Installation, Maintenance & Repair
Motorboat Mechanics and Service Technicians
Also called: Boat Mechanic, Boat Motor Mechanic, Boat Rigger, Marine Mechanic
US median pay
$57,550
per year, 2025
Job growth 2025–35
+4.9%
about average or slower
Openings a year (US)
2,600
25,000 employed
Typical entry education
High school diploma or equivalent
Preparation 3/5 · Medium preparation
What this job is
Repair and adjust electrical and mechanical equipment of inboard or inboard-outboard boat engines.
What they do day to day
- Start motors and monitor performance for signs of malfunctioning, such as smoke, excessive vibration, or misfiring.
- Document inspection and test results and work performed or to be performed.
- Mount motors to boats, and operate boats at various speeds on waterways to conduct operational tests.
- Repair engine mechanical equipment, such as power tilts, bilge pumps, or power take-offs.
- Perform routine engine maintenance on motorboats, such as changing oil and filters.
- Replace parts, such as gears, magneto points, piston rings, or spark plugs, and reassemble engines.
- Idle motors and observe thermometers to determine the effectiveness of cooling systems.
- Inspect and repair or adjust propellers or propeller shafts.
- Adjust carburetor mixtures, electrical point settings, or timing while motors are running in water-filled test tanks.
- Set starter locks and align and repair steering or throttle controls, using gauges, screwdrivers, or wrenches.
Skills and knowledge that matter most
Skills
- Repairing4.0/5
- Equipment Maintenance3.9/5
- Troubleshooting3.8/5
- Operation and Control3.6/5
- Operations Monitoring3.5/5
- Quality Control Analysis3.1/5
- Judgment and Decision Making3.1/5
- Equipment Selection3.1/5
Knowledge
- Mechanical4.8/5
- Customer and Personal Service3.9/5
- Computers and Electronics3.5/5
- English Language3.5/5
- Mathematics3.3/5
- Engineering and Technology3.3/5
Importance rated by people working in the job (1 = not important, 5 = extremely important).
Education and preparation
Preparation level 3 of 5 — Medium preparation. Usually vocational training, an associate's degree or an apprenticeship.
Typical entry education (BLS): High school diploma or equivalent.
Highest education of people in this job:
- Post-secondary certificate54%
- High school diploma24%
- Some college12%
Who this job suits
Mostly Realistic
Hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals
Conventional
Organising data, details and procedures
Based on the Holland (RIASEC) interest profile for this occupation.