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Got a really UGLY curve ball thrown at me today

tcpip95 said:
Yet another update:  I heard back from the guy doing the work on my boat.  The pontoons as they sit are in very bad shape.  There's nothing that he can do.  I'm going up the Saturday to pick up the boat.


Having said that, I found a metal fabrication company very nearby that have used TIG welding of a rolled aluminum  "bottom cap" to the form a "jacket" around the pontoons.  Apparently this problem that I have is not that unusual.  The damage is below the waterline, so what they do is roll aluminum and make a cap that fits over the existing pontoons and then weld that to the pontoon itself.  It's basically a sheet of aluminum that gets welded from "3 o'clock to 9 o'clock" the entire length of each of the pontoons.  It ends up forming a thicker bottom (the old pontoon + the new sheet of aluminum welded to it), which forms an airtight and watertight seal right on top of the old pontoons.  I will end up having a horizontal welding seam running the length of the pontoon (maybe I'll rename it Frankenton), but the boat will be safe and solid again.  I still need to discuss with the shop whether they can do the lifting strakes and performance foils (forgot to ask them when I spoke with them), but I don't believe that will be a big problem.  


So, sounds like it's going to be a few more weeks, but cost should be under $4,000 all told.
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Good luck with the fix.I hope this will be the end of your adventure with the leaking pontoons.You sure have taught a bunch of us some don'ts and do's. Like to see pics of the end results.
 
Get 100 cans of Great Stuff and fill the pontoons with foam while you're at it....


Seriously, I've oftened wondered why they don't fill toons with foam. Must be a good reason...
 
kaydano said:
Get 100 cans of Great Stuff and fill the pontoons with foam while you're at it....


Seriously, I've oftened wondered why they don't fill toons with foam. Must be a good reason...
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When the foam gets wet, it becomes a real big problem as it will stay saturated forever. Boat weighs a whole lot more in that case.
 
It won't weigh more if it fills with water when there's no foam?  It would weigh so much you'd sink.


Closed cell foam won't saturate. I wasn't suggesting filling it with a sponge.
 
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kaydano said:
It won't weigh more if it fills with water when there's no foam?  It would weigh so much you'd sink.


Closed cell foam won't saturate. I wasn't suggesting filling it with a sponge.
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There are many reports of U shaped foam filled pontoon failures. If there is a leak, they do get waterlogged, so carry around the extra weight of the water inside even if you don't know it. Also, in the case of metal repairs, welding on them is a problem with the foam still inside.


Not trying to debate it, just wouldn't be a solution for me based on the evidence. I do think he has an interesting solution with the aluminum "wrap around" and hope it works out for him!
 
tcpip95 said:
Yet another update:  I heard back from the guy doing the work on my boat.  The pontoons as they sit are in very bad shape.  There's nothing that he can do.  I'm going up the Saturday to pick up the boat.


Having said that, I found a metal fabrication company very nearby that have used TIG welding of a rolled aluminum  "bottom cap" to the form a "jacket" around the pontoons.  Apparently this problem that I have is not that unusual.  The damage is below the waterline, so what they do is roll aluminum and make a cap that fits over the existing pontoons and then weld that to the pontoon itself.  It's basically a sheet of aluminum that gets welded from "3 o'clock to 9 o'clock" the entire length of each of the pontoons.  It ends up forming a thicker bottom (the old pontoon + the new sheet of aluminum welded to it), which forms an airtight and watertight seal right on top of the old pontoons.  I will end up having a horizontal welding seam running the length of the pontoon (maybe I'll rename it Frankenton), but the boat will be safe and solid again.  I still need to discuss with the shop whether they can do the lifting strakes and performance foils (forgot to ask them when I spoke with them), but I don't believe that will be a big problem.  


So, sounds like it's going to be a few more weeks, but cost should be under $4,000 all told.
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How much weight is the "jacket" fix going to add ? Would that also change your weight capacity ?


Just thinking . :unsure:
 
kaydano said:
Get 100 cans of Great Stuff and fill the pontoons with foam while you're at it....


Seriously, I've oftened wondered why they don't fill toons with foam. Must be a good reason...
Click to expand...

In the days of STEEL pontoons, back in the 60's filling pontoons with pumped in styrofoam was used frequently.
 
