Dead outboards
brought back
to roaring life.
Weekend cruisers, charter captains, and liveaboards — we keep every vessel seaworthy, season after season.
Why won't my outboard start after winter storage?
Fuel left in the carburettor over winter oxidises into a varnish that clogs jets and float valves — the single most common cold-start failure we see. A proper lay-up flush with stabiliser prevents it entirely. If you skipped that step, expect a full carb rebuild plus fresh fuel lines and a new in-line filter. We also check spark plugs for corrosion, inspect the kill-switch lanyard circuit, and test the starter solenoid; on older two-strokes, a seized primer bulb is the silent culprit more often than any of the above.
We log the fault code before we touch the engine. If we can't name the cause in the first visit, you don't pay for the diagnosis.
Carburettor rebuild on a Yamaha F115 — standard winter-storage recovery
Impeller housing inspection — Mercruiser Alpha One stern drive
How do I know if my impeller needs replacing?
The impeller is the heartbeat of your cooling system — a rubber paddle-wheel spinning at engine speed inside a stainless housing. Signs it's failing: raw water temperature rising above 160 °F at cruise, white smoke from the exhaust, or a peel-and-stick residue in the tell-tale stream. On Mercruiser and Volvo Penta stern drives we recommend replacement every 200 hours or two seasons, whichever comes first. Waiting for a failure at sea means a seized head — a $4,000 repair that a $45 impeller would have prevented.
Charter captains: we stock OEM impellers for 14 common stern-drive models. Same-day turnaround, no lost booking.
What does a full engine service actually include?
A Bilge full service is not an oil change with a sticker. We work through a 47-point checklist covering the entire mechanical, cooling, fuel, and electrical systems. For inboard diesels that means injector pop-off pressure, turbo shaft play, heat exchanger freshwater flush, and bellows inspection on outdrive models. Outboards get spark plugs, gear-lube change, throttle and shift cable lubrication, anodic protection survey, and a full load test at the dock. Every item is photographed and logged in your vessel's service record — a document that adds measurable value at resale.
Your service record is yours. We email the full log with photos after every visit — no upsell, no vague 'adjusted and lubricated' language.
47-point service log in progress — twin Yanmar 4JH diesels
Common services & starting rates
Outboard Diagnostics
Fault code retrieval, carb rebuild, fuel system, cooling — any brand, any year.
Inboard Diesel Service
Yanmar, Volvo, Cummins, Mercruiser. Injectors, heat exchanger, turbo, impeller.
Stern Drive Rebuild
Alpha One, Bravo I/II/III. Bellows, u-joints, gimbal bearing, gear oil.
Winterisation Package
Fogging, fuel stabilisation, raw-water flush, battery tender, cover check.
Electrical & Electronics
Bilge pump, VHF, chart plotter, starter/alternator, wiring survey.