Marine Tech training, I think I am going back to school

[bobberboy]

I've been thinking of this also. My motives are slightly different - I plan to retire early (at 62) but will want some kind of income to supplement my retirement income. I have worked in non-profit for the last 30 years (boy talk about not getting rich) so I already know about the importance of having work you love. I've been thinking of going to tech school either for small engine or marine mechanics. I wouldn't need steady work so I am thinking that at busy times of the year - the spring for mowers and fall for snow blowers I could find part-time or temporary work.

I say go for it. It seems to me that you could find yourself owning a shop sometime too.

 

[Froggy]

Good luck to you! how was the outboard business affected while gas prices hit $ 4.50 a couple of years ago? I would want to know that, just piece of mind. Many ways to find out, call the dealers tell them you are doing a quick survey on the matter etc

 

[RBuffordTJ]

Sounds like you made a good choice. Enjoying what you do is great. I hope you find that teaching job you are looking for soon.

Bufford

 

[RBuffordTJ]

Well to update I did it. I enrolled in MMI's program and I am starting week 3 tonight. My schedule is rough but managable as long as I don't run into any snags.

I work full time from 7am-4pm then go home change and leave for school for 6:20pm-11:30pm. I make it home about midnight then hit the rack.

Sounds like a fun way to spend 51 weeks huh?

I am learning quite a bit, the first course was Basic Engines. I have worked on enough cars to know the basics of a 4 stroke, but the 2 stroke was a totally new beast to me. I think I got it now though.

I will keep you guys posted as I progress. When this week is done I start Lower Units for 3 weeks.

Bufford

 

[Brine]

Congrats Man!

=D>

 

[Froggy]

Congrat man!

 

[RBuffordTJ]

For those of you who figured I had dropped off the face of the earth...CLOSE! :lol:

School is busy, I am in Course 6 at the moment, Basic Electrical. :shock: I have no electrical background and it really had me worried, but funny thing, I ran into my rigging (Course 4) instructor right before my first night of class and he asked if I had done any plumbing. I told him yeah, some. Well he said just think about plumbing when they start talking about flow and you will see it come together pretty good. He went into a little more detail and when I got going it was pretty cool how it did come together. Now....I am by NO means ready to dive into someone's boat and start diagnostics but I am getting the basics down good. Next course is Advanced Electronics then Electronic Diagnostics which both are said to be pretty hard but its all good.

I am very impressed with the school, and the instructors are very experienced. They come from all over the country and have a lot of good time in the field to share. =D>

A quick story, a guy in the Volvo Penta class was working out back the other night and grabbed an air hose from under a boat he was working on to get it out of the way. Well the air hose promptly turned around and sank its fangs into his right index finger! :!: It was a Cotton Mouth #-o The instructor quickly got the snake into a bucket while the ambulance was called and he was taken for treatment. The bad side is he may loose his right index finger due to the massive tissue damage from the venom. So now everyone outside has a habbit of kicking hoses before they pick them up...me included.

More when I have time to post, Later Taters...
Bufford

 

[bobberboy]

It's funny, I was just thinking about this when I came to work this morning, wishing I wasn't. The story about the cottonmouth isn't funny though. What a drag if the guy loses his finger.

 

[Jim]

Good to hear things are going cool with it.

 

[RBuffordTJ]

It's funny, I was just thinking about this when I came to work this morning, wishing I wasn't. The story about the cottonmouth isn't funny though. What a drag if the guy loses his finger.

Yeah, the snake part is bad.

Good to hear things are going cool with it.

Yep, plugging right along man.

 

[Ranchero50]

Good to hear you are dealing with it well. I did a year of nights learning to be an electronics tech and honestly I didn't retain much from falling asleep all night long. Engines are good, the bigger the better. I'd try to go commercial, stay away from happy home owner IO's or outboards, nothing like fixing others mistakes. Better pay and much better work.

That being said, you could do well just sitting on your toolbox at the ramp or marina pier most weekends.

