2018 22SX w/200 Yamaha and twin batteries and I’m the 2nd owner. Since we’ve had the boat it has had a lean to starboard that only gets more pronounced when my 255lbs sits in the seat? It doesn’t seem to get that toon as far out of the water when on plane? I’ve been under it on and off the trailer and can’t see any punctures or obvious leaks. I’m getting ready to line up the 100hr on the motor and have some other warranty work done but I thought I would ask here if anyone has a similar issue and what the remedy was? I’m planning on moving one of the batteries to the other side over the offseason but thought I’d ask anyway.
Tritoon leans one side in the water
- Thread starter Magician
- Start date
Vikingstaff
Moderator
Have you had someone move the boat back and forth and then coming to a stop while on the trailer to listen for the sound of water sloshing around in the pontoon (them in vehicle, you standing near pontoon)? If you have not done that yet, I would do it. It sounds suspicious if the list to one side is noticeable. I would also share this with the dealership and ask about having the pontoon in question pressure tested when it is in for the 100 hour service on the motor.
Many times very small leaks are not at all visibly noticeable - can be something as simple as a pinhole in a weld somewhere. Without moving the trailer and listening for water moving, or without getting a pressure test done on that pontoon, you just don’t know for sure.
Good idea Vikingstaff and I’ll add the pressure test to the list for the dealer. Some other boats have bungs on the toons, wonder why not on Benningtons? Maybe channels inside?
Thanks for quick response. This has been bothering me since I first noticed it in June.
Thanks for quick response. This has been bothering me since I first noticed it in June.
The bungs are usually on the top of the toons for pressure testing at the factory. If you want drain bungs added, then you'll have to engage the services of an aluminum welder to have them added for each chamber.
Remediation
Well-Known Member
My crack was on the top the the toon, so water never leaked out. I saw the listing of the boat while my wife was going from the trailer to our dock. We pulled it out and did the trailer rock and you could hear the water slosh.
Vikingstaff
Moderator
FYI on my boat in this regard. Earlier this summer we noticed listing and a leak in our port side pontoon. When up on its Sea Legs we had water draining out from the welds in a few spots on our port side performance foil welds (see video in link below). It went to a welder via our Bennington dealer under warranty (2017 Tritoon).
Fix: Pressure tested and found four leaks. Drilled holes in two compromised chambers on the port side pontoon. Drained the two chambers that were leaking. Put new drain holes and plugs in them. Cut out performance foil areas around weld leaks to reinforce weld repairs. Re-welded cut out sections and compromised weld points. Finally, added more weld points along the entirety of the performance foils on the port side.
Below is the link to my post and all the replies about it. If you scroll through it I posted pictures of how it got fixed. Also, others like Remediation, commented in that thread too on their situations.
Port Pontoon Leak and Repair
Viking, that was a good read and pushed me to schedule mine for service today. I requested the pressure test on the R/H log as well as all the other things on my list. I’m hoping if mine does have weld issues that Bennington simply replaces it but will wait and see. My boat has a steering issue as well so it could be there for a while but I’ll update when I can.
SEMPERFI8387
Moderator
Don’t count on “replacement”. The warranty states Bennington will “fix” issues, but does not state they will ”replace” a pontoon with any defects.
Vikingstaff
Moderator
Glad it is helpful. Even though I was a little nervous going into it, I will say I am very pleased with the results of having it weld fixed myself under warranty.
Also, based on what others have shared in the past, and now my personally experience, I think there is an argument to be made for there being some advantages to them being able to weld fix a leak vs. pontoon replacement. In my mind those are:
(a) solves the problem either way,
(b) significantly quicker turn around time (more important to those with short boating seasons),
(c) adds a drain plug in the affected chambers that otherwise is not there originally,
(d) in my case they added more weld points along the length of the performance foil that are not normally there.
Also, based on what others have shared in the past, and now my personally experience, I think there is an argument to be made for there being some advantages to them being able to weld fix a leak vs. pontoon replacement. In my mind those are:
(a) solves the problem either way,
(b) significantly quicker turn around time (more important to those with short boating seasons),
(c) adds a drain plug in the affected chambers that otherwise is not there originally,
(d) in my case they added more weld points along the length of the performance foil that are not normally there.
Ultimately I hope it’s repaired now more so then replaced. My lifting strakes run full length so it’s possible a leak could be anywhere. I’ve wondered why they don’t have drain plugs when some other boats do? Lastly, Im the 2nd owner of this boat, the first one didn’t take care of or clean the logs so they are stained significantly and a replacement would look much different and my madness(perfectionist) wouldn’t let me leave it that way. I’m planning on doing all I can to get them clean in the off season up to polishing them.
I got some good info and ideas on this post and i m hoping things will be handled by Bennington, so far they have covered everything.
I got some good info and ideas on this post and i m hoping things will be handled by Bennington, so far they have covered everything.
Remediation
Well-Known Member
The crack was on the top of the toon and not repairable. Bennington shipped a new toon with sharkhide on it(original was sharkhide). I drilled a hole in the toon and drained the water and then epoxied the hole closed and used the boat till winter. The dealer called when they were done with winterizations and replaced the pontoon after I brought the boat to him.
Vikingstaff
Moderator
Man...sorry you had to go through it, butt so thrilled they were able to repair it so well for you. I only got about two months of boating in after our weld repairs, but they did a great job on ours this summer too. Looking forward to a smoother 2021 boating season. Hoping you have a better one too.
I picked it up today and I had to look hard to find the welds so nice job there. All the other little things I had were fixed as well, only issues I still have are finding the front deck cap and the two rear corner caps. The dealer quoted a price of $140 plus $150 shipping for the front cap alone and $100 a piece for the two rear corner caps? Shipping that high seems like a stretch at best? I’d like to find the manufacturer of the caps and just go straight to them.
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SEMPERFI8387
Moderator
It’s probably a size issue, and has to ship “Freight”. I think UPS/FEDEX have 8’ limit and the caps probably 8’6” plus for the box. I‘d bet that’s why shipping seems so high.
Maybe just use universal type corners? https://www.pontoonspecialists.com/pontoon-exteriors/corner-caps