Updated on January 23rd, 2025
When choosing a boat for the first time and studying various sources of information about yachting, you may come across statements regarding the huge amount of repairs and continuous maintenance of boats. This has become so common on the Internet that potential buyers sometimes have doubts about whether they need a boat at all if it will immediately break down and will be in repair and maintenance almost all year round. But is it really that bad?
First of all, in the modern world, it is necessary to understand that the less specialized the platform is on which any discussion of yachting is conducted, the greater the percentage of active participants have never owned a boat and, perhaps, have never even been on the water. All the well-known catchphrases about buying, repairing and maintaining boats are constantly repeated from mouth to mouth, probably either in order to simply keep the discussion going, or try to demonstrate one’s intelligence and knowledge on any issues, or for the purpose of trolling. We do not know for sure.
The truth is that all this is a big lie. There are many variables to consider here. However, the fact remains that the vast majority of boat and yacht owners of all sizes enjoy them as much as is possible to imagine.
Yes, boats are expensive, they require maintenance, and of course, the larger the yacht, the more complex its systems, and the greater the chance that something can go wrong. Breakdowns are bound to happen, because even cars break down regularly, and boats are in a much more aggressive environment.
But our experience tells us that endless breakdowns on boats are the exception rather than the rule. When we were doing maintenance and repairs, although we did not see the big picture, we knew many boats that over many years had only one generator repair, or a drive replacement after running aground, or bilge pumps were updated, or there was some other single malfunction that required immediate repair.
Moreover, during numerous meetings on the water with cruisers and sailors, we have become convinced that there are a huge number of boats, from cabin gliders to trawlers, which almost never have any serious breakdowns. By serious, we mean those that can threaten the safety of the crew, and not a burnt-out light bulb in the cabin.
In addition, there is a huge difference between servicing a boat and a car. This difference is in perception.
With rare exceptions, no normal person wants to open the hood of a car, climb into a dirty engine, check the tires or add various fluids.
But fiddling around on board a boat, even if some of the actions are similar, is a completely different thing. A different philosophy, if you will. Simply because cars for most are vehicles, while boats are, in fact, a vacation from all vehicles.
In fairness, it must be acknowledged that many motorboats, especially small ones, on the modern market are built not so much with the goal of creating long-term friendly relations with future owners, but with the goal of satisfying increased demand and making a short-term profit. Therefore, it is necessary to be cautious about new shipyards, ignoring the enthusiastic paid reviews of magazines.
As for the oldest thematic yachting forums, it may be useful to try to get information on the reliability and maintainability of a boat from a particular manufacturer, but you must understand that the sample may be too small to form a general plausible picture. And, in addition, the circumstances or true causes of the problems that have arisen are often omitted.
How can a buyer choose a good, reliable boat?
Well, firstly, you will most likely not go wrong if you go straight to the premium segment, that is, consider, for example, Dutch or Italian shipyards, which have been building semi-custom yachts for many years, often with displacement or semi-planing hulls. Satisfied customers and an excellent reputation are the main priorities for such shipyards.
Secondly, the mass market also offers excellent boats at more affordable prices. For more detailed information, please contact the French.
Thirdly, there are a large number of old trawlers on the secondary market, many of which were very well looked after by their owners. These boats are not yet stuffed with a bunch of electronics and complex equipment, so with proper maintenance they can serve for many more years. Here, of course, when buying, you will need a professional surveyor.
Fourthly, never buy or even accept as a gift a wooden yacht, unless you are a restorer or if you only need the boat for one season.
About yacht maintenance
With a few exceptions, all boats require maintenance. And as the size of the yacht increases, the amount of maintenance increases almost exponentially. You can buy an aluminum tender or RIB with an electric outboard motor and forget about any kind of maintenance except recharging the battery. However, if your queries are in the superyacht area, then you will need a crew to perform maintenance almost constantly.
More modest yachts, roughly in the range of up to 24 meters, undergo regular full maintenance once a season. Many jobs are happy to be done by owners themselves, but some types of maintenance require complex work with lifting out of the water, so it is better to entrust them to professionals.
Ignoring maintenance, of course, can lead to serious breakdowns and expensive repairs with long waits for parts and a vague deadline for completion of the work.
Cost of maintenance and repairs
Not always, but as a rule, if you buy a yacht, you have enough capital to not worry too much about the associated costs. However, for many boat owners with an average income, the issue of maintenance and repair costs is very relevant.
To make it clear what to prepare your wallet for, here is a simple explanation: everything that has the classification of “marine” is several times more expensive than its “land” counterparts. And this is not always justified by higher reliability or special adaptation of components and materials to the harsh salty environment. Sometimes, simply adding words like “nautical” or “yacht” automatically inflates the price of the product several times, which is very convenient from the point of view of the manufacturer and seller of anything.
But basically, of course, the high price is still due to both the quality and the small production runs.
In addition to the high prices for components, the work itself on the maintenance of boats, and especially luxury yachts, is a very specific service in the high-end leisure sector that requires large financial investments and time costs from shipyards, so it would be foolish to expect low prices.
In general, the full cost of owning a yacht per year averages 10-15% of its original price. These generally accepted figures are quite true, regardless of the type of boat. Of course, they can fluctuate up or down, depending on factors such as the number of engine hours, storage conditions, and the owner’s willingness to do some of the maintenance work himself.