Sail Life - This could have cost $12K 😬 Saildrive seal replacement 

So many mechanics are just out to rip people off. Between this and companies against right to repair, the cost of simple maintenance has increased exponentially. Once you find a trustworthy mechanic, dont go anywhere else and/or learn to do the repairs yourself. great job on this repair!

Hi Mads. Dress the shaft with some 800 grit emery cloth in strips to help smooth the ridges out in the shaft the lip seals have caused. There is a spec for these seals that will tell you the max wear they will accommodate. Or better still fit an "SKF Speedi Sleeve". This will replace the worn surface. Available from SKF bearings and on their web site. Many sizes made for shafts that are worn or have wear grooves. Sail Safe Guys, Ant & Cid.

I love mechanics like that jackass you mentioned. Because that attitude brings people to good shops (like ours 😁) where a- your money goes a lot further, and b- the shop customer relationship is a very valued commodity. Hell, we once rebuilt a Volvo saildrive in a Beneteau, and without all the fancy Volvo tools. 2 years later, it's still going strong.

Watching your video this week with my dad (former machinist). He mentioned that you can also put the race in the freezer for a night, take it out in the morning and drop it in quickly. It will expand as it warms and then you don't need to tap it in.

I think you were shafted by the mechanic... 😁

Mads, if you use locktite make sure it's compatible with being submerged in oil. But I'd clean the shafts threads and the new nut with something like brakkleen and then go ahead with the locktite. The only problem I can see is being able to hold the shaft still while you torque the nut to 80 ft/lb.s. That's quite a bit of torque to try to do with the shaft still in the housing. I think I'd remove the lower unit to reinstall the nut and torque it to spec.s. This mechanic is probably used to sticking it to boaters that don't have the skills you have. Then to justify his unprofessional additude by saying this is how its done is amazing ,but with his additude and seemly lack of mechanical knowledge I'm sure it is how he does his repairs. Some time they use a pointed drift punch and peen the threads after the nuts is tight to secure a nut so it doesn't work loose. I've never worked on a sail drive so I don't know if they punch the threads. I really think once you torque that nut to 80 lb.s it will stay put. If it doesn't you can then replace the lower unit, but for that much money I'd reinstall the nut and check it the next time the boat is pulled out.

Wrap the gear on the bottom with a belt, serpentine belt something. And let it wrap around till it wedges itself and allows you to tighten but without steel tools resulting in zero gear damage

Well done and very kind of your explanation for the guy that is clearly incompetent and overcharging. The saying goes “it takes amateur to over build it, but it takes a professional to truly F it up for 10 times the price.“ 😂

Mads, the reason I self installed my entire solar array was because I saw all of the parts cost about $8k and the installer wanted to charge me $45k. I get they would have done a nicer job but its been on my roof for 5 years and still working fine. Sometimes DIY is the best bet.

It’s all about, if you don’t really want the job, triple the price and then some. I was going to say cowboy but in this case pirate would be more Applicable

Yeah, boat repairs by "Professionals" can get squirely for sure. As a matter of prudence though, seeing as that upper shaft had probably been wobbling around, I would check the top bearing or seat. Great video...John

Kudos to Ava for taking on a daunting task and such a fine job! Replacing those panels and the isinglass would have cost thousands. Your sister owes you one!

don't you always loved that's the way it's always been done comment. And as far as the engine guy you spoke to that's about what you can expect from a lot of these guys these days. I have a 40 ft Foretravel motorcoach. These things have air disc brakes all around. Most RVs have drum brakes. So last year when I took my coach for four new tires we found that one of the rotors in the rear was gouged pretty bad and that the caliper wasn't moving freely. They quoted me $12,000 to do the work but then told me that they couldn't do it because of parts we're not available. I said why don't we just get a rebuilding kit and rebuild it? They said they don't do that. Just replace parts. Then they mentioned that the other caliper on the other dual rear wheel didn't seem to be moving well either in they would need to replace that one as well and again no part. Never did get the price on that one. A friend of mine in Tennessee said come on down and we'll fix it here. I ordered the parts, drove from Oklahoma City to Tennessee with really no brake issues to speak of. And a week my friend and I replaced and rebuilt everything. Maybe 2500$ in parts and some busted knuckles and aching back. Not to mention we had learned valuable new skills. I needed a specialized tool to remove the Piston from the caliper, and I didn't have it so I went to harbor freight and bought something inexpensive and converted it into a workable tool. You're doing the right thing mads. My view of your skills has gone up many notches after this video. When you first talked about buying another boat for another boat project I thought oh no. But I can see that you have a passion for it. And it's better to do it now at your age than at my age. Just make sure your other half is totally into it or that could be a disaster. Speaking of her sound was off but I got the gist of it. She did a nice job polishing that isinglass.

