Off site ownership

[johnjen50]

I'm starting this because I have often wondered, when I retire and am not able to be at the boat every minute, how I would make sure she is fine. The two Randy's had an interesting exchange on another thread, and rather than continue to hijack that I would like to solicit peoples thoughts on how they do it smartly. I have thought that technology could play a big role, say with cameras and high water or bilge pump alerts to your phone, so that you would be able to track whats going on. Very curious about how folks manage this, as I will be a snowbird going back and forth between New England and Florida, but will most likely leave it in Florida for a few months around thanksgiving and Christmas before flying down to spend the winter cruising after New Years. Thoughts on how people manage this stress??

 

[HahnR]

In addition to having a constant flow of people on the boat doing repair work of various items, we have gotten to know several of our dockmates who are liveaboards & keep an eye on things as well as keep us informed what's going on with the boat. The marina has a security camera with a view of the boat & has a dockmaster who keeps a close eye on things.

As far as the latest technology to allow you to keep an eye on things yourself from afar, talk to Scott (Boatsb). He can fix you up with a system that can be updated or added to as you go to monitor just about anything you want to.

Randy

 

[SEVEN]

My slip is right in front of the harbor masters office and I’m surrounded on 3 sides with live aboard. I also have access to the harbors video feed which I glance at about 5 times a day. I’m considering adding WiFi cameras inside this year.

 

[Boatsb]

In addition to having a constant flow of people on the boat doing repair work of various items, we have gotten to know several of our dockmates who are liveaboards & keep an eye on things as well as keep us informed what's going on with the boat. The marina has a security camera with a view of the boat & has a dockmaster who keeps a close eye on things.

As far as the latest technology to allow you to keep an eye on things yourself from afar, talk to Scott (Boatsb). He can fix you up with a system that can be updated or added to as you go to monitor just about anything you want to.

Randy

Thanks for the vote of confidence.

I've been happy with the axis cameras and systems as a true mission critical solution. They re used in commercial and security applications around the world.

The best part is being able to view them on the garmin 76/86 screens too.

I saw a test with a 16 camera system on 1 screen.

 

[Beachcomber]

If you have good WiFi this is a simple inexpensive system that is expandable.

https://shop.smartthings.com/products/samsung-smartthings-home-monitoring-kit

I really like it for keeping an eye on things when I can’t be there.

 

[Freeebird]

If you have good WiFi this is a simple inexpensive system that is expandable.

https://shop.smartthings.com/products/samsung-smartthings-home-monitoring-kit

I really like it for keeping an eye on things when I can’t be there.

Wish I had seen that before I went with a Simply Safe home alarm. Wanted something quick and easy before I left for a Christmas cruise with my son. Mine will call the cops, but not me. It has an option for a camera, but I believe it only works when the alarm is triggered. That would let me see who has tripped the alarm, but that's it.

I didn't worry so much about security as I did just having someone around to respond when there was a problem or check up on people who were supposed to be doing work. I too am considering the snowbird thing in a few more years when my son is out and on his own. Forums like this one (especially this one) are a great networking tool which enable us to find people who live near our boating areas. There is no substitute for a set of eyes, ears, and hands along with first hand experience of who to call when you have an issue.

Making friends with other owners in the marina is the best place to start. Liveaboards are typically very bored and pay lots of attention to everything going on around them. That can be a good thing.

 

[Walter P]

Angela (58 MY) from this forum had a concern pretty much like your concern except she was not an
absentee owner. She did go to work in the mornings and return in the evenings and would have certain
"professionals" work on her boat during the day. Well she got some juicy bills based on hourly rates.
When she went over the bills which claimed x number of man hours worked and checked her security
tapes, it showed a whole different story.....by a bunch. It seemed that the time spent on her boat was
significantly less than what the bill claimed.

Now I don't think that most service providers are dishonest but some are and an absentee owner needs
to exercise all due diligence to avoid getting robbed. It's always best not to dangle temptation especially
since lots of folks think that if we own a nice big boat we must have lots of money and won't mind parting
with some.

Walt

 

[Freeebird]

Uh oh... Ang has security cameras on the boat?

