Southold Outboard Motor Repair

IDENTIFYING THE BEST OUTBOARD MOTOR REPAIR IN SOUTHOLD, NY

Finding a boat repair shop is not difficult in Southold, NY because this is a place that attracts boaters, so there are many marine mechanic services withing a 10-15 mile area. Your goal is to identify the ones that are the best options for your outboard motor or outboard engine and your circumstances. Each person has different needs, whether it is needing a mechanic who will repair your motor at the dock, a mechanic in Southold, New York who is easily accessible if you deliver your motor for repairs, or a marine technician who specializes in repairing newer outboard motors with their advanced technology. Following are a few points to keep in mind.

• You do not have to limit your search for a marine mechanic to the immediate Southold, NY area because there are many other places close by. For example, you can check out Mattituck, Southampton, and East Hampton, all less than 15 miles from the center of Southold. Venture further out, and there are marine mechanics in Cutchogue, NY, for example. Check a resource like Mariner Exchange to find a wealth of names of local and nearby outboard motor repair businesses.
• The best marine mechanics are certified. You may insist on finding a mechanic who is certified by the American Yacht and Boat Council (AYBC). However, there are other quality certifications that ensure you are getting a well-trained marine mechanic. For example, you may see certification certificates on the shop wall that were awarded by a manufacturer of your outboard motor brand, like Evinrude, Honda, or Suzuki. Be sure to ask any marine mechanic you meet if the technician is certified and by what organization.
• Check customer reviews of a variety of marine mechanics in different types of businesses. Many of the marinas are clustered near Safe Harbor, Greenport; on the Shelter Island Sound; and further south on the Little Peconic Bay. There is another cluster of marinas across the Great Peconic Bay in Southampton, NY. The point is that you do not have to settle for a motor repair place that is not a good fit. You have plenty of options and want to find one that gets great reviews for customer service and accurate repairs.

AVOIDING COMMON OUTBOARD MOTOR REPAIRS

Of course, the best route is to avoid the most common outboard motor repairs. Boating in the Southold, NY area is definitely more fun when you reduce your risk of developing outboard motor problems. There are two main categories of common motor problems.

• Battery issues – Batteries tend to be ignored until they will not crank the outboard motor. Keep your battery terminals free of corrosion, and make sure there is a secure fit in the battery tray. Sometimes, the waters in the east end Long Island area can get a little rough when a stiff wind starts blowing. You do not want your battery shaking and banging.
• Fuel issues – Fuel issues are often avoidable too. First, use only fresh gas that does not have more than 10 percent ethanol. The lower the ethanol content, the better. You also want to make sure your fuel filter is good. Bad gasoline or a bad fuel filter only spells trouble. You are likely to experience a loss of pressure in the fuel pump leading to motor hesitation at best and a motor that will not run at worst.

Any marine mechanic in Southold, NY will tell you that performing basic maintenance throughout the year is all it takes to keep an outboard motor running trouble free. The important point to keep in mind is that you need to have a certified marine mechanic do annual maintenance once a year. The annual maintenance routine ensures everything in the outboard motor is checked out. The mechanic can spot issues you have no idea are developing.