kuenzie

If there was a custom marine audio installation shop near where you boat, would you use it? If there already is, do you use it? What would you look for at a shop like this? I'm considering starting a business like this, and would like to get some feedback from boaters on what they would like to see. Thanks in advance for your help. Any and ALL suggestions are welcome and appreciated.

Tantrum

I would look for some one that was mobile and would come to the boat rather than haul the boat to them.

ChrisK

There is a shop here in town that does boats as well as cars.. some are super high end cars, lambos, ferarri, etc. they have done a few scarabs and what not that are in the area.... I have done installs as well on cars and started on boats, and the amount of labor involved is 3X as much.. As well as the need for stainless screws and such....

THRILLSEEKER

first off, welcome to the board

I would think that a "marine audio" store would go well in the right area. Most car audio shops dont have bays or even lots big enough to park large boats in, or let alone "mobile" installation service. I do all of my own audio work although if I didnt, I would definately want someone who knows a little about boats to do my install work instead of some some high school kid who only knows how to match wire colors on a harness and stuff a radio in the dash of a Honda As far as what to look for, I would want someone who is not going to hop his greasy a$$ in my boat and roll around on my white vinyl (installer rule #1) aslo someone who knows boat elecrtical system and knows what wires NOT to tap into for power on an audio related item, also knows the importance of sealed connections and the cosmetic importance of an install in a "high end" offshore boat, or any boat for that matter. I have seen a ton of hack job audio work form local shops and I wouldnt even let the top quality stores in my area go near my boat

Good Luck!

ChrisK

oh yeah also what THRILL said

Welcome to the board..... I dont think you know what you got yourself into here...

Joe

What ever you do -- advertising the he!l out of it is key. Choose a target market and go after it. The go-fast crowd is usually the quickest to pay money for these things, I would think.

The crowd of go-fast boaters in my marina would much rather not have to deal w/ the details and pay "you" to handle them. Might also consider incorporating other tangables to compliment your sale (like burning CD's for them, sell them bigger batteries for bigger systems - longer playing time or something....). A buddy of mine w/ a big system just got a solar cell system (sorry for the layman terminology) hooked up so he won't burn his batteries running it in the "party cove" all day. Bottom line -- cater to them// make 'em feel important.

A guy I've known for over 15 yrs owns a shop here in Houston (Clear Lake - right near the marina's) has a great reputation. I spoke with him a couple months ago when he was installing a stereo for someone on my dock and he mentioned his business (along w/ a lot of folk's) is suffering.

-- strictly my opinion! I wish you success.

BajaRunner

Yup

kuenzie

That was quick! Good ideas, thank you! I was thinking of a mobile service of some type. Obviously it would not be feasable to work with fiberglass or do any major projects on an exposed dock, but for smaller projects it would definitely be possible. The thought of a pick-up service also entered my mind.
Thrillseeker, I feel I must address your comment. I do not feel you were trying to be insulting or stereotypical to me personally, but your comment is something that worries me about starting this business. A lot of people will automatically think what you wrote when they see anyone with a mobile audio system, especially in a car. The fact is not ALL of us are like that. Personally I am into sound quality. Yes, I like it to be loud, but I also want detail and a clean, unintrusive install. Unfortunately there are a lot of people out there who just want lots of bass and could care less how crappy the music actually sounds. Now, not all of the people with a car stereo are cut out for boat stereos. I feel I am. I have been around boats my entire life and am a Powerboat junkie! I was an electrical engineering major in college for 2 years before switching over to finance, so I hopefully by now know what to hook things up to! Again, I thank you all for your comments and appreciate all that will come (hopefully a lot more!!!!)

Thanks a ton!!!

JPD Motorsports

Here's my 2 cents worth. I just sold my shop in Sarasotta FL last November. We did boat installs, on site and off. like they said in the posts treat it like it is yours, not just a customers, and know your equipment and lacing the wires to a tee, inside a boat is is exposed everytime a person opens a door and wants to show the goods unlike a car with carpet to cover the wiring. As for a pick up I wouldn't recommend it due to the insurance issues with it, let alone the cost. A cool set up to run would be a mini van or full size van. That way you have shelving space available. Also a pull out work bench, do fiberglass work on site, a generator to run the air tools and a vac to clean up with. we haulled it around in a concessin style trailer. worked good but got nervous with it at night. As for the shop thing, if oyu have a big enough bay that was deep and wide enough with out interferance from the saw dust and other things that go on in it it works. I had a seperate saw room, that was sealed running a vac system, the a glass room and a small a pant room. On bay dedicated to boats and high end cars only the others went into the "in/out" out bays.

JPD Motorsports

Also hit the dealerships with starter bypass installs, all those new cars almost every dealership is installing one of some sort. So that is an open market for a good tech to get into. The big jobs are fun, but the small ones make the money.