Your Guide to Making Boat Repairs Easy
If you’ve had an accident in your boat and need any type of maintenance, it’s always best to head to a boat repair shop that you can trust. Considering you may have paid upwards of one hundred thousand dollars or more for your boat, you don’t want an inexperienced repairer causing further damage.
In this article, we’ll take a look at how to make your boat repairs as seamless as possible. No one likes waiting months for repairs, and you certainly shouldn’t need to pay through the nose either, so take a look at a few of our boat repair tips below.
Choose a Trusted Repair Shop
Of course, the first thing you’ll need to do to repair your boat is to find a boat repair facility that caters to your boat’s needs as well as your budget. It’s always good to turn to friends, family, and especially local anglers or boaters in your area for some advice here as they’ve likely had their fair share of repairs.
Once you’ve decided on a repair shop, give them a call, explain what you’re looking to have repaired, your boat’s make and model as well as a rough time-frame. This way you’ll be provided a rough quote upfront as well as a timeline. If the budget or timeline doesn’t suit your needs, call another boatyard.
You might also want to consider checking social media and Google reviews too. These will give you a star rating and you might even find a hidden gem repair shop.
Inquire About Repair Warranties
An essential item to add to your boat repair checklist is to ask about repair warranties. Once a mechanic has fixed any issues with your boat, you want to make sure these repairs are going to hold up. No one wants to be out on the water and spot a leak or have an engine failure.
It’s best to ask for warranty information supplied in a physical document and to also ensure it lasts a minimum of 30 days, though 90 days is most ideal.
Examine Invoices Before Paying
The easiest way to make sure you’re charged the right amount and everything is repaired that you asked for is to check the invoice. Go over it top-to-bottom and you’ll soon spot if your mechanic forgot something, or added something on that you didn’t ask for.
To make things just that little bit safer, don’t pay the invoice until you’re completely sure that everything you asked for has been done, and there aren’t any extras being tacked on.
Don’t Forget to Photograph Before & After
Making sure your mechanic doesn’t cause any additional damage to your boat is essential too. The easiest way to hold a mechanic accountable for damage is to photograph the entire boat as well as the damaged areas. This way, if you need to make an insurance claim or ask for further repairs, you’ll have the evidentiary support to do so.
On top of this, you’ll be able to more effectively withhold paying invoices until the repairs or alterations are made. Just make sure to have the images dated - or save the metadata.
Maintenance Is Important Too
Finally, you can’t expect to spend countless hours or every weekend out on your boat without maintaining it. If you don’t winterize or fix minor dings as they occur, you’ll be left with a worn down boat or one that gradually fills with indentations and begins to leak.
For a few DIY fiberglass maintenance tips, take a look here.
For Expert Boat Repairs in Riverside NJ, Trust JDOC Marine, LLC
Call us today at (856) 393-7720 to learn how our boat craftsmen could get you the best Custom Fiberglass Boat Repair in Riverside NJ done, at the right price, with superior service! You could also Request A FREE BOAT REPAIR QUOTE on our website or to request more information.