Jack M said:
How much weight is the "jacket" fix going to add ? Would that also change your weight capacity ?


Just thinking . :unsure:
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That I don't know yet.  It will change it some, but I suspect the difference will be negligible.
 
TomS said:
There are many reports of U shaped foam filled pontoon failures. If there is a leak, they do get waterlogged, so carry around the extra weight of the water inside even if you don't know it. Also, in the case of metal repairs, welding on them is a problem with the foam still inside.


Not trying to debate it, just wouldn't be a solution for me based on the evidence. I do think he has an interesting solution with the aluminum "wrap around" and hope it works out for him!
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If I hit something out on the lake and tore into a pontoon I'd be more than happy if it was filled with foam. But I can see it being very difficult to weld later with foam inside. I'm sure that's why they don't put foam in them anymore.
 
tcpip95 said:
(maybe I'll rename it Frankenton)
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I would go with "Young Frankentoon"  I am interested in the strakes & foils part, you wouldn't want to cut them off and reweld them on.  I suppose they could just bend new ones and cap them too.  
 
mattb said:
I would go with "Young Frankentoon"  I am interested in the strakes & foils part, you wouldn't want to cut them off and reweld them on.  I suppose they could just bend new ones and cap them too.  
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I LOVE "Young Frankentoon"!  Post Of The Day!


The strakes and foils took the brunt of the electrolysis so they are in really bad shape. 


I spoke today at some length with the local guy at the fabrication company.  He was very knowledgeable about pontoons, lifting strakes, performance foils, and the solid keel.  He said he's been working on and around boats for over 40 years.  What they'll do is cut off the old stuff so that they can get a good surface to weld the caps to, then make new ones to go on.  He knew and understood the performance and handling factors that they contribute (in fact, he said there is a term - darting - that the boat would do if they didn't have them on).  We really went over it in great detail - I felt like a novice talking to him.  After talking to him and reviewing their website, I feel really really comfortable tonight.


I'm driving up tomorrow morning to retrieve the boat from the other yard(it's about 4 hours away).  That yard is installing my new GPS and sonar, pulling off my old one, and he'll have it ready for me tomorrow afternoon.
 
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I've been following this thread since the start.  I feel for you and the roller coaster of a process this has been. I am thrilled that you found a somewhat affordable solution to a major problem.


I would have never even thought about the potential dangers, and problems, of stray electrical current on the water from someone.  It has really made me think about this issue.  Thanks for chronicling the journey for all of us to learn from. 


I'd be curious to see pictures of the repaired toons with the welded on "cap" around them, as well as how they end up doing the strakes and foils.  
 
Good to hear TC.  Looks like you're giving that Titan a little work out.
 
Thanks.  Yeah, did 450 miles on it yesterday up and back.  Funny, I just feel psychologically more at peace knowing the boat's back home.
 
Vikingstaff said:
I've been following this thread since the start.  I feel for you and the roller coaster of a process this has been. I am thrilled that you found a somewhat affordable solution to a major problem.


I would have never even thought about the potential dangers, and problems, of stray electrical current on the water from someone.  It has really made me think about this issue.  Thanks for chronicling the journey for all of us to learn from. 


I'd be curious to see pictures of the repaired toons with the welded on "cap" around them, as well as how they end up doing the strakes and foils.  
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I'll post all the pics and a full recap once it's all done.  I'm excited about taking the boat to this local company tomorrow to get their estimate.
 
Just got back.  Guy looked at the boat and said that he doesn't see any problems with doing the job.  Start in about 2 weeks, and he thinks he'll have it for two more weeks so total of 4 weeks.  Should have it for 4th of July.
 
tcpip95 said:
Just got back.  Guy looked at the boat and said that he doesn't see any problems with doing the job.  Start in about 2 weeks, and he thinks he'll have it for two more weeks so total of 4 weeks.  Should have it for 4th of July.
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You've conquered the hardest part about this sort of thing, just finding someone knowledgable and competent with this specific issue. Glad he can take care of it and get you back in business soon.
 
Dropped the boat off at the fabricator this morning.... now the wait.  :huh:
 
Please post "before" and "after" pictures if you have any. Good luck!
 
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