outboard engine school

[Redeyedwiggler]

Hey guys I need a bit of advice.
I've been given a grant to go to school for marine engines but I have no clue who offers this type of schooling in the New England area.
I was hoping I could open the topic here and see if anyone could offer some advice?
Thanks.

 

[seahorse5]

Re: outboard engine school

Go to the Association of Marine Technician's site for industy info and for training schools

www.am-tech.org and scroll down the left side bar and click on schools. It is also a great organization and has its own training classes around the nation and an annual marine service expo and seminar series every January.

 

[Redeyedwiggler]

Re: outboard engine school

Thank you for the link!! great stuff!
Looks like an adult ed course in Maine.. but there are some schools closer than I thought.

Thanks again.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: outboard engine school

good luck and study hard, we really need good techs. the good repair guys are technicians, the rest are mechanincs (wrenches).

 

[Laddies]

Re: outboard engine school

Most techs only know what they read in books, I have been a mechanic for 45 years and very proud of it. Most of the school trained techs I have come into contact with won't last the first summer. I think anyone who would make remark like the last one reflects the crap they teach these kids in most of the paid TECH schools around the country, schooling is great I went to every factory school that was available to me, most require that you have worked a dealership and have practical experince, not a upfront deposit of funds. Again I am insulted by the last post and will put my practical experince up against the experince of anyone ignorant enough to make a statment like that.
So here your chance mister mod put your finger on the button and delete this post. Bob

 

[tommays]

Re: outboard engine school

Bob

I do not understand why you are insulted

It is just a different word for a fine Mechanic

You are a tech in every way Because you understand WHY you do eveything you do



Tommays

 

[delfinasul]

Re: outboard engine school

Make love, not war ! I think the difference between a tech and a mechanic is the tech could understand better how thing works and why some strange problems appears. Anyway a mechanic with a lot of experience knows many things compared to fresh tech but at time when the tech have experience too things could be really different. In fact a very good mechanic also knows how stuff works, but the difference is the tech have knows how stuff works from beginning and mechanic learned this in time.

 

[ovlo]

Re: outboard engine school

I am a diesel tech/mechanic for a living. call me whatever you want just keep the paychecks rolling in

if you are a good tech you know it and dont get insulted by other people so easly. if that hurt your feelings bob dont come to work in my shop there is plenty of trash talk going around (mostly in good fun)

 

[Texasmark]

Re: outboard engine school

I don't care what you choose for a profession but think about this.

Whatever you choose is at least an 8-5 (usually a lot more than that) 5+ day a week consumption of your abilities for, hopefully, enjoyable employment and a suitable monetary compensation. The duration could be for many, many years, (like my career lasted 36 years with the same employer).

You may have travel problems...like early on (senior year high school) I wanted to be a commercial A-P jet engine mechanic which meant I would have to commute to a metropolitan area on a daily basis. What if I wanted to live in the country....forget it.

Then I said I would not work for a firm that required (neck) ties, nor having to move to NYC for advancement....my Texas employer solved those problems for me.

Maybe you are involved in "Hazmats" where you have to wear protective clothing to do your job....my wife did. Have you ever considered having the "green apple quick-step" when you are inundated in protective gear? Accidents can and do happen.

What about your health. We are currently detoxifying our youngest son (40 yrs old) from heavy metal poisoning he obtained primarily in the construction business. Was about to ruin his life with his associated medical problems.

Maybe you do a repetitive job. I was watching TV the other day and there is a guy who works for Mack Trucks who polishes bull dogs for the Mack hood ornament (every one that Mack uses). He's been doing this for over 30 years, same job, day in and day out. Not knocking it, he's happy, would you be?

Maybe you have to sit in the cab of an earth mover and load dump trucks all day. What if you have to go to the doctor, or take your kids to school....what are the trucks supposed to do, just sit and wait for you to get there?

Where do you take breaks, if any? Where do you take lunch? Do you have to travel?

Big decision. Suggest you think seriously about it. Usually once you get into something, the pay/accumulated experience keeps you from going elsewhere and starting over.

Good Luck,

Mark

 

[Texasmark]

Re: outboard engine school

Forgot a couple of things.

Now move on from being young and healthy to being a senior citizen.

For senior's, the bills still come to be paid, but the body doesn't perform like it once did. What used to be easy now takes all your efforts. Maybe you can't do your job because you can no longer lift, or your fingers no longer work, or your eyes/ears aren't what they used to be, or your hand shakes.

Maybe you are lucky and move into a management job where you sit at a desk and take care of administrative duties so that these shortcomings are not a problem (as much of a problem).......................see what I mean. It's not an easy decision.

Again, good luck. Think beyond the end of your nose.

