Picking a Marine Mechanic

Picking a Marine Mechanic

I am not really sure how to start this article. Mechanics are like Doctors, Lawyers, Dentists, Electricians, Plumbers, Teachers, Truck Drivers, & even Elected Officials, some are very good while others don't quite make the grade, but have the ability to make you think they do.

There are good mechanics who try to do their best & to try to accommodate customers, while at the same time try to not becoming caught in the bind because of some shortsighted person who thinks that just because he appears to be a financially successful person he should be pushed to the head of the line during a very busy season. However any business owner knows that some customers can be very pushy. Most on the other hand are rather understanding. And 99.9% do not like to be led on or lied to.

Some dealers may tend to have favorites. Yes, I understand that they may need to be flexible in finding room to slip a guide or a commercial fisherman in ahead of a recreational boater at times. BUT this practice can get carried away to where a recreational boater may get pushed back more than once so far that he may even loose his whole fishing season with his boat setting in the mechanic's lot with nothing but empty promises.

There has to be some middle ground here, & it is my belief that openness on both the dealer/mechanic & the customers part may be a key in a situation like this. But when a customer calls in before bringing a boat/motor in & asks what is the mechanics backlog time, get the response just under a week, he should not have to wait for over 2 months of continued being pushed to the end of the line, stalling, & excuses like how busy they are even for a engine rebuild.

You will have to decide which mechanic is right for you based on information that you can dig up. And it may well be best to do it before you actually need assistance. I have chosen a mechanic at times for different reasons. One is that they were convenient. Another was that I knew him from belonging to a fishing club. Another was because he helped me on a problem over the phone, 15 years before to trace down a electrical problem. Another was because they were listed in the Yellow Pages of the phone book. Kind of like choosing a personal doctor, lawyer or electrician.

I will try to supply a list of things below that may be helpful in evaluating a potentially new marine mechanic that you may be needing at some future time. Normally you will be needing a mechanic to work on your motor & not necessarily your boat.

Here is a sign that sure has some meaning to any service orientated business.

"An emergency on your part does not necessarily make a emergency on our part".

(1) First it may be prudent to visit as many shops as possible in your area. Talk to the owner / counter person explaining that you are looking for a marine mechanic describe what boat/motor you have. Is this something he/they would be interested in by having you as a customer? See if he will allow you to talk directly to the mechanic that may be involved if you bring it in later.

What is his policy as to how long normal repairs will take? Do you need to make an appointment to get your boat/motor worked on? Is he familiar with your brand & model of motor? How long would major repairs take, during a slack time & then during the peak boating season? What is his hourly labor rate? Does he carry a inventory of normally used parts? How long does it normally take to get repair parts if they have to be ordered? Does he give an itemized bill & return all old parts? What kind of guarantee does he offer on his repairs? Does he have secure storage while your unit is there?

If he sells boats & motors what is his policy as to servicing his old customers who have purchased from him as compared to you who are a newcomer with a 4 year old unit?

All motors may have good & bad points, but they still need servicing, does he run down a particular brand that he does not sell?

(2) Sometimes you do not have a choice of picking a marine mechanic because of the location where you live/boat. You may have to use the one closest to your home or where the boat/motor is at the time of need. Maybe you live or use the boat/motor at a remote island in Alaska. In cases like this you had better start learning how to maintain your own motor. Purchase a factory service & parts manual for starters. And hire a mechanic for a few hours to check out your motor, watch & help him during this time. Have him give you a rundown on how to diagnose your engine's problems & what it takes to repair them. In a situation like this his labor may well be the best investment you ever made. Learn to perform preventative maintenance.

(3) Do you have a boat motor that is still under warranty? If so, you will have to find a mechanic that can service your motor thru the factory's warranty program. Again talk to them as outlined in #1.

(4) If the motor is out of warranty, you may still want to use the services of a mechanic certified to work on your motor because he will have had factory training as compared to handyman Joe down the road.

(5) Some independent mechanics service many different brands of motors, & they can be very good at what they do. Is the current owner the son of the previous owner who retired & the boy grew up in the business with dad as a teacher? Or is he someone who always wanted a business because he likes boating, is now retired & wants his boat in good repair, wants recognition & just runs the business but hires his mechanics? Either one could be a option depending on ability & reputation.

(6) How big is the operation? How long have they been in their own business, not just a mechanic or salesman? How long have the mechanics been employed there? What training have they had? How is the shop laid out? Is it laid out somewhat orderly? Do they have a specified sales/counter person? Or does the owner & any mechanic close answer the phone, schedule the repairs, order the parts, do the repairs & bull shit with the customers? Again possibly no real right answer.

(7) Does he seem to be knowledgeable while at the same time able to carry on a conversation without excessive bragging?

(8) Ask him for references. However take into consideration that he surely will not give a name of a ex-customer that was not a happy parting.

(9) Ask other boaters & try to find out whether there is one or two mechanics in the area to shy away from & why.

(10) Does he have a machine shop adequate to perform the required repairs associated with a modern marine repair shop? Is he computerized?

(11) Is he close enough to a boat launch so that he can perform a "on the water test" if need be without traveling a long distance?

(12) Sometimes just a "GUT FEELING" about someone or the business has it's place in your selection.

(13) Now on the other hand do not be too harsh on a dealer because there are some customers that a business owner could never please. Some of these customers can be shortsighted, arrogant, pig-headed & just a plain plain dumb person that will never learn & what-ever happens is never their fault.

(14) With the Internet, there are many message boards that cater to boat & motor repairs. This may be something you might want to look into as far as becoming a little more knowledgeable. However if you do, do not try to impress your mechanic as to your vast newfound knowledge that you really may not even partially understand. But remember that free advice is worth just what you paid for it, while wisdom from experience is priceless!

There has to be some mechanic out there that you should be able to communicate with & will have to place your trust in, at least until you come to a situation where he grossly overcharges you, or the repair was shoddy which in turn becomes faulty. If not, you had better invest in FACTORY service manual & parts & learn to do your own repairs. The aftermarket manuals usually "flock shoot", cover a lot but never what you really need.

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Originated 12-11-09, Last updated 05-11-2010
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