Frequently Asked Questions

Marine Connect is an online marketplace that connects vessel owners with trusted, verified marine professionals across Australia. Vessel owners can post jobs across 21 service categories — from engine servicing and antifouling to electrical work, detailing, rigging, and more — and receive competitive quotes from pre-screened tradespeople. No cold calls, no chasing around. Just a faster, smarter way to get your vessel maintained.

Getting work done on your vessel through Marine Connect is simple:

1. Create a free account and build a vessel profile with your vessel's details and specifications.
2. Post a job — select the service category, describe the work, add photos, and set your preferred timeframe.
3. Receive quotes from verified marine tradespeople in your area within 24 hours.
4. Review and compare quotes, contractor profiles, and ratings, then accept the one that best suits you.
5. The contractor confirms their availability and the job gets scheduled.
6. Once the work is completed, review the job, approve the invoice, and you're back on the water.

Marine Connect is built for two groups:

• Vessel owners — who need servicing, repairs, or maintenance on their vessel — whether it's a powerboat, sailboat, yacht, trailer boat, or commercial vessel. If it floats and needs work, Marine Connect can help.
• Tradespeople — marine mechanics, shipwrights, marine electricians, detailers, antifoulers, riggers, fabricators, and more — who want a reliable pipeline of qualified local jobs without the overhead of traditional advertising.

Marine Connect operates on a commission-based model. A small service fee is applied to each completed job, which is included in the total amount charged to the vessel owner. This fee covers the cost of running the platform — including contractor verification, job management, dispute resolution, and ongoing platform development. There are no hidden charges, and the fee structure is transparent at the time of payment.

Download the Marine Connect app from the App Store or Google Play, then tap 'Sign Up' to create your free account using your email address or mobile number. Once registered, you can immediately create a vessel profile and start posting jobs.

After logging in, navigate to 'My Vessels' and tap 'Add Vessel.' You'll be guided through entering your vessel's details — including make, model, type, length, engine specifications, and any onboard equipment. A complete vessel profile allows contractors to price jobs accurately without needing to inspect your vessel first, which means faster and more competitive quotes.

Tap 'Post a Job' from the home screen. You'll be prompted to:

1. Select the relevant service category (e.g. Mechanic, Shipwright, Electrical).
2. Write a brief job title and describe the scope of work.
3. Attach photos of the area or issue where works are required.
4. Set your preferred start date and completion window.

Once submitted, your job is issued to verified contractors in your area for pricing.

Yes — posting a job is completely free for vessel owners. You only pay when a job is completed and an invoice is approved.

Most jobs receive quotes within 24 hours. For complex or specialist work, allow up to 36 hours. You'll receive a push notification as soon as a quote is submitted, so you don't need to check the app manually.

The more detail you provide, the more accurate and competitive your quotes will be. We recommend including:

• An itemised list of the work you'd like completed.
• Any preferred products or brands to be used.
• Relevant dimensions or measurements (e.g. vessel length, waterline length for antifouling).
• Clear, well-lit photos of the area requiring work.
• Your vessel's current location and accessibility.

A well-detailed job posting also reduces the chance of variations or additional charges arising during the works.

Marine Connect supports 21 service categories, including:

• Engine servicing & mechanical repairs
• Antifouling & slipping
• Electrical & electronics installation and repair
• Detailing, polishing & hull cleaning
• Rigging & sail repairs
• Shipwright & structural work
• Fibreglass & gelcoat repairs
• Fabrication & custom metalwork
• Cleaning & valet services

And many more across all aspects of vessel maintenance and fit-out.

Yes. All quotes are presented to you for comparison. You can review each contractor's quote, their business profile, verified credentials, and their rating from previous jobs completed through Marine Connect. You choose who gets the job — there's no obligation to accept any quote.

Once you accept a quote, the job moves to 'Assigned' status. The contractor will then send through their available times within your requested date window. Once you confirm the schedule, the job moves to 'Scheduled' and both you and the contractor will receive a confirmation.