It's always good to have both a metric and SAE thread file on board. With such a tool you can fix almost any thread unless there's no threads left. On threads as large as those in this video you can usually find a three-sided file that nestles in the threads nicely but that will not do as good a job. You had plenty of threads left I think it'll work great. Thanks for the video guys.

Nina and Julian are fortunate to have your expertise and generosity.

Welcome to America, where everybody sues everybody. Even if that mechanic is way out his comfortzone to repair it, I understand the approach. It's a hassle free, when things go south he always is able to get back to Volvo. On top of it he gets a saildrive he can recondition during slow season and make additional bucks on that ;) But $500 an hour. wow. I should go to america.

In the US, Autozone and Advanced Auto will let you borrow tools. I just borrowed a "blind hole bearing puller" to remove a bearing and seal from Tohatsu outboard motor. I had to buy the tool, and then they refunded the money when I returned it. I call that free. They had some tools that look just like the Volvo tool shown on your video. BTW, your videos are great. I learn from them each week. Keep em coming.

My experience in dealing with marine mechanics is the same as yours. The high dollar option is usually the go-to option. Yeah, it makes them the most profit. Why repair when you can replace .

"That's how it's done." After living in the Caribbean for 15 years I can tell you that is the exact attitude of every named dealer I've dealt with. I was quoted $15,000 to install a new Yanmar in my Hans Christian 48T in the BVI in 2015, if I removed the old engine and prepared new engine mounts. My friends and I did the removal, and new install in 4 days. If you are going to cruise in the Caribbean you better know how to be a plumber, an electrician , engine mechanic, rigger and boat painter. If not you will go broke in a few seasons.

Hopefully, this does not offend anyone As a general contractor, I come across these quotes occasionally lovingly referred to as an F.... Y.. price. They don't want the job, but if you are foolish enough to use them, they are happy to F... Y.. I black ball these contractors and tell my friends about the quote

Oh Mads, you’re so good at a great many things but you really suck at whinging. Perhaps you should learn from some Aussies, they truly turned it into an art form. You’re so polite, almost Canadian. I half expected you to apologize to the mechanic who was so rude. I suppose it’s part of your charm and why we love you two so much.

There is something called a thread file which looks like a saw for threads there made in metric and standard threads buy yourself 2 pairs of each and keep one for Athena and give Julian a set. There like a die for fixing threads but in file form. Hello from Alaska

Is it just me or did Mads give the finger to Volvo at 8:01? Understandable but seems out of character. And flying the Ukraine flag at 15:47? Also understandable!

Did you check the removed oil for metal particals. That amount of run time on that drive cause the seal wear of the output shaft. Replace all of the lower unit parts bearings, shafts, and gears. Also, I wouldn't use lock tight or other products in a gear box unless mentioned and specified by the manufacturer. Foriegn materials like locktight can break free and get into the gears and bearings and damage to finish surfaces of those parts and cause failure. I'm speaking from experience.

Those seal grooves should be addressed as they will get worse with the new seals and leak - SKF make what they call a speedi-sleeve to repair those grooves , no machining. RU-vid SKF Speedi-sleeves

The audio was weird during Ava's segment. But it was good for all the others. Don’t get ripped off by bad mechanics!

22 for a nut….🤣😂, that’s more expensive than if it was gold and same size….. what a rip-off

It seems very common here in the US for mechanics (and in fact many services) not to suggest the best solution for customers but the most profitable solution for them. My guess is that the mechanic you talked to had enough work from wealthy ignorant clients that he doesn't need to bother with thrifty knowledgeable clients like you.

There is a simple fix for the groove in the shaft, it is called a “ speedy sleeve” by SKF. Cheap solution for a very long time.

The phrase"ripoff merchant"seems to fit the "engineer" funny he didn't suggest a new hull? lol, good job fella

If a tech is not interested in doing a repair, they give a ridiculously high price, hoping you will go away. But if you are desperate and have them do the repair, they are making so much money they suddenly like the job!

i've never bought a special tool off the manufacturer yet. there's always a tool that exists or a way to either make the tool or make do without it. and if a mechanic can't fix a thread he's not a mechanic.

