Refit or repair: when you need each

I get calls about breakdowns every week, and now and then the first visit to the boat ends in a different conversation from the one the owner expected: it isn’t a part that needs replacing, it’s time to think about a refit. They are two different services, with very different scope and cost, and confusing them either way is expensive.

What is a repair

A repair fixes one specific thing that has stopped working: a chartplotter with no signal, a bilge pump that won’t start, a leaking seacock, a worn engine belt. It has a quick diagnosis, a limited scope and is almost always sorted in a single visit to the boat. It is the right service when the rest of the boat is in good condition and the problem is a one-off.

What is a refit

A refit is a complete overhaul: rather than fixing one part, the whole boat, or a whole system on it, is checked and renewed. Top-to-bottom diagnosis, restoring the underwater hull if there is osmosis or damaged gelcoat, renewing woodwork, a full mechanical and electrical overhaul, and sometimes the upholstery and interior too. It is planned with a fixed quote, because it is not a one-day fix, it is a project.

The signs you need a refit, not a repair

• The same fault keeps coming back. If you have already replaced the same pump or fuse twice, the problem isn’t the part, it’s something behind it: an ageing electrical installation, damp that has never been dealt with.
• The boat has gone years without a thorough check. A classic sailing boat, or one that has passed through several owners without serious maintenance, builds up small problems that, taken together, can no longer be fixed one by one.
• You are about to sell or buy it. Before selling, a targeted refit on the weak points raises the real sale value by more than it costs. Before buying, it is the missing piece after a pre-purchase inspection: the report tells you what is wrong, the refit fixes it.
• You are going to use it much harder. If you are moving from weekend sailing to long passages or chartering it out, the boat has to cope with a different pace from the one it has been used to.

Why confusing them is expensive both ways

Asking for a repair when a refit is needed means paying for the same fault several times, because the one-off fix doesn’t touch the cause. But asking for a refit when a repair would do means spending on a big project with a fixed quote something that could have been solved with a short visit. That is why the first step, either way, is an honest diagnosis before deciding the scope.

Who does the work

At Altair, both repairs and refits are carried out by Ricard in person: no subcontractors or outside technicians; the person who assesses the fault is the one who comes to the boat and does the work. We cover electronics and electrics, mechanics, underwater hull, marine plumbing and painting, based in Port Garraf and travelling along the whole coast between the Maresme and Tarragona.