Outboard servicing Portsmouth area.

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jonjo

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Does anyone know of a small outboard servicing business/independent in the Portsmouth area? Port Solent will be the starting point of the car journey to deliver the engine.

My preference would be to wait and watch as the problem is investigated because I have heard from a marina neighbour that the larger servicing businesses just give an engine a generic service tickle and raise a large invoice.

And the problem... it has been discussed here before. My 2 year old Suzuki 2.5hp 4-stroke developed a nasty pre ignition problem that causes the pull cord to ripped backwards out of the grasp of my hand. The swmbo ended up in tears one day last summer when the outboard did this to her perviously wonky shoulder joint.
 
there used to be an outboard / rib service place / shop under the railway bridge's at fareham. I assume it's still there... never used them but a bit off google may shed some light.
 
Ron Hale, Highland Rd Southsea,
Automarine, Elm Grove Southsea.
I would try to discuss the problem first. Have you spoken to Suzuki? It sounds like a failure/design flaw in the ignition rather than servicing as I understand servicing.
Could be expensive, I would not be surprised if the ignition module needs replacing. Get a quote for this before proceeding.
Trade it in for a Yamaha.
 
Yes there is. It is Fairweather Marine and they are very good. They also run a little Marina there where I keep Peregrine.
Go to Fareham, take the Gosport road, go under the railway arches with the creek on your left and turn left at the next small roundabout, then immediately left again. Next to the Cestle in the Air pub at the bottom of a short no through road. Can't miss it.
 
I have just used Bursledon Outboards and can highly recommend them, they were efficient, resonably priced and really helpful guys. Our Tohatsu has never run better.
 
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there used to be an outboard / rib service place / shop under the railway bridge's at fareham. I assume it's still there... never used them but a bit off google may shed some light.

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Gone now to Northam in Southampton I believe.
Only one in Fareham now Fairweather Marine as previously mentioned.
 
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Ron Hale, Highland Rd Southsea,

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Ron Hale! Exuse me while I spit. They sold the engine to me, having previously sold me a Yam 2.5hp and Avon dinghy. When I phoned them to discuss the engine problem 14 months after the sale I encounter complete indifference.

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Have you spoken to Suzuki? It sounds like a failure/design flaw in the ignition rather than servicing as I understand servicing.

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This is a concern of mine because when I first raised the problem last year on this forum 1 or 2 others chipped in and said they had the same unresolved problem.

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Trade it in for a Yamaha.

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Doh! I traded in my Yam 2.5 4-stroke for the Suzi because the Yam was too heavy. I should have spent my money on gym membership.
 
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there used to be an outboard / rib service place / shop under the railway bridge's at fareham. I assume it's still there...

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I remember it. I called in one day but it felt like the sort of place where a customer would not get past the cuties manning reception deck. My hope is to find a spit and sawdust type servicing workshop.
 
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Ben's Outboards at Hayling Yacht Co. yard ... independent young lad and excellent.

The Outboard Centre at Fareham Quay - excellent as well.

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Outboard Centre at Fareham was MB Marine, run by Mike Bleaker and now his son Mark. As mentioned above, moved to Ocean Quay and concentrating on new installations rather than repairs.

Ben's Outboards, I was on Hayling Island last year and think they have gone too. Similar place round the corner of the sheds also does outboards but never used them.

From PS, Lee at Fairweather Marine gets my recommendation. Saved me £50 on a filter I didn't need yesterday afternoon. Lots of connections to them, Lee has been servicing my engines for 15 years.

Pete
 
A second vote for Lee at Fareham, I found them to be the best out of all of them, and happy to explain the problem to me too.
 
ditto Ron Hale.....no idea of customer service and expensive.... £84 for my Suki 2.5 four stroke. Obviously they are making too much money to care.

Real pity as I live less than 500 yards from their front door, but will never go again.
 
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no idea of customer service and expensive....

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Just tried Ron Hale again, just as useless his year. Guy denied previous experience of the problem then went on to ask what make the engine was.
 
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From PS, Lee at Fairweather Marine gets my recommendation. Saved me £50 on a filter I didn't need yesterday afternoon. Lots of connections to them, Lee has been servicing my engines for 15 years.

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Indeed just got through to them on the phone, completely different outfit compared to Ron Hale. The engineer sounded smart but did not get the problem, he seemed to assume I was some wimp who could not pull the starter cord past the compression stroke.

I will give them a chance to fix it but if the problem persists I am going to give up on 4-stroke outboards and find a s/h Tohatsu. The Yam 2.5 4 stroke was a well engineered piece of kit but it nearly dragged me into the drink in Bray Harbour one day as I tried to fit the engine onto the dinghy while there was a slight chop in the harbour.
 
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