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Name:	Mack -	Reply
Subject:	Am I Being Ripped ???
Date:	8/5/2008 8:51:03 PM

OK, I understand that anything associated with a BOAT is more expensive, but this experience was a really big surprise.
- Oil Change/ check belts $208.00
- Install Kill Switch in Dash $130.00
- Replace Impellar (outdrive not involved) $185.00
- Replace steering cable $553.00
- Replace Sea Water Pump $502.00
-Total Parts $528.00\
- Total Labor $1120.00!!!
302 Ford Block with Volvo outdrive, fairly easy access around engine and gunnells.
From the time I dropped off the boat until I picked it up, left the mechanic about 10 hours to complete repairs??
Am I living a dream or is $100.00 an hour for a boat mechanic too much??
Not being nasty, just wat to know if I got RIPPED???

Name:	Kizma Anuice -	Reply
Subject:	Am I Being Ripped ???
Date:	8/5/2008 9:01:44 PM

can you tell us who ripped you a new one?

Name:	Mack -	Reply
Subject:	Am I Being Ripped ???
Date:	8/5/2008 9:50:09 PM

Nope. Not gonna' bash somebody if it is ME that is out of phase with Boat Maintenance costs today.
Understand the cost of parts. But, the LABOR charge was ugly.
It was a lake marina, though.

Name:	Maverick -	Reply
Subject:	Am I Being Ripped ???
Date:	8/5/2008 10:44:50 PM

I was in a large lake marina the other day with my mechanic picking up some parts and he know most of the guys and we were talking about his charge (a six pack - LOL) and they said shoot we charge $90.00 per hour.

So I guess one of the larger marinas charges $90.00 per hour.

Just an FYI.

CAT can answer the total cost of repairs better than anyone can, but in my opinion just the labor part appears extremely high as even if it was say $100 per hour the total labor hours would be 11.2 hours. CAT ????

Name:	CAT BOAT -	Reply
Subject:	I'll be careful here..
Date:	8/5/2008 11:11:51 PM

We charge $75.00 per hour. I am not talking about what the "Book" says charge, I am talking about actual time to complete the repairs. That is why we are where we are today. Mack, I would have liked the opportunity to help you. I want say that you were overcharged.. Some think they are worth more than others. But, you would HAVE NEVER paid that at Cathouse Marine. Unless your boat was rusted up and a nightmare to work on. And, even then, you would have been advised from the start. I hope all my customers reading this agrees!

Name:	mckaygmc -	Reply
Subject:	I'll be careful here..
Date:	8/6/2008 8:53:45 AM

I will Vouch for Cat. the few repairs I have had done there . I feel I have been treated very fair.

Name:	Mack -	Reply
Subject:	I'll be careful here..
Date:	8/6/2008 11:51:26 AM

I would have gone to Cat first, based on the reviews I see here. But, I keep my boat on the trailer in a boathouse with a ramp behind it, and launch and load with a winch (roll in, roll out) and getting the whole rig onto an adjacent ramp for trailering to Cat House is a real pain.
Wish Cat House offered at-home services for this type repair. Even charges for travel and hazardous duty pay would be worth it,

Name:	comfortably numb -	Reply
Subject:	The trip to Cathouse is not ..
Date:	8/6/2008 6:36:42 PM

....so bad. Made it from Dadeville in about an hour today. It is definitely a destination. I don't believe anyone has ever "stumbled upon" his shop.
btw CAT....I like the new ride.....dayum!
Should make for a fun Poker Run next week.

Name:	CAT BOAT -	Reply
Subject:	The trip to Cathouse is not ..
Date:	8/6/2008 9:35:31 PM

"Made it from Dadeville in about an hour today. It is definitely a destination. I don't believe anyone has ever "stumbled upon" his shop.
btw CAT....I like the new ride.....dayum!
Should make for a fun Poker Run next week."
<<< Sorry I was not there today. I hope you enjoyed seeing what we are working on. I would have liked to meet you. I hope you found everything as you would expect! I looked at your boat this afternoon late. Nice boat! I wish it was not already apart, but all will be fine. You will be well taken care of. As for the "New Cat Boat", thanks. I am proud of it. Did you get up in it, and soak it all in. LOL. Thanks for being a new customer. Lots of nice stuff to browse and look at right now at the shop. That is the way it is before Poker Runs. Thanks for your business.

Name:	Ulysses E. McGill -	Reply
Subject:	You got Ripped
Date:	8/21/2008 2:54:20 PM

in my opinion. I do most of my own maintenance, but refer folks to Cat and I will use him if I ever get in over my head. A shop has overhead and deserves to make some profit, but what you paid is ridiculous. For example, I change my own oil. Less than $20 in parts and 15-30 minutes depending on the boat. I change my own impeller. $30 and 10 minutes. I added a kill switch. $15 and 45 minutes (would have been 15 minutes but I'd never done it before and took my time reading and figuring). Checking belts takes a few minutes. I've never changed cables or water pumps, but I did replace a starter on my pontoon for $100 in 45 minutes. I am not a professional mechanic and I would assume someone who does these things day-in and day-out would be at least as fast as I am....I'm curious to know where the work was done so I could tell friends to be very careful and at the very least get quotes up front. If you don't want to publish it, I'd appreciate an email.

Name:	Mack -	Reply
Subject:	You got Ripped
Date:	8/22/2008 7:23:42 PM

You are right, I should have gotten a quote up front of charges. I did not, and I eliminated the option of trailering it to CatHouse. My Bad.
I just underestimated the markup on parts (est. 30% per Overton's) and the labor charges (maybe longer than 10hours? maybe, not, from $75-$90). Whatever, I learned a lesson, and thanks for the input.

Name:	BamaNana -	Reply
Subject:	You got Ripped ..not really
Date:	10/14/2008 12:27:18 AM

Mack, I feel your pain.

But, one has to understand that Marinas are only open 6/7 months out of the year.

2008, 2007 & 2006 have been killer seasons to every business on the lake. Their overhead is much higher than most off the lake businesses, so they have more to re-coop in a shorter period of time than a business that is open year round.

I really don't think any business is "Ripping" off their customers. CatBoat said he charges $75. an hour. The marina charged $100 an hour. Where's the rip off? $25?

Expecting only a 30% mark-up on parts is a bit unrealistic.

Normally, most retail mark-up is 100%. Not because that retail business is trying to "rip off" people, but to cover their overhead and hopefully at the end of the day still make a bit of profit.

Every business on this lake is struggling to stay alive. Most started laying off employees months ago.

It also might surprise you to know that there are many excellent mechanics on the lake only earning a flat rate of $12-$13 an hour, nor do they have any control of the pricing/billing.

Name:	Pier Pressure -	Reply
Subject:	You got Ripped ..not really
Date:	10/17/2008 2:18:41 PM

$250 is a big differential, but at 10 miles per gallon pulling a boat, and an extra two hours out of your day it may be worth it for an individual to determine what is important to them when making the decision to go beyond the easy access of a local marina.

I have paid crazy money for generator work. If I have access to a trailer, or some way to pull the generator and haul off the lake for the work I could have saived big-time. I was charged labor rate from the time the mechanic left his house in B-ham until he returned home, in addition to $1 per mile.

We all get raked over the coals on occasion. Boating is not a reasonably priced hobby, but most of us agree that we all continue to shell out for it because for most it is woth it... Boat "Bring on another thousand"

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