Recently a series of emails received by Noonsite has highlighted the problems caused by some boatyards in Thailand using unskilled labour when carrying out work such as fibreglassing, decking and safety-critical repairs.

However helpful and accommodating the owner/manager might be, it is the skill (or otherwise) of the workers which is important. Unless the yard and the artisans employed there come highly recommended by other cruisers, close supervision of the work as it is carried out is your only safeguard.

Please note that Noonsite does not endorse any companies listed on the site, although we are likely to remove any about whom we have received several complaints.

Received from: Doug Winkler on 7 April 2011

Message:

I am cruising Thailand and have used two yards Boat Lagoon and PSS shipyard. Both are excellent.

Boat Lagoon has a full range of tradespeople whereas PSS is limited as it is more a fishing fleet service yard. However, if the owner is to do all the work themselves then I consider PSS the best. PSS has an excellent paint team and an excellent engineering/stainless steel workshop. Timber work limited.

Thai workers do not understand yachts. To them, they are an innate object and they do not understand the end user, let alone the complicated construction. Thai workers are good at hiding errors – you find them later – but they work hard when supervised and if you do so you end up with a good result. Supervise and survive. Leave them unsupervised and you get what they think is right, not what you left them doing.

Happy Sailing

Doug