• Posted — The job has been created and issued to contractors for pricing.
• Offers — One or more quotes have been received and are ready for your review.
• Assigned — You have accepted a quote and the contractor is arranging their availability.
• Scheduled — The contractor has confirmed the date and time for the works.
• In Progress — The contractor has commenced work on your vessel.
• Completed — The works have been completed. You have 3 business days to approve the invoice or raise a complaint.

You'll receive real-time push notifications whenever your contractor posts an update in the job notes. All updates, photos, and communications are logged within the job in the app, giving you a complete record of the works as they progress.

For standard jobs, payment is made upon completion after you approve the invoice. For larger jobs or those requiring significant materials to be procured upfront, a deposit may be requested by the contractor and agreed upon prior to works commencing. Any deposit terms will be clearly outlined in the contractor's quote before you commit.

When a contractor marks a job as complete, you'll receive a push notification with a summary and photos of the completed works. The job will move to your 'Completed Jobs' tab. From there, you have 3 business days to approve the invoice and arrange payment. If you have any concerns about the quality of the works, you must submit a written complaint within 5 business days of completion.

If you're unsatisfied with the completed works, contact Marine Connect in writing within 5 business days via the in-app messaging function or at accounts@marineconnect.com.au. Our team will review all job documentation, photos, platform communications, and invoice records, and will facilitate a resolution process between you and the contractor. Where resolution cannot be reached directly, the matter may be referred to formal mediation.

Sometimes a contractor will discover additional issues — known as latent conditions — that weren't visible at the time of quoting. If this occurs, the contractor is required to pause the relevant works and notify you through the Marine Connect app before proceeding. Any variation to the original scope must be agreed upon in writing before additional works are carried out. You are never obligated to approve a variation, and the original quoted works will be completed as agreed regardless.

Yes. If you've had great work done through Marine Connect and want to engage the same contractor again, you can indicate your preferred contractor via the in-app messaging function or by leaving a note on your next job posting. While we can't guarantee availability, we'll do our best to match you with your preferred tradesperson where possible.

After each completed job, you'll be prompted to rate your experience with the contractor. Ratings are based on quality of work, communication, punctuality, and overall satisfaction. These ratings are visible to other vessel owners and form part of each contractor's verified profile on the platform. Only clients who have had work completed through Marine Connect can leave a rating, ensuring all reviews are genuine.

Yes — all tradespeople on Marine Connect go through a verification process before they can quote on any jobs. We check trade qualifications and licences, business registration (ABN), public liability, and references where applicable. Only tradespeople who meet our verification standards are approved to operate on the platform. Verification badges are displayed on each contractor's profile so you know exactly who you're dealing with.

All communications, quotes, job scheduling, and payments should remain within the Marine Connect platform. If a contractor approaches you directly to arrange work or payment outside of the app, please report this to Marine Connect at accounts@marineconnect.com.au. Bypassing the platform puts you at risk — you lose access to our dispute resolution process, verified documentation, and payment protections. Contractors found to be soliciting clients off-platform are in breach of their Service Agreement and may be suspended or removed from the platform.

Quote variation is normal and reflects differences in experience, overheads, approach, and the products or materials a contractor plans to use. A lower quote doesn't always mean lower quality — and a higher quote may reflect a more experienced operator, premium products, or a more thorough scope of work. We recommend reviewing each contractor's profile, ratings, and the detail behind their quote before making a decision. If any quote is significantly lower than others, it's worth asking the contractor to clarify what's included.

Once a job is marked as completed by the contractor, a tax invoice will be sent directly to your nominated email address. The invoice will itemise the works completed, materials used, and any applicable fees. A copy of the invoice is also accessible within the job record in the Marine Connect app.

Deposits are not required for standard jobs. For larger scope works or jobs that require significant materials to be ordered upfront, a contractor may request a deposit as part of their quote. Any deposit requirements will be clearly disclosed in the quote and must be agreed upon by you before the job is assigned.

Call-out fees will not be charged by contractors unless specifically outlined in their quote and agreed upon in advance.

