I'm new to owning a tritoon so this is probably a dumb question. My boat (L21 with fishing platform - 23 foot deck) just rode out Hurricane Ian in a marina in the Bradenton area. It seems to be sitting in the water with the aft part of the toons a little lower in the water than they were before the storm. I've only owned it for a month and I thought it always was tilted pretty much the same since I got it, but one of the guys in my marina came by and said he thought this was too much. The boat was uncovered and I'm wondering if the rain could've put more water into the transom than normal or somehow seeped into the center toon. See the attached pictures. I have a bilge rocker on my helm but when I turn it on I only hear the pump running but don't see any water coming out so I think the area where the fuel lines are is empty or has very little water. Any advice? Do the pictures look normal? Thanks.
Water In Transom
- Thread starter NY2FL
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FightinIrish
Well-Known Member
Do you have any pictures of it sitting in the water before the storm? It does seem a bit low in the back...how many HP is the engine? Water in the transom shouldn't do it. Could be water in the center toon, though I'm assuming you have center toon storage with your bilge? Have you lost MPH/performance since the storm?
If you have a trailer, take the boat out of the water and have someone start driving then stop hard. You would hear sloshing within the toons if there is water in there.
If you have a trailer, take the boat out of the water and have someone start driving then stop hard. You would hear sloshing within the toons if there is water in there.
Vikingstaff
Moderator
Sounds like you have center pontoon storage with a bilge pump based on your description. Instead of switching the bilge pump to “on”, switch it to “auto”. It will then turn the pump on if it detects water.
This will basically tell you if you have water in the center pontoon storage area. Which I would expect in large amounts for any pontoon with center pontoon storage that goes through a heavy rain storm (let alone hurricane) uncovered.
I agree that before and after pictures would help eye ball the situation for all of us. Looks slightly low, but not by much. Close enough (if you have a bigger motor) to maybe be normal too.
Also, is it ”listing” to one side or the other? That would indicate if there is water in either of the outside pontoons separately front he center pontoon.
And finally, the trailer test mentioned above is a good way to check if nothing above is giving a good indication.
This will basically tell you if you have water in the center pontoon storage area. Which I would expect in large amounts for any pontoon with center pontoon storage that goes through a heavy rain storm (let alone hurricane) uncovered.
I agree that before and after pictures would help eye ball the situation for all of us. Looks slightly low, but not by much. Close enough (if you have a bigger motor) to maybe be normal too.
Also, is it ”listing” to one side or the other? That would indicate if there is water in either of the outside pontoons separately front he center pontoon.
And finally, the trailer test mentioned above is a good way to check if nothing above is giving a good indication.
Where are you looking for the water coming out when turning on the bilge? On my L, the water discharges at the top of the center toon and drips down the side of the toon into the water. The only way you can see it is if you lean over the deck completely and look underneath.
DVW
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The transom area does not need to be pumped out. Water that is not displaced by the fuel tank drains out the bottom. Your boat does look a little low in the back but then again it looks a little high in the front. A heavy motor, live well and a pole anchor might all contribute to the attitude. To confirm if things changed during the storm look for a stain at the water line. If you have a stain you have evidence of the normal water line. You can observe a potential stain at one end of the boat by having someone stand on the other end.
Jim Rampello
Well-Known Member
Check for water in the seat boxes, I have one that collects water. Gotta get a drain hole in there!