Boat Repair Questions, Answered

We serve Springtown, Azle, Lake Worth, Eagle Mountain Lake, Saginaw and West Fort Worth, Texas, along with nearby communities. We're based in Springtown, TX 76082.

Boat Doctors is owned and operated by Ken Ward. Ken opened his first boat repair shop in Saginaw, Texas, in 2008 and now offers mobile boat mechanic service throughout our service area.

Mobile boat repair means the mechanic comes to you. Instead of towing your boat to a shop and waiting for a service slot, we travel to your home, dock, slip or storage facility and do the work there.

We work on bass boats, fishing boats, jon boats, pontoons, deck boats, runabouts, bay boats, center consoles, and ski and wake boats with outboard, inboard and sterndrive engines.

We service most major marine engine brands, including Mercury, Yamaha, Suzuki, Honda, Evinrude, Johnson, Tohatsu, MerCruiser and Volvo Penta, plus inboard engines common in ski and wake boats.

Many repairs can be done at the dock, in a slip or on a lift. Some repairs are easier with the boat on the trailer, and we'll let you know ahead of time.

Call or text 817-236-0048, or fill out the service request form on this website. Tell us your boat, engine and what's going on, and we'll follow up to schedule a visit.

Not always. As long as we can safely access the boat, keys and power if needed, we can often work while you're away. We'll talk through the details when scheduling.

Yes. North Texas gets hard freezes that can crack engine blocks, manifolds and drives. We offer winterization in the fall and de-winterization in the spring.

Most engines need service every 100 hours or once a year, whichever comes first. Boats that see heavy summer use may need it more often.

Shut the engine off, check the telltale water stream, and look for weeds or debris blocking the water intake. Don't keep running an overheating engine. Call 817-236-0048 for a diagnosis.

Most manufacturers recommend inspecting or replacing the impeller every one to three years, depending on hours and conditions. Lakes with sandy or muddy shallows wear impellers faster. If your telltale stream gets weak or the engine runs hot, have the impeller checked right away.

An inboard has the engine inside the hull with a straight shaft through the bottom to the propeller. A sterndrive (I/O, or inboard/outboard) has the engine inside the hull connected to a drive unit mounted on the transom that steers and trims like an outboard.

Common causes include an aging battery, a weak charging system on the engine, a parasitic draw from an accessory left powered, a faulty battery switch, or corroded cables. We test each one to find the real cause.

Most manufacturers call for service every 100 hours or once a year, whichever comes first. Boats used heavily in the summer may need service more often. We follow the schedule for your specific engine.

If you won't be using the boat regularly through the winter, plan to winterize before the first hard freeze, typically in November. If you boat year-round, make sure water drains from the engine after each use and keep an eye on the forecast.

Call us at 817-236-0048 to discuss your boat and current pricing. We'll always explain what we found and what it will take to fix before doing the repair.