Josh and Sylvia Kramer know boats.  

Whether it's a yacht in Florida, a Coast Guard ship in the Persian Gulf or a 1960s fishing boat on Flathead Lake, the pair tackles potential vessel problems with grit.  

The Kramers launched Flathead Mobile Marine to use their skills — they have decades of experience performing routine maintenance checks on a variety of boats as well as working with engines and electrical systems — and help boaters in the community. The business is a veteran-owned, mobile boat repair shop serving the Flathead Valley and surrounding areas. 

A Maryland native, Josh grew up around boats, mainly smaller fishing boats that his father owned. After he graduated from high school in 2008, he joined the Coast Guard and spent 11 years in uniform.  

While in the service, Josh had stints buoy tending in Alaska and Michigan, performed search and rescue efforts in Maryland, and worked security on a ship — named the Aquidneck — in Bahrain, where he met Sylvia. 

The pair moved to Florida while Sylvia finished her contract with the Coast Guard. Josh dabbled with commercial boats for lobster and stone crab fishing until he found himself managing yachts for rent on Airbnb.  

That experience inspired the couple’s first business, Key Marine Service in Key West, Florida. The Kramers had the shop there from 2021 to 2023, working on anything from diesel to fiberglass to plumbing.  

“We’re primed to operate a South Florida marine service center,” Josh said. “We know what to do.” 

After two kids and looking for a change of pace, Josh and Sylvia moved to Montana, a place Josh always appreciated. Mounted above their fireplace in their Lakeside home is an elk Josh’s dad shot in Bozeman years ago. 

When they moved here, Josh was working remotely for a boat company out of Tampa, Florida. They noticed, though, that the Flathead Valley lacked mobile marine services, where mechanics come to the client, a common practice in Florida. 

A mobile repair service allows boat owners to skip the hassle of hauling their boat to a shop. Instead, they get expert service directly at their dock, driveway or marina. 

The Kramers' mobile service got under sail in February. At first, they would get one or two calls a week. Now they are responding to dozens of calls a week, from winterization tasks to outdrive rebuilds to engine servicing.  

“We know boats,” Sylvia said. “Any boat, anywhere, we’re going to come help you out.” 

They answer calls for marine detailing, fleet maintenance, accessories installation, engine issues, electrical installs and problem shooting but are open to all questions or concerns about a prospective client’s watercraft.  

Since its inception, Flathead Mobile Marine has serviced boats across Northwest Montana, from Polson to the Hungry Horse Reservoir. Josh remembers one call for a resident on Lake McDonald for a carburetor issue.  They ended the call by getting a private boat ride around the lake.  

The Kramers don’t charge for travel time and welcome boat owners to be around during inspections or repairs, ask questions and learn more about their watercraft.  

“I think that overall creates a safer boating community too, when people are knowledgeable about the dangerous machine they’re operating on the water,” Sylvia said. 

Josh agreed, stating that if any client has a question about their boat he encourages them to reach out.  

“I’d like my customers to be safe on their boats, rather than not knowing what they’re doing ... it makes a safer boating community,” he said. 

To schedule a service or connect with Flathead Mobile Marine, visit flatheadmobilemarine.com or call 406-201-8522.  

Reporter Kate Heston may be reached at 758-4459 or [email protected].