Marine advice library
Boat questions, answered plainly
Search the questions boat owners actually ask — what the symptom probably means, which trade you need, and what happens next. Nothing here replaces a survey or a qualified inspection.
16 answers
Finding a professional
How do I find a marine engineer in Poole?
Post the job on Marine Match with the berth or yard named, the engine make and what the boat is doing. Engineers who cover Poole Harbour and are checked for insurance and identity send you up to three private quotes, usually within a couple of working days.
Finding a professional
How do I find a marine engineer in the Solent?
Name the marina — Hamble, Port Solent, Cowes, Lymington and Southampton all have different access and travel-time realities. Post the job once on Marine Match and checked engineers covering that stretch of water reply with up to three private quotes.
Finding a professional
How do I check a marine engineer is properly qualified and insured?
Ask for public liability insurance with the current expiry date, the trading name and company number, manufacturer or trade accreditations for the work in question, and two recent references. On Marine Match the Verified badge means our team has already checked identity, insurance and certificates before the professional can quote.
Costs & process
How many quotes should I get for boat work?
Three is the practical number. It shows you the range without dragging the job out for weeks. Marine Match caps a job at three quotes deliberately, so professionals know they have a real chance of the work and price it honestly rather than defensively.
Costs & process
What should I include when posting a boat repair job?
Boat make, length and engine details; where she lies and how a professional gets aboard; the symptom in plain words with when it started; photos or a short video; and the timeframe you need. That is enough for an accurate quote and removes most back-and-forth.
Engines
Why won't my marine diesel start after winter lay-up?
After lay-up the usual causes are a flat or tired battery, air in the fuel system, a clogged filter or stale, contaminated diesel. Check batteries and fuel first. If the engine turns over briskly but never fires, the problem is almost always fuel or air rather than the starter.
Engines
Why does my engine overheat after about 20 minutes?
A delayed overheat usually means reduced cooling flow rather than no flow: a partly blocked strainer or intake, a tired impeller, scaled heat exchanger, or a slipping belt. Stop the engine, check for water at the exhaust and look at the raw-water strainer before running again.
Hull & structure
There's water in my bilge — how do I find where it's coming from?
Taste and temperature tell you a lot: salt means seawater, fresh could be rain, tank or cooling water. Dry the bilge completely, then check stern gland, skin fittings, hose clips, the rudder stock and deck fittings in turn until you see where it returns.
Hull & structure
My classic wooden boat's seams are weeping — is that normal?
On a carvel-planked boat, some weeping after a dry spell or a spring launch is normal while the planks take up. Persistent weeping after a week afloat, or weeping in one localised area, points at failed caulking, soft fastenings or a plank problem and needs a shipwright.
Electrics
Why do my boat batteries keep going flat?
Either something is drawing power you haven't accounted for, or the batteries are no longer holding charge. Measure resting voltage after 12 hours off charge, then measure the current draw with everything switched off. Batteries over about five years old are frequently the answer.
Seasonal
How often should I antifoul my boat?
Most UK boats are antifouled annually, typically at spring lift-out or launch. Boats in warm, nutrient-rich estuaries or left unused for long spells may need it yearly without fail; a lightly fouled boat in cold water can sometimes stretch to two seasons with a scrub and touch-up.
Seasonal
When should I winterise my boat?
Before the first hard frost — in most of the UK that means late October to mid-November. Engines, freshwater systems and heads are what freeze and split. Booking in September or early October gets you a slot; leaving it until the forecast turns usually does not.
Engines
How often does an outboard need servicing?
Once a year or every 100 hours, whichever comes first, with the first service usually earlier at around 20 hours on a new engine. Annual servicing covers plugs, filters, gearbox oil, impeller, anodes and a full inspection — most of it can be done afloat or on the trailer.
Costs & process
What does a marine survey cover, and do I need one?
A full condition survey covers hull, structure, deck gear, systems and safety equipment, usually with the boat ashore, and is what insurers and lenders ask for. A pre-purchase survey adds a buyer's view of value and defects. Engine condition is normally a separate engineer's report.
Costs & process
How does paying for the work through Marine Match work?
You accept a quote and the money is held securely until the work is done. Funds release to the professional after you confirm completion, or automatically seven days later if nothing is raised. Marine Match takes 8% commission — 5% for founding professionals in their first six months.
Costs & process
How do I get the right parts for a boat repair?
Work from the engine or equipment plate, not the boat model — impellers, filters and anodes are specific to the unit. On Marine Match you can send a parts request from a job to local chandleries and compare price, stock and lead time line by line before anyone orders.
Your question isn't here?
Describe what the boat is doing in your own words and get the likely cause, the trade to ask for and a rough cost — then turn it straight into a quote request.
Guidance only — not a survey or a quote. In an emergency at sea call 999 and ask for the coastguard.