Here is a thought experiment. Start a business on less than $5000.
It has been said that to enjoy your work and be successful, you should
go into a business you enjoy. Well, we are all boaters here,
so............
How often do you go to boat ramps and see 50 boat trailers sitting
empty the whole day while the boats are on the water? How many of
those trailers need to have their hubs re-packed? How many have
malfunctioning lights?
Get an old truck (already have one) and tools and grease and such and
go to the ramp at first light. As people get in line to launch offer
to repack their hubs while the trailer sits there. Offer to repair
trailer lights while it sits there. You would have to do this by
credit card cuz most people will not have $50 on them but that is ok.
You might be able to fix trailer brakes while you are there.

On 11/20/09 10:47 AM, Frogwatch wrote:
Here is a thought experiment. Start a business on less than $5000.
It has been said that to enjoy your work and be successful, you should
go into a business you enjoy. Well, we are all boaters here,
so............
How often do you go to boat ramps and see 50 boat trailers sitting
empty the whole day while the boats are on the water? How many of
those trailers need to have their hubs re-packed? How many have
malfunctioning lights?
Get an old truck (already have one) and tools and grease and such and
go to the ramp at first light. As people get in line to launch offer
to repack their hubs while the trailer sits there. Offer to repair
trailer lights while it sits there. You would have to do this by
credit card cuz most people will not have $50 on them but that is ok.
You might be able to fix trailer brakes while you are there.


I wouldn't trust someone like you, who combines the best of Murphy's Law
and the Peter Principle, to touch my trailer, let alone repack the hubs.
Sorry.

--
If you are flajim, herring, loogy, GC boater, johnson, topbassdog, rob,
achmed the sock puppet, or one of a half dozen others, you're wasting
your time by trying to *communicate* with me through rec.boats, because,
well, you are among the permanent members of my dumbfoch dumpster, and I
don't read the vomit you post, except by accident on occasion. As
always, have a nice, simple-minded day.

"H the K" wrote in message
...
On 11/20/09 10:47 AM, Frogwatch wrote:
Here is a thought experiment. Start a business on less than $5000.
It has been said that to enjoy your work and be successful, you should
go into a business you enjoy. Well, we are all boaters here,
so............
How often do you go to boat ramps and see 50 boat trailers sitting
empty the whole day while the boats are on the water? How many of
those trailers need to have their hubs re-packed? How many have
malfunctioning lights?
Get an old truck (already have one) and tools and grease and such and
go to the ramp at first light. As people get in line to launch offer
to repack their hubs while the trailer sits there. Offer to repair
trailer lights while it sits there. You would have to do this by
credit card cuz most people will not have $50 on them but that is ok.
You might be able to fix trailer brakes while you are there.


I wouldn't trust someone like you, who combines the best of Murphy's Law
and the Peter Principle, to touch my trailer, let alone repack the hubs.
Sorry.

--

If I'm paying someone to re-pack my bearings, I want a licensed, experienced
mechanic.
If it's amateur hour...I can fill the bill myself.

Don White wrote:

If I'm paying someone to re-pack my bearings, I want a licensed, experienced
mechanic.
If it's amateur hour...I can fill the bill myself.



That's almost word-for-word what you wife said in her last email.

Amazing!

Rob

On Nov 20, 8:57*pm, Rob wrote:
Don White wrote:
If I'm paying someone to re-pack my bearings, I want a licensed, experienced
mechanic.
If it's amateur hour...I can fill the bill myself.

That's almost word-for-word what you wife said in her last email.

Amazing!

Rob

Well, we like it "rustic" here. Believe it or not, I am unable to get
my sailboat bottom painted for lack a any facilities to haul her. Am
going to sail to St Petersburg (about 200 miles) to get it done.
However, I know that there are a few public landings where it is very
crowded on nice days and I figured that more civilized areas would
have even more. All those trailers in one spot sure seems like some
kinda opportunity. I hear about long lines to launch and that sounds
like a great place to approach those waiting. Repacking bearings is
not hard and does not require anything but grease and maybe some
cotter pins.
Around here, I know you'd get away with it but you'd run out of
trailers quickly.

In article 470fe364-1db4-459d-9aa3-
,
says...

Here is a thought experiment. Start a business on less than $5000.
It has been said that to enjoy your work and be successful, you should
go into a business you enjoy. Well, we are all boaters here,
so............
How often do you go to boat ramps and see 50 boat trailers sitting
empty the whole day while the boats are on the water? How many of
those trailers need to have their hubs re-packed? How many have
malfunctioning lights?
Get an old truck (already have one) and tools and grease and such and
go to the ramp at first light. As people get in line to launch offer
to repack their hubs while the trailer sits there. Offer to repair
trailer lights while it sits there. You would have to do this by
credit card cuz most people will not have $50 on them but that is ok.
You might be able to fix trailer brakes while you are there.

Don't forget that you could also replace, repair and re-carpet bunks,
repair, replace winches and winch straps, etc.

--
WAFA the newsgroup liar free!

"Frogwatch" wrote in message
...
Here is a thought experiment. Start a business on less than $5000.
It has been said that to enjoy your work and be successful, you should
go into a business you enjoy. Well, we are all boaters here,
so............
How often do you go to boat ramps and see 50 boat trailers sitting
empty the whole day while the boats are on the water? How many of
those trailers need to have their hubs re-packed? How many have
malfunctioning lights?
Get an old truck (already have one) and tools and grease and such and
go to the ramp at first light. As people get in line to launch offer
to repack their hubs while the trailer sits there. Offer to repair
trailer lights while it sits there. You would have to do this by
credit card cuz most people will not have $50 on them but that is ok.
You might be able to fix trailer brakes while you are there.


