It’s tournament time — the season every serious fisherman eagerly awaits.
With only a few days of fishing during a tournament, there’s no time for downtime; boats need to be in top working order. Western Branch Diesel and Johnson & Towers – members of Indel Power Group – make servicing your systems easy by providing trained technicians who are on site every day through the mtu Tech @ Tournament Program.
As a part of the mtu Tech @ Tournament Program, our technicians walk the docks each morning before the boats take off, ready to handle any service or parts need. No matter the engine type, all boaters are offered a free inspection, and if an issue is found, every attempt will be made to make an immediate repair. If a part is not on hand, parts orders can be placed for delivery through Western Branch Diesel and Johnson & Towers’s 24/7 parts delivery service. If a larger issue is discovered and the repair has to be scheduled for after the tournament, the customer will receive priority service and a discount on parts and labor.
“We’ve had technicians at these tournaments for many years. It’s been an absolute success,” says David Shook, General Manager, Marine Service, Indel Power Group. “When the competitors get back to the dock in the evening, we’ve got a technician right there ready to help.”
Palmer Reap, Marine Field Service Technician, Johnson & Towers, Egg Harbor, New Jersey, has worked at the tournaments for about 25 years. “We’re there to identify any issue that may cause the owner/captain to not be able to continue in the tournament. We then make immediate repairs or schedule to perform them on the lay day,” says Reap. “I have changed raw water and freshwater pumps, injectors, starters, alternators, and repaired oil and coolant leaks, controls, sensors, and alarm codes, all on site.”
Daren Garner, Marine Field Service Foreman, Western Branch Diesel, Portsmouth, Virginia, has participated as a technician in the program for over four years. “Last year, we had an owner that had a generator go down. We were able to troubleshoot the issue and found he needed a new fuel pump,” says Garner. “We were able to get a new one and he didn’t miss any fishing days.” Garner went on to say that he enjoys being on the dock each day and seeing customers that he’s built relationships with by being there.
Dustin Wilson, Marine Field Service Foreman, Western Branch Diesel, Beaufort, North Carolina, has provided support during The Big Rock and White Marlin Open for three years and the Pirates Cove Billfish for one year. “I enjoy being on the docks, talking with different people, and meeting all types of new customers,” says Wilson.
During Summer 2022, Western Branch Diesel and Johnson & Towers will have a Tech @ Tournament at the following fishing tournaments along the East Coast:
- The Big Rock Tournament, June 10–19, Morehead City, NC
- White Marlin Open, August 8–12, Ocean City, MD
- Pirates Cove Billfish Tournament, August 13–19, Manteo, NC
- The MidAtlantic Tournament, August 21–26, Cape May, NJ and Ocean City, MD
- Virginia Beach Billfish Tournament, August 24–27, Virginia Beach, VA