under my belt :)

[michael hunter]

Not everybody has the tools, location, time or capability of doing stringers . For me I would do them myself unless I found a place that could install composite stringers. Then I would have the stringers done and I would finish the rest.

[csuggs]

I can answer that. In my younger years, "A" would have been my choice because I dont like to pay someone to do something I can do myself. However ....... As I get older I realize it's not so bad to pay someone else to do the dirty work. So I went with paying someone to do the stringers, but then I took care of the motor and a lot of the mechanicals. Worked for me - but to each his own. There's not a pat answer that fits everyone's wallet or abilities.

[lively]

Ha ha my father tells me the same stuff ! Lol man u make me tired just looking at all of this .. Thanks for all the opinions guys ! I respect everyone! I just was curious what others thoughts were ... God bless!

-lively-

[wotan2525]

I did more of option A because at the time, Option B wasn't realistic -- it was before there was this forum or any of the other resources to help with the how-to!

I removed everything, cut out all of the old stringers and then took it to a guy that put in new stringers and fiberglassed them. I then did the floor and reinstalled everything else. So -- A mix of A and B?

[cadunkle]

Depends on time and circumstances. The first big problem is I can't fit a Saltare in my garage, so it would have to be an outside project and couldn't be done over the winter due to cold temperature and snow. The second is I often work late, so working outside would mean it would be dark most weeknights by the time I'm home and ready to work. The third is time, since I don't have a place big enough to work inside and the related timeframe issues I would be burning a lot of spring/summer/fall riding time, maybe a whole season.

With all that in mind I would probably opt to do something along the lines on Wotan's solution, strip the boat and do "demo" myself, leaving it mostly ready for a capable shop to do stringers over the winter. I'd want to do it myself though, as my philosophy has always been to never pay someone else to do something you can do yourself. Paying someone else is throwing money away so far as I see it. If I ever find myself in that situation we'll see where it puts me, but I hope not to have to do a stringer job, at least until I get a place with a bigger shop out back.

[kvand347]

I chose option D: Buy a '93 or newer Supra (sorry...I couldn't resist!!) :D

[scotthons]

Being not the most handy person I would choose option E. Buy a couple cases of beer and have your more capable buddies come over and help you out. I typically stick to the much simplier things I can do on my own with out making it worse.

[bens250ex]

I chose option D: Buy a '93 or newer Supra (sorry...I couldn't resist!!) :D. I'm going with this option as well. I just want my boat to work when I'm done with the stringers lol. I will never do this again

[haugy]

B. I'm a learn it as you go kind of guy. I didn't know squat about building engines when I built my first Jeep. But I learned alot, the right and the wrong. And how many ways to do things.

I have no idea how to do stringers. But I would slowly learn and do it myself. I take great pride in the things I've saved, or rebuilt. Because I did it with my own two hands. I made that. As a man I feel that is one of the great joys I'll be able to savor.

Plus, no one builds like me. No one but me. And I know how I like things done, so if I want it done right, then I better roll up my sleeves and do it.

For some, B. is not an option. It doesn't make them any less than a man or anything negative. But if you truely have a choice between A or B, I think you should chose B. If B isn't feasible, well that's life, and you'll probably be out on the water sooner than me. :D

[lively]

B. I'm a learn it as you go kind of guy. I didn't know squat about building engines when I built my first Jeep. But I learned alot, the right and the wrong. And how many ways to do things.

I have no idea how to do stringers. But I would slowly learn and do it myself. I take great pride in the things I've saved, or rebuilt. Because I did it with my own two hands. I made that. As a man I feel that is one of the great joys I'll be able to savor.

Plus, no one builds like me. No one but me. And I know how I like things done, so if I want it done right, then I better roll up my sleeves and do it.

For some, B. is not an option. It doesn't make them any less than a man or anything negative. But if you truely have a choice between A or B, I think you should chose B. If B isn't feasible, well that's life, and you'll probably be out on the water sooner than me. :D


I totally agree man ! I fix everything I own .. and if it wasn't done by my two hands .. I feel like i didnt do my part ... Building my sunsport is so much fun to me and has made more knowledgeable in different fields and now i get to try to master it ! And i look it this way .. if it breaks down ill know what to do :)