Gizmo

If you really want to do boat work, do it while you are young and flexible........ I'm 55 and have a hard time getting into places that seem like I could get into not long ago. I work on boats part time for myself and get $55.00/hr. I pick and choose my jobs. I don't take on a lot of work at one time, so I can get the customer back on the water quickly. I could stay busy every day of the week, if I chose to.

Steve H

the pretzel thing hits right on the nose. I own a shop. We service and repair auto and marine. The best auto guys usually turn their noses up at most marine work. It is hard on the body. Up and down ladders, hanging up side down etc. etc. Better not be very overweight either. A big belly and changing spark plugs on a big block twin don't go together very well. We pay our best guys about 29.00 an hour, this includes all benefits. We pay other guys a lot less. there is a huge difference between a 29.00 wrench and a 10.00 one as far as attitude and ability is concerned. We will hire and fire several so called "techs" before we find one that is worthy of the higher wage.

hillbilly24

Yeah there is a big diffrence between a parts changer and a tech.

TURBOED

not overweight here,here is what im wondering,i for example have ase's wich is the standard and what you need to get work,what do i need for the marine industry and where to take the tests if it is even possible or is school mandatory to become mercury certified,are there any study guides like the mitchell books for example,i don't have a lot of time to start school again.

hillbilly24

You can't go to Merc tech eduaction until you work for a Merc dealer and have passed the basic knowledge test(it has a fancy name but I can't remeber what it is)There are other schools that you can go to such as MMI in Orlando but I have worked with several guys who attended these schools and found them to be less then knowlegable techs. They know alot of Technical info and how to work on the powertrain, but there is alot more to a boat then the engine and drive. You tell em to change a fule sender or a shifter and they ask where it would be on the boat, they have only worked on engines in test cells. If you have a mechanical knowledge you should do fine making the crossover. If you ask me it all boils down to logical reasoning and common sense. Some people get it some people don't . There is a huge diffrence between a parts changer and a mechanic as I'm sure you know. If you are a decent wrench you should do just fine. The big thing is that you have to go in open minded and be willing to give up things that you consider to be "the way to do it" I had to go throuhg it too, I came from being a diesel tech, wich I am now back to doing. First time I put an engine together at the shop, the boss told me to put perfect seal on the headgaskets(a mecr brand sealer that they tell you to put on just about everything) I looked at him like he was crazy, in my world you never put anything on a headgasket, sure enough though I looked in the maual and it said to put perfect seal on the gasket. Anway it's just little stuff like that and you have to be willing to accept things that you think are crazy.

hillbilly24

oh and by the way I am a big guy, 5'11" 240 pounds and I always managed to get where I needed to. You just have to learn to do alot of looking with your fingers instead of you eyes.

TURBOED

thanks for the advise,so i guess first i have to get hired and then i can take the test to be certified?in my opinion the schools sometimes are a waste of time and there is nothing like hands on plus they cost thousands to attend,im 5'8 200 lbs and i can pretzel inside my bilge, working on audi for a while taught me to look with my fingers so i get you.i've also been thinking about diesel wich will be in my opinion easier to switch to,thanks.