The guy you're calling a " mechanic" is, in fact, not a mechanic despite what qualifications or training he or she may claim. They have chosen to simply be a parts changer.

locktite the nut and torque it as much as you can

Matt’s for a $10 or $20 dollar seal I would think you could change them every year or two when the boat is up on the dry. If they are expensive you can usually go to a bearing supply store and get them at a fraction of the price that the sail drive manufacturer will try and charge you . Also the tapered bearings should be changed now when you have a good opportunity . The worn shaft metal and any from the nut have been circulating through your bearings so guess what? Opportunity is here and the price for the tapered bearings are also very cheap if you can find the same number at a bearing store. Do not buy any Gina stuff ! As for the labour for you I think it is a labour of love. Get to work !

You're too nice, Mads. The guy was attempting to hose you. We won't mind if you call him an "Adam-Henry." The suggestion below about using a strap wrench or other means to secure the gear and then tighten the nut is just what I would do. Definitely some red Locktite on the nut. I am a now-retired ASE Certified auto tech and this job really would be a reasonably simple one for me.

Was that the middle finger to Volvo?!?!?!?! LOL!!!!!

Hey. I’m about to repeat this process on my Volvo sail drives , could you tell me what size sockets you used for pressing the seal and metal fitting back in ? Thanks !

Marinas should have a "loan-a-tool" program like auto parts stores have.

Mads, Ava had no sound in this video

As a mechanic, I understand not wanting to do certain tasks due to liability. I also understand profit. However, I also understand customer service. It shames me to hear things like this, preying on someone’s vulnerability. I agree with a little loctite, that nut should be fine. My hat off to you good sir.

The oil that came out of the saildrive looked like it was new. That is impressive.I would have thought that the little exposed metal spring on the new water seal should not be on the outside and exposed to the seawater there. If that spring deteriorated then the tension on the seal would go loose and water could sneak through. Wasn't one of those shafts buggared up from a cross threaded prop fastener bolt in an earlier video? I thought that particular shaft would need to be replaced due to that instead of just the bolt. A way to file the end of the vertical shaft to clean it would be a long strip of sandpaper like from a belt sander. Just pull it back and forth at the ends at a slight angle, turn the shaft from the top.a little and repeat until you get around the entire side. I've done this before in s tight spot to touch up a threaded shaft similar to this. Personally I would just torque the nut and if it makes it to spec it will be good. I don't know if locktite would work in such a gearbox filled with motor oil but it might be an option. Perhaps there is a specialty locktight for this application. What is the worst that can happen? The old sail drive lasted for how many hours without the nut? I bet it came off very soon or it wouldn't have come off at all. It is likely it was never torqued correctly at the assembly line. At 2000 hours or 5 more years check it the next time the oil and seals are replaced and see what goes. If you need to replace the sail drive at any time in the future because it blows up you are in no worse shape that replacing it now. Marine mechanics are a total scam. "That's not the way it is done" means "Hold still while I shake you upside-down and take what falls out of your pockets." The entire Volvo-Penta operation, top down, is a shakedown scam. They don't have customers -they have victims. Their brand-specific user forums should really be called victim support groups.

Following you for years. You fail to mention. Out of humility, that you may just know more that than the do. Appropriate fix. Required a bit of cleanup but that repair is appropriate. 👍

The only thing that troubles me a little about the fix is the vertical shaft spline wear, which as you noted was allowing the gear to rattle around a fair bit. With load reversals that movement, which should be zero to minimal, may well loosen the nut again. A common solution that I’ve used for similar snags is to use loctite “stud & bearing fit” on the splines to take up the play. If you need to remove the gear at a later date, a little heat from a blowtorch will release the bond. Obviously, you should also still use loctite red threadlock or similar on the threads. If the splines are badly worn you can use a product like Devcon which is a metal filled epoxy to do the same job. It is commonly used for things like press and injection moulding die repair so it’s pretty tough. Again, it can be released with heat but it needs a fair bit more than the bearing fit product, so there is the potential to affect the gear’s hardening if you’re not careful, it’s usually ok though unless you go crazy with the torch. I’d certainly go with stud & bearing fit this time though, the play really was quite noticeable. Fwiw, I’m a 60+ year old ex-motorsports engineer who got out of the industry at 45 years old and went off to be a liveaboard marine engineer for the next 10 years. I’m also as tight as a duck’s azz when it comes to fixing my own stuff and really hate having to do the same job twice when it’s preventable. Cheers, R. 😎👍🍻

"Half blind monkey can do with one arm tied behind its back" Oh man..this episode is full of great oneliners😂..when comes the Sail Life dictionary?!!👍😉 But ya..like with cars..often paying a lot of money for solving not a lot of problem..

