Brand new pontoon. I accidentally went forward instead of reverse, and hit a dock. The dent looks pretty bad, we don’t see any obvious holes in the log. Wondering what to do, is the boat still safe to drive, I’m sure this won’t be our first accident, or should I just follow and insurance claim.
Hit the dock. Nice dent in the front of one of the logs.
- Thread starter Jdavis73
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SEMPERFI8387
Moderator
How bad is it? Pics? First is the worst. Depending on severity let it go. If you file a claim, it would probably be fall till you’d see a replacement log anyhow, so keep on boating, and any further damage will just be lessons learned.
TexasMustang
Member
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How bad is the dent? Use a heat gun (or good hair dryer) to get it hot. Immediately poor ice cold water (or dry ice if available) on it and it might pop out. You can also buy special suction cups designed for pdr (paint-less dent repair) that might pull it depending on how bad.
lakeliving
Well-Known Member
This gave me a stomach ache reading this. Luckily it can be fixed.
I got my first few (many) dings on my rub rail after a docking issue. Sucks but best to get the first scratches out of the way and enjoy the boat. Without seeing photos, I doubt I would file an insurance claim. Have the dealer look at it at the 20 hour service and maybe give them a heads up with some photos and have them get someone to try and pop it out. They can also inspect it for safety. But im guessing the worst part is just simply the fact you dented the new boat, no big deal.
BigKahuna
Well-Known Member
Welcome to the forum Jdavis 73! Like Semp said Got pics?!? So we can see how bad it is. What do mean by front of the logs?!?
BigKahuna
Well-Known Member
Dings on the rub rail? Do you have your bumpers/fenders out when coming into your dock/slip?!?
My dock slip has white pvc piping spaced on the sides of the slip. So it would take the hit before the dock. Also I have rollers on the outside of the dock to direct the boat onto the lift that has padded cables on all 4 sides.
That being said...Dont try and park a boat when there is a wind shift in your cove and you have 3' swells because no matter how many things you have to protect the boat, the boat will find a few ways to find something to hit.
Lucky it wasn't worse. Learned lessons. Just scratches, no dents in the toons. No big deal. The dark in the dings should rub out because its aluminum. So thinking of taking some soft scrub to rub the scratches and get rid of the dark rub thats in them. Has anyone found a good way to get the dark rub color off the dings? Dings aren't going anywhere but would like to lose the dark color in them from the thing it hit/rubbed
In the end I remind myself its a boat. Made to run hard, run for fun, and enjoy. Its a toy and toys are meant to have fun with, not worship. So thats what I will do with this boat; run it hard and have fun. Scratches cant bother me to the point of forgetting that.
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Jack M
Moderator
My 2014 was hit at our previous marina . Police report was filed . Insurance paid to have the toon replaced ,it was about $3500 back then .
BigKahuna
Well-Known Member
Try some good cleaner wax to get those dark scratches out. As far as your rub rail is concerned use that LA's Totally Awesome cleaner from the Dollar store to get that clean. Good stuff!
Michiman
Well-Known Member
Welcome to the forum and post some pictures of your new Benny and tell us a bit about her. Obviously, you're not feeling very chipper about the mishap (I'd feel the same way) but thankfully no injuries other than dented pride. That said, if it can't be fixed and you're going to wince every time you see it, file the insurance claim and have it replaced in the off-season.
Everyone on this forum has a different way of docking because we all have different conditions to deal with, but I can say that I approach my slip very, very slowly and actually cut the power the last few feet and drift in. If you have a Mercury, likely you also have what is called a docking mode, so that your throttle response is only a fraction of what it normally is. It prevents someone from accidently "gunning" it and causing real damage or injury.
In the end, it's a lesson learned so go out and enjoy your summer!
Everyone on this forum has a different way of docking because we all have different conditions to deal with, but I can say that I approach my slip very, very slowly and actually cut the power the last few feet and drift in. If you have a Mercury, likely you also have what is called a docking mode, so that your throttle response is only a fraction of what it normally is. It prevents someone from accidently "gunning" it and causing real damage or injury.
In the end, it's a lesson learned so go out and enjoy your summer!
