I'm so glad I called Bay Area Marine Services. Luis and Alison responded immediately to my call. I needed to replace my transmission and Luis and his assistant were at my boat in 48 hours. Luis is a master mechanic. He's easy to work with and he is most professional. In the end, he had to pull the engine and I was impressed with how carefully he did that. He really knows his trade. Alison cares about clients and replies to your call, email or text in a timely manner. So, you don't have to wait long to hear back from them. In addition to being a great company they are affordable. They don't up sell and when they are there they check out the whole engine, not just what you asked them to look at. I found that most reassuring. They are respectful of your boat and are very clean when they work. I highly recommend Luis, Alison and Bay Area Marine read more

Bay Area Marine Services - Boat Repair Near Me

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My boat is a 19ft Wellcraft cuddy cabin. It was having motor problems so I contacted Bay Area Marine. Luis came out and said that it was bad gas that was causing the problem. I authorized the work and was later informed that the outdrive needed to be repaired or replaced. I was given an estimate and authorized the work. When I got the boat back, I put it in the water and it ran great. When I came out in the morning the boat was half underwater. I got it bailed out and back on the trailer. The boat never leaked so when I confronted Luis I was told that it was nothing that he had done to cause the leak even though the leak was around the outdrive. I was told that it was no big deal because the boat had a bilge pump and was designed to live on a trailer. When I went to start it a short time later the starter just clicked. My guess is that the starter went underwater and is now siezed. I was never told about the leak and now I am stuck with a boat that I can't use or sell. I have had no response from Bay Area so I am in the process of taking them to small claims court. Stay clear of these guys. read more

Assuming that response was by someone using Luis as an alias, which is literally part of this businesses model.. two people giving input leads to customers seeking clarification when the story changes. Doubling down on bad business management with fabricating false review respons is a further indication of deceptive practices. read more

BEWARE. Luis talks a good game, he starts off strong, but then drops the ball. We first contacted this company on April 29, 2025 and hired him in early May. Paid him in full. (a mistake!), and communicated through What's Up. After the yardwork was done (a good job!), he moved the boat to our slip, and that's where the delays started, the no-response behavior has continued until today, Aug 1. Occasionally we'd get a brief apology...he was busy, had a cold, etc. but then silence again for weeks. This was insurance remediation work and, Luis had promised to handle the insurance paperwork. Yesterday our insurance was cancelled for lack of paperwork. Now we're sitting with an unfinished job, no insurance, and no boat to sail all summer long. After I post this I will tell Luis I will take it down if he finishes the job, so if this post is still up, nothing has changed. Wish me luck. Boat is a Catalina 30 in Sausalito. read more

Luis did some work on my Sea Ray 330; I had an interior stair with a weld that was failing. The job was larger than I anticipated (shocker) but Luis was all over it. His work was fast, thorough and once finished he left everything super tidy. I'll definitely use BAMS again and would recommend his work to anyone in need of it. read more

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Luis and his team were a pleasure to work with while getting our boat ready to sell this year. After a short call for urgent repairs to complete our pending sale, Luis immediately assembled a team and began narrowing in on the issues raised. On the same day, we received a fair & transparent quote, clear timeline estimates and subsequent regular updates on progress. Given we were on a tight timeline, the team managed to work weekends and pushed through some part sourcing challenges to exceed our timeline expectations. I'd recommend Luis and Bay Area Marine to anyone who needs boat service in the Bay Area! Overall, the work was high-quality, the customer service was outstanding and a the cost was a great value. read more

Alison quickly scheduled my service and Luis provided the immediate expert advice I'd been needing since my exhaust hot pipe started to leak on my '76 Atomic 4 still running strong aboard my 27ft sailboat. Luis quickly diagnosed the issue (dissimilar metals were welded, ions travel, and the welds fall apart) which I had to Google to fully understand. He took some complicated measurements to fabricate a new one, and installed it a few weeks later like magic, including the complication of the muffler which is also tricky. I'm a do it myself type of sailor, but this was the best case scenario for outsourcing something I couldn't do on my own, with the added security that a experienced professional managed the project from start to finish. Will definitely call them again! read more

Bay Area Marine Services - Boat Repair Near Me

When we moved from Boston, one of our biggest worries was finding a good mechanic and engineer for our 49' Jenneau. We lucked out when we found Luis. Not only does he have a capable crew, but he knows the intricacies of every working system on a vessel. He is a one stop shop. Luis and his crew replaced our engine, fixed the electrical systems, found leaks we never could have found and brought the electronics up to tip-top shape. He even took the time to counsel us in preventative maintenance. Thanks Luis, you have customers for life! JDB read more

Luis is the man! Super knowledgeable and helpful. Was able to service it at my own location, which was amazing. Gave me some great tips and tricks about my engine and boat. Would recommend him to anyone! Thanks Luis! read more

