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Houston pontoon repair
Pontoon Boat Repair in Houston, TX: Mobile Pontoon Welding From Lake Houston to Clear Lake
Getting a damaged pontoon across Houston to a shop means hooking up a 25-foot boat, fighting the Beltway or I-45, then waiting days for a slot. Most owners would rather not. Alpha Mobile Welding TX sends partner welders to Houston-area driveways, storage lots, lake homes and marinas to repair leaking aluminum tubes, cracked brackets, nose cones and motor pods on site. Text photos of the damage, and we’ll tell you what the fix looks like.
Photos make estimates faster. Scheduling depends on partner availability across Greater Houston.
Greater Houston repairs
Pontoon Repair for Houston's Fresh, Brackish and Salt Water
Houston pontoon owners run very different water depending on which side of town they live on. Lake Houston on the northeast side is fresh, shallow in many coves and full of stumps and shifting sandbars. Clear Lake and Galveston Bay to the southeast are brackish to salty, and aluminum there fights corrosion every season. Boats on the north side head up I-45 to Lake Conroe or up US 59 toward Lake Livingston.
Each of those brings its own repairs. Freshwater boats come in with stump and sandbar damage, split cones and bracket cracks. Bay boats come in with pitting, galvanic corrosion around stainless fasteners and leaks that started as corrosion pinholes. All of them get the same core process: a low-pressure air test to find every leak, draining, cleaning the 5052-H32 aluminum to bright metal, and welding with 5356 filler using TIG or a spool gun.
See our main pontoon boat repair page for the full service list. For other metal work around the house or business, see Houston mobile welding.
- Lake Houston and San Jacinto River
- Clear Lake and Galveston Bay boats
- Tube leaks, cones and keels
- Brackets, cross members and pods
- Storage lot and driveway repairs
Common damage
Pontoon Problems We See Around Houston
Stumps, sandbars, salt and heat cover most of the repairs on Houston-area pontoons.
Stump and sandbar strikes
Lake Houston has standing timber in its upper reaches and sandbars that shift after floods. Clipping either at speed can crack a cone or tear a keel seam.
Saltwater corrosion
Boats used on Clear Lake, Galveston Bay or Trinity Bay show pitting and white corrosion, especially under brackets and where salt and dirt collect.
Galvanic corrosion
Stainless bolts, steel trailer bunks and dock wiring touching aluminum speed up corrosion. It often shows up as pits around fasteners.
Slow chamber leaks
A boat that lists, sits low at the stern or drains water from a tube plug has a leak somewhere. It’s rarely only one spot.
Bracket cracks from trailering
Potholes, freeway joints and steep storage lot entrances twist the deck frame until the bracket welds crack.
Hurricane and storm damage
Boats tossed against docks or other boats during storms come out with dented cones, torn brackets and cracked seams.
What we repair
Mobile Pontoon Welding Services in Houston
We fix the whole problem, not just the first crack that shows up in the soap test.
Tube leak repair
Pressure test, leak marking, draining, grinding to sound metal and 5356 welds with full fusion, then a second soap test.
Corrosion and pitting repair
Grinding pitted areas back to solid aluminum, adding doubler plates where the wall is thin and isolating stainless fasteners.
Nose cone repair
Rewelding split seams, patching punctures and replacing crushed cone sections after stump or dock hits.
Bracket and cross member repair
Rewelding cracked brackets, adding gussets and replacing bent cross members under the deck.
Motor pod repair
Crack repair and reinforcement around transom brackets on tritoons with larger outboards.
Pontoon trailer welding
Crossmembers, bunk brackets, tongue cracks and rusted frame sections, common on trailers that see salt water.
Why Alpha Welding
Why Houston Pontoon Owners Call Us
In a city this big, the drive to a shop is half the problem.
Skip the freeway tow
Repairs happen at your driveway, storage lot, lake house or marina, with permission, instead of across town.
Aluminum focus
Partners bring AC TIG and spool-gun setups made for thin marine aluminum, not heavy steel rigs.
Salt and fresh water experience
Bay boats and lake boats fail differently. The repair plan reflects how your boat is used.
Straight answers
If a tube is beyond repair, you hear it before spending money on patches.
How it works
How Houston Pontoon Repair Works
Four steps and you’re back on the water.
Text photos
Call or text 979-250-7486 with photos, the boat’s location and whether it’s on a trailer or lift.
Estimate
We check partner availability in your part of Houston and explain the price and prep.
On-site repair
The partner tests, drains, cleans and welds the tubes, brackets or trailer.
Retest
Low-pressure air and soap confirm the chamber is sealed before you launch.
Local guide
Houston Pontoon Owner's Repair Guide
Notes for pontoon owners across Greater Houston, from the repairs partner welders handle most often.
Lake Houston: stumps, sandbars and shallow coves
Lake Houston is a shallow reservoir on the San Jacinto River, bordered by Kingwood, Atascocita, Huffman and Crosby. Its upper reaches near the river forks hold standing timber, and floods like Hurricane Harvey in 2017 left sandbars that have since needed dredging. Water levels and channels shift after big rains. Most of the cone and keel damage we see from Lake Houston comes from stumps just under the surface or a sandbar that wasn’t there last season. After a hit, check both front cones and the keel seam before running the boat hard again.
