Back to the main site

Got a really UGLY curve ball thrown at me today

tcpip95

tcpip95

Well-Known Member
Messages
544
Reaction score
552
Location
-Ft. Myers, FL
Soda blasted the boat a few days ago to remove old bottom paint.  Went down today to prepare sanding the pontoons and getting ready to polish and sand them this weekend, so that I can apply Sharkhide.  As I'm inspecting the pontoons I start noticing a couple of pinholes in the port pontoon - below the waterline where the bottom paint used to be <GROAN>.  Don't know how many there are - or if they're limited to just the port pontoon - but either way I'm sure I'm looking at a couple of grand in repairs. You have NO IDEA how this has depressed me.  They appear to be the result of electrolysis - which is neither covered under warranty nor insurance.  I don't understand how this could have happened (I understand the science, just don't understand how it occurred).  I have been religious on checking and swapping out my zincs.  I changed them yearly whether they needed them or not (they never got close to getting consumed before I would swap them).  The boat was bottom-painted annually - again, whether it needed it or not.


Going to take it to the dealer on Monday to get an understanding of the damage.  May very well trade it in on a new boat.  Needless to say boat wrap is off the table...


Really lousy Friday night.  :angry:
 
Last edited by a moderator:
I dunno, seems a decent welder could spot em right up, little fine grindin, little polishin.  Remember, wise man once said " I cant see them when i'm in the boat anyway".  What everyone else sees is...you guys having fun.  Also, are the cables intact? 
 
Yeah, structurally intact, but I didn't give it a thorough going over.  I just spotted two pinholes as I walked past the port pontoon.  I'm going over tomorrow to really check it out.  My fear is that it becomes "death by a thousand paper cuts".
 
What a bummer!! Hopefully the dealer will have some insight on a possible solution without having to sign on the bottom line. It's a great excuse for a new boat but may not be the right time for you or Having to settle for what's available. Besides ordering right you might miss summer!! Best of luck, keep us posted!
 
Hang in there my friend, this too, will pass. On the bright side, you did catch it before it potentially became a very much more expensive fix. I believe things happen for a reason and in the end, it will work out for you. Chin up, think summer!
 
Wow, that is a sad finding. I sure hope the dealer has an easy fix for you.  Marina Mike's is picking mine up Monday morning for the 20 hour maintenance and some warranty work.  Also, thanks too your help, I'll be finalizing my trailer build with Owens and Sons on Monday.
 
Oh man has any water gotten in?!?


Didn't realize electrolysis can make actual holes in an aluminum pontoon. Aren't the zincs supposed to prevent/combat that?!?
 
That sucks. I hate hearing stories like this from my forum brothers. I have no advice for you, just feel your pain reading your post. Keep us posted....


I know you've been on the forum for a long time, but I can't keep track of where everyone is located. Are you in salt water?


I had a hole in a weld that I found a couple years ago.  Local welder fixed me up easily. Hope it's just a few holes and can be fixed.  Last I heard a story like this it was from pitting due to pressure treated bunk boards touching the aluminum.  Something in the pressure treatment that corrodes aluminum... 
 
Do you have electricity at your dock?
 
Really sorry to hear this.  It has to be a real punch in the gut. Hoping you get better news from the dealer.
 
kaydano said:
That sucks. I hate hearing stories like this from my forum brothers. I have no advice for you, just feel your pain reading your post. Keep us posted....


I know you've been on the forum for a long time, but I can't keep track of where everyone is located. Are you in salt water?


I had a hole in a weld that I found a couple years ago.  Local welder fixed me up easily. Hope it's just a few holes and can be fixed.  Last I heard a story like this it was from pitting due to pressure treated bunk boards touching the aluminum.  Something in the pressure treatment that corrodes aluminum... 
Click to expand...

Yes, in saltwater down here in Ft. Myers, FL.  I kept the boat in a wet slip at a local marina here for 4 years.  Plenty of electricity at that dock.  Before that it was at our dock at the previous house.  I've been keeping it on a new trailer for the past year, but in hindsight I'm sure the damage occurred at the marina.  Just couldn't see it because of the black bottom paint.  Once stripped away, it most likely "unclogged" the holes.  I'll get a better look this morning, but so far it appears to have occurred in areas where the bottom paint was hiding it.
 
BigKahuna said:
Oh man has any water gotten in?!?


Didn't realize electrolysis can make actual holes in an aluminum pontoon. Aren't the zincs supposed to prevent/combat that?!?
Click to expand...

Yes, I believe there is.  The odd thing though is that there is some water that appears to trickling out from the port pontoon - except that it hasn't been in the water for nearly three weeks.  So not sure if it's accumulated rain water coming from some other part of the boat, or if the pontoon is somehow draining.  Very puzzling.
 
The Wanderer2 said:
Wow, that is a sad finding. I sure hope the dealer has an easy fix for you.  Marina Mike's is picking mine up Monday morning for the 20 hour maintenance and some warranty work.  Also, thanks too your help, I'll be finalizing my trailer build with Owens and Sons on Monday.
Click to expand...

Good to hear that you went with Owens & Sons.  You'll be happy with them.
 
Alicedream said:
Really sorry to hear this.  It has to be a real punch in the gut. Hoping you get better news from the dealer.
Click to expand...

More like a kick in the nuts! LOL


I'll get through this.
 
 I know it sounds dumb but if a coat of bottom paint pretty much sealed those holes previously could you double or triple coat it, and possibly save a couple more years out of it? After repairing the pinholes of course. 
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Good Luck TCpip, keep us updated
 
TC this really sucks! But I really do not like seeing people paint the bottom of the tubes. The paints are designed to stay attached to the substrate,whether it would be aluminum or fiberglass. And I wonder if the paint itself could have been the culprit.


Hopefully a good dealer with experience with aluminum boats will help guide you with the correct decision. Good luck friend. And keep all of us saltwater boaters informed.
 
Sorry to hear this and I'm sure that's a major shock.


We've likely relocating to Sanibel in the near future and have thought long and hard about whether to even bring our Bennington or just sell it up here in the North. Neither of us can stand the idea of seeing our perfectly lift/canopy kept boat spending much time in the salt, as we didn't think to get that simple option on the boat 4 years ago. Rack storage or trailering seems like the best option if we do, but more likely we'll end up in a different type of boat (for other reasons).


Despite your pain, it is very helpful to share with us, so we know what kind of things can happen, how to solve problems, and hopefully prevent them from happening in the future.
 
Ouch. Any courses of action with who did the under painting? Perhaps a product liability or general liability claim is in order. 
 
As you are doing. Take your time, learn about it, and in no time you're going to knock that curve ball out of the park!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top