Okay, so you've heard the one about the two happiest days in a boat owner's life – the day you buy your boat, and the day you sell it. This story is about what may be the most frustrating days you'll spend between them – trying to find a good boatyard.

It's not that good boatyards are such a rarity. But finding a boatyard that suits you is a personal thing and, like locating a good auto mechanic, it isn't always easy. I've had experiences with some of the best and the worst, and I'd like to pass them on, along with a few tips (with the aid of a good boatyard's manager) to help avoid some of the pitfalls.

Dean Benham

First, the best. We'll save the worst for later, followed by the lessons learned from both experiences – and some tips on how to choose the right boatyard.

BEST CASE

For the past 12 years, I've been fortunate enough to have dealt with Dean Benham, owner of Peninsula Yacht Services in Arnold, Md. Dean left the business last month , so I can't be accused of using MadMariner.com to plug a particular company. And I'm not at all sure that the next boatyard owner I hire to maintain and repair my 29-foot sailboat will be nearly as good as Dean. If I had to bet on that right now, I'd say that prospect is unlikely.

During those years, I've spent tens of thousands of dollars to have Dean and his crew gradually bring my used boat up to snuff, maintain it and repair whatever has broken, and I've never regretted a penny of it. Their work has been impeccable, their prices (though not a bargain) have been fair and they've never missed a deadline. Just as important, I've never had to wonder what they did for the money; Dean's bills always accounted for every cent's worth of parts and labor – down to 75 cents for a terry cloth towel.

My relationship with Dean started slowly. Just after I bought my used 1983 cutter, he replaced a broken stopper on the mainsheet traveler track, changed the oil and got the engine running again. Later, whenever I reported that something had broken, he managed to fix it before the following weekend, so I could sail without interruption. Gradually, he developed a long-range work program that undid some of the sloppy work and mechanical problems that were evident when I bought the boat, and he installed proper replacements.

Take the time to look at the boat yards you are considering. Are they well maintained? Does the lift look capable? All present clues to the level of service you can expect on your boat.

At my request, Dean drew up spring and winter work lists each year spelling out things he thought needed to be done. Then he went over them with me item by item, pointing out what could be postponed if my budget wasn't up to it. He unfailingly provided detailed cost estimates, along with a clause guaranteeing that they wouldn't vary by more than 15 percent up or down. And when he couldn't do something himself – such as building a custom fuel tank to fit into a narrow space – he knew just where to farm it out for the best quality and a fair price.

Needless to say, Dean and I became friends as well as boatyard owner and customer. When Dean left my previous marina, I followed him to his new one – and never was sorry for it. He has talked me into doing some things for which I was grateful, and he has persuaded me that I'd be throwing money away by doing others. Although he continued sending me cost estimates right up until the day he left I haven't signed a work order for years; a simple "yes" to his office manager was all we needed. We'd built up a mutual trust.

WORST CASE

My worst-case scenario involves a friend's attempts to fix up a 38-foot powerboat. My friend – hereafter known as Al, and, no, I won't name the boatyard, either – had nothing but trouble during the two years that the yard had the boat. The company didn't meet its initial estimates, either on a mid-March delivery time or on the relatively modest price. The firm simply ignored many of the things that Al had requested, and it did a few others on its own that hadn't been on Al's list at all.

To top that off, the yard came in two years behind schedule and nine times its original cost estimate. After missing its early spring delivery date, it hardly touched the boat during the summer. And whenever Al asked when the boat would be ready to launch, the answer would always be "two weeks" – a cat-and-mouse game that continued through most of the year.

It isn't easy to pick up a 38-foot boat and take it elsewhere if you aren't satisfied. Maritime law enables a marina to take out a lien against your boat if you haven't paid what it says you owe. And once you've invested all that time and money, you're likely to be willing to hang on for another two weeks to "finish" the job.

Although Al paid the firm regularly – and then some – for the work it had done, the company had no credible records to document what it had spent in parts and labor. The vessel still isn't ready, and if it were launched today, neither Al nor the boatyard manager really knows whether it would float.

FINDING A YARD

How do these stories translate into tips about finding a good boatyard?

Don't stint on the research in choosing the boatyard you want to deal with. I lucked out in finding Dean; I picked the marina because of the location and the services it offered, and Peninsula just happened to be there. Al chose the other company because a couple of local watermen said they used it. In principle, both of us should have done more homework. Find some boat owners whose vessels look shipshape and well cared for, and ask where they take their boats. Ask people in the industry – your marine insurance agent, your marina owner or people in your local yacht club.

You can also visit the Web sites of the American Boat Builders and Repairers Association or your local marine-trades association to see if the boatyard is a member. You can call up the ABBRA list on the Web (see link).

