Careers · Explore one path
Motorboat Mechanics and Service Technicians
Repair and adjust electrical and mechanical equipment of inboard or inboard-outboard boat engines.
Other titles employers use
Boat Mechanic · Boat Motor Mechanic · Boat Rigger · Marine Mechanic · Marine Propulsion Technician · Marine Technician · Mechanic · Outboard Motor Mechanic
Inside the work
What you would actually do.
6 responsibilities that define the role, before job titles and workplaces change the details.
- 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.
Who it suits
Would this work hold your attention?
This career often appeals to people drawn to practical and organizing work.
- Practical
- Building, repairing, using tools, or working outdoors
- Organizing
- Creating order, checking details, and keeping work accurate
Skills and strengths
What you would get good at.
Compare the skills the work relies on, the subjects behind it, and the abilities that make it easier to learn.
Core skills
- Repairing
- Equipment Maintenance
- Troubleshooting
- Operation and Control
- Operations Monitoring
- Critical Thinking
Subjects to know
- Mechanical
- Customer and Personal Service
- Computers and Electronics
- English Language
- Mathematics
Useful strengths
- Problem Sensitivity
- Deductive Reasoning
- Inductive Reasoning
- Arm-Hand Steadiness
- Manual Dexterity
Working day
Picture yourself doing it.
These measures show how much of the day involves people, movement, conversation, and hands-on work.
| Measure | Out of 5 | What that means here |
|---|---|---|
| Close to other people | 3.5 | Shared rooms, but not shoulder to shoulder |
| On your feet | 4.3 | Standing or moving for most of it |
| Talking face to face | 4.7 | Continuous — the job is conversations |
| Working with your hands | 4.5 | Handling tools, instruments or materials |
Preparation
How people prepare for this work.
Employers usually ask for a high school diploma. Other routes may also lead into the field.
- A certificate or some college 65%
- High school or less 30%
- A two-year degree 5%
Tools of the work
Technology you may use.
- Web page creation and editing software
- Spreadsheet software
- Office suite software
- Presentation software
- Word processing software
- Analytical or scientific software
- Inventory management software
Opportunity near you
See where this work is growing.
Choose a state to compare the size of the field, annual openings, and expected hiring change.
- People doing this work
- 5,780
- Job openings each year
- 610
- Expected hiring change, 2022–2032
- 17.0%
Compare every available state
| State | People doing it | Job openings each year | Expected change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Florida | 5,780 | 610 | 17.0% |
| California | 1,900 | 190 | 11.8% |
| New York | 1,890 | 20 | 11.2% |
| Texas | 1,880 | 200 | 13.9% |
| Virginia | 1,740 | 180 | 9.4% |
| Michigan | 1,340 | 130 | 2.3% |
| North Carolina | 1,290 | 140 | 17.3% |
| Wisconsin | 1,190 | 130 | 16.7% |
| Maryland | 970 | 100 | 14.1% |
| Washington | 930 | 90 | −2.1% |
| South Carolina | 860 | 90 | 14.7% |
| New Jersey | 830 | 90 | 10.7% |
| Kentucky | 810 | 80 | 6.6% |
| Minnesota | 810 | 80 | 14.1% |
| Rhode Island | 750 | 80 | 15.4% |
| Connecticut | 670 | 70 | 19.6% |
| Georgia | 610 | 70 | 32.6% |
| Tennessee | 580 | 60 | 20.8% |
| Ohio | 570 | 60 | 3.6% |
| Alabama | 540 | 60 | 10.2% |
| Illinois | 530 | 60 | 6.0% |
| Missouri | 520 | 50 | 2.0% |
| Indiana | 470 | 50 | 4.4% |
| Arizona | 440 | 50 | 18.9% |
| Arkansas | 380 | 40 | 18.8% |
| Maine | 370 | 40 | — |
| Massachusetts | 350 | 40 | 9.4% |
| Louisiana | 310 | 30 | 6.9% |
| Oregon | 260 | 30 | 13.0% |
| New Hampshire | 250 | 30 | 8.7% |
| Oklahoma | 250 | 30 | 8.7% |
| Pennsylvania | 240 | 20 | 4.3% |
| Utah | 240 | 30 | 26.3% |
| Kansas | 210 | 20 | 5.0% |
| Mississippi | 180 | 20 | 12.5% |
| Iowa | 160 | 20 | 14.3% |
| Delaware | 150 | 20 | 7.1% |
| South Dakota | 140 | 20 | 16.7% |
| Idaho | 130 | 10 | 18.2% |
| Nebraska | 130 | 10 | 8.3% |
| North Dakota | 130 | 10 | 18.2% |
| Colorado | 120 | 10 | 9.1% |
| Montana | 100 | 10 | 25.0% |
| Alaska | 90 | 10 | 12.5% |
| Puerto Rico | 60 | 10 | 50.0% |
| Vermont | 40 | 0 | 33.3% |
Career to college
Build a path toward this work.
Start with a related major, then compare colleges where students complete that field.
Where to study
Colleges with strong activity in these fields.
Start with program size, admission, and likely cost. Open a college for the full picture.
Purdue University-Main Campus
- Degrees each year
- 265
- Admit rate
- 50%
- Annual cost after aid
- $9,000
CUNY New York City College of Technology
- Degrees each year
- 96
- Admit rate
- 81%
- Annual cost after aid
- $8,000
Rochester Institute of Technology
- Degrees each year
- 92
- Admit rate
- 71%
- Annual cost after aid
- $29,000
Southern Illinois University-Carbondale
- Degrees each year
- 89
- Admit rate
- 90%
- Annual cost after aid
- $10,000
Ferris State University
- Degrees each year
- 84
- Admit rate
- 81%
- Annual cost after aid
- $8,000
Indiana State University
- Degrees each year
- 77
- Admit rate
- 92%
- Annual cost after aid
- $9,000
University of North Texas
- Degrees each year
- 73
- Admit rate
- 72%
- Annual cost after aid
- $14,000
University of Toledo
- Degrees each year
- 66
- Admit rate
- 95%
- Annual cost after aid
- $16,000
Compare every college offering vehicle maintenance and repair technologies/technicians