This is an epidemic in the marine field, and for thte life of me I don't understand how it continues to flouish! NOW we all now that there are many very honest, compitant and fair, engine builders out there Not to discredit ANY of them!! but I see stuff that has been done to peoples boat I know that make me wonder how in the He$$ can someone get away with this??? so the bad thing is a lot of good potentcial boaters get srcewed so bad they can't/or don't want to to go boating any longer ! AND that is the REAL Crime IMHO

I live next to a state (or maybe county) park that is right on the trail system. I can leave the driveway and do hundreds of miles. There is an abandoned rail bed along side the park that they have been talking of converting to a trail also

I ride from my house too. Just need snow. Lol.

Some of the problem is that there might be a disagreement on who those reputable builders are. I guarantee many will disagree with my opinion on "bad" builder. Frick has had a bad experience with a "good" builder. Maybe I just have bad luck or am to critical when my stuff doesn't work or looks like crap etc. but of the many people who've actually put tools on my boats or parts I have yet to meet one that I will do business with again.

The only builder that you mentioned, that i have heard of , besides eickert, is eddie young.

We have discussed in specifics here about bob madera, what was the poor work that eddie did ? Specifically. Like poor rigging, the engines, etc ?

I seen another engine recently dynoed at Mcquillens. Waste of time and money. Refused to run customers ignition, dyno curve was a disaster, numbers were a mess, no data, and so on.

Really, where. Cause I'd like to meet them....

^^^I know of a third from about 8yrs ago. Exact same scenario.^^^

It sucks reading these things but they happen.... It's happen to me as well... But I did find really good people to work with over the years and can/will still recommend them.

As for me, I used to be a boat mechanic in another life. But that was 16 1/2 years ago now... After changing jobs/career I continued to do all of my own work on my Scarab which I sold in 2004. I bought the Apache and entrusted a "friend" who I worked with for years as a mechanic who had his own business. I was in my mid 20's, too busy with life and a career plus getting ready to get married. I entrusted him to do the job because I knew him both as a friend and professional. I told him what I wanted but he didn't agree and insisted on doing it his way. But having much more experience then me, I allowed him to take the lead.

Six months later, no engines... At that point I began traveling to his shop after work to help him finish the project. It also became aparent to me at that point maybe he had some "life issues". We finally finish the project and it's a month before my wedding. The engine takes a sh!t on the dyno (lost a lifter). My "friend" disappears and then I meet Jeff Cropper (JC Performance) here on OSO and he fixed my problems and I went boating for several years thereafter. I dropped the fixed engine in the boat a week before my wedding... You wanna talk about stress!

Fast forward a few years later and it was time to refresh the Apache's engines so I just said f'it and did it myself, just like I used to do years back. Two years ago and a few hundred hours later, both engines in the Apache needed total rebuilds with new blocks. I subbed out the machine work and did all the assembly and rigging myself. In addition, I have been doing all my drive work myself for almost as long as I was a mechanic.

To date, I'm doing all my own work and it seems now that I'm doing everyone else's work because they see me boating every single weekend and my sh!t doesn't blow up. It has sort of turned into a side-business at this point and helps feed my boating habit in tough times.

So it seems that since my start as a boat mechanic in 1995 @ $10hr has come full circle many many years later to working on friggin boats for people again....

At the end of the day.... I'm f#cking tired...grey haired, balding...divorced....two beautiful girls..dating...happy...and boating as much as I possibly can! Live is too short fellas!

Hutter is a known builder. One of his top guys (at the time) was able to do side work in the open. His name was Ken Matthews. The build did not go through the Hutter shop. I want to be clear on that. From there the engines went to Mcquillen whom you've heard of to be dynod and tuned. After that they went to Young to be have all the engine accessories installed, all engine wiring done from scratch, all fluid plumbing done and installed in the boat and all lines made/ hooked up as necessary. Then the entire boat with engines installed went to Kieth Eickerts old partner from back in the day to finish the job and fix all the stuff that was incorrect. While at this private shop that is sort of invitation only to get into because he is retired and he just does the jobs he wants to keep him busy Eickert was consulted several times for his opinion on what was done and how to fix it as they are still friends and talk frequently. If any specific details are needed I will provide them privately


Then the engines blew up.

Round 2 has started with the new engines. I have issues with this current builder as well but as long as the engines don't blow up I will be ok. This is a professional builder with a huge shop that does a lot of work in the area, but probably wouldn't be known to most on here.

Want to here about problems with carbs and paint and drive rebuilds and transmissions and who did that? Sorry, not in the mood.