Tech Talk: Documenting Boat Upgrades - Why It Matters More Than You Think

If you spend enough time around boats, one thing becomes clear: almost every owner upgrades their systems, but very few keep track of what was changed. This creates real problems later — for new owners, new captains, technicians, and even for you when something stops working offshore.

In this week’s Tech Talk, we look at a topic many sailors ignore: why documenting upgrades on your boat is just as important as the upgrade itself. Our guest writer, Doruk Kocuk, explains this with real experience from the field and practical examples every cruiser will recognise.

Why You Should Document Every Upgrade on Your Boat

Time to time, we all make upgrades on our boats. Maybe you replaced your chartplotter with a newer model. Maybe you added a freshwater intake to your engine. Maybe you did a major electrical refit. Sometimes you do it yourself, sometimes a professional steps in. In both cases, there’s one thing that almost always gets forgotten: documentation.

Your boat probably came with an owner’s manual and a set of schematics. At delivery, the handover guy showed you the drawer where everything lives. For many owners, that moment is both the first and the last time they ever see those documents. Curious owners might ask questions or learn by doing, but the story usually ends there. And that leads to a simple question:

What happens when you’re not on board?

What happens when the boat changes hands?

How is the next person supposed to know what was added, removed, or modified?

This week, let’s talk about documenting your upgrades, and why it matters so much more than you think.

A Story From a Very Different Kind of Owner

Years ago, I worked with a client who owned a Swedish bluewater cruiser. He wasn’t an engineer; he was a business consultant. But when it came to his boat, he was deeply technical, incredibly curious, and remarkably disciplined.

We met to discuss upgrades to his electrical and electronic systems. He explained his issues, I walked him through possible solutions, and we agreed on a plan. Just when we were wrapping up, he opened a cupboard and showed me where he kept every manual the boat had ever come with.

He told me something I’ll never forget: “Any work that is not documented is, to me, work that is not done.”

Documentation wasn’t a side note for him. It was part of the project scope. Since he wasn’t around during most of the refit, he booked a hotel nearby so he could spend his evenings reading updated manuals and instructions. The next day, when I walked him through the installation, he already understood the system better than many professionals I had met.

That experience was unique. Completely opposite of the average owner.

The Average Reality: “Can You Just Explain How It Works?”

Most owners don’t have a dedicated documentation cupboard. In fact, many can’t even find the original manuals. I’ve lost count of the number of calls that start like this:

“Hey, I bought the boat from James. He said you did some upgrades. Can you tell me how everything works?”

The new owner is usually standing in the marina, staring at a panel they’ve never seen before, trying to make sense of it. And the previous owner? They also didn't read anything. So the cycle repeats: no manuals, no notes, no guidance.

This doesn’t only happen during ownership changes. It’s the same on boats with constantly changing captains. Systems get installed, modified, and patched, but unless someone documents them, every new captain starts from zero.

When You’re Offshore, You Are the Technician

Here’s the difference between boats and camping vans: at sea, when something fails, there’s no mechanic, no service center, and no roadside assistance.

It’s just you.

Your holiday time is limited. You want things to go smoothly. And small failures will happen. Buzzers will beep. LEDs will blink. You don’t need to solve everything like an engineer, but you should know how to follow basic troubleshooting steps.

Documentation isn’t just bureaucracy. It’s peace of mind.

What the Professionals Do (And Why You Should Too)

In commercial marine projects, contractors often take part in creating FMEA documents: Failure Mode and Effects Analyses. These outline what might fail and what the operator should do in each situation.

On your boat, you are the operator. You are the captain, the engineer, the electrician, and the first responder.

Familiarizing yourself with your systems is not optional. It’s part of safe seamanship.

This Tech Talk series aims to help you understand your onboard equipment in simple language, without unnecessary technical terms. You don’t need to master everything on board. But you can start with the most critical systems.

A Simple Example: Starting Your Engine When the Battery Dies

Some failures are statistically more likely while underway. One of them is your engine start battery. They last long enough that you forget when you last replaced it, and they tend to fail at the most inconvenient moment.

If your engine battery suddenly doesn’t have enough juice, don’t panic. You likely have other batteries that can help. Your house bank, your bow thruster battery… there are options.

But here’s the important part:

Do you know how to use them?

If you don’t, check your owner’s manual and wiring diagrams. If those documents don’t explain it, make your own sketch. One simple hand drawing, made while enjoying a cold beer in the marina, can save your day when a squall rolls through your anchorage.

Documentation isn’t for show. It’s a lifeline.

If you enjoy these Tech Talk posts and want to understand your boat in a clearer, more confident way, you can subscribe to our mailing list for future articles. Every week we share practical tips, real stories from the sea, and updates to help you take better care of your boat — wherever you sail.