WesK, while what you say is all true & valid; I have experienced the "Skilled Rate" done by the "Unskilled" labor. People just except that as normal. I say "I may Be slow, but when done I know it is right" You cannot even embarrass some of these so-called experts. At the end of the day, they got your money and you have problems.
Good point and a reason to go with a marina that has "shops" with supervisors and not just the marinas that have "a shop" with a yard and/or service supervisor....those are the ones that sent the "available person" to do many jobs instead of the "correct" person.
When I worked for a large, well known dealership as a training/delivery captain....the service department decided to use me more and more as a service tech when they were busy.
Their idea of using me (I got paid about 1/2 of what the diesel mechanics got) was to have me go out and swap parts from one engine to the other to see if it resolved the problem. 9 times out of ten it would and the marina saved a bundle as the problem was easily resolved and they trusted me to make sure the good disturbed engine was retuned to service at or better than I found it. Unfortunately not every tech had the work ethic I am used to so using other techs like me wound up costing the marina and the customers.
I really have little respect for the marine business in the area of the country I'm from and much of the area I cruise. I don't always blame the individuals but I blame the whole system of seasons, strangling EPA requirements for dredging, greed at levels outside of the lower levels, etc.
For what you often get versus what you pay for is not as even as it should be. I'm not saying the great marine mechanic service guy, sole proprietor in a van shouldn't make a great living...not at all...but he better have the ethic and performance that goes along with it. Plus the marinas that are charging the same rate as the one next door when they have the water turned off, the wifi doesn't work, no able TV, and the rest rooms are a mess...gimme a break...how can the one next door do it or lower your price as the service doesn't meet the standard.
Yep...boating is rampant with bad service for the dollar...but it is hit or miss so praising or condemning has to be pretty specific to be accurate.
I can see Ben's frustration with a sky high quote and yet the guy next slip over here was just telling me he got a lowball estimate on rebuilt engines and found after the fact that a full repower was not that many dollars more.
It's never easy unless you are nearly as exert as everyone you employ to do something for you.
