CLEVELAND — Ty Roe has worked on boats for 20 years, and he's never been busier than now. He's getting a new boat ready for the sales floor. 

What You Need To Know

  • With a boating boom over the last few years, boat mechanics are in higher demand.

  • The field is expected to grow by the end of the decade. 

  • Shops are expanding and hiring more mechanics to handle the demand.

“Sometimes we have to add lower units, sometimes we have to add props," Roe said. "Sometimes we have to add the whole motor to the boat.” 

He said new boats aren’t staying on the shelf for long, so he needs more hands on deck.

“Boat sales went up over COVID," Roe said. "A lot of people sold boats, and they’re gonna break 'em, and we need people to fix 'em.” 

He’s working at a new location for Buckeye Sports Center, which sells boats and other outdoor equipment. They expanded because of the higher demand. Zippia.com estimates demand for boat mechanics will increase 6% by 2028. Roe is hoping he can recruit a younger generation. 

“It seems the younger people really aren’t into this field yet and we need them to be into this, because there is a bright future for this marine industry, but we need the workers," Roe said. 

Buckeye sports center Vice President Jim Armington said he needed to expand and that a location closer to the water in Huron will help if people need a quick tune-up. 

“The storage and the service component to all the new boats we’ve sold over the last few years is where the demand is up here," Armington said. "This is where people use their boats.” 

Roe said working on boats isn’t just a job but a career, and there are worse ways to make a living. 

“If you love boating and love being on the water, this is a great passion to have," Roe said. "It can get much worse than this. You come in to work everyday working on boats. You’re around the water.” 

Armington said the goal is to hire several new technicians before Spring launch.