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.
The most common reason a quote comes back vague is that the professional cannot tell how much of the day the job will eat. Access, lift-out, tide and whether the boat is ashore or afloat often matter more to the price than the repair itself.
Photos do a lot of work. A picture of the engine plate, the corroded terminal or the weeping seam usually saves a diagnostic visit, and it tells the professional whether they have the right parts on the van before they set off.
Useful next
Get it looked at
Post the job once and up to three checked professionals who cover your area send private quotes. Not sure how to describe it? Talk it through with the assistant first.
More from the advice library
Guidance only — not a survey or a quote. In an emergency at sea call 999 and ask for the coastguard. 16 questions in the library.