Just like you want certified technicians to work on your car, boaters are the same way with their boats. That usually means training at one of the too-few marine trade schools with the appropriate area of expertise certifications. Also like automobile mechanics, many boat repair mechanics need an additional level of certification beyond various repair areas – special certifications from the manufacturer are highly prized, especially when the marina has a boat sales operation that specializes in that particular line of boats. The more such technicians meet these tests, the better the staff.

Some marinas have boat dealerships, others don’t. Some sell a particular line of boats, others are just used boat operations. Having a new boat sales operation generates upgrade orders and more warranty work. Not having it means you don’t generate anything from this revenue stream. A medium-sized new boat sales operation can generate as much as 50-60 percent of all boat repair orders via warranty alone, so it’s a pretty big deal.

Although a marina may have lots of business activities and operations, boat repairs are a key linchpin. In many ways, they parallel automobile dealerships, which I’ve blogged about extensively. The range of technical experience and types of services offered are staggering. As has been said by my people, no two marinas are alike, so it should come as no surprise that no two repair operations are alike either.