Payment for works completed through the Marine Connect platform are to be paid only directly to Marine Connect via bank transfer.

Download the Marine Connect app, create a business profile, and complete the verification process. You'll be asked to provide your trade qualifications or licences, ABN, and proof of insurance. Once your application is reviewed and approved by the Marine Connect team, you'll be activated on the platform and will start receiving relevant job opportunities in your area.

Joining Marine Connect and receiving job offers is free. Marine Connect earns a commission on completed jobs, which is factored into the platform's fee structure on the client side. There are no subscription fees, listing fees, or upfront costs for tradespeople.

Marine Connect will only surface job opportunities that are relevant to your verified service categories and your nominated service area. You won't be flooded with irrelevant jobs — only work that matches your trade and location will appear in your "New Jobs" tab.

When a suitable job appears in your "New Jobs" tab, tap on it to review the full job details, vessel information, photos, and the client's preferred timeframe. Tap 'Submit Quote' to enter your price, estimated timeline, and any notes or clarifying questions. Your quote is submitted to Marine Connect.

Your jobs are accessible from two places in the app:

• The Home screen gives you a live overview of your active jobs, new tenders, and recent activity.
• The Calendar view shows all of your scheduled and upcoming jobs in either a weekly or monthly format, so you can plan your workload at a glance.

Once a client accepts your quote, the job moves to 'Assigned' in your dashboard. Tap 'Send Availability' to propose one or more available time slots within the client's requested date window. Once the client confirms, the job is locked in as 'Scheduled' and both parties receive a notification.

Open the relevant job in the app and add updates via the job notes section. You can include text updates, progress photos, and any relevant observations. All notes and photos are permanently recorded in the job history.

When the works are finished, open the job and tap 'Mark as Completed.' You'll be prompted to upload completion photos and a brief summary of the works carried out. Once submitted, the job status updates to 'Completed,' the client is notified, and the invoice is generated and sent to their nominated email address. The client then has 3 business days to approve the invoice or raise a written complaint.

Once the client has paid the total invoice amount to Marine Connect, your portion — being the total invoice amount less the Marine Connect platform fee — will be disbursed to your nominated bank account within 3 business days. You'll receive a remittance advice for every disbursement so you have a clear record of each payment.

In the event of a disputed invoice, Marine Connect may withhold disbursement until the dispute has been resolved in accordance with the dispute resolution process outlined in the Contractor Service Agreement. Marine Connect will notify you if a dispute is raised and will work to facilitate a resolution as quickly as possible.

No. Contractors must not accept payment directly from a vessel owner for any job facilitated through the Marine Connect platform. All payments must flow through Marine Connect. Accepting direct payment that bypasses the platform is a material breach of your Contractor Service Agreement and may result in suspension or removal from the platform.

Yes. Marine Connect uses industry-standard encryption and security practices to protect all personal and vessel data stored on the platform. Your information is never sold to third parties and is only shared with contractors to the extent necessary for them to price and complete your job. For full details, refer to our Privacy Policy.

Marine Connect processes all payments on behalf of both the vessel owner and the contractor. Once a job is completed and the client approves the invoice, the client pays the total invoice amount — which includes your service fee plus the Marine Connect platform fee — directly to Marine Connect's nominated account. Marine Connect then disburses your portion of the invoice within 3 business days of confirmed client payment, along with a remittance advice for your records.

We encourage clear communication between both parties at every stage of a job. If a dispute arises, contact the Marine Connect support team in writing at support@marineconnect.com.au. Our team will review all platform records, including job notes, photos, communications, and invoices, and will facilitate a structured resolution process. Where direct resolution is not possible, the matter may be referred to formal mediation in accordance with the Marine Connect Service Agreement.

You can reach our support team through:

• In-app messaging via the 'Messages' function
• Email: support@marineconnect.com.au
• Our website: marineconnect.com.au

We aim to respond to all enquiries within one business day.

No — Marine Connect currently operates exclusively in the Sydney area, however, we plan to expand nationally in the near future.