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The original was posted on /r/sailing by /u/Ejeocho on 2024-11-06 02:05:39+00:00.

Alright, I need to vent because I’m reaching my breaking point. I’ve owned a sailboat for almost two years now and haven’t taken it out even once. It’s not for lack of trying – every time I get close, I’m hit with a new ‘essential’ fix or charge. But this latest round has me questioning if the whole industry is just set up to make boat owners miserable.

So here’s the deal: I needed to replace my engine. I went to a mechanic who *sold* me a new engine, quoted me a price, checked out my boat, and promised that the cost would cover everything – with only one or two possible exceptions he mentioned upfront. The only additional charges he mentioned were if he had to pull the shaft to fit the new engine or if a “gender change” was needed to make the new setup compatible. That all seemed fair enough.

Then it all started unraveling:

  1. **Crane Charge**: First, he suddenly claims I need to pay for the crane at *his* location to lift the engine. This was never part of the original quote or any of the exceptions he warned me about. I don’t know if he expects me to be grateful I’m not getting charged for him driving the crane over to his own yard too.
  2. **Control Panel Charge**: I was told, explicitly, that the control panel was part of the engine package – a one-and-done deal, right? Wrong. Now he says the control panel isn’t part of the replacement and, surprise, it’ll be an extra charge to install.
  3. **Engine Height Adjustment**: Apparently, the new engine doesn’t align perfectly with the existing shaft, so now he’s charging more to adjust the engine height. This was another charge that came completely out of left field – and again, something you’d think he’d have known about when he first inspected the setup and gave me a quote.

I was fine with the possible ‘gender change’ fee he mentioned in relation to the Shaft might be needed. But every other charge he’s thrown at me? They just keep coming out of nowhere, like he’s making it up as he goes along.

I’d be okay paying for honest work, but this feels like one mystery fee after another, and it’s draining the joy out of owning this boat. Has anyone else had these kinds of “surprise” expenses stack up? How do you find an honest mechanic who doesn’t charge you to breathe in the general direction of your boat?

I’m honestly starting to believe the whole boating industry is designed to make you pay through the nose for every little thing, with ‘honesty’ being a word they forgot in the back of a drawer somewhere. This sucks. Rant over."