Pontoon Leaking

Andrew L.

Andrew L.

Well-known member
Despite testing over the summer one of the pontoons on our duck blind has a leak. It has been in the water for around a month has just now started sink and is leaning about 8 inches backwards.
This is a 24' pontoon boat with quite a bit of weight in lumber and brush on it. Our blind sits in shallow water, the pontoons hit the mud when the water is low. The blind is also about 3.5 miles from the nearest launch meaning a solid days work to get it back to shore and trailered.

The idea I have is to pull the blind forward towards the non-leaking pontoon and place pallets underneath the leaky pontoon. Then drill a hole in the top of the leaky pontoon and use a hose and pump to empty the water.

Since it has been quite a few weeks it seems as though this is a slow leak. We really only need it empty to get it back to the launch at the end of the season. Currently I'm thinking we would be ok emptying the pontoon right before we towed it to shore.

Concern is as the water begins to freeze later in December the leak could become larger with water freezing in the gap and finding a large leak as we tow it into deeper water spells disaster.

Anyone have any ideas for a "in place" fix or finding the leak in a large pontoon?
 
Despite testing over the summer one of the pontoons on our duck blind has a leak. It has been in the water for around a month has just now started sink and is leaning about 8 inches backwards.
This is a 24' pontoon boat with quite a bit of weight in lumber and brush on it. Our blind sits in shallow water, the pontoons hit the mud when the water is low. The blind is also about 3.5 miles from the nearest launch meaning a solid days work to get it back to shore and trailered.

The idea I have is to pull the blind forward towards the non-leaking pontoon and place pallets underneath the leaky pontoon. Then drill a hole in the top of the leaky pontoon and use a hose and pump to empty the water.

Since it has been quite a few weeks it seems as though this is a slow leak. We really only need it empty to get it back to the launch at the end of the season. Currently I'm thinking we would be ok emptying the pontoon right before we towed it to shore.

Concern is as the water begins to freeze later in December the leak could become larger with water freezing in the gap and finding a large leak as we tow it into deeper water spells disaster.

Anyone have any ideas for a "in place" fix or finding the leak in a large pontoon?
Click to expand...


Can you drill and tap it for a schrader valve (tire valve, there are lots of types available, not just ones used on tires, like ones with 1/2" thread on the bottom end) and then pressurize it with a tank compressor or 12V air pump. It would be quick and easy and cheap to tap and then some epoxy for good measure and screw it in. Add a few pounds of pressure would find the leak and may get rid of the water. Obviously, it wouldn't hold 20 pounds of pressure, but a day in the blind hitting it with 5 pounds every little bit might get the water out and would find the leak.

schrader.jpg

 
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If you use the air to find the leak,you may be able to put someting under it at high tide,when the tide drops it may be exposed enough to patch,even some 3M 5200 and a rubber patch with a ratchet strap around it to secure for the rest of the season.Just a thought.
 
Andrew,

I'll second Tod's air pressure suggestion. I'd also add; Look for a place which may be thicker wall in the area you decide to drill and tap threads. Otherwise you may not have enough threads. If you find it too thin to tap threads, you might try tapping the threads in a separate piece of material first. Maybe a 3 inch by 3 inch piece. Then rough up the surface and epoxy it over your drilled hole in the pontoon float. Given enough glue surface it should hold 5-20 psi if you only have a .5 dia or less thru hole. You should be able to purchase a valve that has 1/8 npt threads.
 
Great thought on the pressurized air. If I remember right the front of the pontoon is a bit thicker where this should work. Hopefully we can get the pontoon far enough out of the water to find this leak. Great idea. Thanks!
 
Andrew,
If you know anyone that SCUBA dives, they might be able to go underwater for you and find the leak...and I believe there is some materials that can be used to patch aluminum even while wet? Various epoxies and such?

Scott
 
Great thought on the pressurized air. If I remember right the front of the pontoon is a bit thicker where this should work. Hopefully we can get the pontoon far enough out of the water to find this leak. Great idea. Thanks!
Click to expand...


I don't know that you need to jack it up. If you can get some pressure in there it will bubble (once the water inside is below the hole). You can then decide to patch or just leave it for the season. If it is leaking that slowly, you have lots of options for a fix. Like just driving a screw into a pin hole or gooping something on it. I'd think a crack would be likely too, but would be much harder to fix in the field.

T
 
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