Summertime is coming and that means fishing and the start of tournament season — your boat needs to be in top working order. Among the fun and fish, the summertime also brings the occasional breakdown and need for service, parts, and a qualified, trained technician.
Johnson & Towers and Western Branch Diesel, subsidiaries of Indel Power Group, have on-site technicians available all summer long at fishing tournaments along the East Coast.
Britt McKibben, Marine Service Foreman, Western Branch Diesel, explains how Indel Power Group’s Tech @ Tournament program supports five fishing tournaments throughout the summer. “We are available for the duration of the tournament with a technician on hand each day. The technician walks the docks in the morning, between 4–5 a.m., before the boats take off, to handle any service needs, provide parts, answer questions, etc. When the boats return at the end of the day, he’ll go boat-to-boat for engine service, to replace filters, look for leaks, etc., right on the dock.”
Most tournaments last 3 to 4 days, with fishing for two of the days. Indel Power Group provides one technician each day from a Johnson & Towers or Western Branch Diesel locations along the coast. No matter the engine type, the technician offers a free inspection and can handle most any request, with various parts on hand for quick service. If a part is not on hand, a parts order can be placed for 24/7 delivery through Western Branch Diesel.
“We’ll bring in parts overnight, if needed, for the tournament, and make repairs immediately so participants won’t miss a day,” says McKibben.
During summer 2021, Indel Power Group is committed to five fishing tournaments:
- Big Rock Tournament, June 11-20, Morehead City, North Carolina
- White Marlin Open, August 2-6, Ocean City, Maryland
- Pirates Cove Billfish Tournament, August 9-13, Manteo, North Carolina
- The MidAtlantic Tournament, August 15-20, Cape May, New Jersey, and Ocean City, Maryland
- Virginia Beach Billfish Tournament, August 18-21, Virginia Beach, Virginia
“We’ve had technicians at these tournaments for many years. It’s been absolutely successful,” says David Shook, General Manager-Marine Service for Indel Power Group. “When the boats get back to the dock around 5–5:30 p.m., we’ve got a technician right there at the dock ready to help.”
If there is a larger issue, any out-of-warranty repairs scheduled during the tournament will receive priority, and a discount on parts and labor.
“One year, a boat came in to the dock in the afternoon with an issue. The customer thought he wouldn’t be able to fish for two days after hearing the diagnosis. The tech drove almost 10 hours, round trip, in the middle of the night to get the needed part,” says Shook. “He had the boat done and back in action by the morning. It was a huge win for the customer. He didn’t have to wait for the part to be shipped and delivered.”
Our technicians are always available to help, so you can put your energy into catching the prize fish, not worrying over the state of your engine.
Whether you want to ensure your engine is good-to-go before heading out or you’re experiencing a functionality issue, we are just a phone call away for all of your marine support needs.