inside a 'toon??

[rschap1]

I came close to sinking our pontoon this past weekend...
Son helped me put the dock in Friday night.
Put the 'toon in Saturday and went for a short ride.
Seemed to be heavy in the rear.
Sunday morning could see it was "sagging".
Rolled my "shorestation" lift in ahead of the 'toon Sunday afternoon.
Watched the rear chamber of the starboard tube leak, leak, and leak out water for a few hours.
That made it easy to find the cracked weld at the very bottom of the end cap.
There is aluminum angle running the length of each tube.
About an extra inch past where the joint between the end cap and the tube join.
Looks like the angle was put on first and they weren't able to weld the full 360 degrees around the end cap.
Boat is 10 years old and we had no issues until now though...????
First year that it spent winter on a trailer, wondering if being on bunks was different?
Extra extra cold winter?
???
But, back on the trailer with it's @$$ hanging off the bunks so I can hopefully have it welded up.
Cut the extra inch of angle off each side, hit hard with twisted wire brush on my disc grinder, and cleaned it off with muriatic acid.
Have to see if that is the only leak or what is going on...
1/2" NPT thread with plastic cap on top.
Figure I will use that to "pressure test"
Was thinking of using a pump through there to get the water out originally, but some sort of baffle or something blocking access.
Anyone ever seen inside a pontoon log?
Any idea what is in there?
One way valve so they can stay pressurized?
Appreciate any advice.
I have seen more of the construction details than I ever cared to know about already:)


I know not nearly as cool as the offshore boats that are more popular topics, but with the wealth of maritime knowledge here, I just have to ask.
Thanks in advance:)

[fund razor]

A) Glad you didn't sink.
B) Toons are perfectly cool. I talked about them all weekend.
C) Closed-cell foam inside?

[Bobcat]

Possible that water was in there during the freeze? Could have expanded and cracked....and we love all boats...I don't like to advertise this....but I also sail 2 or 3 times a year:o

[fund razor]

I don't like to advertise this....but I also sail 2 or 3 times a year:o

He keeps it on the "down low." :D

[Ratickle]

Unfortunately, it depends on the manufacturer. You may have to call them or email them. Some tubes are 8' lengths with a flat panel inbetween each section and welded completely off. Usually not even a drain plug with those. My Sanpan I had was able to be completely drained. I'd pull the plug, tip it up in the front, and get almost all the water out. There were baffles on the inside, but so separate sealed section.

[rschap1]

Nope, no foam as far as I know inside.
VERY possible that there was a small amount of water inside that froze and opened up an existing gap bigger.
This boat has 3 separate cambers per each 'toon.
They are divided. Each of those has a 1/2" NPT cap on top.
When you pull the cap off there is something directly under it though.
Feels like either an aluminum rail or I was wondering if there was ever a one way check valve or something any manufacturer used to keep positive pressure inside their logs???
Maybe I will have to try and get a light and a mirror or something to get a better look down inside that threaded hole.
No drains on the bottoms of any of them though.
Dropped it at a friends last night that has a couple TIG welders.
Hopefully all better soon.
Thanks

[fund razor]

Good luck.

I kinda want a pontoon.:cheers2:

[Ratickle]

Well, doing some digging.

New South Bay pressurized
http://www.yachtworld.com/willsboro/willsboro_9.html
http://www.southbaypontoon.com/default.asp?page=dare

Xcursion pressurized
http://www.xcursionpontoon.com/construction.asp

Reading stuff, it sounds like most pressurized ones are pressurized to 3 or 3.5 lbs. So, yours may be. One article said you can get a air valve with an npt fitting.

[rschap1]

Got it back in the water.
I had dropped the boat off last Wednesday night.
Thursday afternoon got a text all set.
Welder said that is was a bit of a pain being upside down and had a hard time keeping the shielding gas flowing once the crack was nearly covered.
Pretty good size weld over the whole area that was taking on water.
Glad it was not something I tackled myself.
The little bit of aluminum welding I have done worked, but wasn't pretty and guessing a lot easier than this.
I would have hated to wreck an entire boat.
He also went around and pressurized each toon to make sure that they were water tight now.
No valves so no pressure inside any more, but no leaks.
He also did a couple other misc. aluminum weld jobs that I had saved up.
Kept him busy for 5 hours he said.
I don't doubt it.
He is a good guy to know an as handy as anyone I ever met.
Even got to spend a few hours on the boat, in the sunshine with the family this weekend:)
Guessing their must be a strut or some sort of structure for reinforcement running along the top length of these tubes.
Not a check valve or anything like I was wondering.
He said as soon as he disconnected the compressor it just bled back out.
I am not curious enough to cut it back open just to see what is inside.
Hopefully she stays sealed up for at least another 10 years now.

[fund razor]

Wait, wait, wait....

One day service?

He knew it was a boat, right?

[sonicss31]

:iagree:
Possible that water was in there during the freeze? Could have expanded and cracked....and we love all boats...I don't like to advertise this....but I also sail 2 or 3 times a year:o
You call a "Danger Charter" sunset cruise sailing?

[fund razor]

I had to look up Danger Charter. I hate to admit this, but it looks nice. :)

http://dangercharters.com/wind-wine-sunset-sail/#photo-gallery

[Bobcat]

I thought maybe that there was photo evidence:cool:

I'm more of a Catamaran guy....I don't like all that tilting on a monohull!!!!:reddevil:

[fund razor]

Oh, that's what "bobcat" means. :)

[rschap1]

Wait, wait, wait....

One day service?

He knew it was a boat, right?

:)
:)
:)
His profession is not actually marine related, so he can offer service like that
:)
:)
:)

[Ratickle]

What brand is your toon?

Speaking of toons, I'll be at LOTO and their triton race may have as many as a dozen boats!!

[rschap1]

The pontoon is a 2003 Suncruiser made by Lowe.

[Ratickle]

We'll have to see if we can find build criteria on the tubes.