Boat repair in Mallorca

With summer heat and seawater, the breakdown that repeats most on a leisure boat is an overheating engine: a broken raw-water pump impeller, a seacock blocked by plastic or weed, or a dirty heat exchanger. Next come electrical faults from corroded connections and batteries, and damage to the propeller or drive when entering shallow coves.

Fibreglass and gelcoat repairs follow scrapes in the harbour or accidental groundings, and on older boats, osmosis. On inflatables and RIBs the usual problems are punctures and seams coming unglued, valves losing air and tubes worn by the sun; Hypalon and PVC tubes are repaired with different techniques, so pick a workshop that knows your tube material.

Many engine, electrical and plumbing repairs are done at the berth: Mallorca's mechanics work from workshop vans and travel all over the island. If the fault is below the waterline, such as the propeller, shaft, stern tube or a seacock, the boat has to come out. There are boatyards in Palma and also in Port Adriano, Alcúdia, Pollença and Cala d'Or.

Small inflatables and outboards are usually taken to the workshop on a trailer, which makes the repair cheaper. In summer workshops are very busy: describe the fault in detail, send photos or a video of the noise or alarm, and give the engine make, model and hours so they can bring parts before they come.

The repairs owners ask for most are engine problems (starting issues, overheating from the impeller or heat exchanger, injection faults), knocks and cracks in the fiberglass, leaks at through-hulls and stern glands, electrical failures caused by corrosion, and damaged propellers and shafts.

Many small repairs can be done afloat, at your berth. Anything involving the underwater hull, shaft or propeller usually needs a haul-out, so it pays to combine it with antifouling or new anodes.

Describe the problem in as much detail as you can: engine make and model, hours, symptoms, photos or videos and where the boat is. With that, a serious yard can give a first estimate and tell you whether they need to inspect it before fixing a price.

Be wary of fixed prices without a diagnosis on complex faults, and ask to keep the replaced parts. Some yards in Mallorca handle emergencies in season; ask when you get in touch.