CLDave
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Don't feel too bad - at our boat-up bars there have been a few times where people have done the same thing, but in at least a couple cases, absolutely floored it and took out the dock and almost injured some diners on the patio.
If your Benny has electric controls, you may have a "docking" button. USE IT. it dramatically reduces the sensitivity for docking maneuvers and makes it much less likely that you'll damage anything. Don't let anyone else drive/land unless they know about and use it as well.
If your Benny has electric controls, you may have a "docking" button. USE IT. it dramatically reduces the sensitivity for docking maneuvers and makes it much less likely that you'll damage anything. Don't let anyone else drive/land unless they know about and use it as well.
Economy Mike
Well-Known Member
A few days after our boat lift conversion, our Benny ran away from home. New place. First experience with a lift. Nobody told us to put a leash on her, just in case the lift didn't hold, or someone didn't turn the switches completely off. Anyway, she roamed the waterways on her own for (probably) a few hours until I got a call that the sheriff was looking for me. Got her back OK, but with a small slit in the mooring cover and a little ding in one of the logs. Looks like she went dancing. Just grateful nobody ran into her that night and got hurt. But stuff happens. Hopefully, it's not catastrophic and we learn from it. Life goes on.
BigKahuna
Well-Known Member
So she was on the lift and the lift lowered somehow and she floated away?!? Holy crap!
Vikingstaff
Moderator
During big storms, we have had storm surges that have lifted jet skis and boats off their lifts. Rare, but has happened a couple times the last couple of years. Crazy when it does as most people pretty much put their items up on their lift and forget about them. On an inland lake, a 3-4’ storm surge is not something you really anticipate.
Pictures of peoples docks, boats and jet skis being torn apart and/or floating away is unsettling.
After it happened the first time (still had our lift) I kept a tie off rope attached to the boat and lift. Now that I have my Sea Legs, I still keep it tied off to the dock both up front and in back in case the hydraulics ever go out and it lowers back into the water.
My thinking is if it is conceivable, it is possible.
Pictures of peoples docks, boats and jet skis being torn apart and/or floating away is unsettling.
After it happened the first time (still had our lift) I kept a tie off rope attached to the boat and lift. Now that I have my Sea Legs, I still keep it tied off to the dock both up front and in back in case the hydraulics ever go out and it lowers back into the water.
My thinking is if it is conceivable, it is possible.
We have some big swells in our cove when the winds get going from the north (hence my dings). Luckily I’m able to get my boat and jetski up high, well above the dock height. I’ve heard the stories from neighbors about the times people didn’t lift them up high enough and in the morning their boat was in the corner of the cove, thrashed.
So out of precaution, the jetski stays about 6’ above the water line and the boat stays about 5’ from water to base of the toon.
So out of precaution, the jetski stays about 6’ above the water line and the boat stays about 5’ from water to base of the toon.
Economy Mike
Well-Known Member
Sure did. And that's almost what I said. The two lift control handles are supposed to be lined up to lock down the lift position. Apparently, the previous owner had at some point over-torqued one of them so that it had to be turned a few more degrees to lock it in place. Over the course of 4 days, she lowered down to the water and transformed into a sailboat. We're keeping her tied up now. Lesson learned. And the handles have been reset. A bit embarrassing, but if sharing my experience saves someone else from the same mishap, I'm glad to do so.
It’s a great attitude to have. I was embarrassed to tell people I scratched my new boat, and post photos, but it’s important to be able to laugh at oneself and more important to realize that things “could always be worse”. We could not even have boats!
lakelifeMN
Well-Known Member
I will have to keep this in mind. I’ve been waiting for my boat since February and still waiting for the motor (every week it’s “it will be here next week”). I’m worried about that first scratch and first ding. I’ll be happy learning about boating and being on the water but sometimes worrying if I have everything I need and knowing what to do feels overwhelming (now that I say this out loud it’s like having a newborn all over again
)Just keep telling myself I’m blessed to be able to get the boat I did and it could be much worse. I’ll figure the rest out as it comes.
BigKahuna
Well-Known Member
Well thx for the info. Keeping our boat on a lift for the first time this year. I'll definitely tie her up in case that happens