Outboard supplier Honda Marine says it has strengthened its dealer technician training program by opening two new regional training centers and creating an advanced “master tech” classification.

Half of Honda Marine’s dealer technicians will take at least one course during 2005, estimates Paul Sabourin, the company’s technical support manager.

Honda offers two courses for technicians that incorporate training on all past and present engine models. One deals entirely with fuel systems, and the second provides instruction in other mechanical areas.

Once technicians pass both classes and gain a year of experience, they are eligible to enroll in the master tech program, which begins next September. The program’s concluding one-day session includes both classroom and hands-on tests, which technicians must pass to reach the master tech level.

“It will not be a piece of cake,” said Sabourin. “We want to ensure that our technicians are among the best trained in the industry.”

Classes are offered at Honda Marine’s five regional training centers. The newest, which opened in November just outside Dayton, Ohio, is specifically designed to house marine classes for dealer technicians from the Midwest, said Sabourin. The trainers also instruct government personnel in servicing BF220/225 outboards, which are used by the Coast Guard and other governmental agencies.

Another new training center is scheduled to open next September in Warminster, Pa., where the company has outgrown its existing facilities. It will train technicians from the New York and New England areas.

Honda Marine’s other regional training sites are located in Orlando, Fla., Houston, and French Camp, Calif.