I think it's possible, but it would be tight. They would be paying for your
services and the cost of parts. You can either stock a lot of parts or go
get them somewhat as needed, right? I'd suggest the latter mostly, since
that would reduce your inventory, but you'd likely have to have a bunch of
standard stuff. There are costs and hoops to jump through to accept credit
cards... not trivial, so that's worth investigating. You'll need a business
license and insurance, both for yourself and for any possible damage to
customers' stuff. You'd want to insist on a cash deposit, since you could
end up doing the work and not getting paid. If the generic cost if $50 (for
example - I have no idea what repacking would normally cost, etc.), your
deposit should approach 50% (say $20, which almost everyone would have).

I know one thing ... I'm very wary of is being approached and solicited
about buying something or other. You would need to look professional...
e.g., have a small stand or station, not just some guy in a beat up pickup
truck. Maybe it's a sign on the truck panels? Also, you would probably need
to get permission from the owner of the ramp... if it's private. If it's
public, then that might be tricky.

One thing you could do is to try it with people you know who have boat
trailers... see what they think and how much they would pay for it to be
done.

If you're serious about this, the best way to start is to create a detailed
business plan. You can find tools online for free or for low cost. It's
worth it, since it would quantify most aspects of your costs and expected
return on investment.

--
Nom=de=Plume

On Nov 20, 1:58*pm, "nom=de=plume" wrote:
"Frogwatch" wrote in message

...

Here is a thought experiment. *Start a business on less than $5000.
It has been said that to enjoy your work and be successful, you should
go into a business you enjoy. *Well, we are all boaters here,
so............
How often do you go to boat ramps and see 50 boat trailers sitting
empty the whole day while the boats are on the water? *How many of
those trailers need to have their hubs re-packed? *How many have
malfunctioning lights?
Get an old truck (already have one) and tools and grease and such and
go to the ramp at first light. *As people get in line to launch offer
to repack their hubs while the trailer sits there. *Offer to repair
trailer lights while it sits there. *You would have to do this by
credit card cuz most people will not have $50 on them but that is ok.
You might be able to fix trailer brakes while you are there.

I think it's possible, but it would be tight. They would be paying for your
services and the cost of parts. You can either stock a lot of parts or go
get them somewhat as needed, right? I'd suggest the latter mostly, since
that would reduce your inventory, but you'd likely have to have a bunch of
standard stuff. There are costs and hoops to jump through to accept credit
cards... not trivial, so that's worth investigating. You'll need a business
license and insurance, both for yourself and for any possible damage to
customers' stuff. You'd want to insist on a cash deposit, since you could
end up doing the work and not getting paid. If the generic cost if $50 (for
example - I have no idea what repacking would normally cost, etc.), your
deposit should approach 50% (say $20, which almost everyone would have).

I know one thing ... I'm very wary of is being approached and solicited
about buying something or other. You would need to look professional...
e.g., have a small stand or station, not just some guy in a beat up pickup
truck. Maybe it's a sign on the truck panels? Also, you would probably need
to get permission from the owner of the ramp... if it's private. If it's
public, then that might be tricky.

One thing you could do is to try it with people you know who have boat
trailers... see what they think and how much they would pay for it to be
done.

If you're serious about this, the best way to start is to create a detailed
business plan. You can find tools online for free or for low cost. It's
worth it, since it would quantify most aspects of your costs and expected
return on investment.

--
Nom=de=Plume

I'm thinking that the operator of the ramps is shortly going to have a
problem with this. Even if it's the local wildlife or state park
people. You're creating a liability. What if you get hurt doing
this? What if you damage another trailer that is not even one you are
working on? You're going to be asked to stop.

On Fri, 20 Nov 2009 12:26:10 -0500, wrote:

Is the owner of the ramp going to want a taste? The county might just
tell you it is illegal at their ramps.

How much different would it be from getting a jump start or having a
tow truck pull your gear away? Not that much.

The problem is, at least to me, in all my years of trailer boating,
I've seen maybe one trailer crap out at a launch ramp and that was a
bunk that broke in two. That was fixed by the local marina in about
a half hour. Boat retrieved and gone.

I've certainly never had it happen to me and I've got a few hours and
years trailering boats.

"Gene" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 20 Nov 2009 07:47:44 -0800 (PST), Frogwatch
wrote:

Here is a thought experiment. Start a business on less than $5000.
It has been said that to enjoy your work and be successful, you should
go into a business you enjoy. Well, we are all boaters here,
so............
How often do you go to boat ramps and see 50 boat trailers sitting
empty the whole day while the boats are on the water? How many of
those trailers need to have their hubs re-packed? How many have
malfunctioning lights?
Get an old truck (already have one) and tools and grease and such and
go to the ramp at first light. As people get in line to launch offer
to repack their hubs while the trailer sits there. Offer to repair
trailer lights while it sits there. You would have to do this by
credit card cuz most people will not have $50 on them but that is ok.
You might be able to fix trailer brakes while you are there.

I know where there was a large panel van set up to do just this. Owner
couldn't make it and the unit was put up for sale. That was in
Wilmington, NC.... it might make some beer money, but don't quit your
day job....

If it were to be done RIGHT, one would have to comply with so many laws that
it would be cost prohibitive. You would need to carry several million in
liability alone. And then, either Fish and Game or Coast Guard would come
into the picture. It is a microcosm of what's wrong with this country.
There's a need. There's a guy that wants to work. But there's all these
agencies and laws in the middle. It's so discouraging. So, what does a guy
do? He goes black market, working from a van, and doing things for cash.
Then the unthinkable happens, and someone gets hurt or worse. Well, the guy
probably doesn't have much to sue for, but even a poor schmuck can be raked
over the coals by a bottomfeeding lawyer.

Steve