17:08 welcome to the US Mads. This is the norm for repair businesses. I work as a handyman in the northwest and contractors do the same thing for the same reason. We've done many jobs that contractors walked away from because of the bottom line for them or they simple did not have the knowledge to do component repair.

The quote you received has what my husband and I call the hassle factor multiplier. Over the years we have learned that when you want something repaired and the vendor isn't interested in doing it, they quote an outrageous price. If you take their quote, they get a boat load of profit for something that they didn't want to do. And if the customer doesn't want to pay it, then he is not doing a job he didn't want to take.

Per the drive shaft seal grooves... there is a thing called a speedy sleeve that I've used in that situation to restore a seal surface. It is a super thing cylinder that gets pressed on to the shaft providing a fresh surface for the seal to ride on.

If the shaft seals are "rubber", the actual rubber companies such as Goodyear, Gates, Michelin, suggest ALL rubber parts be replaced in five years. If they are a better elastomer, they can be safe for ten years. But "wasting" money on PM is way cheaper than an emergency haul or a flooded boat.

that was definitely an "F off i don't want to do it" price

😀8:00 You are a legend Mads!

For damaged threads like on that vertical shaft, try a thread file. They have a tooth profile that matches the thread pitch, and let you remove damaged metal while leaving as much of the original thread as possible.

I’m of the opinion that guys like that should be named and shamed. They don’t belong in the business and just give bad reputation to the group as a whole.

You can buy shaft sleeves to cover the grooves. Around $30 would do it. I sleeved my water pump shaft and it appears to live happily ever after. The water pump shaft is A$790, you'll be needing, bearings and lip seal with that. Lets just call it A$1,000 or A$29 depending on whether it is the way things are done around here. PS. My spinal surgeon only charged A$650 for a laminectomy, I wonder if he instals sail drives.

To really clean up any kind of canvas glass, you can use metal polish like a mothers and/or Flitz. These are essentially a very fine rubbing compound and they remove the very top layer and remove scuffs, light scratches and sun damage that causes fog. I saved myself a lot of money by buffing out all of my glass and the difference was incredible.

Well, what did you expect, it's a boat, innit!! Charge what you like mate, or, more precisely, think of a number and triple it! That guy/company who quoted you deserves to go out of business. If you can't do the repair, recommend someone that can, that's how it should work... And I thought the UK was bad - we're not in the same league, fortunately. You are very polite Mads, I wouldn't be! Ava's blooming on the clear panels could be UV damage - try polishing with some liquid Brasso, works sometimes so try a small area first. You can replace the vision panels with Stratoglass (expensive) or O'Sea (nearly as expensive) clear sheet, both of which are UV resistant. Great video.

hey, I fully agree that the guy was a bit hard, BUT the nut you replaced is a "short" one with (as it looks) standard thread pitch, and reducing it's contact by "1/4" is actually pretty bold because extremely far away from any acceptable basic mechanic rule. So yes, it "may" work with addition of 346 loctite, but no shop would ever agree to do this, while holding reliability on this. Grüß from Germany!

Thats called Highway robbery. 6000.00 for labor is astronomical. Thats like Aircraft rates.

Congratulations on avoiding the services of a 'professional' (that's what's called a 'F*** OFF' quote where I come from).

the labor rates given were likely some sort of book rate and padded to ensure he was NOT going to do a job he must not have wanted to do. I have boggled at some of the labor rates given for car work now-a-days. then again, seeing some of the newer car designs, egad, HTF are you supposed to work on these things? Half of them seem to be mistakes stacked upon poor design, added to something not meant at design for that stuff. Also. most people today are "Techs" and not mechanics, because mechanics FIX things, Techs find issues and replace parts. Between litigation and complication, just swap as many bits as possible to cover potential come-backs has become "The Way Things Are Done". Also, like your Jesus Nut, parts are nuts at times., the "My brake light is out" fix has gone from swap a bulb and 20 minutes at worst, to "You need a new taillight assembly! It is $1,400, and takes 3 hours to replace. Oh, and the part is Backordered, so who knows when it will come in . . . driving it that way is illegal, btw"

Quick heads-up: Something's wrong with Eva's sound. When playing back on surround systems, she sounds like she is behind you...

Mechanic: "That's not how things are done " Translation: "You have a catamaran...so it'll cost more!" I used to run into this attitude from The local parts house when I was buying Mustang parts. A $20 alternator cost 40... This was 35 years ago.