 

[Fish Tales]

I had my 65c over in Clearwater for a little over 2 months.  Loved the marina and the area, would love to go back for the winter, in a heart beat.  This was the Municipal marina next to the beach.  That is where I met Randy (Freebird). He was checking on his buddy's Hatt next door.  He is a wealth of information.<br><br>Because of a 3 hour road trip from my house to the marina, I had to settle for a  few projects to be performed while I was absent.  I used vendors from the marina vendor list, who were supposed to be screened, reliable, insured, and fairly priced.  Most were, and repairs I could not perform myself went well.  I had what I thought was a starter problem, and hired a mobile mechanic from the list.  Since my engine room is accessed from the cockpit, I allowed him to do the repair in my absence. I had 3 weeks before my slip was up, and had to bring the boat home. So I had a deadline and told him.  He removed my starter, stated it was burnt up, and I needed a new one.  He also insisted I prepay the new starter because I did not live in the area, and we could settle up on labor upon my return later.  <br><br>I thought that was fair, other jobs went well, so I trusted him and wired the money.  Last time heard from  him.  Tried to get the marina to assist, because it was their list, the stated they could not interfere.  Got the local police to call him, he promised to return my starter before my depart date.  But he blew me off. Called his insurance company, they never heard of him. Now I am out a starter, the money for a new starter, and parts and wires all over the engine room. I assumed he found out the starter was good, did not want to look stupid, so decided to disappear.  MTU starters are not available through the local NAPA.  They grow on gold trees.  <br><br>So I drove over, found another mechanic, had to purchase another starter, only to find out a bad terminal in a junction box.  Never a starter problem. Did some re-wiring, had to buy alot of missing hardware, but I was finally able to meet my departure date.  Learned a lesson, not sure which one, but was able to salvage the trip with alot of hard earned dollars and parts missing.  <br><br>So just be careful. Do not know if a camera system could have assisted.  He had permission to be there.  <br><br>Have a great week,<br>Tim<br><br>

 

[Fish Tales]

That sure looked better when I typed it. Had paragraphs and everything.

Sorry it looks like gibberish.

Tim

 

[Boatsb]

Walt has a point but there's a counter to that too.

I deal with some reasonably wealthy customers who own half million dollar boats and million dollar houses and beautiful cars and other toys who cry poverty all the time. Then when they see something they want price is no object.

I don't make my living off of one customer. I work for many and do my bes5 best to provide value. I will not install things you buy on the internet and I will not cu5 corners for you to save a buck because it costs me in the end.

I just finished a couple of electronics installs on the same dock so my customers talked. One told the other I'm not the fastest but boy did I make things neat on his boat. The second one told me this and asked that I do the same for him.

Neither one argued price after it was done and both were happy I cleaned up the previous installs. I billed them fairly and moved on.

Another vendor was on one of the boats last year and did less for more. When i showed the owner his mess he asked me to fix it and not mention it.

It's all in finding the right people.

Sadly too many cheapskates cause the creation of half assed vendors. Then the half assed vendor sees blood in the water and your screwed.

 

[racclarkson@gmail.com]

Walt has a point but there's a counter to that too.

I deal with some reasonably wealthy customers who own half million dollar boats and million dollar houses and beautiful cars and other toys who cry poverty all the time. Then when they see something they want price is no object.

I don't make my living off of one customer. I work for many and do my bes5 best to provide value. I will not install things you buy on the internet and I will not cu5 corners for you to save a buck because it costs me in the end.

I just finished a couple of electronics installs on the same dock so my customers talked. One told the other I'm not the fastest but boy did I make things neat on his boat. The second one told me this and asked that I do the same for him.

Neither one argued price after it was done and both were happy I cleaned up the previous installs. I billed them fairly and moved on.

Another vendor was on one of the boats last year and did less for more. When i showed the owner his mess he asked me to fix it and not mention it.

It's all in finding the right people.

Sadly too many cheapskates cause the creation of half assed vendors. Then the half assed vendor sees blood in the water and your screwed.

Always enjoy that rosy outlook on life. As usual there's at least three sides to every story.

