Wow! Dan from Sam's Marine was our hero today. We had a tire blowout on our boat trailer and he was there within minutes Put on the spare with all the high tech equipment and we were well on our way. He really saved the day. We have also had this boat serviced here and I trust in the work they do. Starts right up every time Highly recommend Sam's Marine. read more

**Avoid This Place at All Costs - Dishonest and Unethical** I've been a customer for years and have spent over **$40,000** at Sam's, but I can no longer stay silent about their shady practices. They pretend to be trustworthy, but they're nothing more than **rip-off artists**. Recently, I took my **deck boat** in for bellows replacement and a possible bilge pump issue. They tried charging me **$3,600**, claiming I also needed a U-joint and resealing. I got a second opinion from another mechanic who completed the job for **$1,100** and confirmed **none of those extra "repairs" were necessary**. Even worse, they'll **hold your boat hostage** and charge you for work they didn't do. They sent me an **$180 invoice** for absolutely nothing--just for keeping my boat there. This is **not how you treat a loyal customer** who has spent tens of thousands with your business. **STAY AWAY.** They'll **invent problems** to overcharge you and refuse to release your boat unless you pay up. **Total scam.** in the end , I got my boat fixed with gimble bearing, bellows and bilge pump done at Bumps marine in Lester prairie for $1350, so the $3600 price tag Sam's tried to get me for was a total lie to get more money from me . So much for thinking I was a valued customer after spending 40k with them over the past 3 years. read more

I've been bringing different boats to Sam for over 20 years he's straightforward and honest about the cost and does excellent repairs. Lots of people think that they're going to get a marine engine fixed for the price of putting it rebuilt engine in a car these are two extremely different items when's the last time you held your car at 4 or 5,000 RPM for 20 minutes under full load Marine engines are significantly different and Sam's has the knowledge and know how to make sure that these engines don't blow up. Additionally gas leaks and stuff on a car are no big deal but gas leaks in a boat can cause an explosion as gas vapors get trapped you cannot compare the cost of repairing an old car with repairing an old boat the mechanics and repair your boat have a lot of safety issues on their mind that's why it cost more. Sam's is worth having them do it because they do it right, Jim Gribble, Marine on St Croix MN read more

This place is the worst! Towed a buddy from the lake due to engine failure. Sam's agreed to replace motor for $11k. They kept the boat for months citing parts, etc. When they finished the boat the new motor didn't last 10 hours on the lake- lower end blew. Buddy took it back to them because there was a year warranty only to be told they only warranted the top end of the motor! So my buddy spent another $11k for another motor. This time Sam's took a year to finish it. Upon picking up his boat he wanted to confirm the year warranty sams had promised him on the lower end of the motor only to be told the year had passed already and there was no more warranty!!! WTF!! They had the boat the whole year!! What a way to nullify a warranty. The worst Sam's is!! read more

A huge thank you to Sams Marine, specifically Scott and the man in the heavy hat tonight, getting my boat winterized before the cold rolls in tonight! This shop is straight up the best boat marine Ive ever dealt with in 40 years, not only did they slide this in with short notice, but they also saved me another $150 by letting me know, no need for gear lube, when we are going to repair the scag next Spring! Thank god you guys are right in town and thank you for all you do for this marina community. read more

Not nice company. They removed and put back motor to my boat, some plastic parts, bulge pump - damaged. I brought my boat back 3 times. At spring time I found out they over tightened screw at my boat started and wire terminals falling apart, also they forgot to put starter bracket back. They refuse to fix problems. Not recommenced. read more

Admittedly, I don't know what Sam's actual repair service is like, as I've never been able to get my boat repaired by him. Sam came highly recommended by my Father-in-Law who used him many years ago. But over the past 3 years, I've never been able to get Sam to commit and follow-through with an appointment. I recognize that the boating season is short and everyone wants their boat fixed at the same time, but what bothers me about Sam is that he doesn't give firm appointments. It's always "I'll try to get out there in a week or so". Or "Just drop it off and I'll get to it when I can". And, even with that open request, Sam forgot about me and never came out on 3 occasions now (I've tried once every year, just to see if things changed). I don't understand why it can't be a set appointment with a specific timeline. I'd even settle for the Comcast appointment style of "Between Noon and 4PM". That said, I'm a three strikes and you're out, so I won't be attempting to get Sam out to my boat anymore. Furthermore, I was talking with other boat owners around my dock, and most of them say the same thing "Sam does good work, but you'll never get him out". Many of them have given up, just like I have. The reason for my review is actually to draw attention to the problem, because, based on what I hear, Sam does good work - I think he just needs to put a customer scheduling process in place and then follow-through with his commitments. read more

I purchased my first boat (used) and the seller used Sam for winterizing. I decided for the first few years I would continue to use Sam until I became more familiar with my boat. It has been over 3 years now, and found that Sam is very accommodating for me. I drive an hour to have his service, but feel that it is worth the time. He is familiar with my boat and its delicate aged condition. I feel I will get more quality time out of my purchase until my next upgrade. Sam has the nicest disposition, very easy to get along with. read more

I recently purchased a new boat and wrecked the lower unit the first time out. I contacted Sam's at the recommendation of friends and was able to get it in right away. It took longer than expected however it was the insurance process that held up from them getting started to do the work. Once they got the ok things went quickly. Scott's communication was good and kept me in the loop the whole way. Thanks for making a painful experience less painful. read more

Until this July, I did not have the pleasure of using Sam's Marine and Performance, but I am so glad that he is now my "go to" for all my boating repairs. I called Sam's in a panic after having a boating accident in July. My lower unit had been damaged, as well as the entire hull of the boat. The problem was that I needed the boat for a youth retreat which was going to be held in 2 weeks. Sam was amazing ! He told me to bring the boat in and he would look at it and see if it was possible to meet our timeline. Sam's came through and fixed the lower unit in time! (He even took me back to shop and showed me the prop shaft and how it had been bent. ) Sam's took care of the insurance side of things as well , and had a marine body shop come out and give an estimate for the fiberglass damage. So grateful ! WOW...cannot say enough about the professionalism and care that I receive from them. I would and will highly recommend them to anyone who owns a boat. read more