Drain on pontoon
- Thread starter TRB
- Start date
Welcome TRB
On my 2012 24SFI you have three sections that make up one pontoon, nose cone, middle section, and a rear section, these are sectioned off so that if you puncture a pontoon only one section will take on water.
So to answer your question no. there should not be a drain to let the water out, there is a plug or should be a plug at the top of each section, this is to add air at the factory, do not remove unless absoulutely necessary.
If you have water you may check to see if you have a small puncture in that section, if it is a crack next to a weld you might want to get with your dealer to see if this is under warranty. TB might want to chime in on this one.
Hope this helps.
On my 2012 24SFI you have three sections that make up one pontoon, nose cone, middle section, and a rear section, these are sectioned off so that if you puncture a pontoon only one section will take on water.
So to answer your question no. there should not be a drain to let the water out, there is a plug or should be a plug at the top of each section, this is to add air at the factory, do not remove unless absoulutely necessary.
If you have water you may check to see if you have a small puncture in that section, if it is a crack next to a weld you might want to get with your dealer to see if this is under warranty. TB might want to chime in on this one.
Hope this helps.
G
Geewest
Guest
If you can get to the plug at the top of the section that has the water in it you can remove the plug and put a small hose into the toon and start a syphon and drain the water out. They also make hand pumps that can suck the water out.
Did you crack the toon to get water in it?
Did you crack the toon to get water in it?
R
Retired Team Member1
Guest
TRB, welcome to the Club. Bennington pontoons are completely chambered. You will see distinct bulkheld welds along each tube (generally 3-4, depending on the length of the tube.) If a chamber takes on water, try to determine where the leak is coming from, drain at that point (if possible), then re-weld. Leaks ocurring at weld points are easily repaired, although these are rare. Leaks ocurring from a hole in the tube take a little more finess, and these are more common! A qualified weld shop or a Bennington dealer can help you.
Since you are not the original owner of the boat, and the boat is a 2002, you have a slim chance that this boat is still under the STRUCTURAL warranty, but it's worth a shot. Did you transfer the warranty from the original owner to your name? This is required. If so, the second owner receives whatever is left of the first 10 YEARS of a LIFETIME STRUCTURAL WARRANTY to the original owner. There may be a few months left to you! If the chamber is leaking due to a structural weakness in a weld, rather than an "accident", we'll cover it.
Good luck, TB
Last edited:
ericscher
Well-Known Member
Piece of advice...
The most effective way to get the water out is to drill a hole on the bottom of the affected log.
Yeah, I know... that seems like bad advice.
However, a hole can be welded up. Seek out a welder that specifically has lots of experience welding aluminum. I'm not a welder personally, but I play one... wait, no... never mind, Point is, there is technique and skill involved; BUT it can be done and done properly.
You may also find that you need an air outlet to drain. You'll need a 3/8" - 1/2" hole to avoid having water tension simply cover the hole up and prevent draining, and the air inlet can be as small as 1/4".
This is all doable. HOWEVER...
You first need to know where the water came from.
If you are lucky, there will be test ports in each log that the factory used to test them in the first place. If not, your welder can put one in. Pressurize to a small amount... a pound or two above existing pressure is likely sufficient. Now listen and feel for the air leak. If the log is leaking enough to let water IN then it will also let air OUT.
If anyone smokes and you're indoors, blowing non-inhaled smoke towards the weld areas can be helpful. If you happen to have a mechanical smoker that can be handy. Your welder might have one.
The most important thing is that you CAN repair this, and while it might cost you a couple of hundred bucks by the time you're done, that is a HECK of a lot cheaper than a new log.
The most effective way to get the water out is to drill a hole on the bottom of the affected log.
Yeah, I know... that seems like bad advice.
However, a hole can be welded up. Seek out a welder that specifically has lots of experience welding aluminum. I'm not a welder personally, but I play one... wait, no... never mind, Point is, there is technique and skill involved; BUT it can be done and done properly.
You may also find that you need an air outlet to drain. You'll need a 3/8" - 1/2" hole to avoid having water tension simply cover the hole up and prevent draining, and the air inlet can be as small as 1/4".
This is all doable. HOWEVER...
You first need to know where the water came from.
If you are lucky, there will be test ports in each log that the factory used to test them in the first place. If not, your welder can put one in. Pressurize to a small amount... a pound or two above existing pressure is likely sufficient. Now listen and feel for the air leak. If the log is leaking enough to let water IN then it will also let air OUT.
If anyone smokes and you're indoors, blowing non-inhaled smoke towards the weld areas can be helpful. If you happen to have a mechanical smoker that can be handy. Your welder might have one.
