Mercruiser Training! Am I crazy??
 

I am asking this question on the tech board to see if I am a good candidate for an alternative career in the marine industry.

My wife says that my second love is boating and I am getting tired of setting at a desk working on computers for six figures a year and only being happy when I am building a motor or repairing my boat or my friends boats. I am at the point in my life where I can afford taking a pay cut to do something I enjoy.

I am 34, raised in an auto shop, boating for about six years and the only thing I have not done to a boat is rebuild an out drive because I don't have the tools yet.

So, anybody know the best path to take to become certified and gain employment in the marine industry? I think that I would like to specialize in the mercruiser area so I will take any advice you pros can throw my way.

What you all think? Am I totally off my rocker!!!!!!

If you are financially stable enough and you live in an area where there is a high demand for marine work, why not start your own repair business? Then you have the best of both worlds, self employment in a field that you love;)

Get yourself some formal Technical educatuion and hire a few experienced guys that you can work with and learn from;)

Good luck in what ever you decide
Thrill

Start your own company. Don't go to work for somebody and make 23.00/hour:eek:

Ooooh, I don't know about this "Start your own company", and "Hire a couple of experienced guys" stuff. I started my own marine business in 1962 and rode it (or it rode me) for over 25 yrs. because I loved boats and messing with them. It got so that I was spending 90% of my time behind a desk doing paperwork for the state and Fed. tax, environmental, and employment people, not to mention the salesmen, bankers, insurance people, and accountants you have to deal with, and NOT the boat stuff I really liked. After two costly, failed attempts to sell my business and getting it back in shambles I finally sold for enough to put together a pretty nice home shop where I do a small, very selective, one man, marine service and consulting operation which never really makes me any money (on paper) so I don't really have to worry about the tax guys, and I stay very busy, and very happy, and go where I want to, when I want to. I would REALLY recommend getting your feet wet by working for that "other guy for $23/hr." before you do something that can be very costly and give you ulcers, or worse. That said; No, I don't think you are "off your rocker". I know that I can't see myself doing other than "Messing about in boats". Good Luck! --- Jer

Im 50 and want to do the same thing. But I dont make anywhere near 6 figures. Im gonna start by doing bravos on the side and see what happens.

You guys have got me thinking!!!! I hate paperwork and all the crap that would probably go with a large biz. Maybe starting something on the side like formula31 is the way to go at first just to test the waters. I could be selective on what I work on and determine how large I want to take it. Not sure legally how I would have to handle it, small biz or cash and carry no paperwork type thing. Probably some tax advantage as small biz out of my garage..

As soon as you quit let us know so one of us can take your place making that 6 fig income!!!:D

Patrick,
I am at the same point except I (like formula31) am in my fifties and ready for a new career! 30 Years in the restaurant business and I am gone and not looking back. I have been building hi-performance engines for 30 yrs (on the side for the last 25!) but lately I have just focused on marine engines. I would like to build on a limited basis with a very small operation. It would be great to consolidate all this "mid-life" talent into a quality operation! Good to see people who arent afraid to pursue their dream. Best of luck!!
Bob

You arn't nuts....let me know if you find out more about the school....I'm 52 and retired 3 years ago from a job I did'nt like. Inflation is starting to rear its ugly head though.....and I've also given lots of thought to doing outdrive work out of my home and shift cables on site for a reasonable price at the customer's location (so as to keep the specialized tool area smaller). I just wish I had a place in the country with a pole barn to work out of....

Great Topic!
 

I've been toying with the same idea here in Louisiana. New Orleans has a couple "Hi-Performance" shops but nothing really in the Baton Rouge area. There really are only a couple Mercruiser repair facilities to deal with here and they tend not to be customer friendly. I have always been of the opinion that customer service is number one, period.

As far as education, Marine Mechanics Institute in Florida has a complete marine program that I believe runs 9 months. I'm sure it starts very remedial and that's where my dilemma is. I'm 39 and been in automotive repair since I was 15. I hate to waste a bunch of time starting from ground zero. Mercury's web site has no info on training or factory certification and I wonder how you would go about purchasing parts or specialty tools from Mercury or performing warranty work if you weren't "Factory Certified". If anyone gets any info regarding this please post so that we might all benefit from it. I'll try to do some homework also.

I went to Merc school but it was in the early 70's. I know at that time a private citizen couldnt just "go". you had to be sponsored by a Merc dealer. Dont know now.

I've been having the same thoughts too,
mainly because alot of people have been
telling me to.
Every year I keep working on working
on more and more boats, hell, I even
rebuilt a freinds egg beater last year:D

I have the luxury of using the shop ( after hours)
where I'm the service manager at ( forklift dealership)
so that makes it really easy.

My biggest fear is that, when I'm out at the
lake, that's my time, I don't want to get in the
situation of having people coming up, and asking
to have their stuff fixed right here and now all the time.
( I've already done this enough for my freinds)
Then, I'll end up dreading going to the lake.

So, I would suggest on doing the stuff on the side
where you can be selective, thats what I'm going to
keep doing.

Got to go,
got to get 3 boats fixed before
the weekend :D
(and none of them are mine !)
jt

Thanks guys for all your input. I am really ready to try this idea out and the wife is onboard also. I think that I will skip the training idea for the moment and get the word out at my marina where they have no repair facility. I will focus on the basics, engine repair/tuneups, gimble area repairs, and us a local guy for drive repairs until I learn on my own. Currently, the local marine repair places are scheduled 3 weeks out, and most of the work is your common bellow replacement, shift cable, steering, things like that.

Still not sure about operating under a small business or cash only operation. Don't want to get busted by Uncle Sam. Any ideas here???

I think your nuts! Why change something you love into something you hate? Bust you a$$ for a few years and retire and play with your own stuff!!! You hate anything you do for a living. CrazyHorse is the best all around Mechanic I've ever met and he wont do it for a living. Think about the liablity, you work on my boat and I got out and throw a rod through the hull sink the dang thing who am I coming after? Keep your hobby and your sanity!