How to hire a marine contractor in California

Start with your marina's rules

Many California marinas and harbor districts control which outside businesses can work on boats in their slips. Two published examples:

• San Francisco Marina: every vendor must submit valid insurance, list each worker on a Vendor Authorization Form, check in online before each job with the client's name and berth, and carry photo ID and a business card. A gate fob needs at least one current tenant client, and staff may ask for proof of insurance at any time.^[1]
• San Diego Bay: every hull cleaning business needs a bay-wide Port of San Diego permit and must follow the Port's best management practices.^[2]

Your own slip agreement may also matter. Berkeley Marina, for example, requires berthers to carry at least $300,000 of liability coverage with the City named as additional insured.^[3] Read your own slip agreement for any rules about who may work on your boat.

Before you hire, ask the harbor office whether the business is allowed to work there, and check what your harbor publishes on the marina vendor requirements page.

Check the insurance certificate

Ask for a certificate of insurance (COI) before work starts, and read it rather than filing it:

• The named insured matches the business you're hiring.
• The policy dates cover the job.
• It shows general liability, and workers' compensation if they have employees on your boat.
• If your marina requires it, the marina (or harbor district) is listed as additional insured, with the wording the marina asks for.

A certificate is a snapshot. If anything looks off, call the insurance agent listed on it to confirm the policy is current.

Certifications and training

The American Boat & Yacht Council (ABYC) certifies individual technicians, not shops. It offers eight specialty certifications, and a Master Technician holds at least three. You can look a technician up in ABYC's directory, or look for the certificate, sticker or uniform patch. Ask which specialties they hold; marine technicians tend to specialize.^[4]

Factory training matters too. A technician trained on your make of engine is a better bet, especially for an engine under warranty.^[5] Hull divers in some harbors need a harbor permit or ID; ask to see it.^[2]

References and reviews

Ask other boaters on your dock and the harbor office who they use. Read online reviews and forum threads, and check the Better Business Bureau for complaints.^[4][6] A provider who has worked at your marina before already knows its gate, check-in and parking rules.

What a good quote includes

Get it in writing. BoatUS's advice: a written estimate of the time and the likely cost, whether storage fees will be charged after the work is done, and whether you get your old parts back.^[6] A work order that only says "fix engine" tends to end in a bigger repair and a bigger invoice than you expected.^[5]

A useful quote spells out:

• The scope, item by item, and what is not included.
• Labor (hours and rate, or a flat price) and parts, with any markup.
• How per-foot prices are measured: length overall or waterline (see below), and whether zincs and running gear are extra.
• A not-to-exceed amount, and that extra work needs your approval in writing first.
• Disposal, environmental or marina fees.
• The warranty. Shops commonly offer 30, 60 or 90 days; ask whether it covers parts and labor, and have it written into the estimate.^[6]
• When the work will be done, and photos of the finished job.

Comparing several quotes? The quote comparison worksheet puts them on the same basis. To get comparable quotes in the first place, send everyone the same service request brief.

Length overall vs waterline

Hull cleaning, detailing, haul-outs and bottom paint are usually priced per foot. Length overall (LOA) runs from the tip of the bow to the back of the stern (ask whether a bowsprit or swim platform counts); waterline length is only the part in the water. On the same per-foot rate, a boat that is 34 feet overall and 29 feet at the waterline costs about 17% more priced on LOA (34 ÷ 29 = 1.17). Neither is wrong, but two quotes using different lengths aren't comparable until you convert them.

Red flags

• Demands full payment up front or takes only cash.^[5]
• An open-ended work order ("fix engine") or an invoice that says only "engine fixed".^[5]
• "Don't worry about it" in place of a written warranty.^[6]
• Can't or won't say whether they're allowed to work at your marina.
• No certificate of insurance, or one in a different business name.
• Won't say how a per-foot price is measured, or what's extra.

When work goes wrong

1. Look before you pay. Check the bill and the boat when it's ready, and sea-trial within the warranty period.^[6]
2. Pay, then dispute. If you dispute a charge, note it on the invoice but pay in full, by credit card if you can. If you don't pay, the shop may be able to put a lien on your boat even if the repair was faulty; a card payment can be disputed later.^[6]
3. Put it in writing. Send the shop a written complaint and keep every invoice and message.^[6]
4. Get a third opinion. For a faulty repair the shop won't fix, a certified mechanic or a marine surveyor can document what's wrong.^[6] Don't let another shop "fix the fix" first; that can void the original warranty.^[6]
5. Small claims court. In California, individuals can generally sue for up to $12,500 in small claims, and businesses up to $6,250.^[7]

Keep records

Dated invoices, photos and a running log settle most disputes before they start, and help with insurance claims, surveys and resale. The free maintenance log keeps them in one place.