Don't overthink it Mads, your engineer is just American :P The YT channel I'm a part of is mostly American and us Europeans are constantly facepalming at how things are done. Especially when we know who things *can* be done. When challenged on it, it causes them confusion. I think it's just a byproduct of life in the US, they see things a certain way and that's that. Even in the face of good sense, I've been met with the response "this is America" on many occasions :D It's odd. And it's a situation that I find is unique to America. Haven't hit that issue anywhere else. America's on the radar for hurricane season, but it's something I'm lowkey dreading. Incredible place, but very... odd.

Ran Sailing latest video he was doing a lot of "oh Glorious Sanding"!! Johan said if Mads from "Sail Life" wanted to come and help sanding he was more than welcome!! Perhaps Mads already heard this! CHEERS from Vancouver Isle.

Mads; did the mechanic (?) you consulted sound anything like Elmer Fudd? His image came to mind as you described your interaction. All of your work has been meticulous, you are very likely more capable even than Elmer. So, just replace both shafts in the lower unit for complete peace of mind and then report the mechanic. 😆Easy for me.

Blue loctite ! Removable .

Welcome to Charleston. Like anywhere you will find some good marine mechanics, if you’ve lucky, but my experiences here in Charleston is I was never lucky.

At least the main rubber seal change interval is 5-7 years.

Great video! I also watched your video on the installation of the saildrive in Athena and it was really helpful. I have the same engine and saildrive on my 2006 Tartan 3700 and i am planning on doing the rubber diaphragm and drive shaft seal replacement this fall. We have the "U" configuration - the front of the engine (with the alternator and water pump) faces aft and the saildrive is forward, under the stairs. I agree completely with your DIY philosophy - no better way to get to know your boat and its mechanical systems and also you build the skills and parts inventory for when the "professionals" are not available.

Mads, it's called ripping off the customer. Good thing you know your way around mechanical devices.

EXCTLY what I do not like about sail drives. A triangular file OR a thread comb. Take your choice. I have both. I have thread combs and triangular files. I have yet to use the thread combs but, they are there if needed. Only Volvo could stage a shit show like this one.

Hi - please include the link(s) that Eva mentioned regarding Sailrite Guides to cleaning fabrics. As always, great videos! Thanks.

Once you find a trustworthy mechanic...!! stay... thats why I follow you from the beginig

Welcome to the USA. The land of lawsuits. The problem your having is normal here. It's been like that since the 70's.

Loved the message for Volvo Penta at 8:02 😂

Hi, so nice to see a good DIY guy, not letting a mechanich overcharge you. I for my self has a really reliable mechanics, he only charges 10$ for changing the blinker fluid when he is servicing my car. Naaaa, not true. I change the fluid myself. For the forggy glass, I am no specialist, but would an auto headlight repair kit maybe do the job? Some of these kit even has some UV protection, to use for the last treatment.

Charleston SC is a VERY expensive town for anything boat related. There are very few reasonably priced marinas or boat yards south of New Bern NC that I know of. DIY yards are becoming a rare thing also.

Regarding the mechanic. Yachts are, by definition, luxury items purchased - at least new - not despite their lack of utility, but because of their lack of utility. It's what Thorstein Veblen called Conspicuous Consumption. The whole point of these things are their ostentation, their disconnection from any way to recover their cost, and their uselessness. Anyone catering to that market (your mechanic) will encounter for more people whose model for self-gratification comes from their excessiveness, than any other type of customer. I don't imagine he gets many informed, resourceful Danish types. In America, doing stuff on you own is what poor people do, and poor people don't own catamarans. The ridiculous cost of that repair just adds to the aura of indifference to actual rational economics that their typical customer wants to be known for.

My boat in grenada has a VP lower unit and it was reported that the same issue has occurred in one of the engines. The boat yard is recommending replacing the lower unit. This video was excellent and every timey. I am wondering what your owner decided to do. My boat was new in 2020. Surprised to have this happen. Mike on Dolce Vita

Damn the Volvo MDs are pricy is US. Here in Finland you get the D2-50 + S130 with 13k€ :D

lol....$4-500/hr labor....that is crazy & I live in the states. sounds like a grifter.

Welcome to the USA bunch of crap,!! Unions are life. Got in shit for stepping my mast by my self, be careful the Union don't come looking for you, do you have a work permit that is what they wanted to jack me up one, I waited two weeks for something I did in a day

Do you think the mechanic heard the word Catamaran and priced the repair accordingly? Not saying it's fair. That's when you just call the next guy on the list. You gotta love the free market.

