A boat's mechanical side is made up of systems that you rarely see but that carry safety, comfort and passage-making: the generator, seawater pumps, bilge, steering hydraulics, shaft and climate control. At Aslan Yacht we provide yacht mechanical and boat mechanic service to motor yachts and sailing yachts around the Bodrum peninsula from our workshop in Turgutreis. Where an electrical fault and a mechanical fault overlap, having both skills in one team is our main advantage.
Our yacht mechanical services
- Generator mechanical maintenance: oil, fuel and air filter changes, belt tension, cooling system and exhaust elbow checks.
- Seawater and bilge pumps: impeller replacement, strainer cleaning, seacock service, float switch and pump body checks.
- Steering and hydraulic linkages: steering hydraulics, arms, rod ends and fluid level; for passerelle, crane and platform hydraulics see our hydraulic systems page.
- Shaft and propulsion auxiliaries: shaft seal, coupling alignment, fuel and oil filters.
- Marine A/C: refrigerant checks, heat exchanger cleaning, compressor and fan service on DX split units and central chillers.
- Diesel cabin heaters: fuel line, combustion air, exhaust and control board service, plus fault code reading.
- Winterization and commissioning: draining or protecting circuits, then staged start-up in spring.
Mechanical differences: motor yacht vs sailboat
On a motor yacht the work centres on twin main engines, one or two generators, a central chiller and high-flow seawater circuits; generator and A/C hours directly define comfort. On a sailboat the numbers are smaller but the dependence is higher: a single engine, shaft and propeller, bilge and cooling-water pumps carry passage safety, and without a generator the diesel cabin heater is the main source of winter comfort. On gulets and catamarans, twin drive lines and many bilge compartments enlarge the maintenance plan.
Faults we solve most often
- Broken seawater pump impeller and a blocked cooling circuit.
- Reduced A/C capacity (blocked heat exchanger, refrigerant leak, weak seawater flow).
- Generator running unevenly under load or stopping unexpectedly.
- Bilge pump not starting automatically (float switch, fuse, blocked impeller).
- Excess water at the shaft seal and vibration.
- Diesel cabin heater not starting or stalling while running.
We explain seawater pump, refrigerant and strainer care for boat A/C in our boat air conditioning maintenance article, and service intervals in our generator maintenance checklist.
Our process on board
- First check: we ask the captain or owner when and under what conditions the fault appeared.
- Measurement and diagnosis: fuel pressure, refrigerant pressure, seawater flow and electrical values are measured.
- Report and recommendation: findings and required parts are shared before work starts.
- Repair: filters, impellers, gaskets and, where needed, components are replaced.
- Test and handover: the system is run under load to confirm performance.
Boat mechanical and electrical together
Pump motors, starting and charging circuits, A/C compressor control and the heater board are the electrical side of the mechanical system. Fusing, cable sizing and grounding follow the same standards as on our yacht electrical page, so on a pump fault we look for the hydraulic and the electrical cause together and avoid needless part swaps. Generator mechanics are not just oil and filters; the source selector, phase balance and protection at the output are reviewed in the same visit.
Why the seawater circuit matters
Both A/C and generator cooling depend on the seawater circuit; a blockage or a weak pump can affect both systems at once. In salt water the rubber impeller hardens over time, and a broken vane that reaches the heat exchanger puts both the A/C and the engine at risk. Strainer cleaning, impeller condition and hose integrity are therefore standard items on every service.
DX versus chiller systems
On small and mid-size boats, DX (direct expansion) split units feeding each cabin separately are common; on large motor yachts a central chiller distributes chilled water to cabin fan coils. A DX fault usually stays limited to one unit, whereas a problem with the pump or main unit of a chiller system can affect the whole boat. In either case the right refrigerant pressure and a heat exchanger free of scale decide efficiency.
Diesel cabin heaters and fuel filters
A diesel cabin heater and the generator draw on the same fuel; water or microbial growth in the tank quickly clogs the filter and can stop the heater igniting or the generator losing power. During scheduled service we check fuel and oil filters and recommend tank cleaning where needed.
Winterization and spring commissioning
Draining seawater circuits or protecting them with antifreeze prevents frost cracking of pump housings and heat exchangers. For the electrical side of lay-up see our winterization guide. In spring, systems are brought up in stages and tested under load, which lowers the risk of a surprise failure mid-season.
Service area
From our Turgutreis workshop we serve Turgutreis D-Marin, Yalıkavak Palmarina, Milta Bodrum Marina, Gümüşlük and the boatyards on the peninsula. Pump, A/C and heater faults can usually be solved with the boat afloat; for generator overhauls and shaft work, having the boat on the hard speeds things up. We share the changes made and the measured values in a short report after each job. To report a fault or plan scheduled service, reach us through our contact page.
Mechanical work is rarely separate from wiring: pump motors, generator control boards and A/C controllers are handled together with our yacht and boat electrical and marine electronics teams on the same job. Motor yacht and sailing yacht owners in Bodrum and Turgutreis deal with a single contact for mechanical, electrical and electronic faults.
