Nasty hole in pontoon, heartbroken, please help

Beemdub

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Just bought this 2018 SSRX last summer..and all it took was a couple hours on memorial day for this to happen. We were in a VERY shallow canal that is only about a foot deep, and the toon caught a rock right before we got out of it. The thing nearly sank, hole big enough to look into. There's also a dent. Is there any hope to repair? I took it to one place and the guy basically told me either the toon needs to be replaced and its done for summer, or total it out with insurance. I'd like to get someone elses opinion because I keep seeing repairs online that look as bad that people have had repaired and welded back to normal.



 
Welcome to the forum beemdub! That's some serious damage. Take it to your local Bennington dealer or to an experienced aluminum welder to see if it can possibly be repaired. If not I can't imagine that your boat would be "totaled". It's only 4 yrs. old! Did you know that canal was only a foot deep before going in or was it one of those "Oh Shit" moments where you look down at the gauge and realize...... Oh oh?!? Just thinking about that gives me the chills!!!
 
I think a good aluminum repair/weld shop could patch it up. It may not look pretty but get you through summer. I’d get a new toon on order now and it might come in by end of season and swap it out over winter.
 
That is some major damage, I would get an estimate on aluminum weld and if very expensive I would probably not repair and wait for new toon to arrive as IMO the toon will probably have to be replaced eventually
 
My dealer just ordered a New tube for mine ,8 week wait
 
My dealer just ordered a New tube for mine ,8 week wait
Jack, Hopefully they hit that target delivery date better than your boat delivery date … :oops:
 
Unless there are other issues, I plan on waiting until fall for the install. Dealer called yesterday, weld is done ,but I can't take it today because our association meeting is at the marina .
 
I think a good aluminum repair/weld shop could patch it up. It may not look pretty but get you through summer. I’d get a new toon on order now and it might come in by end of season and swap it out over winter.
Yikes! That’s pretty bad. The above advice would be my plan of action. I’d get the insurance claim in motion now for the new pontoon due to how bad the damage is.

In the meantime, I’d also see if it can be repaired to get through the summer - maybe yes, maybe no…? It sure seems pretty major, and I am not sure a long term weld repair would be good vs. just the full replacement.

I also agree at just 4 years old, the amount of damage is not going to rise to amount where insurance will total it out. They’d do the replacement. As expensive as a replacement pontoon is, it is significantly less than totaling out a 2018 Bennington. Good luck. That’s rough.
 
Yikes! That’s pretty bad. The above advice would be my plan of action. I’d get the insurance claim in motion now for the new pontoon due to how bad the damage is.
I agree! I don't think there is anyway the insurance company would "total" the boat, especially given how much used boats are now selling for.
 
Wow. I feel for you. I don't think it's going to get fixed without toon replacement.
 
This looks worse than it is. It is probable that a quick fix to get you thru the season will be your final fix once it is out of sight. You need a good welder as compared to a boat dealer who has someone who can weld. Twice with neighbors boats I have uncovered local dealer ineptitude with a bubble test. My best repair experience was up north with a mobile welding truck. The guy did a lot of aluminum weld repair on docks, boat lifts and boats. All of the dock services knew this guy. He did not use a bubble test but he was good. In a perfect world you will find a person who can also pull out the dent as well as fix the leak. That person could minimize the dent for good hydrodynamics but the tube will still be scared. A body shop might do the job if they know your expectations are reasonable.
 
The only way to fix that amount of damage is to remove the end cap completely and hammer everything back into shape from the inside. The right guy could do a pretty good job, but it won't look as nice as a new log. It comes down to what level of insurance coverage you have and whether or not the company will jack up your rates after the repair.
 
The only way to fix that amount of damage is to remove the end cap completely and hammer everything back into shape from the inside. The right guy could do a pretty good job, but it won't look as nice as a new log. It comes down to what level of insurance coverage you have and whether or not the company will jack up your rates after the repair.
Insurance coverage does play a big role. I agree with that. But if it takes $4000 to remove a scar below the waterline it might not be worth it.
In 1996 a big hail storm came thru that dimpled the aluminum side panels of my one year old pontoon. The repair estimate for the whole side was thousands $$. I took the insurance money and pounded out the bigger dimples as best as I could but it was not perfect. For a short time I was pained when I honed in on the dimples but even then I knew I was better off economically to not to fix it. For the last twenty years I have not noticed the minor dimples. As I am getting ready to sell the boat I suspect a buyer will not deduct much money for the boats character flaws. From a higher perspective (see photo) the old boat still looks good even if it is not a Bennington.
1654372604686.jpeg
 
Flex Seal.

A repair will get you back on the water but it will be a major patch. Obviously the best solution is to replace the entire toon via insurance but there is a cost to that. Deductible, increased premiums?

Living with a big weld plate also has its cost (peace of mind, resale, future repair failure) but depending on where you are with ownership goals and finances it might be the way to go.

I'm sure there are artisan welders out there that can make any repair look pretty but this video might give a little insight into how a repair might be approached.

 
Enjoyed watching that video.....as long as it's not my boat. Ha !
 
That video just goes to show what a capable individual with good welding skills can do. I still believe it’s fixable. If I remember correctly, a member on here re-skinned 2 toons after electrolysis damaged them. I’d still bet a good welder/fabricator could fix this in a day, two at most.
 
Hey Beemdub , any update on this???
 
Usually coastal marine mechanics (craigslist) know capable aluminum welders that could easily fix it. That is not a tough fix. Once you find and engage that person, many can do it mobile... and the cost is around $1000 at the most. Even the insurance company can help you find a welder from prior mishaps that had similar fixes. Do the homework, find a welder, git-r-dun and go have some fun!
 
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