Bay Area Marine Services - Boat Repair Near Me

Luis and Alison are a great team. They are incredibly responsive, and Luis is fantastic--friendly, knowledgeable, patient, communicative (videos, photos, calls, texts--whatever is preferred), and super efficient in making repairs and maintaining our Mediterranean 38 convertible. In the rare case he can't do the job himself, he knows someone who can. read more

Luis & his team have serviced my 34' Trawler out of San Rafael for over two years now. He is amazing. He keeps me informed, proactively communicates, uses pictures to explain what he is doing and why. He worked on steering hydraulics, generator, engine, batteries --- and lots and lots of electrical. My 1984 boat is humming like a champ now! I could not be happier. I strongly recommend this marine mechanic and his team of problem solvers. An added plus is he comes to my boat, I do not need to take it to him! read more

Sent an email requesting services on my boat. At first they replied and even gave me prices on diagnostics and travel. Then they just stopped replying even with a follow up email and phone call. If there was an issue taking on my job at least say something. Wasted days waiting for a reply, highly unprofessional. read more

Bay Area Marine Services has taken such good care of me and my boat that I wanted to give them a shout out here. Their services are above the cut because they care about their clients and are above reproach when it comes to honesty and expertise. Luis troubleshooted my engine which no one else had been able to do. Once he diagnosed the problem, he knew just how to fit it. I am up and running and very happy with BAMS services which got me back in the game. Thank you Luis and Alison. You have my vote for best mobile marine service! read more

This business attempted to sell me an extremely expensive ($15k) service that I did not need on the basis of a diagnosis that turned out to be totally wrong. I suspect this was done intentionally, as I was pressured to forgo any tests that would have confirmed the diagnosis. I bought my first boat about a year ago and had Luiz come to do a survey and give me some tips on maintenance. He quickly concluded that I needed a new engine right away and quoted me $15k, the price of the whole boat. I've since used the engine every weekend for a year and it has been 100% reliable. I hired a different mechanic who found several important issues that Luiz missed and (easily) fixed the problems Luiz claimed were terminal. I believe that Luiz intended to cash in on my naivete and went about doing so in the most ruthless possible way, that is, by selling me on a full repowering of the boat. The main symptom that led to the diagnosis of an engine that needed immediate replacement was the presence of globs of oil in the exhaust. It turns out the the oil had been way overfilled by the previous owner and once enough was removed the overflow into the exhaust stopped and never came back. The more competent mechanic also found that the mixing elbow was totally blocked, causing all of the raw water to exit through a secondary valve instead of the exhaust pipe as it should have done. Luiz totally missed this. When Luiz told me that the oil leak showed a loss of seal in the cylinder he mentioned that confirming this with a compression test would be a waste of time. Luiz told me that my universal diesel from 1985 only had a 1000 hour life expectancy before it should be rebuilt or (preferably) replaced. I've since come to believe this is totally false. My engine has less than 2000 hours and I've since heard of similar engines lasting 5000 or 10000 hours with proper care, which is to say, another 35 years. Anyone else I've spoken to says that how an engine has been maintained is more important than how much it has been used, but Luiz was conveniently against this train of thought. read more

I met Luis on the dock when he was servicing other boats... Took his card and then followed up. He was very quick providing a quote for basic maintenance on my J88 Yanmar diesel. And, I signed him up for the job. He arrived when he said he would, did the deed and provided excellent service and advice. Payment was easy and I would sign him up for maintenance anyday. Fortunately, there is nothing wrong with the engine/saildrive so the project was basic preventative maintenance but I liked his approach and he left the boat clean and tidy. read more

I've used Luis and Bay Area Marine Services on two different occaissions. The first time, we had our starboard engine stuck in reverse, and couldn't find any yards open for months. Luis had a relationship with the Berekely Marina and was able to get us in quickly. WHile there we had the bottom painted and he fixed a few other issues with the hydraulic lifter. Unfortunately, we just recently we had a cracked head, and Luis once again came to the rescue. It took some digging, but he eventually found a replacement head and was able to get us back on the water. There weren't many mechanics willing to work on our boat without taking it out of the water..... I'll be using Luis for all future jobs with my boat. read more

We do not recommend using this shop. They are overpriced. I know boat repairs are expensive. We manage about 40 sailboats in the bay and worked with BAM for a bit until we discovered every job requires two people. Recommendations on diesel engine services were expensive, and when we talked with other shops we found BAM's diesel recommendations inaccurate and were able to be repaired by other qualified diesel mechanics at a significantly lower price (50%). It is hard to find qualified diesel mechanics, caveat emptor. read more

I am writing this review for Luis and BAMS. Luis is an amazing diesel mechanic. He's incredibly knowledgeable, creative, a problem solver, and hardworking; you won't find anyone better than Luis for the job. Luis conducted extensive tests on our diesel engine and examined several of the items flagged called during our sailboat survey. He monitored each item while suggesting repairs and maintenance to solve each problem in the most efficient and affordable way. Luis always took care of everything quickly and up to the highest quality. Nobody was better at examining our boat than Luis. He was trustworthy, prompt and capable. He comes with the highest review! read more

