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

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 throughout 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, Lowrance, Raymarine, & Simrad
• 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

COVID NOTE: Our lives changed in early 2020 and the changes have been especially great in the recreational boating industry. Currently, 40% of all registered boat owners are first time buyers. This means a wave of novice boaters, often with little or no knowledge of boat systems and operation. At the same time the work force is aging. 5 million people left the workplace between March 2020 and October 2021. 3 million of those people retired. 1.2 million of them took early retirement and a lot bought RVs and boats. These trends existed prior to March 2020 but Covid greatly accelerated them.

We have been hard hit in boating as knowledgeable techs retire but demand skyrockets. I have stopped going to Burnt Store, Englewood , and Boca Grande or anywhere outside Charlotte County because demand is so great just in Punta Gorda and Port Charlotte. Add in the supply chain issues from factory closures, retirement of manufacturing and transportation workers, trade wars, etc and you have a logistical nightmare. Why do I state the obvious? Because the days of calling a tech and having him rush right over are gone for good. My colleagues and I in Charlotte County are consistently backlogged 3-6 weeks depending upon time of year. We work hard but there are not enough of us to go around.

Even when we get to your boat there may be issues getting parts. I recently had a customer wait six months for an exhaust manifold. Another paid $200 for a fuse that cost $55 last summer. A Raymarine power cable that once retailed at $50 now goes for $140 if you can find one. We once shopped around for materials to get the best price. Now we are happy to get what we need at any price. I have waited 3-4 months for an ELCI or distribution panel. I have stopped doing major rehabs because I cannot be sure of getting the needed components to complete the job, much less complete it in a timely manner. I recently had to shut down one job for almost two months while we waited for parts to arrive. 

Customers may have a tough time accepting that their boat cannot be fixed for months but that is sometimes the new reality. Please exercise patience, plan accordingly, and be prepared for sticker shock.

941-740-2574

Email Capt. Ed