My previous “sticker” shock wasn’t quite $20,000 (that was my first yard bill - sticker shock - but I was much less knowledgeable as to what my own skills would become thereafter - nowadays, I've been known to fire the "bottom job guy" for doing crappy work and end up doing it myself at Hurricane Boatyard...in July of all months in Miami!); the most recent sticker shock I had, and it was several years ago (I'm not "shocked" anymore) where I was charged somewhere in the $7,500 range to drop two rudders (that fell right out) and install new cutlass bearings (that went right in). These yards use a “book” to tell them what something should cost based upon age and boat manufacturer for the job, not what time is really spent. When something is easy, there is no deduction; when it’s hard, there is an extraordinary extra charge. Something, the yard admitted to me 12+ years ago when I was negotiating their bill when I knew it took a guy 15 minutes to complete something they charged me 10 hours for.
Pascal, you taught me one (at least) good thing, and it probably won’t make me many friends at the yard, but like you once told me, “You have to sit on the boat all day and make note of who comes and goes and at what time, in order to justify the bill.” You are right. My very first yard bill had me billed for more guys than they had in their employ over a week’s time and I was only one of MANY boats in the yard that week. I challenged that bill and got it reduced because there was no fuckin’ way I used all of their guys working 80 hours a week on MY ONE boat.
Even if I have to take time off work, unpaid, to supervise the yard labor, I come out ahead. Sad, but reality.
