Air sound from pontoon. Uh-oh

[Boatmanswife]

Today we had a big rise in lake level due to heavy rains. I decided to pull my Starcraft Starfish 20 footer out of the water. Unfortunately I don't have a trailer so I bring it up on a ramp with logs for rollers. Usually works pretty good. However today the rear roller went crooked, and the starboard pontoon dropped down in the stern, smacking the bracket on the stern that holds the fishfinder transponder etc. Smacked it hard enough to bend the bracket badly. Now I hear what I dread to say, sounds like air escaping from underneath the pontoon, right at the bottom, around the seam below the bracket. Please tell me I didn't punch a hole in the pontoon.....I know I did.....what do I do now? I don't own a trailer, so towing it somewhere is going to be a chore. I cannot find any kind of large hole or anything, but it must have cracked something.

Is the whistling air sound what I think it is? A hole? Is this something fixable? I read the other threads about using JB Weld or 3m 5200. Will that work? I know welding aluminum is tricky unless you get someone who really knows what they are doing. Or am I going to need a replacement pontoon?

Sorry...I am a bit panicked.

Here is a picture of the damaged bracket.



Here is my boat, it's an oldie but we love it.

 

[5150abf]

Re: Air sound from pontoon. Uh-oh

No you don't needs a new tube, the hole would have to be by one of the welds on the transducer bracket, you probably pulled a tiny peice of the end cap out when it fell right on one of the welds, also check the keel on the bottom, alot of times when a boat is dropped it will crack the end cap weld.

You really buggered that bracket, the correct fix would be to remove the bracket and weld over the old welds then replace the bracket after you straighten it out but you are going to have to find a trailer to do that.

Do not put 5200 on it, I really don't think that will work and it will make it really hard to weld when you do get it fixxed right.

If this was at my work I could have it fixxed in about 10 minutes but you are a couple hundred miles north of me.

You need to get it to a welder to fix it, anything else won't work and will just make it harder to fix right later.

 

[Jeep Man]

Re: Air sound from pontoon. Uh-oh

No biggie! Clean up the area, source the leak yourself and call a welder with aluminum experience. Many welders have portable equipment and can likely fix it where it is.

 

[NetDoc]

Re: Air sound from pontoon. Uh-oh

Tough break, pardon the pun. There are tons of competent mobile welders out there. Find one.

 

[Dakota Dave]

Re: Air sound from pontoon. Uh-oh

It will need to be up off the ground to weld the tube. Don't put any kind of sealer on it, welding is the only permanent repair. A portable welder could do it , but if it was me i'd want it in my shop. Any Boat dealer should have a lift trailer. they don't usualy cost much to rent. We usued to rent one every year to pull or float our pontoon.

 

[Boatmanswife]

Re: Air sound from pontoon. Uh-oh

Thanks everyone, I will try to find a welder. I appreciate your assistance. I'll let you know how it turns out. Probably be next spring before I can get it fixed.

 

[EGlideRider]

Re: Air sound from pontoon. Uh-oh

You need to first determine that you really have a leak. I question whether there would be enough difference in air pressures between the inside and outside of the pontoon to result in an audible air leak. But it's possible.

If there happens to be a marina on your lake, the boat won't sink if you drive it to them.

 

[lncoop]

Re: Air sound from pontoon. Uh-oh

I'd recommend finding a way to get it to a weld shop rather than hiring a guy with a portable rig unless you can find a mobile welder with a glowing reputation for boat work. Aluminum welding is a special proposition for which not all welders are qualified (even some of the ones who claim to be). Good luck and don't worry. It's by no means the end for your Starcraft. Welcome to iboats.

 

[mjc3834merc]

Re: Air sound from pontoon. Uh-oh

I also feel your pain. We love our 20 ft Starfish too. If it were mine I'd find a welder that can do the job right and rent a lift type trailer. Then you can set it on blocks till spring. You could use the winter to look for a used trailer so it didn't happen again.

 

[Boatmanswife]

Re: Air sound from pontoon. Uh-oh

Thanks everyone. I have been trying to find someone in the area who can come here to weld it. So far no luck, they all want me to get it to them, which I suppose might be because it is aluminum welding. There is a lesson in this for me and that is, don't buy a boat without a trailer. Unfortunately I bought this from someone on the same lake as us who also bought it without a trailer. Not having a trailer is no big deal....until something goes wrong.

 

[Jeff-in-PA]

Re: Air sound from pontoon. Uh-oh

Thanks everyone. I have been trying to find someone in the area who can come here to weld it. So far no luck, they all want me to get it to them, which I suppose might be because it is aluminum welding. There is a lesson in this for me and that is, don't buy a boat without a trailer. Unfortunately I bought this from someone on the same lake as us who also bought it without a trailer. Not having a trailer is no big deal....until something goes wrong.

I did a search in NS for welding services using "The Thomas Register" ( search engine we use at work to find materials and speciality shops )

http://www.thomasnet.com/nova-scotia/welding-services-93550804-1.html

21 choices, hopefully you can find a qualified welder with a mobile unit.

Jeff

 

[5150abf]

Re: Air sound from pontoon. Uh-oh

Eglide, tubes can easily build up 3-4 psi from sitting in the sun or just a large temp change especially if they have non vented plugs.

I have worked on tubes that blew the plug out of my hand as I removed them, we use vented plugs now just for that reason, imagine a boat we build in the winter when the shop is 65 going to Arizona where it is 100+, lots of air to expand.

 

[Boatmanswife]

Re: Air sound from pontoon. Uh-oh

Thanks Jeff, I will give the list a try. I appreciate it.
Rob

 

[EGlideRider]

Re: Air sound from pontoon. Uh-oh

Thanks 5150. I thought all tubes had vented plugs because of the Indiana to Arizona analogy that you gave. But I'll certainly not question your expertise on the subject.