Thread: Pontoon Holes

My buddy has a pontoon boat that he keeps at the beach. He noticed 10-15 holes on the bottom of his pontoons. He said they are a little smaller than a cigarette.

What can he patch these holes with? He is thinking about using Marine-Tex. I just wondered if anyone else has had this problem and what they used?

Thanks!

Darin

It would be best to repair them by having them TIG welded.

YOU could try dimpling the hole inward a little sand and clean real good and fill with JB weld. If this dont hold though it would be hard to clean to be able to weld it.

I would tig weld it for sure if you know anybody that welds it would be not that expensive to have it done right. Here may be an Idea get the gauge of metal that he wants, measure the area of the patch that he needs, cut the aluminum to size. Then take a coat hanger or heavy peace of wire and go to the underside of the pontoon bend the wire to the radius of the pontoon, and use the wire that was bent for a pattern and roll the aluminum to that radius and find somebody that can tig weld. Hope that maybe able to help alittle

i would have a patch made from thin alum and welded over the entire damaged area. there are probably more weak spts that are not holes and a long patch would cover them all and provide a fix that just welding the individual holes. if that were to happen to my toon I would go with a long patch. if this "patch" is not done right this toon will become a artifical reef soon with some possible personal injuries included. Toons will sink and one with 10-15 holes is a prime canidate.

Best fix, new pontoons... as mentioned above, these toons are probably worn and have other thin spots on them and it will be a never ending battle of patching.

Second best fix is having them heliarced closed.

Third is an aluminum patch with a high grade marine sealant and blind rivets.

... btw, if your buddy is keeping his 'toon docked in salt or brackish water, that will be his problem. 'Toons are mainly freshwater boats and the aluminum is too thin for constant exposure to saltwater. I'm not saying you can't use them in saltwater, but he should keep it dry docked on a trailer when he's not using it and wash it down real good every time after putting it in the salt/brackish water.

If your buddy wants a saltwater boat he should get fiberglass.

He does not keep it in the water. He keeps it on a trailer. The holes are showing up where the pontoons sit on the carpet on the trailer. The carpet is holding salt against the aluminum and causing the problem.

Thanks for all the advice!

Darin