Your Boat, Looked After.
One sailor you know. One person you trust. More time enjoying your boat.
There is something wonderful about owning a sailboat.
The promise of a quiet morning on the lake. The pleasure of a well-trimmed sail. The satisfaction of a beautifully maintained vessel. The freedom to leave the dock and let the rest of the world fall away.
But ownership also comes with responsibilities.
Lines need attention. Covers need checking. Brightwork needs care. Cabins need cleaning. And inevitably, there's another small project waiting for your next visit.
Sometimes the demands of maintaining a boat begin to take time away from the reasons you bought it.
That's why I created Your Boat, Looked After.
A personal boat-care program from Nashville Boat Works, designed to give you more confidence, less frustration, and more time to enjoy the water.
This isn't a large maintenance company sending unfamiliar technicians to your boat.
It's a relationship with one sailor who knows your vessel, understands your priorities, and takes personal pride in helping you care for it.
Choose Your Level of Service
The Watchkeeper
Peace of mind, even when you can't be there.
For the owner who loves their boat but can't visit the marina as often as they'd like. The Watchkeeper provides a regular set of experienced eyes aboard your vessel, helping you stay informed about its visible condition.
Your monthly service includes:
- One scheduled dockside boat visit and visual condition check
- Inspection of accessible dock lines, fenders, covers, and exterior fittings
- Visual checks for obvious water intrusion, damage, or developing problems
- Check of accessible interior spaces where entry is authorized
- Photographic condition report
- Notification of visible concerns
- Recommendations for maintenance or repairs requiring additional attention
The Steward
A boat that's cared for. A weekend that's yours.
For owners who want more than occasional checks. The Steward combines regular visual inspections with routine cleaning and a modest allowance for hands-on upkeep. The goal is to keep small tasks from accumulating and help make your next visit to the boat something you look forward to.
Everything in The Watchkeeper, plus:
- Two scheduled visits per month, including visual checks
- One routine exterior wash of accessible deck and cockpit surfaces, up to two labor hours
- Up to one additional labor hour for small, agreed maintenance tasks
- Simple dock-line and fender adjustments where appropriate
- A running maintenance and project list
- Photographs of completed work
- Assistance identifying and prioritizing future projects
- Preferred scheduling for additional Nashville Boat Works services, subject to availability
Examples of additional maintenance tasks might include cleaning accessible hardware, organizing running rigging, small cosmetic improvements, or addressing minor inconveniences aboard.
The Yacht Steward
More than maintenance. A personal commitment to your boat.
Some boat owners want a different level of attention. They want to arrive at the marina knowing their boat has been looked after. They want a knowledgeable person who understands its history, knows its quirks, remembers the projects under consideration, and can help coordinate the work that makes ownership more enjoyable.
The Commodore's Steward is the most personal service offered by Nashville Boat Works. This is a tailored boat-care relationship, built around your vessel, your preferences, and the way you use it.
Your private service may include:
- Up to four scheduled visits per month
- Routine visual condition checks and photographic updates
- One monthly exterior cleaning, up to two labor hours
- Up to four additional labor hours each month for agreed minor maintenance and project work
- A personalized maintenance and seasonal care plan
- A prioritized list of upcoming projects
- Attention to the condition of brightwork, varnish, and exterior wood surfaces
- Assistance preparing the boat for planned visits, within the agreed scope
- Assistance coordinating qualified independent vendors for marine electronics, upholstery, canvas, and other specialized work
- Periodic review of maintenance priorities and longer-term improvements
- Direct communication with Jeff
- Priority consideration for additional project scheduling, subject to availability
For qualifying clients, additional services may be arranged separately, including larger brightwork restorations, seasonal projects, private sailing instruction, and more extensive vendor coordination.
Personally Managed. Intentionally Limited.
I perform and personally oversee the services Nashville Boat Works agrees to provide. That means there is a practical limit to the number of boats I can serve at this level while maintaining the attention and quality I expect of myself.
The Commodore's Steward is therefore offered to a small number of clients through personal consultation, with priority consideration given to existing customers and referrals.
This isn't about exclusivity for its own sake. It's about ensuring that every boat — and every owner — receives the attention they deserve.
What Makes This Different?
You'll Know Who Is Looking After Your Boat.
When you work with Nashville Boat Works, you work directly with me.
I'm Jeff vom Saal, a lifelong sailor with more than 570 documented days of sea service, formal American Sailing training, and a particular love of sailboats, brightwork, and the details that make a boat a pleasure to own.
Before founding Nashville Boat Works, I spent more than twenty years leading professional orchestras and complex public facilities. That career taught me the importance of reliability, careful planning, financial discipline, clear communication, and taking personal responsibility for the things entrusted to my care.
Now I bring those same principles to the waterfront.
I don't believe every project needs to become a major undertaking. Sometimes the greatest value comes from noticing a small problem early, making a thoughtful improvement, or simply taking one more chore off an owner's list.
I also recognize the limits of my own expertise. When specialized work is required, I can help identify and coordinate appropriate independent professionals.
My aim is to make boat ownership a little easier, a little more enjoyable, and a lot more personal.
Flexible Service. Direct Communication.
Boats don't always operate on a convenient schedule. I'm available to discuss project needs, arrange early-morning, evening, or weekend visits, and respond to unexpected concerns as my schedule permits.
You can contact me directly, and I'll make every reasonable effort to help.
Scheduled boat-care memberships do not include continuous vessel monitoring, guaranteed emergency attendance, towing, rescue services, or immediate response.
Let's Get to Know Your Boat.
Every boat is different, and so is every owner. Before starting a membership, I'd like to learn about your vessel, where it's kept, how often you use it, and what would make ownership more enjoyable.