Pontoon project boat...

freeisforme

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Mar 23, 2009
Messages
184
I have the chance to buy an older pontoon boat, the title says its a 20' model but the deck measures only about 16'.
The pontoons extend about 18" fore and aft of the deck. Its rated for a 70hp motor, its got what I'm told is a blown 40hp on it now with no lower unit.
The deck is new, brand new 3/4" marine ply with fresh marine carpet.
What concerns me is that for one, both pontoons have been painted, the seller says they were coated in some sort of epoxy coating then painted silver. The pontoons are riveted, not welded and are more or less U shaped not round like most that I see.
The railing is all intact. There is also two access hatches that appear to have been added on top of both pontoons at the very rear, and both pontoons have welded on hose nipples as if they could have had bilge pumps inside I guess?
The pontoons are foam filled with white poly styrene. I see no sign of water but its sitting on a trailer and the temps are well below freezing. I can lift either corner off the trailer myself so my guess is that its not heavy with water.

I believe the brand is Playcraft but I didn't take notice at the time. The seller is asking very little, not much more than scrap value I guess, which gives me even more cause for concern.
The seller said there was some pitting on the bottom of the pontoons but nothing through, they soda blasted the pontoons and coated them with epoxy.

I guess I'm looking for some opinions here, I don't mind a project but if the pontoons are leaky, I'm not too sure I care to mess with it. The seller has expressed interest in swapping me for a 12' aluminum row boat and trailer I have even up. I value the boat and trailer around a grand or so I guess.

I don't use the 12' boat much these days, but I really had no intentions of selling it, but I think I'd use the pontoon, especially since it seems to be pretty light and should be easy to tow with a small truck. I'm just leery about them having to paint or coat the pontoons and how permanent was the repair?
 

MH Hawker

Vice Admiral
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Jul 13, 2011
Messages
5,516
Re: Pontoon project boat...

I would pass it by, foam fills are know to have problems.
 

1983 ercoa 21'

Chief Petty Officer
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Jan 12, 2014
Messages
632
Re: Pontoon project boat...

I'd offer him half of what you value your boat at . Then take it to the boat ramp and float it for an hr or so and see if it takes on any water. If it does then part it out the trailer is easily worth what you would pay for it then any thing else is profit. If it doesn't take on water then find a used motor and put on it and enjoy. If something happened in the future you can always part it out get your money back. If you choose to pass on it if it's close buy I'd be interested in it.
 

dls322

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
May 10, 2007
Messages
380
Re: Pontoon project boat...

Unless its dirt cheap i would probably pass...there is a reason they epoxied the pontoons and then foam filled them as well. Especially odd since he just put a brand new deck on it and new carpet. Sounds like a doomed project and a road you probably don't want to go down.
Since it's got epoxy on the toons then your scrap value will be about $200 or so "dirty aluminum"
If it has a decent trailer i'd buy it for that and sell the trailer for a profit then part out whatever else you can from the boat.
 

1983 ercoa 21'

Chief Petty Officer
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Jan 12, 2014
Messages
632
Re: Pontoon project boat...

He said the motor was blown. That would explain why it's cheap and has a new deck.
 

dls322

Petty Officer 1st Class
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May 10, 2007
Messages
380
Re: Pontoon project boat...

He said the motor was blown. That would explain why it's cheap and has a new deck.

Motors are easily swapped on a pontoon....so that's a not the main issue...not like an I/O.
If the pontoons are shot then you have a big problem.

Even if they have slight leaks you can't weld it because of the epoxy....been down that road before.
 

Water logged

Petty Officer 1st Class
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Nov 15, 2008
Messages
376
Re: Pontoon project boat...

...there is a reason they epoxied the pontoons and then foam filled them as well. .


They are foam filled because they are U shaped toons, standard procedure.
Glenn
 

BatDaddy1887

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jan 18, 2009
Messages
463
Re: Pontoon project boat...

...project building aside, I would pass this up and get a larger pontoon boat. Maybe a 22-24 ft. would suit your needs better. For all the you would put into the project, you might do better to just keep searching a bit more and getting something better. Also, nothing beats a water test when buying used. iboats has a great used boat section, in fact, that's where I got mine. JMO.
 

Bamaman1

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
May 15, 2011
Messages
1,895
Re: Pontoon project boat...

Run from this boat--and fast. That short of a pontoon boat is for small waters/ponds, and it'd be quite a boring ride. Chances are it's an ancient hull and not something you'd be proud to be seen in.

The most popular pontoons are 22-24' hulls with 90 hp or 115 hp if they have 2 toons. They'll pull little kids on tubes and do basic water sports.

The more popular newer boats have tritoons and a 150 hp motor to get them into the high 30's or low 40's mph. And they're very roomy and seaworthy.
 

ahicks

Captain
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Sep 16, 2013
Messages
3,957
Re: Pontoon project boat...

As much as I enjoy a good project, I always insist on having a good base to start with. My gut says this isn't the case with this one. Another vote to pass....
 

freeisforme

Petty Officer 2nd Class
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Mar 23, 2009
Messages
184
Re: Pontoon project boat...

Well, I walked away, its still for sale but up close I could see pitting on the bottom of the pontoons and its in a saltwater area. The guy finally admitted he used it for 20 years for crabbing, but swore it never had a leak. But he also bought and wasn't able to install two huge 2000 gpm bilge pumps. He was going to sink them into both toons at the rear but found that they were foam filled and would have had to dig out the foam to get the pumps in place.
What I saw at that point was about 200 lbs of plywood sitting atop about $125 worth of scrap aluminum.
I'm not concerned with speed, nor appearance, but if it won't stay afloat its of no use to me and a waste of money even if it lasted another year or two.
I was just thinking that maybe it would make a good fishing platform in the river for two or three guys but the thought of rigging a motor, adding a console or control area and seats, plus dealing with corroded pontoons just didn't sound like fun to me.
What really did it was the fact that for under $1500 I found at least 10 others in running, usable shape.
I also had my concerns as to what loading a pontoon would be like in a strong cross current in the river.
There's been times when the current pulls so hard against the side of my small boat that I've snapped cleats or broken ropes trying to keep it aligned with the trailer, I've even had the trailer pushed sideways while loading before in a strong outgoing current.
The thought of what that would be like with something that has 20' of pontoons sitting broadside to the current is giving me serious doubts as to whether or not a pontoon is a good idea at all.
 

BatDaddy1887

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jan 18, 2009
Messages
463
Re: Pontoon project boat...

.....the current sounds strong for your ramp. Perhaps a good set of trailer guides and motor the boat into the trailer.....
Are there any other pontooners that use that ramp? If so, maybe have a conversation with them and find out the particulars and what works...and what does not work for them.
 

dls322

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
May 10, 2007
Messages
380
Re: Pontoon project boat...

Smart move walking away from that boat. Salt water is like acid to aluminum pontoons. Even with coating the bottom of them and washing them down each time, the environment will get to them, from splashing and even the wind will blow saltwater mist on boats even stored on trailers near the salt water. Leaky boat = no boat.
 

dls322

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
May 10, 2007
Messages
380
Re: Pontoon project boat...

They are foam filled because they are U shaped toons, standard procedure.
Glenn

Depending on when they were made and the current coast guard guidelines. There are plenty of u shaped ones without foam....just nitpicking!:D
 
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