I was certified on Merc outboards in 75 and Mercruiser in76. Been Master since 83. Still go to schools just about every year and still learning. Agree that certificates don't matter when you're troubleshooting. Experience helps most but I still run into problems that defy logic. Trying to get the truth out of the customer about what really happened is sometimes the best trick to troubleshooting.

Certificates show that you went to school and passed that doesn't mean you know and can fix anything. The only way to learn is hands on and expereince. Troubleshooting may be time consuming on some jobs but in the end you gain a wealth of knowledge...

What's your Merc cert. number for 1975? Got to be a low number, probably in the 100's range.

Boy, do you speak the truth about getting the real story!

I think that the customer thinks the job will be cheaper if they say the thing they did wrong was less!

None of the above.
I went to Auto and diesel school for a year after high school. Then came home to farm and have been doing that and breaking boat parts for 30 years.
As high tech as car truck and tractor engines are today, if I want it to last, I have the experts work on it. But, I sure love to know how things work.

Thanks for sharing all of your knowledge guys.

I argee getting the real story or figuring out what really happened is hardest part most of the time and also agree that you can go to all the schools and get all the certs in the world but that only makes you book smart. in the real world theres alot more to it, and thres no substitute for experiance..know alot of guys that also think that if they buy a big tool box and a lot of tools that makes them a mechanic even if they dont know how to use the tools...........

Those tools are usually eventually for sale on ebay and are LIKE NEW!

I love Ebay!! Buy entire Snap-on kits from guys that get into it,then decide not to continue.I'd give the buisness to our local Snap-on guy but he never comes by the shop.

ebay or repoed




our snappy comes every thursday like clock work by 10 then hangs out for an hour nice older guy in his 70s these days we just try to get him to give us stuff ( doesnt work to often )

I started wrenching in the late 1950's, purchased a defunct marina in '62, got the Merc. dealership, went to school and continued till I sold it in the mid '80's. Got back in as a semi-retired wrench in the later '80's and got some more schooling. And the most important lesson I learned in all those years was that every problem is a bit different and that if you think you know it all; then you ain't learned NOTHIN! --- Jer