Crappy attitude. Everything in this saildrive is made to be repaired. It sounds like the FU price by someone that doesn't want the job. I'd be surprise if you couldn't do the job with ou the special tools, there will always be a workaround.

@16:03 With the new nut back on the shaft , was the application of threadlocker needed ? @16:48 Apparently the mechanic didn't know he was talking a master DIY'er .

This is so ridiculous. What do I need a mechanic / servicing expert for, if not to do repairs? If the only option offered is to replace the whole part, why not follow through with this logic, and purchase a whole new catamaran every time something breaks, or in fact, when the diesel runs out in the tank? So much for sustainable approaches. No wonder us humans have srewed up so badly. I keep my fingers crossed for You guys and will be waiting for next weeks episode. What a thriller!

So total agreed on how some pro claim "this is the usual way" can hide lake of skill. I'm a plumber and got help from the i BIG Danish pump supplier to change a big seawaterpump. He split the house from the rest and wanted to use the old pump house. I disagreed. It ended with a NUT inside the pump. One of the 6 fastening nuts for the pump house. I heard a lot of rattle end some big bang every time the nut get jam between the wheel and the pumphouse. We disassembly the pump and find a DAM NUT.

I appreciate your videos I wait for every episode thanks to you I fell in love with sailing and yachting you are great thank you🙏🏻

The attitude of "That's not how it's done" maybe borne out of a mindset that is influenced by the repairers desire to target a specific type of customer. The type of customer who doesn't baulk at the thought of throwing a few thousand dollars at a fix, so long as it is a belt and braces solution. Without meaning to be disrespectful, you may not be the type of customer that he is looking to attract and by pricing himself high, he is allowing his customer filter process to run it's course. This is something that I would typically do when running my garage (car repair) business. It isn't personal, it's just business strategy. Well done with your fix anyway. 🍻

Regarding the price from the mechanic, let me translate the quote for you. A very, very high quote means he is too busy and/or doesn’t know how to do it, and/or doesn’t want to do it. Instead of just saying that, the mechanic with give an absurdly high quote just in case by some chance you say yes, it’s so much money he can’t refuse. One thing is almost certain with these crazy high quote jobs, the quality of the work will be average at best and likely poor quality.

I'm 100% sure that the clown you spoke to about replacing the saildrive is the same clown everyone needs to steer completely clear of. Just tell the customer you're not interested rather than making up stupid prices and excuses. In reality the same clown probably has taken many a customer for a ride. It's a shame that some tradesmen see the sailing public as a walking, talking ATM machine. Nice fix all the way around.

Mads you didn't add to the "pro" profit the resale of perfectly functional restored unit on the after sale market at some 6-8000USD. I totally dislike all the professionals in the marine world. They are the reason why people stay away from sailing and don't enjoy this pleasure

Welcome to “Merica” and deal with “mechanics” After 25 years living here in US I found out it is cheaper do it yourself and on top you learn!

You should name the people that do that (grossly overcharge and take advantage) If every clown that pulled this type of scam was named they might start being forced into a spec if hones...😤😡😤

It must have been over twenty years ago a race car mechanic said that the "just replace it" attitude will make most mechanics installers understand able to problem solve and more interested in raking in dollars rather than have the ability or pride to diagnose and fix. Lazy and greedy. It's turned out to be true and not just for that "profession" 🏴‍☠️

Excellent job as usual. I wonder if that mechanic sees your videos. I’d love to know his thoughts if he did se it. That’d be good for a laugh

« Replace the entire saildrive »…dude, if the plan is « throw away and replace » I don’t need a mechanic for that.

Hi Mads, I totally understand you, that mecanic was obviously not a seaman or sailor… I had a boat sink under 15 meters of water, it took us 2 weeks to get to boat (bavaria 44) to float again, all the volvo mechanics said the engine is dead, guess what, 10 days later and less than a 1000€ the engine was back at work, I used her for another 4 year’s with no issues.

Run, don't walk, from that mechanic. Plenty of honest, reasonable mechanics around that will work with you. As for Volvo parts prices, they have been gouging boaters for a long, long time. One of the reasons I will never have one on my boats. I might have tried a thread die on the vertical shaft, or a thread file - which is a great addition to any boater's toolbox.

I had a FP 35 Tobago with a bad saildrive housing (corroded) this was in 2003 I believe I paid $3500 for a new one (the whole lower leg)