One possible reason for "too many cheapskates" is the abundance of folks who, as you say, do "less for more". And that, I contend, is putting a happy face on it. The reality is the boating industry is famous for rip-off artists. Maybe it's no worse than any other subset; it's just usually more expensive on the water. You can hardly blame folks for trying to drive a hard bargain when some percentage of the industry are what Fish Tales experienced.

It is all in finding the right people, as in the right customers and the right contractors.

In my pre-retired life, I encountered a few (very few) home appliance dealers who refused to service what they didn't sell--usually in small towns. Aside from missing the immediate service call revenue, they disqualified themselves from future business with that particular customer by missing the opportunity to demonstrate the great local service they had to offer. Of course, that was their decision. I know it gave them a great sense of satisfaction, at their own expense, to teach the customer a lesson.

And just to guild the lilly a bit... When's the last time anyone ever heard the next plumber or mechanic or electrician in line tell a customer, "Man, guy who did this for you sure did a great job?"

Now ducking and covering.

 

[Boatsb]

I've said those words. Sometimes sarcastically but sometimes true. When you see a good job its good to recognize it especially with people passing through. They like to know they're not going to burn up on the next leg of the trip.

 

[Boatsb]

Servicing is one thing. Being asked to install new items bought around me is where I draw the line.

I can usually meet or beat any legal resellers price so it's usually someone trying to avoid paying sales tax that plays that game.

 

[Freeebird]

Servicing is one thing. Being asked to install new items bought around me is where I draw the line.

I can usually meet or beat any legal resellers price so it's usually someone trying to avoid paying sales tax that plays that game.

The sales tax loophole is slowly but surely closing, but it seems to me your real money is in installing, not the actual sale of what you're installing. I can't imagine the markup is that great with all the competition. Not trying to argue or disparage you in any way as I love you man. Just curious.

I know with my business, if a customer wants to order some piece of Chinese junk safe off the Internet, I'll gladly take his money to pick it up at the freight terminal and install it. I'd rather make something than nothing. I price it out like a relocation, so it costs them about double what I charge when someone buys from me. I just get my money up front. That way if the piece of junk doesn't work, I don't have to worry as that's between them and the outfit they purchased it from.

 

[carolinacoast]

I have owned in water boats for 20 years+ over 300 miles away. (Bad judgment, I know). I now have go to vendors, I trust between south GA and Wilmington NC. Have I been gouged, sure. Successful vendor relationships are built from communication, aligned interest, and prompt payment. Vendors I trust, I pay deposits, even when not requested.
Absentee, to me, means I need local advocates thinking about my boat. Boat vendor work gets spaced out for that reason. I respect my vendors, wherever the boat is, and that pays dividends.
On parts sourcing, I share that information, when the vendors supply house/markup is so high it is worth discussing. I have never bought parts that the vendor did not agree that the value was a worth the inconvenience.

 

[Boatsb]

Garmin, raymarine and simrad have instituted unilateral pricing so we can not sell below a certain margin. It's not a big number but livable. The problem is unauthorized dealers don't follow the pricing guidelines and screw up the market worse.

I heard a customer in the area bought from one of these and had it installed by the unauthorised guy who toasted the radar and could not replace it. He had to buy a second unit and came to other authorized dealers for help. He didn't like track of response he got as no one wanted to get him a new radarvatbcost and install it for a hundred bucks

 

[Chasemmc]

Typically what I run into are folks who want to leverage our intellectual property to facilitate their cutting corners. Usually the client is in a profession or job that is protected from internet competition. Basically when things go sideways and they are in over their head they expect us to feel compassion for their situation even though we all know it is founded in their greed.I make a distinction between ones who are being hoisted on their own pitard and those whos butt is in a sling. We always assist those that are delt a bad hand. The others who purchased goods elsewhere will pay double the labor rate, no warranty on the parts or workmanship, and if something breaks in the process we won't replace it.We explain that the product margin pays for breakage, warranty administration, and subsidizes the labor rate.

 

[Boatsb]

Labor rates

$100 per hour standard.
$150 if you watch.
$200 if you help
$500 for basket cases.

 

[krush]

Labor rates

$100 per hour standard.
$150 if you watch.
$200 if you help
$500 for basket cases.

You forgot the "if you tried to fix it before you called me" rate...which is usually at least 2-3x the standard rate lol