Been working since I was 12 years old. Father left and had to step up to help with the mortgage. Picked up 5 houses a day 5 days a week mowing, edging and sweeping. Passed every penny over to mom. Had a few other jobs as I got older. Wanted to join the Army but couldn't leave mom with all the burdens of life. Picked up a contract job at Northop Grumman at 18 years old. Had that for 2 years with the goal of being hired on direct. I was awarded the position at the 2 year mark then the union stepped in and stopped the hiring as layoffs were happening to senior employees. So now at 20 years old. My then girlfriends dad offered me a summer job at his Detroit Diesel shop working on marine engines. Was big deal at the time for me. I walked up to a huge diesel engine at his shop that had twin turbos and a supercharger. I was in love. At that time, I had built a dozen or so VW motors and had a good grasp on the mechanics of an engine.
That shop, unknowing at that time, would change my life. That shop was much like many in that time. Steam pit, super sized caustic hot tank, machine shop, head shop, blower shop, turbo shop, governor and fuel shop, assembly areas and a mobile service fleet. The only thing we couldn't do was machine crankshafts or line bore blocks. That stuff was sent out. My exposure to all this, my learning of all of this and my love of all this set me on a course to where I am today.
I mention the shop and the shops abilities as this is no longer the norm. This is no longer the exposure a mechanic gets in todays marine diesel shop. At least not in my neck of the woods. Most of this is due to the manufacturers offering reman parts with warranties that match if not exceed oem new parts. This has taken much of the rebuilding, out of a shops hands. This also has taken much of the liability out of these shops.
In my first 5 years at this shop, I must have been involved in over 200 engine builds. Engine removal from boats, refitting of new engines in boats, rebuilding almost everything on these engines. I found this work exciting, challenging, rewarding and productive with my time. I spent 16 years at this shop, watching this industry grow and the newer boats arrive without these Detroit in them. I saw my future as a Detroit Diesel specialist and thought of the old Ford Flat head engines. Should I just be "THAT" Guy, Will that work continue, will that propel me into the future. I knew then, I didn't want to be that guy, I needed to find a way to work on engines of today and tomorrow. The shop for all that it gave me, couldn't nor wouldn't provide me with that future.
In 2006 I had my calling. I gave my notice and went out on my own. It was the beginning of what turned into a business. A business of helping and getting paid to help. A business of fixing peoples toys for the most part. But one that I took seriously. One that I understood. Understanding that these boats/yachts provided a time away for my clients. A time away much like my vacation or time in the sand. It needed to be fixed and fixed right or their vacation was ruined.
I took this core value and ran with it.
I became overwhelmed with work. I could not call people back, I could barely find the time to order parts,let alone find the time to pick them up before closing time. This was burying me, this was burying my reputation, this was going to ruin everything I had hoped for. I didn't go to school to be in business, hell, I never liked school to begin with. It was in the way of another 5 lawns I could have mowed. I had to figure this out on my own and I found some help. I found a helper thru some friends to help me on jobs. This gave me a few extra minuets each day to make a call, order a part etc. This ultimately just added to my workload. Careful what you ask for as now I was busier. I made a few more calls and found a gamer that had time to sit and answer phones etc. I found a small shop, locked in the lease, set up my phone guy and went back to work. Put all the client relation stuff, parts stuff and invoicing in his lap.
Then I started focusing on how to be more efficient in my time and my two employees times. I decided to bring in parts is case quantities. This helped with a lot of the running around for each job. Brought in pallets of oil and other supplies. Hugh time saver. This small step in saving time, revealed another new venture. I got a call from a boat captain, looking for filters and supplies. I had em, I sold them and now I am a parts supplier.
Each step was a challenge, each step was a fire to put out. I just kept putting out these fires. Business grew, even in the economic downturn. I didn't have the the overheard of the big shops at that time. My labor rates were favorable as compared to the big shops. We stayed busy and we continued to grow.
With growth came growing out of space. I moved the shop to a bigger facility. 1800 sq ft. Thought no way was I ever going to fill that up. Boy was I wrong.
Picked up a dealership agreement with Cummins. Got the training and hired on a few more guys. Fast forward to today. 18 years later. Much bigger shop with a yard. 8 service vans, parts sales etc.
16 on staff. Maxed out again on space. Factory authorised dealers for:
Cummins Marine
Onan Marine
Mercury Zeus
Mercury High HP Outboards
Volvo Penta Marine Diesel
Volvo Penta IPS
Northern Lights Generators
and Seakeeper Gyro Stabilizers.
We stopped working on all the other brands and focus on enignes and equipment of today and tomorrow. Plans and dreams and a lot of hard work.
Website needs a rebuild and really doesn't show who we are today.
marinedieselservices.com
@marine.diesel.services
Based in Costa Mesa Ca. Just a mile or so from Newport Harbor.
