Whether you’re a commercial fisherman or a boating enthusiast who loves to spend his or her weekend on the water cruising around while enjoying the summer sun and fun, keeping your vessel in tiptop shape is not only a good idea, but it can mean the difference between staying afloat or relegated to dry land while your boat sits on a rack inside a repair shop for up to week or more at a time. If your boat is utilized for commercial purposes, the downtime can cost some serious profits.
If you fully support the idea of keeping your boat ship-shape, but don’t want to deal with the expense and the hassle of trailering it and carting it to the nearest boat mechanic, a mobile boat mechanic, or what’s also know as a mobile marine technician, just might be the right choice for you.
Says the pros at Boatplanet, a boat mechanic that comes to you, mobile marine mechanics are able to offer serious repair services that will keep your boat where it’s intended to be: on the water. It will keep you fishing if you’re a commercial charter or it will maximize your summertime fun if you’re a boating enthusiast. Some mobile boat mechanics will even tow your boat away at the end of the summer, protect it in shrink wrap, and store it for the winter.
That said, what precisely goes into hiring a mobile boat mechanic if you intend on staying afloat all season? According to a recent report by Power & Motor Yacht, even the best constructed and maintained boats will sooner or later require the professional services of a skilled boat mechanic. These day boatyards are becoming harder to find since their waterfront property is being bought up and replaced with more lucrative business ventures.
The Rise of Mobile Boat Mechanics
The good news is that the decline in boatyards and marinas has given rise to the mobile marine mechanic. They are said to be men and women who no longer participate in the regular 9-5 job market but instead work on a gig basis. Some say they are like “marine ronin” only instead of carrying swords or guns, they come armed with a comprehensive set of marine tools. They are also eager to get your boat up and running again and they can do so while it’s still docked on the water.
Mobile boat mechanics, if they are reliable, come to your boat and repair it immediately. Typically, they charge less than a boatyard charges. For the client, there is far less aggravation and downtime off the water.
The most sought-after mobile boat mechanics work from out of fully equipped trucks and vans that come with a major inventory of parts, filters, fluids, and other necessary replacement items. As certified mechanics they possess the skills necessary to provide the identical services of even the boatyard crews. In fact, some mobile boat mechanics even operate brick-and-mortar shops where more comprehensive repairs can be performed such as complete engine rebuilds and major repairs to the fiberglass hull.
Choosing Your Mobile Boat Mechanic
Says Power & Motor Yacht, when choosing your mobile boat mechanic, it’s important to do your due diligence. For instance, if after Googling lots of mechanics you first want to look for one that has a professional looking website. If the website hasn’t been updated in at least one year, remove the mechanic from contention.
Going over customer reviews is the next item of business. If the majority of them are four and five stars, you’ll want to place the mobile mechanic on your short list of possibilities. Next, you’ll want to speak with them directly, which means calling them or, at the very least, sending an email. If they don’t respond within a few hours, consider it a red flag and keep conducting your search.
When it comes to being a mobile boat mechanic, there is a lot of work to go around, and grabbing the best jobs means the mechanic is willing to return calls and messages as soon as possible. Most mobile mechanics, aside from carrying a cell phone, will have a laptop available in their truck or van, making the vehicle not only a boat repair shop on wheels but also a mobile office.
There’s nothing quite like enjoying your boat in the summer months. But if it breaks down…and it will break down at some point…you can’t beat the time and hassle you will save by hiring a reputable and dependable mobile mechanic to keep you afloat.
