Pontoon Boat & Deck Boat Forum

Guys--just curious as to what you're paying for labor on repairs you have done on your boat. I recently installed a battery switch, lights, radio, depth finder, and had the lower unit completely serviced. I was quoted a price and it didn't include labor--I didn't find out how much labor was going to be until work was well underway. Just curious what you pay.

Thanks!

Shop rate last time I used the marina was $65/hr.

MichaelB wrote:Shop rate last time I used the marina was $65/hr.

Same here

pretty sure mine was 80 without looking....worth every penny! Bruce the Boat doc! Bucksaw Marine

Around here it's $80/hr, but I do 99.9 percent of the work on my boats myself.

Unfortunately, the last time I had my boat in for service ( back in the spring ), the labor rate was $100 an hour.....that was at the boat dealership...

The certified mech are running about 100 here. The guys that rig the boats are usually a little cheaper and should be able to do things like you mentioned.
doc

$85 is the going rate here.

We may have some cheaper guys around here, but they may only be worth about $1.00. A good marine mechanic is hard to find. Hourly rates are not everything if a mechanic cannot proper diagnose and fix the problem. A marginal to bad mechanic can eat you up in unnecessary parts and labor.

With that said, just because someone has a high hourly rate does not mean they are any good.

The only time I noticed, it was $95 2 years ago. I assumed that was the going rate at most places and was just glad I was looking at boats and not repair at the time.

Its 95.00 around here and why I do my own work.

Sign Posted at my Marina:

Labor Rate $45 (this was a few years ago)
If you watch $55
If you help $65
To fix what you screw up $45

Thought it was kinda funny.

It was $85 the last time I looked but the guy said that included the "shop charge" (oil disposal, supplies etc).

STEVEBRENDA wrote:We may have some cheaper guys around here, but they may only be worth about $1.00. A good marine mechanic is hard to find. Hourly rates are not everything if a mechanic cannot proper diagnose and fix the problem. A marginal to bad mechanic can eat you up in unnecessary parts and labor.

With that said, just because someone has a high hourly rate does not mean they are any good.

I could write a book about that, just from this season!!! My boat still does not run, after a bill of $1200 for a crappy carb rebuild and half a tune up; shop charged $120 an hour!!!

$70 per hour at an independent local shop. I too do 90% of my own maintenance. Boaters' best investment is a good repair manual.

With CAN/BUS 4 stroke engines and engine analyzers now in marine use, there will be no more shade tree boat mechanics for engine work. Future mechanics must be properly trained and have the electronic readers to do engine work.

I promise to take better care of my new Yamaha 150 engine than I did with my 1985 Yamaha 115 hp engine.