How to replace a panel????
- Thread starter hamptonbd
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Jack M
Moderator
Plunger ?
Plunger might work but from the looks of it you will still have a crease or three.. The skins are paper thin. That exact one cost me last year $500 and came with the rail. A couple of waves over the bow caused mine.
If you go the replacement route I can warn you that it’s not an easy job but can be done if you have basic tools. The holes in the railing will not be predrilled and you will have remove your door and attach it to the new one.
Some pics of my adventures
Good luck
If you go the replacement route I can warn you that it’s not an easy job but can be done if you have basic tools. The holes in the railing will not be predrilled and you will have remove your door and attach it to the new one.
Some pics of my adventures
Good luck
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Ordered directly from my Bennington dealer on Lake Murray.
Ive seen others who had panels damaged by people standing up front putting their feet against them without even thinking they could be damaging stuff.. Those big ass fenders are good for dents as well. It doesn’t take much to damage the outer panels.
Vikingstaff
Moderator
Those panels dent easy. For replacement panels you’d go through a Bennington boat dealership.
Sparkyduc
Active Member
I have also dented mine by a wave, you’d think Bennington would put some backing or support behind those front panels if they are damaged so easily
Vikingstaff
Moderator
I think it just goes hand in hand with flat aluminum. It’s nice due to light weight, and hence attractive for pontoons. However, it simply isn’t going to be durable if banged on or crashed into. just the nature of normal pontoon fencing.
Not sure to what degree you could really mitigate it short of switching to a denser and heavier metal, with reinforced backing, all of which comes with other tradeoffs.…namely cost and weight.
Not sure to what degree you could really mitigate it short of switching to a denser and heavier metal, with reinforced backing, all of which comes with other tradeoffs.…namely cost and weight.
BigKahuna
Well-Known Member
Had our previous boat dented by a good friend of mine and of this forum that is no longer with us. God bless Carl! He offered to put in an insurance claim to get it repaired but I told him we would work to get it fixed the best that we could! Anyway because of the wavy aluminum that Bennington uses we couldn't straighten it out using a plunger or even pushing it out from the back. (We had full access) 2 paintless dent companies wouldn't even come out to look at it saying that it couldn't be done! I took it to a Bennington dealer and they gave me an estimate between $3000-$3500 for a total replacement. Parts and labor! So we pushed it out the best we could and eventually got the entire boat vinyl wrapped. Good luck on what you decide to do......
This company makes just the panels and sell them in sheets if your feeling like you want to do some work.
www.pontoonspecialists.com/oem-replacement-pontoon-railing-sheet-metal-black-21-3-4-x-144
www.pontoonspecialists.com/oem-replacement-pontoon-railing-sheet-metal-black-21-3-4-x-144
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rmelarkey66
Member
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Magician,
Thanks for sharing. My Bennington was hit twice in the last month while residing on a mooring buoy. One on the starboard bow and one on the starboard stern. This starboard replacement panel one piece or two? I can see two if I had a dock door for access. I have quotes for two different replacement panel parts from my dealer. Estimates range from $1500 to $2500 per parts, labor and shipping.
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Potomacbassin’
Well-Known Member
Dents give your boat character!
Can't imagine why you can't do a "bath fitter" type repair where a replacement panel is cut to a slightly smaller dimension and adhered over top of the old one. Any protruding sections of the old panel are just cut out as long as there is enough left to provide backing for the new one. Just cosmetic anyhow.
Maybe when it's my turn to fix one of these I'll give it a whirl.
Can't imagine why you can't do a "bath fitter" type repair where a replacement panel is cut to a slightly smaller dimension and adhered over top of the old one. Any protruding sections of the old panel are just cut out as long as there is enough left to provide backing for the new one. Just cosmetic anyhow.
Maybe when it's my turn to fix one of these I'll give it a whirl.