For instance, just a few years back the simple act of hauling your boat for a week or so to do some work and bottom paint was simple. All you had to do was go to the local yard, pay the guy some money, and you could sand, fair, and paint to your hearts content while living aboard during the process. It might have cost more than you cared to spend but it was a non-problematic process.
Not so much anymore...
The yard we used to use no longer allows you to do any work on your own boat below the waterline so you have to hire the yard to sand, paint, do fiberglass, any mechanics involving the prop, shaft, or rudder. Obviously it's a yard we no longer use.
The local yard near me at the moment, will allow you to work on your boat without restrictions but they won't let you live on the boat while you're doing it. They require that any materials used (from sandpaper to bottom paint) be bought from their store at highly inflated prices so it's not an option either...
That's just two examples but as time goes on there are more and more yards and marinas who, in the quest for maximizing profits, are making life harder and harder for those cruising on a budget.
So, you can no longer take for granted that wherever you go you can simply work on your boat without having to jump through some serious hoopage.
Just something to keep in mind which brings us to the fourth rule of VolksCruising...
Never take anything for granted.
