Mobile Welding ServicesOn-site welding & metal repair across Texas — we come to you
Highland Lakes pontoon repair
Pontoon Boat Repair in Marble Falls, TX: Mobile Welding for Lake LBJ and the Highland Lakes
On Lake LBJ and Lake Marble Falls, a pontoon usually lives on a lift in a boathouse, and that’s exactly where problems hide. A slow leak in one log, a cracked bracket under the deck or a split seam on a nose cone can go unnoticed for weeks. Alpha Mobile Welding TX sends partner welders to lake homes and boathouses across the Highland Lakes to repair aluminum pontoons where they sit. Send a few photos and we’ll tell you what the repair involves.
Photos speed up your estimate. Visit timing depends on partner availability in the Hill Country.
Highland Lakes repairs
How Pontoon Repair Works on Lake LBJ and Lake Marble Falls
Lake LBJ and Lake Marble Falls are constant-level lakes in the LCRA Highland Lakes chain, so most pontoons here sit in the water or on a lift year round instead of going home on a trailer. That’s convenient for boating, but it means corrosion, slow leaks and bracket cracks build up quietly. Owners in Horseshoe Bay, Kingsland, Granite Shoals and Sunrise Beach often find the problem only when the boat starts sitting crooked on the lift.
The fix is the same careful process wherever the boat is. Partner welders pressure-test the tubes, mark every leak, drain trapped water, clean the 5052 aluminum down to bright metal, and weld with 5356 filler using TIG or a MIG spool gun. Brackets get rewelded and reinforced where needed, and the tube is tested again before the lift goes down.
For a full rundown of the services, see our main pontoon boat repair page. If you also keep a boat on Lake Travis, our Austin pontoon repair page covers that side of the chain.
- Lake LBJ, Lake Marble Falls, Inks and Buchanan
- Boathouse and lift-side repairs
- Tube leaks and nose cone cracks
- Brackets, cross members and motor pods
- Flood and debris damage
Common damage
Pontoon Problems Common in the Highland Lakes
Granite, flood debris and boats that stay in the water all year create a specific set of repairs.
Granite and shoal strikes
Lake LBJ has granite outcrops and shallow points that are easy to clip, especially near coves and the upper end of the lake. Cracked cones and keel seams follow.
Flood debris damage
After heavy rain on the Llano and Colorado, logs and debris move through the lakes. Floating trees and dock wreckage dent cones and tear brackets.
Boathouse rub and lift wear
Boats rocking in a slip or on worn lift bunks rub against posts and frames until the paint is gone and the aluminum starts to wear.
Slow chamber leaks
Year-round mooring means a pinhole can let water in for months. The first sign is often a boat sitting low at one corner.
Bracket and riser cracks
Wakes from busy summer weekends work the deck frame constantly. The welds at the bracket toes crack and can run into the tube skin.
Galvanic corrosion
Stainless fasteners, old steel lift parts and stray current from dock wiring can all speed up corrosion on aluminum that stays wet.
What we repair
Mobile Pontoon Welding Around Marble Falls
We look at the whole boat, because one obvious crack usually has company.
Tube leak repair
Low-pressure air test, leak marking, draining, grinding cracks to sound metal and welding with 5356 filler, then a second soap test.
Nose cone repair
Rewelding split cone seams, patching punctures and replacing cone sections damaged by granite or floating debris.
Bracket and cross member repair
Rewelding torn tube brackets, adding gussets and replacing bent C-channel or Z-bar cross members under the deck.
Corrosion repair
Grinding pitted areas back to solid metal, adding doubler plates on thinned spots and isolating stainless fasteners where possible.
Motor pod repair
Crack repair around outboard brackets on tritoons, with reinforcement where the pod meets the center tube.
Ladder, rail and lift-side fixes
Small aluminum repairs on boarding ladders, rail stanchions and accessory mounts while the welder is already there.
Why Alpha Welding
Why Highland Lakes Owners Call Alpha Welding
Most lake homes here are a long tow from any shop.
No towing to Austin
Hauling a tritoon from Horseshoe Bay or Kingsland to a shop eats days. Repairs happen at your boathouse instead.
Aluminum know-how
Thin marine aluminum needs clean prep and the right filler. Partners use TIG and spool-gun setups made for it.
Straight answers
If a log needs replacing instead of patching, we tell you before you spend money on a repair that won’t last.
Photos first
Pictures let us scope the job and plan the visit so the partner arrives ready.
How it works
How Your Highland Lakes Repair Gets Done
A simple process from photos to finished repair.
Send photos
Call or text 979-250-7486. Include the damage and how the boat is stored, lift, slip or trailer.
Estimate
We review the damage, confirm partner availability and explain the price and prep.
Repair at the lake
The partner tests, drains, cleans and welds the tubes or brackets at your boathouse.
Final test
The chamber is checked again with low pressure and soap before the boat goes back down.
Local guide
Highland Lakes Pontoon Owner's Repair Guide
A few things worth knowing if your pontoon lives on Lake LBJ, Lake Marble Falls, Inks Lake or Lake Buchanan.
Constant-level lakes and hidden leaks
Lake LBJ and Lake Marble Falls are pass-through lakes, kept close to the same level most of the year. Boats stay in the water or on lifts for months at a time, and nobody pulls the tube plugs. That’s how a small leak turns into a chamber with gallons of water in it. Twice a season, raise the boat, pull each plug and see what drains. Clear water with no flow is a good sign. A steady stream means there’s a leak worth chasing before it gets worse.
