Welcome to the online home of Capt. Ed Wiser, aka The Boat Doc, your ABYC and NMEA certified marine electrician & electronics installer serving Punta Gorda and Port Charlotte.

RETIRED – RETIRED

RETIRED

Still accepting small jobs on a very limited basis, as well as consults, surveys, and deliveries.

At age 73 with 45 years in the boat business and a lifetime of messing about in boats, I am calling it quits. I have loved this career and view my customers as friends as well as clients. It has been great and I will miss it.

Proprietor of

BOAT DOC MARINE ELECTRIC & ELECTRONICS

khakicavalier@yahoo.com

941-740-2574

Boat Doc Marine Electric and Electronics comes to you. 

Installing a wide array of marine electronics and electrical devices

Everything from changing a circuit breaker to completely rewiring a boat

Experts at electrical and electronic troubleshooting

• Marine Electrical and Electronics – Installation, Service, and Repair
• Fast service 5 days a week. (I no longer work weekends)
• Based in Port Charlotte and mobile through much of Charlotte County
• No waiting for weeks for a shop to get to your job
• We come to you at your convenience
• Factory Authorized Installation
• Warranty and Repair Technician for:  Garmin and Raymarine
• ABYC Certified Marine Electrician
• ABYC Certified Corrosion Tech
• NMEA Certified Electronics Installer
• USCG Licensed Merchant Marine Officer – 200 GRT/ 500 ITC Tonnage

• Your electronics may be eligible for extended and on-board warranty when installed by a certified tech like the Boat Doc. Many Garmin, Raymarine, and Simrad products are eligible for this enhanced protection at no additional charge.

941-740-2574

Email Capt. Ed

NOTE: Boatbuilders are making their products increasingly expensive and complex. Many incorporate very complicated and redundant systems, digital circuitry, digital switching, lithium batteries, complex and sophisticated systems and devices. Then they cram it into a tight space that is difficult to access. The problem with this is that the boating industry is doing a very poor job recruiting and training new technicians to service these devices. Most of us are getting along in years, taking retirement, and taking our decades of knowledge and experience with us. Boat owners are encouraged to avoid the temptation to pack on the gear and complex systems. There are simply not enough qualified technicians, in the US and abroad, to keep up with the demand and service your boat. To make it worse, the industry had explosive sales growth during COVID and demand led to production of a lot of boats with numerous defects.

Follow the K.I.S.S. principle – Keep it simple, stupid. Generally, the more complex and congested the boat the more expensive it is to work on and maintain, that is if you are lucky enough to find someone to do the work. We are producing some good outboard motor techs thanks to major manufacturers like Yamaha, Suzuki, and Mercury, but our decentralized industry is not producing many new electricians, plumbers, air conditioning techs, diesel mechanics, and gas inboard mechanics. Don’t even think about generator techs. The more involved and unusual the device or system, the more expensive service will be and the tougher to find someone competent and ethical to do the work. Keep this in mind especially if you are considering a foreign built boat with foreign electrical components or any digital switching system. I know of no one in Charlotte County who is qualified to work with lithium batteries and digital switching systems. The manufacturers are simply not offering the necessary training.

I had a discussion about this situation several years ago at IBEX, the International Boatbuilders Exhibition and Conference. Last day of the show I met the CEO of Power Products, a conglomerate that owns numerous marine electrical companies. I told him I would not work with his lithium batteries because I am not an expert in that technology and his industry is not offering the training to make me an expert. I told him that until his firm takes the time and money to train me and others like me, I am not going to touch lithium. Now, seven years later I still know of no lithium manufacturer who is training techs in the installation and service of lithium technology in marine applications. 

Example – in 2014 there were five marine electricians in Charlotte County. Three of us were certified by ABYC, NMEA, and various manufacturers. Ten years later there is only one left and he has zero certifications. I retired in June 2025 and have cut back hours to a tiny fraction of what they were just a few months ago. We are now down to a single, uncertified, over-worked marine electrician in Charlotte County. There are guys doing electrical work, but they are often untrained and learning on your boat. This is how it is getting to be industry-wide so be prepared. New rule of thumb is find a dock and competent technicians before you buy the boat. I get calls every week from new boat owners who are finding there is simply no one to service their vessels.

Shortage of dockage and repair yards is making itself felt too. Some local marinas that were destroyed last Fall have just begun to rebuild. It may be years before they are back in service. When they are rebuilt they will have ELCIs (Equipment Leakage Circuit Interrupter) on every power pedestal and many boats will trip those devices and not be able to use shore power. See the articles on this site to learn more about ELCIs and the future of shore power.  The Gulf of Mexico is still very warm and ready to provide another tough hurricane season.

Tampa Bay lost three boatyards in the past 3 years as they were purchased and converted to residential developments. My strong recommendation is to simplify and downsize if you are staying in boating. I owned a small powerboat and a 26′ sailboat when Helene and Milton came through last Fall. The garage-kept skiff was OK but the sailboat would have floated off the lift and thrown into someone’s yard had I not strapped it securely to the frame. This is our future in Florida. The lack of skilled labor, dockage, and storage is a permanent situation thanks to lack of appropriate and adequate tech schools, no apprenticeship programs, and increasing conversion of waterfront property for other uses. We are not producing enough new techs, marinas, or boatyards and fees will only get higher. $200 per hour is the new norm. 

PLEASE READ ‘RATES, FEES, AND MONEY SAVING TIPS’ BEFORE YOU CALL.

941-740-2574

Email Capt. Ed