Lifting Strakes on Elliptical pontoon get hung up

[PYC5 Dave]

This is an issue that I thought someone may have already solved as I am still working on a solution. I have lifting strakes on my elliptical pontoons and when I put the boat in and out of the water with straps they hang up on the strakes. The straps when loose are bell shaped or curved. So when the boat is in the water the strap hugs the pontoon AFT of the strake. When I lowered the boat the boat floats and I try to push it back the straps get hung up on the lifting strakes. Lowering the straps a little more helps but my wife and I on opposite sides still fight pushing them down to clear the lifting strake. I have tried using a boat hook but that gets caught under the strake. Going to try a PVC pipe and "T" next. The same issue occurs when coming into the slings at the bow, but a bunch of jiggling and standing on the bow seems to fix it. I am sure I can over engineer a solution with weights and pulleys but though I may already have an answer here. Thanks

 

[Vikingstaff]

This is an issue that I thought someone may have already solved as I am still working on a solution. I have lifting strakes on my elliptical pontoons and when I put the boat in and out of the water with straps they hang up on the strakes. The straps when loose are bell shaped or curved. So when the boat is in the water the strap hugs the pontoon AFT of the strake. When I lowered the boat the boat floats and I try to push it back the straps get hung up on the lifting strakes. Lowering the straps a little more helps but my wife and I on opposite sides still fight pushing them down to clear the lifting strake. I have tried using a boat hook but that gets caught under the strake. Going to try a PVC pipe and "T" next. The same issue occurs when coming into the slings at the bow, but a bunch of jiggling and standing on the bow seems to fix it. I am sure I can over engineer a solution with weights and pulleys but though I may already have an answer here. Thanks

Trying to envision this. Do you have some sort of lift/hoist that lifts with slings/straps? Pictures?

 

[Bill N]

What year Bennington? It sounds like you have strakes on the outside of the tubes? As I type this I realize that some twin elliptical do indeed have outside strakes. (or performance foils or whatever Bennington calls them)

 

[PYC5 Dave]

What year Bennington? It sounds like you have strakes on the outside of the tubes? As I type this I realize that some twin elliptical do indeed have outside strakes. (or performance foils or whatever Bennington calls them)

2022 22LXL Saltwater so the strakes are closed.

 

[Joeb14]

Not sure if I would recommend straps to lift the boat, as they effectively add a horizontal force inwards on both sides. Do a search- you may find more info on this. Or ask Bennington if they are ok with this method of lifting.

 

[mtudb24]

I would love to see some pics. I have a 2011 with the dual 32" elips with lifting strakes on the inside and outside of the 2 tubes, but I can't without visually seeing what your issue is.

 

[PYC5 Dave]

I would love to see some pics. I have a 2011 with the dual 32" elips with lifting strakes on the inside and outside of the 2 tubes, but I can't without visually seeing what your issue is.

Here is a photo of an Elliptical pontoon. I have not been able to get a photo of the straps yet but they hang in a "bell" shape when not holding the boat up. Imagine it looking like the letter "U" . The straps hold the boat up aft of the lifting strakes. When I lower the boat into the water the straps still hug or touch the hull aft of the strakes. When pushing the boat back the straps hang up on the aft edge of the strakes. Jiggling and fiddling seems like the only method to get the straps past the strakes.

 

[Michiman]

Interesting. I’ve personally never seen a trailer set up like that. Silly question: can’t you remove the straps prior to launch, or am I just not understanding what’s happening?

 

[PYC5 Dave]

Interesting. I’ve personally never seen a trailer set up like that. Silly question: can’t you remove the straps prior to launch, or am I just not understanding what’s happening?

Trailer setup is actually pretty normal. What may appear as not normal to you is the lifting strakes. The photo is just to illustrate how the strakes end before the end of the pontoons. The issue I have is with the boat on my lifting straps at the dock not on the trailer. The lifting straps when down and under the boat (boat is floating) support the boat aft of the strakes. When backing the boat or pushing it out the straps hang up on the strakes.

 

[Timdelta]

Epoxy or weld a piece of material by the strake that will allow straps to slide by the strakes.

 

[BulldogsCadillac]

Maybe I'm remembering wrong, but I don't believe it is recommended to be always lifting using a strap system, i am assuming based on your description they are only straps with no bunk boards(?). I know that they do it, but the placement is key to be in the exact right spot each time to not risk toon damage/deflection.

If I am totally out to lunch and that isn't what you are saying then I would look at attaching a sealed nylon bag that is weighted(sandbag style but not as large obviously) higher up on the OUTSIDE of the sling so that when lowered into the water the weights will hopefully cause the sling strap to fall down far enough to clear the strakes.

 

[basshawk84]

Replace the straps on your lift with a cradle, otherwise you will continually have to deal with manually pushing the straps around the strakes while coming back into our slip. It's just the nature of the straps.

 

[Remediation]

There was a member that the boat yard used straps to move his boat and the pontoons buckled from the load. A round pontoon distributes the load different than an elliptical pontoon. I would talk to the Bennington engineers about using straps on your lift.

 

[Bill N]

There was a member that the boat yard used straps to move his boat and the pontoons buckled from the load. A round pontoon distributes the load different than an elliptical pontoon. I would talk to the Bennington engineers about using straps on your lift.

If memory serves me, the ellipticals are .1 while the standard 25" round is .080" so it should resist caving in a little better, but this would also be my concern.