How to acquire maintenance skills and knowledge.

[Peter195678]

Dear readers,
I have a desire to begin my retirement (in 2029) on a boat.
How can I acquire the knowledge and skills to do most of my own maintenance before I retire?
I live and work in the middle east and have no access to regular or what you might consider normal marinas or sailing clubs.
I work random shift so even if there were night classes in boat building I would not be able to attend.
I think perhaps I could try a hobby supported by online learning that might help me acquire the knowledge and skills I will need but what hobby to consider?
All suggestions appreciated.
Thanks
Pete

[thursday]

I'm in a similar situation and what I'm doing is just trying to find analogous projects in my every day life. I ride a bike, so now I do all my own maintenance on my bike. I had some issues in my bathroom so I figured out how to resolve that problem on my own. I have some simple electrical work I want to do next. It's not 100% the same but I think part of the point is that you'll never get all the skills needed to handle every situation before stepping on a boat, but you can learn the meta-skill of becoming self sufficient, confident in your abilities, and understanding the high-level view of things.

[skynight]

Thursday is on the right track, parts are parts regardless of whether they make up a bicycle or a jet. Work on what you have at your disposal to build the skills you are looking for.

[parachute]

THre are a lot of boat maintenance books: https://www.google.com/search?client...intenance+book

[thomm225]

If you don't have the skills there is one thing to remember....YOUTUBE!

There are videos on Youtube on how to fix just about anything from your computer to a sailboats diesel engine.

Just do a search.

Then for more info do a search on Goggle.

There are also videos on solar installation for your boat ......

basically just about anything you would need to know about maintenance can be found on youtube or online for the theory of Operation

[Benz]

I second the "become generally handy" motif. If you get comfortable with tools, and comfortable taking things apart and putting them back together, that's half the battle. Maybe take your wife's car apart and put it back together. Or buy a junker and get it up and running. Then you'll be familiar with hoses, and extra bolts, and fiddly little O-rings and gaskets and hose clamps and possibly with wiring and basic 12-volt scheming.
It can't hurt.

[thomm225]

It can take many years to acquire maintenance skills.

For example, on a boat most need diesel maintenance skills since many cruisers tend to rely on their engines.

Then you need electrical maintenance skills.

Then if you have problems with your electronics, you'll need skills there as well which might even include computer skills. Some of us are using these small Raspberry Pi computers which use a Linux OS so you will need skills there as swell.

Btw, youtube and the internet has explanations for all this as well as replacing your computers motherboard then reloading the OS.

[Spot]

Fixing up an old camping trailer or RV is somewhat analogous to boat work in regards to multiple systems such as fresh water, waste plumbing, electrical, sleeping quarters, cooking area, and if it is not a trailer then motive power. Fitting out a Sprinter type van with some camping amenities (bed, wash basin, Porta-Potti, extra lights, batteries, solar) might be another way to try some of this.

YouTube is nice. Books are nice too. Don Casey and Nigel Calder have some good books in this 'space'. Sometimes an author will resonate -or not- with a reader so not every 'boat book' will seem be a 'winner'.

Practicing maintenance on the wife's car? Only if she has patience and a sense of humor

[thomm225]

And don't forget sail maintenance.

I had the engines, electrical/solar, electronics, and computer maintenance down pretty good but lacked sewing skills especially on the thicker sections of a sail.

So I bought thread, sail needles, and a sail palm and was fixing my jib when I slammed one of those long needles deep down into the lower part of my thumb. All I could do then was stare at it until I put down my work and found a pair of pliers to pull it out.

Then continue after a bit of alcohol.......

Then there's the boat painting, sanding, and fiberglass repairs as well as maybe filling in removed seacock holes in the hull.

Then there's the rig tension.

Good thing most cruisers are retired.....so they have the time for all this

[Hudson Force]

Originally Posted by Spot

Fixing up an old camping trailer or RV is somewhat analogous to boat work in regards to multiple systems such as fresh water, waste plumbing, electrical, sleeping quarters, cooking area, and if it is not a trailer then motive power. Fitting out a Sprinter type van with some camping amenities (bed, wash basin, Porta-Potti, extra lights, batteries, solar) might be another way to try some of this.................

I think this idea excels!

[boatman61]

https://youtu.be/G8BwBJqHSyU

https://youtu.be/4XoeGV2KhGc

https://youtu.be/RQMR0Hhit5g

https://youtu.be/p8MlFPQ1cto

A little something to get you started..

[Jammer]

There is little that is truly unique to boats. Learn your skills in other areas.

1. Take a robotics class.
2. Fix cars.
3. Work as a stagehand. (rigging, electrical, fabric, paint, comfort working at heights)
4. Fix houses. (plumbing, electrical, paint, caulk)
5. Fix appliances.
6. Build a small boat, either from plans or a kit.
7. Make clothes or costumes. (skills transfer to sail and canvas repair)
8. Fix RVs.
9. Become an amateur radio operator (mainly for VHF skills)

There is little, skill wise, that is unique to boats. There's a switch to materials more durable in the marine environment (stainless steel, epoxy, and polyurethane calk in place of mild steel, white glue, and acrylic, e.g.) that requires some adjustment.

[thinwater]

"become generally handy" is the starting point. A few skills are specific, but understanding how things work is the key. I came to boating having started taking things apart and making things when I was 10, and working on cars and houses as a teenager. And engineering background didn't hurt either.



The truth, of course, is that like any skilled profession, learning skill at all of these crafts takes work and practice. 35 years later, I'm more skilled than I was.


But if you are handy and interested in learning, you'll be OK. Do what you can, and when you hire craftsman to do specific things, watch silently and help.

[Snore]

Suggestions are READ books by accomplished experts. With all respect to Boatie- unless you find a channel by a pro, avoid YouTube. Most of the videos are useless. Having delivered two boat that were sold by YouTube, their advice can be dangerous.

Finally, work on your deductive reasoning skills. Many repairs require you to logically chase possible failure points. Knowing what to look at (from reading) and then being able to calmly and methodically eliminate failure points is the essence of repairs.


While NOTHING substitutes for experience, this is a start

[bwiencek]

I have to agree with the "become generally handy" comment - since you say that you are in the middle east with no access to boating/sailing - fixing up an old diesel truck or car and driving it DAILY can give you the skills that will transfer. An old diesel van/rv would be even better...


You'll learn:
- diesel engine maintenance and repair as things break
- electrical diagnosis and repair - if they don't break upgrade things - such as converting to LED lighting, modern stereo, etc.
- Interior / upholstery / sewing(maybe) - refresh the interior
- general repair / mechanical aptitude as things go wrong with the suspension, etc.


If you get an RV or camper to tow you'll have the plumbing systems (tanks, lines, pumps, etc.) and 'shore power' and 12v systems, and likely chargers, battery bank, and maybe add an inverter, a/c, etc. just to add to the skills/systems