Mobile marina vs traditional marina

[Presentation]

Mobile marina vs traditional marina


A mobile marina is a marine mechanic that comes to you. Typically they work out of a van or tow a trailer with the needed supplies and tools.

A traditional marina has a facility to perform the work to be done on your boat.

I have used both.

Have you done business with a mobile marina? What has been your experience?

What are the advantages and disadvantages of each?

 

[Sundancer]

I don't think it really matters. It boils down to the actual mechanic doing the work. In a mobile situation he's probably the owner and knows what he has to do. In a marina or a dealer yard, they are being pushed to crank out as many work orders as possible. I've done both. The 250 DA has always been to the dealer and "Steve" the mechanic has worked on it since 1987 except for one season when someone else owned the boat and did their own maintenance. The 300 DA has been serviced by the same mobile guy since he left the dealer in 1990 through three different boat owners. The mobile rates are usually a little cheaper (here anyway). The dealer just does what you tell them unless you can talk to the mechanic (Which I do!). They key is talking to the guys that do the work on your boat so you can sculpt a maintenance plan knowing what needs to be looked at next based on something he saw or has seen, planning for replacements, tune-ups or whatever as opposed to taking the boat in and having the dealer "service the outdrive" because that's ALL they will do! It's that connection between you and the mechanic making sure he's communicating and watching out for you and your boat! That's what you're really after!

 

[Stray Cat]

At a marina that offers service, Certified Merc or otherwise, the Mobile guy may not be welcome without prior approval form the marina owners...That is the case where I dock.

During our first two months of ownership of the 300, we had a couple of punch list items we wanted to take care of. As a courtesy our S/R dealer agreed to take care of it in our slip. When they arrived with their pickup plastered with signage, our marina owner was on them before they got out of the pickup.

There are so many marinas on the Mississippi that offer service, I'm not aware of many if any mobile guys. Unless they had damn good references, I wouldn't use them.

 

[Sundancer]

I forget that people actually moore boats on the water and the marina may not allow those guys on site! I either trailer the boat to the dealer or the mobile guy comes to my house and I'm NOT on the water! I wish I was sometimes!

 

[Presentation]

Some of our marinas have no onsite maintenance company. Pioneer in Oshkosh (private), Menasha Marina (city owned), High Cliff marina (state owned) and Lakeside Park in Fond du Lac (city owned) are 4 examples.

 

[sbw1]

I use both. When stored, I usually have some work done during the winter months. During the season, I have a service that comes to my house for routine maintenance such as fluid changes. Another guy washes the boat every Friday afternoon so it is clean when I come home from work.

 

[geriksen]

As a service facility on the water, we have done both. It has been our experience that we can give a higher quality of service if the boat is at the shop. When you travel to do a repair (even a simple one) it is almost impossible to bring every single tool and part that you may need. You can anticipate much of it but seldom all. When you don't have the right tool or part to complete the job, you have to either make the whole trip again to get just one screw or part, or "improvise". Neither option is good for the customer. This is why I discourage the use of mobile mechanics. We have better results bringing the boat to the shop than trying to bring the shop to the boat.
I am sure there are some good ones out there, but they will run into these same problems.
In some areas, you may have no choice. Then I would use a mobile mechanic that is frequently at your marina. If he is making multiple trips there anyway to work on several boats that helps this situation.
If your marina has a service facility, I would suggest using them. A mobile guy may seem cheaper up front but seldom is in the long run. Plus, having a relationship and history with your marina's service department helps when your head clogs up or you need a battery on a Sat afternoon. They are right there and you are already their customer so they will or should try to take care of you.

 

[comsnark]

Well. . .my boat is in the water behind the house. For me, "marina service" involves moving the boat.. which isn't always possible.

The "dealer" is on the other side of a 3 mile canal which has significant current. -> No way am I making that trip with one bum engine. When I have called the dealer for work. . most of the time they sent someone out.

It boils down to the service and the quality of the mechanic.

 

[barryg]

Yesterday I had a 100hr service done on my 2005 320 Sundancer with V Drives (200 hours now). If I would have brought it to the local dealer the cost would have been almost $1000.00 each engine parts and labor. I bought all the part, and had the mechanics (including a very thin short guy that could fit in the engine compartment) from a local Marina that I've used to haul my boat out come to my dock to do the work. At 6'3 225lbs, there is no way I can reach all the areas and at almost $2,000 there is no way I was going to the dealer..

They did a great job, and the labor came to about $600 for the two of them, and my parts included for the genny-plugs, filter, anode, impeller, fluid, for the 2 engines, oil and fuel separator filter, oil filters, new platinum plugs, synthetic oil, and finally the trannys- ouch those filters for the Hurth are expensive--about $90.00 each...so filters, fluid etc.

They cleaned out the strainers, checked the batteries, trim tabs, started up everything when they were done to check for any oil leaks, washed down the boat and that was it.

Barry