I wanted to get some expert opinions on how common this type of
problem is. I'm getting extremely frustrated and am to the point that
I am not planning on paying the bills that I have already occurred
from the marina.

About four months ago my MerCruiser Alpha 1 engine stopped running in
the middle of a local lake. Clouds of black smoke, wouldn't crank.
After getting towed in and having the marina look at it they found two
cracked cylinders. They were repaired within a month; I was charged
$1500 and told the boat was ready.

I took the boat out, got about a mile and the exact same thing
happened. Towed in, marina looks at the engine and informs me that it
needs to be rebuilt from the ground up. They send it to a machine
shop to do the work; three weeks later I get the boat back and a bill
for $3500.00.

I took the boat out, got about a mile and the exact same thing
happened AGAIN. Towed in, marina sends the motor back to a machine
shop. Three weeks later, I get the boat, no additional charge, and,
well, you guessed it... Less than a mile out and same thing. This
was the third time.

Fourth of July, boat is ready... Take it out, long story short, same
thing. Black smoke, won't crank. Marina informs me that the machine
shop did not properly torque the cylinder heads and that the motor
will need to be rebuilt again.

The marina promised to take the boat back to the machine shop and make
sure that it was repaired immediately, that was three weeks ago. They
claim the boat will be ready Tuesday, which I seriously doubt.

My question is this: How common is this type of incompetence and is a
total of more than $5000.00 fair for the same engine, rebuilt four
times, and a complete loss of my boat for the summer? Naturally I
plan on pulling the boat from this marina, but how common is it to
demand a new motor and what is a fair price for that plus the work
that has been attempted?

I already plan to pull my boat from this marina, due to the fact they
operate a very unprofessional marina. Resturant not open except when
they feel like it, gas pumps usually locked with nobody available
during business hours, etc... Sadly enough, I've had a handfull of
people tell me the same thing about this place but only in the last
few months. You live and learn, I guess.

Thanks in advance!

David