Luis and his team at Bay Area Marine Services are my go-to boat experts. I first reached out to Luis when I had a project to repower my sailboat from an inboard gas engine to an electric engine. After a visit to the boat to consult he took measurements and came up with a plan for the repower that fit my budget. Throughout the project, he and his team kept me in the loop with pictures and updates so I felt confident about the progress of the project. Luis is a naval engineer and captain, so you get more than a mechanic when you hire him. He has a deep knowledge and appreciation for boats, and I've sought his consultation for everything related to my boat as he's generous with sharing knowledge and getting his clients out on the water. Among the various projects, Luis and his team also managed a project to install new standing and running rigging on my boat, also with fantastic results, and took care of coordinating 2 haul-outs; one for rigging and another for bottom paint. Two years later, the electric engine runs like a dream thanks to Luis' great work. I highly recommend Bay Area Marine Services to anyone looking for a reliable and knowledgeable marine professional. read more

It took me way too long to find a boat mechanic that would answer their phone, and have availability. Luis was just that. He scheduled me for the soonest appointment he could make for a boat fix in my area. I happened to have the problem solved by a neighboring sailor who wanted to take a crack at it, so I ended up not needing Luis services, but if I had, I know that he would have been professional, solution-ready and a good decision overall. (I wouldn't have left this review otherwise.) Thanks! read more

Buying my first boat and decided to go used, and wanted to have the boat assessed by a professional. Luis was very knowledgeable-able and distilled the key information about the boat for me. He pointed to a few things that we need to fix proactively and gave me an honest assessment of the condition of the engine and what I'd be looking at down the road. He was prompt and responsive and efficient but thorough. His report came the same night and was detailed and complete. I would use him again. read more

Luis has completed 2 projects successfully and with integrity. I recommend him to all of my friends and family because the work he does is incredible. He is a fast, hardworking, and experienced man. You wont go wrong! read more

Thank you BAM and Luis for the great customer service, communications and trouble shooting. They are quick to reply and have a very talented and knowledgeable mechanic. I have been trying for months before BAM to get a mechanic to look at my Yanmar 2gm20f. With professional service, the engine problem was found and fixed quickly. I am able to be back on the water with confidence. read more

These guys are great! We had myriad issues with our boat in Sausalito. The stereo no longer worked, pumps were failing, various parts were falling off, and the boat needed a good deep cleaning. Luis and his team came out and conquered every issue. Our fuses were replaced, clogs in the bilge and other pump-out areas were cleared and the boat was thoroughly cleaned by hand and pressure washing (they removed 10-year-old junk like rusty fishing rods!) so that it is now 10 years younger looking. I can't recommend them enough! read more

I typically do not like posting bad reviews for vendors unless they truly are bad vendors. Luis came out to troubleshoot why the boat would not start and performed needless repairs that a simple mechanic/electrician should have known what the issues were. He replaced the house batteries and all the associated wiring on the boat which had nothing to do with the starting bank of batteries. Of course after the replacement of the wrong set of batteries the boat wouldn't start, he then suggested the replacement of the new starter which was recently replaced by authorized MTU mechanics. End of the day, I had both the boat captain, another mechanic and electrician come evaluate his work and they all confirmed a simple test would have shown that the starting bank of batteries were not the battery bank he replaced. Worst part about all this is not only did he not refund the amount I paid for the work, and he didn't refund the balance remaining since I had put a large deposit down. Buyer beware. read more

We had an opportunity to engage Luis for the restoration of an older sailboat. Luis was extremely knowledgeable, patient and helpful. I highly recommend him for any job large or small! read more

I hired Luis to get my old sailboat diesel started. Alison, his scheduler and billing person, demanded travel money to Alameda, money for parts, and payment for his services up front. That was only the beginning of a disaster for my bank account without any improvement in my engine. I presumed he knew what he was talking about when he concluded that the engine was not getting compression when he couldn't start it, and we began talking about a battery-powered electric motor replacement. I asked for a design, was charged several hundred $ for the design, and refused to pay until I was given the design in writing. The cost was going to be above $10K, not including engine removal. On recommendation of other sailors in the marina I sought a second opinion. They found an unhooked ground wire to the starter and had the engine running in less than one hour for $300. I would like back (and asked for) a significant portion of the $1000 Luis received, but Alison has her perspective of how great their service was to such a difficult customer. BTW -- they did credit me with half the cost of the parts, which they kept. read more

It can be difficult getting an experienced mechanic to be responsive and quickly handle an urgent repair on-site at a marina in the Bay Area. When I had an oil leak in boat's engine, on top of needed regular service in time for an offshore trip I was planning, my regular mechanics were unavailable. Thanks to a referral from a friend, I connected with Luis at Bay Area Marine Services. He was incredibly experienced and responsive. The communication from him and his staff was excellent, and the electronic payment for his services worked well, without the hassles of a physical check that some mechanics ask for. His work was swift, professional, and with good attention to cleanliness and detail. I also like the range of services Luis can provide beyond basic engine work. I'll definitely be turning to them for work on my boat in the future. read more