A refit is not about making a boat new. It is about putting money where it returns. The same budget creates value on one boat and disappears on another. The difference lies in what is established before work starts, in the scope being written down, and in the order the work is done.
1. The Refit Decision: Three Questions First
1. Is the boat worth it?
If the market value after the refit is lower than today's value plus the cost of the work, you are spending rather than investing. This is arithmetic, not sentiment. On some boats the right answer is "sell this one and put the budget into a bigger boat", and saying so is part of the job.
2. Is the structure sound?
If the shell, keel attachment, hull-to-deck joint and main bulkheads are sound, it is worth investing on top of them. If any of those four is compromised, they come first. Galley and upholstery come later.
3. How much will you use her?
A full refit rarely makes sense on a boat used two weeks a year. Intensity of use decides which systems are worth renewing.
2. The Right Order
- 1Structure and watertightnesshull · deck · keel · chainplates
- 2System infrastructureelectrical · fuel · raw water · bonding
- 3Machinery and driveengine · shaft · propeller
- 4Rig and deck gearmast · winches · tracks
- 5Paint and surfacesantifouling · topsides · deck
- 6Interior and comfortupholstery · joinery · electronics
The most expensive mistake in a refit is doing things out of sequence. Discovering a deck leak after the new upholstery is fitted means paying twice.
| # | Stage | Why here |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Structure and watertightness | Hull, deck, keel attachment, chainplates, windows and hatches. Until water ingress is solved, nothing done inside will last. |
| 2 | System infrastructure | Wiring, fuel lines, raw water circuit, bilge and bonding. These disappear behind linings; reaching them later means dismantling. |
| 3 | Main engine and drive | Engine, shaft line, propeller, controls. If the engine must come out, it comes out before interior work. |
| 4 | Rig and deck gear | If the mast is coming down, it is timed with paint and deck work. |
| 5 | Paint and surfaces | Antifouling, topsides, deck covering, after the structural work. |
| 6 | Interior and comfort | Upholstery, joinery, galley, electronics. Last, because the earlier stages would damage it. |
3. The Scope Document
Almost every dispute in a refit comes from a scope that was never written down. "Rewire the boat" is not a scope. A scope document contains:
- An itemised work list, measured descriptions matched to report item numbers, e.g. "delamination repair, 40 × 25 cm, starboard aft".
- Method, which materials, how many plies, which resin system, what preparation.
- Acceptance criteria, what will have been achieved when the job is done (moisture value, thickness, continuity reading).
- Verification points, who checks what, at which stage; photographs before anything is closed.
- Exclusions, crane, hardstanding, power, waste disposal: whose cost.
- Timetable, start, critical stage dates, handover; delay terms.
- Payment plan, tied to stages, not the calendar.
4. Managing Variations
Where a refit budget leaks most is the extra work: "while we're in there, let's also…". That is natural and often justified, but unmanaged, it reaches a third of the budget. The rule is simple:
What works in practice: number every variation and keep them in a single list. At the end of the refit that list is both the record of spending and part of the boat's history.
5. Where Budgets Leak
| Leak | Why it happens | Prevention |
|---|---|---|
| Out-of-scope work | Unnumbered, unwritten extras | A variation list; written approval per item |
| Hidden damage found late | Rot, corrosion or delamination revealed on opening up | Measurement at baseline; a contingency in the budget |
| Incompatible materials | Different resin, metal or coating | Material decisions in writing, verified against data sheets |
| Workmanship | Corners cut where nobody will look | Stage inspection and photographs before closing |
| Schedule slip | Hardstanding, crane and marina costs run on | A delay clause; a critical-path plan |
| Drying cut short | Haste on osmosis and laminate work | The decision to close up made by measurement, not calendar |
| Missing documentation | No record of the work | Stage photographs, invoices, data sheets; a complete file at handover |
6. Stage Inspections: When to Look
The value of an inspection is in its timing. Looking after something is closed is pointless.
| Moment | What is checked |
|---|---|
| Before work starts | Baseline survey: moisture map, plate thickness, system inventory, photographic condition report |
| After stripping | Extent of hidden damage revealed; budget and schedule updated |
| Before laminate closes | Ply sequence, all wet laminate removed, resin compatibility |
| During drying | The downward curve of moisture readings; closing decided by measurement |
| Before linings go on | Cable sizing, protective devices, hose material, clamping, bonding continuity |
| Before the engine lands | Bed condition, mounts, alignment preparation |
| Before launch | Seacocks, shaft seal, anode layout, watertightness |
| On sea trial | Staged load, temperatures, vibration, new systems under real conditions |
| At handover | Snag list, document file, warranty start |
7. Material by Material
GRP / fibreglass
The most common subjects are osmosis and delamination. The decisive factor is drying time: once the gelcoat is peeled, the laminate takes weeks to dry, and no new coating goes on until readings confirm it. In structural reinforcement, resin compatibility matters: epoxy bonds over polyester, the reverse is not reliable.
Steel
Plate thickness sits at the centre. Ultrasonic readings on a grid, compared with original scantlings. Where local wastage passes the threshold, plate renewal rather than a patch. Corrosion resistance changes in the heat-affected zone after welding; surface preparation and the coating system matter as much as the weld. Unreachable internal spaces are the riskiest areas.
Aluminium
Welding demands control of heat input. The real risk is galvanic: wherever stainless fastenings or bronze valves meet an aluminium hull, isolation is mandatory. Every new metal component added changes the cathodic balance, so the anode plan is recalculated at the end.
Wood
The material where most is done wrong: patching with a different species, sealing damp timber under epoxy, the wrong compound in a seam, cosmetic repair without renewing fastenings. Work starts at the fastenings, not the visible surface.
8. Choosing a Yard
The choice is yours; we give several names and are paid by none of them. What to weigh: previous work in that material, access to reference boats, whether outside contractors are admitted, working space and cover, waste handling, insurance, and their attitude to contract language. The cheapest quotation is usually the narrowest one.
9. Realistic Timescales
- Limited refit (paint, servicing, cosmetics): 3-6 weeks
- Medium scope (rewire + engine overhaul + paint): 2-4 months
- Full refit (including structural work): 6-12 months
None of these figures mean anything unless they are in the contract.
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Continue with this topic
- How to build a refit budget: Four layers, forgotten items and the order to build it in.
- Keel drop: When it is needed and the sequence.
- Refit schedule: Planning back from launch.
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