That am very true.  The problem is, the average boat owner may not have anything done for several years, and things change during that time.

There is a auto body shop in one of the towns I go to that once had an outstanding reputation for doing quality work, and they did.  Well the owner of the shop retired and turned the business over to his daughter.  Over the past few years now, they are becoming to be known as the biggest ripoff in town. 

Based on their past reputation, my granddaughter took her brand new Nissan in to have latex paint over spray off a contractor had gotten on parking lot full of cars.  Her boss also took his new Maserati.  They did more damage to the vehicles than the original claim was.  She cursed both of them out, they didn't do that damage and told them to get off her property.  The insurance company that was supposed to pay for the work, canceled payment, and what really shot the shop in the foot, my granddaughter works in claims for a major insurance company, and her boss is one of the upper executives.  This company had the shop listed on of their preferred business list.  That episode took them off that list.

I just sold my last boat, no longer concerned about outboard engine maintenance.

Growing up working at a boat landing and repairing the rental boat engines learned a lot about 2 strokes. Racing a pumpkin seed powered by a Merc 10hp Hurricane race engine learned more about 2 strokes. Then the dirt bike era helped tricking out 2 strokes bike engines. 

Enter the drag racing and boat racing era the 4 stroke super charged nitro engines fine tunes your mechanical skills. The bass boat era with V6 engines I always took to a freind who raced Merc engines to do any serious work. Too many special tools and tricks of the trade for me to dive into high rpm V6 2 strokes, special skills.

Today I don't know where to send somebody for a top 2 stroke mechanic.

Tom 

 

1 hour ago, WRB said:

... Then the dirt bike era helped tricking out 2 strokes bike engines...

 

Tom 

 

 

I never thought to ask, did you ever get to spend any time with Malcom Smith?  Amazing man with an amazing life story, not unlike you.

39 minutes ago, OCdockskipper said:

 

I never thought to ask, did you ever get to spend any time with Malcom Smith?  Amazing man with an amazing life story, not unlike you.

No

I'm an old fart with many years of knowledge about engines, both 2 and 4 stroke.  I had a Triumph drag bike in the 60s and a bunch of 2 stroke dirt bikes.  I have 3 old outboards that all run great.  I joined an antique Mercury website several years ago when I was having trouble with one of my engines and they straightened me out.  There is a wealth of information out there if you're willing to get your hands dirty and have some mechanical aptitude.