Is there someone in Santa Cruz who can fix my Marine Head?

February 23, 2009 12:24 PM

My Sailboat is in Santa Cruz harbor, I have been having issues with my marine head. Does anyone know someone I could have come out and look at it?
posted by Ekidnagrrl17 to home & garden (6 answers total)

Are you looking for a "friend of a friend" in the area that could just informally come and have a look, or more for a recommendation of a professional in the area?
posted by Brak at 12:27 PM on February 23, 2009

The Harbor Master (or whomever receives your slip fees) ought to know one or several people who can come out and take a look. The people at the Santa Cruz Yacht Club ought to know a few people, too.
posted by notyou at 12:45 PM on February 23, 2009

I've also dealt a little bit with the Pacific Yachting School folks down at the harbor while I lived in SC (it's been a few years), and they were super nice and helpful in my experience. You may want to just stop in and see if they've got any recommendations.
posted by Brak at 1:07 PM on February 23, 2009

Former liveaboard here... (Mirage 33' sloop)

What kind of head is it? If it's a simple Jabsco or something, I've found it's easier to just replace the stupid thing than to try and fix it (assuming it's more than a year or two old). First time took me 2 days- second time took me 45 minutes. Use a blow dryer to heat the tubes to make them more pliable.

I recommend doing it yourself because it's been my experience that it's tough to find marine contractors to work on something like a head- they'd rather do something cleaner and more exciting for the most part, and if there's a lot of work around, you won't get many calls back (I'm on the Chesapeake Bay near Annapolis, for what that's worth). Plus, as a sailor, it's just always better to be able to do this stuff yourself, crappy job or not.
posted by zap rowsdower at 2:09 PM on February 23, 2009

Go to the bar at Johnny's Harborside around happy hour. A lot of the regulars live on boats in the harbor. One of them should know someone.
posted by ActingTheGoat at 6:12 PM on February 23, 2009

Friend or professional. I just don't get it, I don't have a lot of $$$ but we have beer :) If anyone can personally help it would be great. And thanks for all the advise!
I do want to learn to do this myself, but the book I have gotten are just not helping me find the problem with it.
posted by Ekidnagrrl17 at 9:36 PM on February 25, 2009