The most important thing is that you CAN repair this, and while it might cost you a couple of hundred bucks by the time you're done, that is a HECK of a lot cheaper than a new log.
MillerTime
Member
Team Bennington: So it's a fact that the toons are not air pressurized. I have water in 2 of 3 tubes, not a lot, but water nevertheless. I'm first owner so I'm going to check on the structural warranty, but I expect that since we beach the boat often, we caused the problem. I've only discovered the water this weekend, I always thought it was the livewell or the tube side skirt/tubes holding water, but it isn't. Water is in the tubes.
R
Retired Team Member1
Guest
Hi Miller, tubes are pressure-tested during fabrication, but they are not "pressurized.". Please let a dealer look at the leak to see if we cam help!
MillerTime
Member
THANK YOU.
Kyle Brister
New Member
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Okay guys, for some reason it looks like my boat is sitting about 4-5 inches lower in the water than usual. I gave my pontoons the old hollow sound test & they sound fine. My biggest concern is that my motor might be too close to the water because when it makes a rooster tail it's up high against the profile of the motor. We have had a lot of flood water come down my river this year & the salinity drop in the water may be making the boat sit lower. Any suggestions. I don't want to get sunk, or have a problem with my motor. Thanks
Mike31406
Well-Known Member
Welcome to the forum Kyle. It would be helpful if you could tell us about your Bennington. Year, motor and which hole it is mounted in etc.
BulldogsCadillac
Just some guy
Pics are great too!
Question…My pontoon seems to be sitting a little low in the water and the front end does not seem to plain up like it should. I have also noticed that unless all of the weight in the boat is toward the back that the motor seems to be not deep enough in the water to run smoothly. I believe I have some water in at least the cone or front part of both pontoons from beaching damage. If I remove the drain plugs on top of the toons and siphon out the water, do I have to add air to re pressurize the toons? I did loosen a plug on one toon and could hear air leaking so i quickly closed it back up. Now i am afraid to try draining them myself.
SEMPERFI8387
Moderator
They are not pressurized. If you heard any air hissing it’s from the heat expanding the air, just like a gas cap when you remove it. Those plugs are for testing from factory. DO NOT try to pressurize them or you may damage the tubes.
Good to know that they are not pressurized. Thanks. I was hoping to open the plug and use a pump to remove water from the toons. The plug is on top and each section has one. I was able to unscrew and then retighten one when I heard the air leaking. So would it be safe to try this? I have a 2007 Bennington with 3 section toons.
BigKahuna
Well-Known Member
Years ago when we had water in our starboard pontoon we took it to an aluminum Tig welder. He drilled a hole in the rear and the water ran out. He then installed a threaded bung hole where the drilled hole was for the future. Done!!!
Same here. If you look back at some of my posts, I had about 3 gallons in 1 tube and 5ish in another. This was 2 years ago (and my boat is a 2011 I bought new). End caps had a small crack / pin hole(s) in the welds on the Top of the tube where it attaches the Rough water M bracket.
You have to pull all the skirting and a few of the wave shield pieces off to get to the top "plugs" so they could push air through them and then use soapy mater mixture and look for the bubbles (much like you do trying to find a leak in a car tire.
At the end of the day, they found it, fixed it, and installed 2 drain plugs like (BigKahuna said) for any future issues. Have pulled those rear plugs each season and its been less then 1/2 gallon which maybe is coming from condensation and temperature changes inside and outside the tubes?
You may ask why I just didn't get the tubes fixed from warranty?
1. Heard the water sloshing around during spring clean up when I cleaning it on the trailer.
2. Dealership I bought it from is 4 hours away and were backed up 4+ months. Said they could see me in October. Called 2 other dealers in my area and was given the same story.
3. Didn't know how bad it was when I first found it and since I'm on Saginaw Bay and Lake Huron, I wasn't gong to chance it.
Yes, its sucked paying for it out of my pocket, but I only lost a couple of weeks of our short boating season. I'm not sure there is a monetary price (within reason I suppose) that would be worth less then my piece of mind and safety of family and friends on our boat
You can also try the propane gas level check and pour a cup of hot / boiling water over the side of the tube from the top down and then feel the tube to where it goes from feeling hot (no water) to where it feels cool and that should give you an idea of how much water you have in the tube.
SEMPERFI8387
Moderator
Know anyone with a thermal camera?
CLDave
Well-Known Member
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You can get a thermal camera for $80 on Amazon now. I have a Flir One that I got for a couple hundred bucks - they're handy to have.