Clear Lake and Galveston Bay: salt changes everything
Pontoons kept around Clear Lake, Seabrook, Kemah or the upper bay see brackish to salt water, and that wears on aluminum in a different way. Salt left on the tubes causes pitting under brackets and along the waterline. Stainless fasteners and steel trailer bunks create galvanic corrosion where they touch bare aluminum. Pitted metal is ground back to solid aluminum before welding, and thinned areas get doubler plates. A freshwater rinse after every bay trip, including under the deck, is the cheapest corrosion protection there is. Our League City pontoon repair page covers the Clear Lake side in more detail.
Storage lots, HOAs and where repairs happen
Many Houston subdivisions don’t allow boats parked in driveways, so plenty of pontoons live in storage lots off FM 1960, the Grand Parkway or SH 288. Repairs can often be done right in the storage space, but the lot owner may need to approve hot work, and the welder needs power or a generator. Covered storage with low roofs can limit access. If you’re unsure, send photos of where the boat sits and we’ll work out the best spot.
Finding every leak
The chamber is sealed and given a very small amount of air pressure, usually a couple of psi, then soapy water is brushed along every seam, bracket and cone. Each bubble is marked. Higher pressure can bulge or split a tube, so it’s done with a regulator. Bay boats often have several pinholes from corrosion, and lake boats often have a crack near the impact plus a second one at a nearby bracket. All of them get fixed in the same visit.
Heat, humidity and weld quality
Houston humidity matters for aluminum welding. Moisture on the metal or condensation inside a chamber that was just drained turns into porosity in the weld. Partners make sure the area is fully dry, remove the oxide layer with a stainless brush right before welding, and use argon shielding with 5356 filler. Repairs on hot summer afternoons are fine, but early starts help, both for the welder and for keeping the boat’s metal from getting too hot to work on comfortably.
After a storm
Hurricanes and strong storms throw boats against docks, lifts and each other. After the water settles, check every tube for dents, split seams and cracked bracket welds, and check the lift or trailer for bent parts. Dents without cracks can often stay. Cracks, torn brackets and leaking seams need repair before the boat runs. If you’re filing an insurance claim, take photos before any work starts.
North-side owners: Lake Conroe and Lake Livingston
Owners in Spring, Humble, Kingwood and the north suburbs often run Lake Conroe or make the longer drive up US 59 to Lake Livingston, a big, shallow Trinity River reservoir known for wind and standing timber in its upper end. Long tows mean more trailer stress on the brackets, and open water means more wave pounding on the tubes. Boats that split time between Lake Houston and Lake Livingston tend to show both problems at once: keel wear and cone damage from stumps, plus cracked bracket welds from miles on the highway. Checking the boat after every long tow catches these early.
Before the welder arrives
- Get the boat out of the water on a trailer, lift or stands
- Pull the tube drain plugs
- Get storage lot or marina approval for hot work
- Tell us about foam-filled tubes or a center-log fuel tank
- Have power available or tell us if there's none
Related welding services
Bay boat with white powder on the tubes?
That’s corrosion. Send close-up photos and we’ll tell you whether it needs grinding and doublers or just a good cleaning.
Service area
Pontoon Repair Near Me in Greater Houston
Partner welders cover homes, storage lots, lake houses and marinas across the Houston area. Availability is confirmed for each address, and marina or storage lot jobs need the owner’s okay for hot work.
Lake Houston
- Kingwood
- Atascocita
- Humble
- Huffman
- Crosby
Clear Lake and the bay
- League City
- Seabrook and Kemah
- Baytown
- Pasadena
- Galveston
West and southwest
North lakes
- Lake Conroe
- The Woodlands
- Spring
- Lake Livingston
FAQs
Houston Pontoon Repair Questions
What Houston pontoon owners ask us most.
Is there a mobile pontoon repair welder near me in Houston?
Alpha Mobile Welding TX coordinates partner welders across Greater Houston, including Kingwood, Atascocita, Clear Lake, Katy, Cypress, Sugar Land and Pearland. Call or text 979-250-7486 with photos and your address, and we’ll confirm availability and give you an estimate.
Can you repair my pontoon in a storage lot?
Often, yes. The boat needs to be on its trailer or stands with the damaged area reachable, and the lot owner may need to approve welding on the property. Power or room for a generator is needed. Send a photo of the space so we can plan the visit.
Can saltwater corrosion on a pontoon tube be welded?
Yes, once the pitted metal is ground back to solid aluminum. Small pits get welded, and areas where the wall has thinned get a doubler plate. Widespread corrosion over large sections may mean a tube replacement makes more sense. Close-up photos help us tell.
My Lake Houston pontoon hit a stump. What should I check?
Look at both front nose cones, the keel seam and the bracket welds near the impact. Pull the tube drain plugs after the boat sits for a day. If you see cracks, split seams or water draining out, get it repaired before the next run.
How much does pontoon tube welding cost in Houston?
It depends on the number of leaks, how hard they are to reach, whether corrosion needs grinding or doublers, and drive time across town. One pinhole costs far less than a crushed cone or several cracked brackets. Photos let us give you a realistic estimate first.
How long does a mobile pontoon repair take in Houston?
A single crack or pinhole is often finished in a few hours on site, including the pressure test, draining, welding and retest. Corrosion repairs with doubler plates, nose cones or several brackets take longer. Timing depends on partner availability in your part of Houston, and same-day visits are possible but never guaranteed.
Request an estimate
Get Your Houston Pontoon Back in the Water
Text photos of the damage and tell us where the boat is stored. We’ll reply with an estimate and partner availability in your part of Houston.
- Free, no-obligation estimates
- Photos help us understand the job faster
- Same-day requests depend on partner availability