nervous wreck

[sailbristol]

what would you do? This young man [30 sumptin] just bought an alberg 35 with an A4 in it, I think he got a good deal for a project boat ,it has AC, refridgeration and a wind generator. but here is the catch,he is not the brightest bulb in a string of lights,and the engine doesnt run. He asked me about what I thought was wrong ,so I went over to his boat which is in a slip right behind me, and saw that his engine wont turn over. he asked if he should put more gas in it,or maybe it doesnt have any spark . the problem is the starter wont turn ,dead batterys or bad starter . Power boat owner next door told him to spray some starting fluid in it. but then he has big desiels. While looking in from the cockpit I noticed he has a 25# propane tank sitting on a sette next to his gas stove ,ouch. The only tools he has is a screw driver and a pair of vice grips. Should I help or run? he is in way over his head. I am in business to make money and I need my tools but I am afraid he is going to blow us all up or burn us down.

[rodadams62]

neighbours

wow......that is scary........tell him to buy the manual for the a4......he will be too busy reading to do any damage....

[joe_db]

Tell him to NOT TOUCH ONE THING on that boat until he reads this: http://www.amazon.com/Boatowners-Mec...s=nigel+calder and this http://www.moyermarine.com/cgi-bin/s...rebuilder.html and this http://www.amazon.com/Chapman-Piloti...words=chapmans

[ndutton]

Since the current situation is untenable it seems your choices are few:

• Teach him to be the boating neighbor you need him to be. This may require a huge time investment on your part, maybe urge him to become an active member here or any other source of good boating and safety information.
• Request a different slip.

My first slip in the marina was next to a home built sailboat with a city water inlet. I soon learned the owner passed away onboard a couple of months before I arrived. His surviving family could not emotionally part with the boat just yet so they continued to pay the slip rent but never - and I mean never ever - came to check on the boat.

I looked at the inlet, made sure the water was turned off at the dock box, looked at the narrow floating finger dock that separated us and imagined what could have happened if a plumbing problem developed on that boat, it filled with water and sank right there still tied to the finger dock where I was also tied.

I made a slip relocation request which was immediately granted.

[hanleyclifford]

The marina office should be notified of the propane tank at once since this is a fire hazard. I would make an attempt to help the kid but if he is not teachable - do like Neil did...PUFO.

[roadnsky]

I've been in a similar situation a couple of times over the years.
I did sort of a hybrid of Neil's actions...

First, I always try to get them to visit and join this site.
In both cases, I ended up moving slips after giving away my MMI bible!
I worried about either getting blown up or at minimum getting dragged to the bottom with them when they sunk.
The up side is I keep getting new manuals without all the greasy pages.

Similarly, remember the diesel issue on the Islander 36?
I haven't seen or heard from him since that day...
...although, I guess he could be lurking here and reading this post.

[Dave Neptune]

Hmm

If he is interested in becoming a boater and wants to learn all could be well with a bit of tutilage!
If he is just using the boat for a cheap place to live~~I'd move. Not sure I'd turn him in but I may ask if the boat had been inspected as the move is because of your safety concerns.

Dave Neptune

[romantic comedy]

I dont know what happened. The boat was on the bottom when I got here.

Too bad, it was a nice boat.

[sastanley]

Propane and gas below deck on a gas engine boat DO NOT mix..as we all know. Alert him to this once, and explain your concerns. He may not know any better..

If he doesn't understand your explanation and make changes..be very frank. "Joe, it is dangerous to have this and that there..I won't help you if you insist on continuing..." and remove yourself with haste.

He may simply not understand.