Ditto! I'm 36. No college degree. Own my own business. College is not for everyone.

"You know for 17 your a bright young man. You have watched the trends in the automotive world and you know it fits into the marine world some where and your absolutely right in many of your idea's. Here's what I can tell you the rebirth of our industry will revert back to some smaller boats and some wise OEM's already realize this.

The financial sector of america is going to be held tight for a number of years and it will be a great while before we see the days of easy money and refinance to fuel our boating pleasures. Beyond that interest rates are going to climb along with inflation and it will limit many households boat buying power. The trying economy has flooded the boat market with great values. Remember a great many companies are built through the most trying of times. But more than that remember that many of the worlds best idea's and inventions came from people who were told their dream would never work. Sometimes the idea wasn't bad it just maybe needed refining.

But where your right on the money is in todays engine technology. The LS series engine by GM is going to recreate the 500HP and below market. Its going to increase affordability and reliability as well as a weight savings. It would have replaced the 496 by now but Mercury's investment to finalize that project under their own trying times has been shelved.

But know this great boat companies were and will be built by forward thinking men with passion and a pulse in the market like yourself. Regardless of what or how you journey your future I feel confident your thoughts are good. The boat business has been built on passion by people who loved it maybe more than the right decision. I feel confident there are many better ways to make money but maybe just maybe none that you will enjoy as much. Myself and most of my staff do this because we love it I wish you the best of luck."

^^ that was one of the smartest things ive heard in a long time. It was just what i needed. I always love hearing from people who have done it. I always get asked what i wanna do and have to listen to people tell me that I'm wasting my time. :mad: But there are some very successful people on here that i would be more then happy to follow

Just remember the old addage about the boat industry. "the fastest way to make a million dollars in the boat industry is, start with two million. "

"I also got offered an internship a Boston Whaler"

That's an offer you might not want to ignore

I did this 22 Donzi this past year for a customer, cost was about $150,000. You will have a hard time finding many customers that will spend that kind of money on a 22 ' boat,

Take the internship and go get your college degree......above that, find someone in the industry to be your mentor.

First I'd say get a degree so you can enjoy your hobby. It will be "work" when your in the industry.

If you must, I'd go ahead and enroll at the Marine Mechanics institute. Pretty affordable 6 month program and they claim there is a huge shortage of marine mechanics. From there I'd try and get a job building performance boats; build contacts. Then move on to your own.

"Don't get your hobby confused with your business"...this advice has served me well.

I started my company when I was 20, I learned everything the hard way. But I am still doing it 25 years later, so I have learned a few things. I had my degree first though.

My advice to you is, if you can afford it, stay in school, but get a boat and restore it in your "spare" time, then try and sell it. You will learn so much by doing it that you will be able to apply later to other businesses that you might run. The sooner you start something in business, the sooner you start learning what it is all about, which you can not really learn in school. Good luck with whatever you decide.

I'm glad I own my own business, looking at the quality of my employees.... I'd have to can myself if I didn't own the joint!