About This Career

Repairs and adjusts electrical and mechanical equipment of inboard or inboard-outboard boat engines.

This career is part of the Transportation, Distribution and Logistics cluster Facility and Mobile Equipment Maintenance pathway.

A person in this career:

• Starts motors and monitors performance for signs of malfunctioning, such as smoke, excessive vibration, or misfiring.
• Documents inspection and test results and work performed or to be performed.
• Mounts motors to boats, and operates boats at various speeds on waterways to conduct operational tests.
• Repairs engine mechanical equipment, such as power tilts, bilge pumps, or power take-offs.
• Performs routine engine maintenance on motorboats, such as changing oil and filters.
• Replaces parts, such as gears, magneto points, piston rings, or spark plugs, and reassembles engines.
• Idles motors and observes thermometers to determine the effectiveness of cooling systems.
• Inspects and repairs or adjusts propellers or propeller shafts.
• Adjusts carburetor mixtures, electrical point settings, or timing while motors are running in water-filled test tanks.
• Sets starter locks and aligns and repairs steering or throttle controls, using gauges, screwdrivers, or wrenches.

Working Conditions and Physical Demands

People who do this job report that:

• You would often handle loads up to 20 lbs., sometimes up to 50 lbs. You might do a lot of lifting, carrying, pushing or pulling.
• Work in this occupation involves use of protective items such as safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hearing protection, a hard hat, or personal flotation devices
• Exposure to pollutants, gases, dust, fumes, odors, poor ventilation, etc.
• Requires getting into awkward positions
• Lighting is either extremely bright or inadequate
• Conditions are very hot (above 90 F) or very cold (under 32 F)
• Work in this occupation involves using your hands to hold, control, and feel objects more than one-third of the time
• Exposed to hazardous equipment such as saws, machinery, or vehicular traffic more than once a month
• Sound and noise levels are loud and distracting
• Work in this occupation requires being outside most of the time
• Work in this occupation involves standing more than one-third of the time

Working in this career involves (physical activities):

• Judging how far away an object is, or which of several objects is closer or farther away
• Bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching
• Seeing clearly at a distance
• Detecting sounds and hearing the differences between sounds of different pitch and loudness
• Seeing clearly up close
• Identifying and understanding the speech of another person
• Lifting, pushing, pulling, or carrying objects
• Using abdominal and lower back muscles repeatedly or over time without tiring

Work Hours and Travel

• Regular working hours and limited travel