Doing a motor swap on dad's 28' Chris Craft last summer after he swapped the carb and lost a nut 'somewhere'...

Stripped the motor in the hull to get it out, used a backhoe to set the new engine combo in.

Jamie

 

[RBuffordTJ]

Very nice! I like that boat.

Not sure exactly what I want as far as work yet, probably work for a dealer for a couple years to get faster then we will see.

 

[Ranchero50]

Thanks, it's for sale... He went with a reman motor instead of us doing the rebuild and the rear main ls leaking, stupid Chevies... I was down a coupld weeks ago, it's at a little hole in the wall on the Chesapeake and the marina owner was swamped with working on boats, getting doors unlocked, pumping fuel etc. I was upside down looking for the oil leak most of the day. Finally gave up and he's just running less oil so the seal isn't submerged in it. That's why I would try to work on commercial stuff, these little boats suck for working space and they move too much in the water, but are too big to pull out often ($180 each time).

Jamie

 

[KMixson]

If you see any tire retreads lying around you may want to kick them before picking them up also(gator). I hope the other student gets to keep his finger though.
I am glad you are doing well in your classes down there. Keep it up and you will be in your dream job in no time. It seems even with the economy the way it is there is still a lot of marine maintenance needing to be done. Good luck.

 

[RBuffordTJ]

Yeah, dragging a gator out could be fun for sure :shock:

 

[RBuffordTJ]

School Update:

After Friday I have 12 weeks to go!

This week finishes up my last week of Yamaha. We are getting 5 star certified in this class which is good, makes us more desirable to shops. The market is saturated here so I will be relocating, and since I don't really have a desire to work salt water I will be looking inland, GA, TN, SC, NC, VA hopefully, but I will go where the work is.

Yamaha is fun, my instructor told me and my lab partner to "slow the hell down" because we are so far ahead of the class. This week has been nothing but trouble shooting on motors they have bugged. He put us on one last night and said "2 hours minimum, and you will be pissed when you figure it out". Took us 15 minutes. :lol: He is working on something "much worse" for tonight...lol..I told him to bring what he wants we love a good challenge.

So all is well, and when we finish Yamaha, we go to Suzuki, then to 2 back to back Mercury classes then to Capstone which is the final course and run like a shop. Show up, get work orders, go out and fix the motors out back. FUN!

Tick Tock...
Bufford

 

[Jim]

Thanks for the update man! Glad your kicking butt in the class! :beer:

 

[LonLB]

I'm glad you realize you will need to re-locate, and that you are able too.

I'm Mercury, Mercruiser, Smart Craft, DTS, Volvo/Diesel certified (actually probably some are expired) and it's not easy to just go work anywhere.

I can't relocated. #-o

 

[fender66]

Way to go Bufford. How cool is it to be ahead of the class?

No really...how cool is it??? ...I'd like to know cause I never was. :LOL2: :roll:

Book smarts.....never had much.....common sense smarts.....valedictorian :LOL2: .

 

[RBuffordTJ]

It is new to me to be one of the (quoting my wife) "class nerds"....she is such a blessing, no seriously she is.

Thanks for the encouragement. I have never been a really been the top of the class guy but I truly enjoy what I am learning and like working on these overgrown air pumps.

I'm glad you realize you will need to re-locate, and that you are able too.

I'm Mercury, Mercruiser, Smart Craft, DTS, Volvo/Diesel certified (actually probably some are expired) and it's not easy to just go work anywhere.

I can't relocated. #-o

Lon, I am not tied down with a house so that is a big help, and as far as family I can live near them or away from them either way. There are so many grads here who are cutting each other's throats trying to be mobile services that you can hire these guys for $30.00 an hour to do work...problem is if they screw it up they just move on and don't care. I am going to look for a dealership to start off at if I can get into one, don't really have a target company yet. I will leave school with Yamaha 5 start and will also have entry level Merctech certification when I leave...so at least that is a start.

Bufford