![]() We have little room for those who know it all. The marine industry is in dire need of knowledgeable, experienced folks with the right attitude. He was a textbook example of a mechanical prima donna, and because of this it’s unlikely anyone would be willing to share new information with him, he effectively isolated himself. However, it was also clear to me, he’d decided long ago he had learned all he was going to learn, there was room for no more information on his hard drive. The shame of it is, this mechanic was knowledgeable, whenever I managed engaged him in gearhead talk, between tall tales, he offered thoughtful, detailed responses. This level of attention to detail somehow offended his sensibilities. At one point after returning to the dock he lost his temper and threatened to leave the boat because the surveyor, a squared away and knowledgeable young man, in an effort to avoid soiling furniture, carpeting and upholstery, changed shoes and knee-pads each time he left or entered engineering spaces. Throughout the day he regaled those aboard with sea stories and tales of his marine conquests (there were lots of confrontations, in which he always prevailed). When it dropped to 11.8 volts I reached my tolerance for risk, I re-started the genset and brought the charger back on line. I brought this to his attention, yet he seemed unconcerned. While underway I shut down the generator and as soon as I did the engine’s volt meters, which register the condition of the starting batteries, began to drop, clearly the alternators were not functioning properly. I knew at that point this would be a long sea trial. I asked him where his tools and monitoring gear were and he said, “I don’t need anything, the engine’s instruments tell me everything I need to know”. ![]() This mechanic, however, traveled very light, in fact he carried nothing. I’m accustomed to seeing moving blankets stacked high with plastic tool boxes and bags containing these mechanics’ tools of the trade, gauges galore, multi meters, wrench and socket sets, manometers, pyrometers etc. ![]() After the engine surveyor arrived we prepared to get underway. As I write this column I’m in flight just south of Greenland, on my way to attend the Dusseldorf Boat Show (I packed my New Zealand possum wool socks and gloves, it’s forecast to be in the low 20s).Ī few years ago I carried out an inspection aboard a 50+ foot vessel on the East Coast.
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