SkipperBud's Sequoit Harbor

I would not recommend anyone take their vessel to Skipper Buds for service or repair work. I took my Mastercraft here for service as they are the Mastercraft authorized dealer and service center for the region. I had a major issue with my engine. I read them off the error codes and mostly diagnosed the problem myself (a dropped valve on an engine with 155 hours...). I explained this to them over the phone, and asked that they contact Ilmor (the engine manufacturer) and Mastercraft about the problem. I dropped the boat off for them to look at it. They complained that I took the 4 electrical connections and 4 bolts that hold the intake manifold on the engine, and said I had tampered with the engine. They said my only option was a $24,000 new engine. When I scoffed at the thought of paying 24K for a new engine, and asked if there was anything that could be salvaged on the engine, they said there wasn't and that other things on the engine would have been damaged like the alternator (yes the service manager actually said the exhaust valve dropping in one of the cylinders would affect the engine alternator...). They quickness at which they returned emails and phone calls slowed considerably when I scoffed at the expensive new engine option. (Some M.C. customers must just sign $24k checks for repairs without asking questions?). They also demanded that I pay them for their time diagnosing the issue with the engine, before I had even decided if they were going to do the work. I consulted with other Mastercraft dealers, other inboard boat specialists, Ilmor, and Mastercraft themselves and they all said a long block replacement would be a sufficient fix, and be much less costly (around $10-$13k). Skipper Buds did not even bring up this as a possibility. They did not contact Ilmor or Mastercraft directly. I had to contact both of them myself. I had to track down who my rep. with Mastercraft was, and by the time I got a hold of him he knew nothing about the boat. Then Skipper Buds misrepresented the status of the boat when it was brought in (removing the intake manifold is not tampering with the engine, its diagnosing the problem). I had previously purchased a boat from them, and my family had purchased a boat from them but I would now not recommend anyone to do any sort of business with them. If you are looking for a new inboard boat or if you are looking to get your inboard repaired or serviced there are two other establishments in the area who can serve you better.