Boats.... ARRRGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH

Now I love my boat. Well, unless I'm spending the day with my grandkids and their guests pulling them on a tube - in which case I hate my boat. The fighting...

BUT... maintaining is the most frustrating thing EVER. Boat owners.. is it like this for you?

First of all... the cost. You know how they give restaurants $$$$ for very expensive. If I were to do that to reflect the cost of even a minor boat part you'd have to scroll down for a half an hour to get to the bottom of the $'s.

Next... you can't. Maintain it that is. You can't find parts. As near as I can tell a few hundred manufacturers are involved in making one boat.... and 99% are out of business now, even if you bought your boat last year... so there is no one to contact.

I'm trying to replace my Bimini Tops. I got 7 years out of them and in the California sun I consider that nearly record breaking... they wore well. But now... time to replace them. Called my boat manufacturer and got this reply, "We change our suppliers often so we have no idea who made yours".

I called about 6 online companies that sell Bimini Tops... got this reply, "You can't do that".

There is no standard... I'm beginning to think even the same model of boat, built the same year, next off the line after your boat was built, or just off the line ahead of your boat.. will not share a single common component.

So... it's to the 'custom' shop I go.. meaning... I have to sell this board to the Chinese to raise the money. You might wanna pick up a copy of "How To Speak Mandarin"... and soon. - JamesJM