Floods, debris and dock damage
The Highland Lakes take water from big Hill Country watersheds, and floods like the October 2018 Llano River flood showed how much debris can come down in a few hours. After high water, logs, docks and boathouse parts drift through the lakes. If your boat was hit or your lift was damaged, check the cones, the bracket welds and the tube skin along the side that took the impact. Dents with no cracks can often stay. Cracks and torn welds need repair before the boat runs again.
Repairs in a boathouse
Most Highland Lakes repairs happen in a covered boathouse with the boat raised on the lift. That works well, but the welder needs room to reach under the logs and a safe spot to stand. Clear the walkway, move fishing gear and fuel cans out of the way, and make sure there’s working power. Wood boathouse framing near the work area may need a fire blanket or wet-down, which the partner handles on site. If the damage is in a spot the lift can’t expose, the boat goes on a trailer or stands.
How the leak is found and fixed
The chamber is sealed and given a very small amount of air pressure, usually a couple of psi. Soapy water is brushed along every seam, bracket, cone and the keel, and each bubble is marked. Water is drained, the area is cleaned with a stainless brush to cut the oxide layer, and the crack is ground out to sound metal. The weld goes in with argon shielding and 5356 filler, and the chamber is retested the same way. Too much air pressure can split a tube, so this test is done carefully.
Corrosion on boats that never leave the water
Fresh water is easier on aluminum than salt, but boats that stay wet all year still corrode, especially where stainless bolts, old steel lift parts or dock wiring are involved. Look for white powder, pitting under brackets and soft spots around fasteners. Pitted areas get ground back to solid metal, and badly thinned spots get a doubler plate instead of a heavy weld buildup. If you suspect stray current from dock wiring, have an electrician check it, because welding the tube won’t stop that kind of corrosion.
Lake Buchanan and Inks Lake boats
Lake Buchanan is the big storage lake at the top of the chain, and unlike LBJ its level moves a lot with drought and rain. When it drops, wide sandy flats and rocky points show up, and docks get moved or left high and dry. Pontoons here see more trailer miles and more beaching, so keels, strakes and nose cones wear faster. Inks Lake is small and constant-level, with granite banks close to the water in places. On either lake, a pontoon that grounds hard should get its cones and keel seams checked before the next run.
Repair or replace a log?
Cracks, punctures, seam leaks and bracket damage are repairs. A replacement log makes more sense when corrosion has thinned large areas or a long section was crushed. Check warranty terms with the builder before any outside welding on a newer boat, since the builder may want its own dealer to do the work.
Prep checklist
- Raise the boat on the lift with tubes clear of the water
- Pull drain plugs so water can run out
- Clear the boathouse walkway and move fuel cans
- Confirm power at the dock
- Tell us about foam-filled tubes or a center-log fuel tank
Related welding services
Boat sitting crooked on the lift?
That’s usually water in a log. Send photos and the boat’s length, and we’ll tell you what it likely needs.
Service area
Pontoon Repair Near Me in the Highland Lakes
Partner welders cover lake homes and boathouses across Burnet and Llano counties. Each job is confirmed for the exact address, and marina work needs the marina’s approval for hot work.
Lake LBJ
- Horseshoe Bay
- Kingsland
- Granite Shoals
- Sunrise Beach
- Highland Haven
Lake Marble Falls
- Marble Falls
- Meadowlakes
- Cottonwood Shores
- Burnet
Inks Lake and Lake Buchanan
- Buchanan Dam
- Tow
- Inks Lake area
- Llano
FAQs
Marble Falls and Lake LBJ Pontoon Repair Questions
Answers to what Highland Lakes owners ask us most.
Can you repair my pontoon in the boathouse on Lake LBJ?
In most cases, yes. The boat needs to be raised on the lift with the damaged area clear of the water, dry and reachable. The partner checks the boathouse for safe access and fire risk around the work area. If the lift can’t expose the damage, the boat goes on a trailer or stands.
Is there a pontoon welder near me in Marble Falls or Horseshoe Bay?
Alpha Mobile Welding TX coordinates partner welders who cover Marble Falls, Horseshoe Bay, Kingsland, Granite Shoals, Burnet and the Lake Buchanan area. Call or text 979-250-7486 with photos and your address, and we’ll confirm availability.
Why is my pontoon sitting lower on one side?
Most of the time, one tube has water in it from a crack, seam leak or corrosion pinhole. Raise the boat, pull the drain plug on the low tube and see how much water comes out. Then send us photos of the tube and the bracket areas near the low side.
Can flood or debris damage be welded?
Usually. Cracked cones, torn brackets and split seams from debris strikes are standard repairs. Deep crushed sections or several feet of torn tube may need a new cone or tube section. Photos of the impact area help us tell you which it is.
How long does a boathouse pontoon repair take?
A single crack or pinhole is often finished in a few hours, including the pressure test, draining, cleaning, welding and retest. Several leaks, a new nose cone or bracket reinforcement take longer. Scheduling depends on partner availability in Burnet and Llano counties, and same-day visits are never guaranteed.
Request an estimate
Get Your Highland Lakes Pontoon Fixed
Send photos and tell us which lake and how the boat is stored. We’ll reply with an estimate and partner availability near you.
- Free, no-obligation estimates
- Photos help us understand the job faster
- Same-day requests depend on partner availability