To be or not to be...A Marine Mechanic?

[BlewByYou88]

Gents,

I come today asking some opinions on what ya'll would think if I should become a marine mechanic. I know my knowledge base is about mid range, but I really love working on boats. After doing all the projects on the BBY this past year, it all the more makes me want to do it. I have a backround in electrical engineering (ASU), I work with controls and automation, I graduated from the Marine Mechanics Institute of Orlando FLorida (School was a complete joke) I currently work on ships, but I'm really getting fed up with my current company. I worked for a company down in florida while going to school that installed navigational equipment, and A/V systems, though I wasn't with the company long before they went belly-up...(Poor Managment)

Of course I would become a fully bonded and insured company, but I have my fears about the economy.

Many of the shops around here get so backed up in the spring, that there is anywhere from a 2-4 week backup just to get oil changes, and there aren't many mobile guys here in the valley. I know my limitiations, and I would have no problem walking away from a job if I didn't think I could handle it.

What do ya'll think? Would you hire me? :smt001

Stace-BBY

 

[fwebster]

One thing I see in our area that might affect you there as well is the level of continuing education and training required to stay current. Our marina budgets 4 weeks a year for each of their mechanics to go to school........they are a Mercruiser, Yamaha and Honda dealer as well as a servicing dealer for Sea Ray, Whaler, Grady White, Parker, and Meridian. Most people who don't have a relationship with a regular mechanic will rely on factory training certification as a guide or reference when making that phone call for help, so its important. About any boat built after about 2000 is going to have electronic system on it and may require access to a laptop, software and a factory system to reset ECM's or to diagnose problems. So I think it might be a 2 edge sword.......stay with older boats and avoid factory training and access? or invest huge $ in factory training and tools? And, factory training is not a one week program either......it takes years to get thru enough 1-week schools to be well versed and competent on most products. The older boats may limit your income to some degree because those customers won't spend the money on maintenance that the owner of say a $90K 2010 pocket cruiser will.

Its an interesting challenge.........but one that would certainly be fun if you realize that fixing boats is a different subject than running your own business. Good luck with whatever you decide.

 

[Gofirstclass]

I'd suggest you keep your day job and ease into the boat mechanic thing. There's enough boats at Lake Pleasant that if all you did was concentrate on that lake for the first year, you'd have plenty to do.

You need to remember that, probably more so than car owners, boat owners are fussy about their toys, but they're also willing to spend money on them. Your level of service would have to be above what is currently available around there. That means do what you say you will do, do it on time, and do it for what you quoted unless something else happened.

Boaters are also used to being treated like shi*, over charged for service, not having it ready when promised, and the boat left a mess when they're done.

If you can fix those service problems I suspect you'd have a good business after a couple of years. Make sure you have enough $$$ set aside to buy parts and tools with, and if you decide to do it full time, have close to a year's worth of living expenses set aside.

 

[OldSkool]

I opened my mechanics business on Hilton Head and ended up with 5 service trucks, a shop and more headaches than I was counting on. The point is to know your customer and only do the what fits your ability. We made a lot of money doing service work and general repair. I knew our limitations and let the dealer do warranty and computer based repairs. Worse group I worked for was the shrimpers. If you didn't get your money up front of the season you sure wouldn't get it after the season.

Nothing like running the rack on a jimmy in 100 dregree heat and dead shrimp floating all around you in the bilge. I did get to work on some very nice boats and was paid good money for what we did.

As Frank said. it's a double edge sword. BTW I went from working 60 hours a week at a dealership to over 100 hours a week chasing technicians, money and business. Like owning a boat there are 2 great days of busniess ownership. I sold mine and dropped back to 35-40 weeks and less stress.

Best of luck if you decide to step out.