Mark

 

[Bill Adkins]

Re: outboard engine school

Most techs only know what they read in books, I have been a mechanic for 45 years and very proud of it. Most of the school trained techs I have come into contact with won't last the first summer. I think anyone who would make remark like the last one reflects the crap they teach these kids in most of the paid TECH schools around the country, schooling is great I went to every factory school that was available to me, most require that you have worked a dealership and have practical experince, not a upfront deposit of funds. Again I am insulted by the last post and will put my practical experince up against the experince of anyone ignorant enough to make a statment like that.
So here your chance mister mod put your finger on the button and delete this post. Bob

It would seem there is a difference in opinions here, can you imagine that?
You have me beat as to tenure, I started as an apprentice in March of 1970 and my employer asked me what I wanted to do so I told him I wanted to do engines and transmissions and the like. For the next three years thats all I did. And I mean I did r/r, d/a ran a mill, a boring bar and rebuilt cyllinder heads. I was taught to weld steel as well as aluminum, to heat treat gears after repairs. I made my own wireing harnesses instead of replacing damaged ones. I had to understand gasoline combustion as well as diesel fired engines and repair them all. I was after my apprentiship was completed called a mechanic, one who performs diagnosis and repairs properly car after car. It was 20 yrs later that someone called me a technician, I didnt think to much of it at the time. Now I am employed as a technician trainer by a large dealership in the Los Angeles area, yep I train technicians fresh out of technical school and believe it or not only perhaps 20% of them make it. There is a lot more than replacing a control module required to be a good technical specialist. When I retire , soon I hope I will retire a mechanic. Oh yea a side bar, before we were mechanics we were blacksmiths but we all have something in common and that is we fix machines and or equipment.
Thats my nickles worth, been fun
Bill

 

[Laddies]

Re: outboard engine school

Bill, it's nice to know there is someone else out there that understands the differance. I sure don't like to rain on other peoples parades and these young people have to start somewhere. When I got out of the service, where I was suppost to be a Wheeled Vehicle Mechanic, it took about 3 jobs in 4 months to figure out I didn't know anything. I finally found a job with a Massey Fergeson tractor dealer and after about a week they had a opening in the shop and I was glad to take it, my first job had already been started by the guy that left, it was a in the transmission mounted hyd. pump laying on the floor in pieces, I got it on the bench and cleaned it up and went to the head mechanic with a couple of questions, as I had never worked on anything like that in my life. His anwser was quick, theres manuals in the shelves read one and if you have to go home before the tractors done, take your box with you. I worked there for 3 years and they were also a McCulloch chain saw dealer and were required to take on the outboard line, no one else wanted to go to school so in 61 I went and the following spring went to work at a marina with a Johnson franchise and in 66 we went to Mercury. I have worked my way thru the company, to general manager and retired in 91, back doing what I love being a mechanic. Some of my best times, have been training other mechanics and I really enjoy helping people with mechanical problems around here and on this forum. Sorry for being so long winded. Bob

 

[wbeaton]

Re: outboard engine school

I'm glad we have a few old mechanics around here. Guys like Laddies are invaluable for collector/enthusiasts of old outboards.

 

[Bill Adkins]

Re: outboard engine school

Bill, it's nice to know there is someone else out there that understands the differance. I sure don't like to rain on other peoples parades and these young people have to start somewhere. When I got out of the service, where I was suppost to be a Wheeled Vehicle Mechanic, it took about 3 jobs in 4 months to figure out I didn't know anything. I finally found a job with a Massey Fergeson tractor dealer and after about a week they had a opening in the shop and I was glad to take it, my first job had already been started by the guy that left, it was a in the transmission mounted hyd. pump laying on the floor in pieces, I got it on the bench and cleaned it up and went to the head mechanic with a couple of questions, as I had never worked on anything like that in my life. His anwser was quick, theres manuals in the shelves read one and if you have to go home before the tractors done, take your box with you. I worked there for 3 years and they were also a McCulloch chain saw dealer and were required to take on the outboard line, no one else wanted to go to school so in 61 I went and the following spring went to work at a marina with a Johnson franchise and in 66 we went to Mercury. I have worked my way thru the company, to general manager and retired in 91, back doing what I love being a mechanic. Some of my best times, have been training other mechanics and I really enjoy helping people with mechanical problems around here and on this forum. Sorry for being so long winded. Bob

Bob, it would seem we have lots in common. It has been an adventure to be sure. My first job was to reassemble an old Cadillac engine that was torn down be a previous mechanic. After it ran the German I worked for said I passed my first test, I still work with Mercedes Benz. A while back I got a wild hair and aquired an old small horse ranch, 10 acres and during that time I built a barn and everything it took to make it work. Found a new passion, not training horses as I got broke way too often. I did however enjoy the lifestyle. Started blacksmithing as a hobby and a needed skill to keep the thing going. Well now I have an entire functional shop with 2 forges, 4 anvils all being different for varying jobs and all the welding equipment I could afford. Make all my own gates, hinges for the gates and most everything I can imagine. Can you imagine people are asking me to make them things. The shop is in a small mountain community 4 miles from a lake. Hence the boat and my being here, bought a 1969 Glasspar Avalon fron neighbor for 900 bucks and to be honest the engine is a tad big for it but it is all fun. Find a hobby, laugh a lot and release the fish. What else can a guy wish for?
Bill

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: outboard engine school

Laddies, sorry i offended you, as you know i respect you knowledge, from the PM i sent you recently. there are good mechs with experience around. But the younger set, though are not willing to put the time in to becoming a good dianoistician. most of the younger ones , just want to throw parts at them and see if it will fix it. also i would not dare to clik your statement. i hope you will forgive me as i would consider you a technician, not a mechanic.

 

[Texasmark]

Re: outboard engine school

Not raining on you guy's parade, but when I was in the brown shoe corps, we trouble shot to the component level, repaired it and put the top assy back in service.

When I left the business in '05, they (GI's as I was supporting our troops) were to taught to troubleshoot to the circuit board level only....that is what they are/were taught. The OEM gets the broken board back and fixes it.....don't ask what that costs.

Mark