More specifically, what goes wrong most often?
A close reading of rec.boats.cruising posts seems to indicate that the worst culprit is the engine, whether gas or diesel. Batteries and electrical problems in general seem to be another major sore spot. Note that this is not the electronics themselves; this is the electrical system – corroded battery connections, electrical panels, etc. Additional reading I’ve done indicates that the macerator pump in the head (which performs a particularly gross function and is thus probably quite gross to try and fix) is a major sore spot. I’d welcome answers to this question that are more based on actual experience. Steve Weingart: What goes wrong. Yup, engine and batteries (electrical), heads come in right behind. Few folks have mascerator pumps, but the head itself and the plumbing/holding tank/valving are major headaches (do it right, few problems). Use only the best grade of hose for head plumbing, others leak odor if not more 😛 In all the above, good installation and scheduled maint is the k