Visit boatyards. Look at those you're considering and take a look around. Although it may not mean much if a boatyard is messy, a neatly kept yard – with a travel lift that appears to be in good shape, an orderly looking shop and mechanics who seem to be efficient and professional, often signify a well-managed operation.

Look at what kind of boats the boatyard services. If the yard is filled with powerboats and you own a sailboat, the crew may not be well-versed in the kinds of things you'll need. Does it seem to specialize in small boats, when you have a 48-footer? Or in fiberglass vessels, when you have a wooden boat? (If the mix for any of these categories is close to 50-50, it's probably okay.)

You can test a yard with small jobs, which allow you to assess the level of service you receive. If the yard is reliable on small jobs, there's a good chance large projects will be handled the same way. Talk with the manager or owner and ask how the boatyard operates. Does the owner do all the work, or parcel out some – such as engine overhauls and rigging jobs – to specialty firms? Is the owner willing to provide detailed price estimates and keep promises on delivery time and costs? Will the owner take time to talk with you about specific jobs, and about long-run maintenance on your boat? Will you get detailed bills? What if you'd like to get someone else to do specialty work?

Dean's operation was big enough – and skilled enough – to do almost everything I needed on-site, but he also served as a sort of general contractor for specialized jobs that he couldn't do, such as building a custom fuel tank. He'd line up the vendor or manufacturer, get an estimate and manage the order, and take on responsibility for getting it right if the part or job were unsatisfactory. (Just as with a home, you can be your own general contractor for your boat. But unless you represent a shipping line, you'll most likely have more clout if your boatyard does it.)

Check on how big the yard is. Is it big enough to take on the wide range of jobs you'll most likely need over the years, or so small that it'll be able to perform only routine maintenance? (Larger boatyards may be more impersonal, but they're likely to have a big enough income stream to stock parts and keep their crews busy – and ready when you need fast repairs. The trick is to find the proper balance.)

Start with small jobs, if you can, and work up to the bigger ones. Taking it bit by bit at first will give both you and the boatyard owner time to get to know each other, and give you the opportunity to see whether you like the way the business is run. During this period, be sure to ask a lot of questions, so you can tell whether the yard owner seems knowledgeable and is willing to spend time talking to you. If the boatyard doesn't stack up well in these categories, try somewhere else – before you invest in a big project.

Be sure to insist on maintaining proper business procedures. Insist on written – and detailed – estimates. If the yard won't provide them, go elsewhere. Many boatyard managers like to write an overall figure on the back of a piece of paper. Don't accept it; you may be sorry later if something goes awry. Don't let the yard begin any work until you've signed a written work order that, once again, spells out everything – and be sure to keep a copy. Make sure the bills are detailed and sent promptly as well.

And don't sign a blanket clause up front that enables the boatyard to do whatever it wants and that prevents you from suing if the work isn't satisfactory. Al did that and is sorry now. If the yard insists that you sign it, go somewhere else – fast! It's that important.

Work to build a relationship with the boatyard that is based on mutual trust. Being a consumer isn't a one-way street. Your boatyard will appreciate your interest in what's being done, your willingness to provide some leeway to do their work and your diligence in paying the bills on time. Once you've established that kind of relationship, you can let some of the rules go and remain confident that you'll be well-served.

Think about your boating needs for the longer-term. While no one wants to pay scalper prices, shopping around to find the lowest bidder for each job needed often is self-defeating. You may get lower prices that way, but you'll also get less long-term care.

Also, encourage your boatyard to warn you if something is about to need servicing or replacement. The better you maintain your boat, the less it's likely to cost you over time in extra repairs, and the less likely you'll be stuck out on the water with a breakdown. My crew and I have often mused that the previous owner of my boat must have used a shore-side hardware store as his ship chandlery; much of the money I paid for repairs and maintenance was to correct what he had done.

My own satisfaction with Dean's work over the past 12 years was all the more valuable because of the way I approached the task of maintaining and repairing my boat. Having a full-time job myself – and not being very handy with a toolkit – I decided early on that I'd use the boat to sail and that I'd let Dean handle the rest. It wasn't the cheapest way to go, but it certainly was the most satisfying for me. I've enjoyed the boat a lot more because I've known that Dean did his job so well. And I've had more confidence using the boat in heavy weather.

Al has had a different outcome – the loss of substantial amounts of time and money. Not to mention his hopes of ever actually using the boat all but shattered.

The lesson: It's worth taking the time to find a boatyard you can trust.

Art Pine is a veteran journalist who has served as a Washington correspondent for the Baltimore Sun, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, and the Los Angeles Times. He is a longtime Chesapeake Bay sailor and a Coast Guard-licensed captain.