A hole in my pontoon

pgshields

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Dec 22, 2015
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22
I took my boat out of the water and put it on a trailer to get the engine fixed(Engine still didn't get fixed) and took it to a place about 30 minutes away from Tuscaloosa. The boat went straight from the water, to the mechanic shop. Boat was floating fine and I got it from the mechanic shop a month later. Keep in mind this shop left it out on the open for a month with no gates or anything. When I got it back there was a whole about the size of my hand. Does anyone know what type of welder would know how to do this? I asked a few in town and they said they can't do it because its aluminum and is a totally different process. It is a 25 foot sanpan. Also does it look to y'all like someone did this and it wasn't a object. This is on the inside of the pontoon.
 

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BigDfromTN

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I took my boat out of the water and put it on a trailer to get the engine fixed(Engine still didn't get fixed) and took it to a place about 30 minutes away from Tuscaloosa. The boat went straight from the water, to the mechanic shop. Boat was floating fine and I got it from the mechanic shop a month later. Keep in mind this shop left it out on the open for a month with no gates or anything. When I got it back there was a whole about the size of my hand. Does anyone know what type of welder would know how to do this? I asked a few in town and they said they can't do it because its aluminum and is a totally different process. It is a 25 foot sanpan. Also does it look to y'all like someone did this and it wasn't a object. This is on the inside of the pontoon.

You will have to have someone that has the equipment to weld Aluminum (As you have found out already).

It kinda looks like a pipe or round object struck your toon and it appears to have happened after being take out of the water. Noting the clean aluminum on the tear. Also its kind of interesting that it appears something rubbed down the toon leading up to the hole.
 

ahicks

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Sep 16, 2013
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So am I the only one wondering if you've asked the mechanic shop about this hole? You say it was there "when you got it back". Please explain. Did you notice the hole when you picked the boat up from the shop, or when you returned it to your home/marina?

It's repairable, sure. Some times you can find a mobile welder that can weld a plate over the damage reasonably.
 

HotTommy

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My opinion is that the damage was likely caused either while the boat was moving (perhaps on the trailer) or while some large powerful machine was moving nearby (e.g., a forklift). In either case, if the damage was not there before you dropped it at the mechanic and it was there afterwards, I find it hard to believe someone at that shop doesn't know what happened. It had to have made a lot of noise and probably took some effort to separate the boat from the pipe. I'd be in discussions with the mechanic to have him pay for the repair. .... As for the repair, I'd be looking for a highly experienced welder who can TIG weld a large aluminum plate over the hole. I'd leave it to him to decide if he would guarantee the work or whether you should be looking for a new log. Consider that a catastrophic failure of the repair could cause the boat to mostly sink before you could reach shore, and that could put lives and your motor at risk.
 

fhhuber

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That looks like a straight (or nearly so) punch in from probably one pipe above another... I very noticeable round imprint on the lower portion of punched in hull)

Height of the punch in is not consistent with just that one pipe having done it all.

Scrape down the side is not consistent with the way it got punched. That was a separate issue. It might have been hit multiple times, all in one accident or in several separate impacts. (or that could just be a hull guide having rubbed while it was going on the trailer. This looks like just the algae rubbed off...).

*********************

The shop punched the hole... they bought the log.

You noted "This is on the inside of the pontoon." .... That means its a bit harder to explain how they managed to do it.
Wider view so we can see where on the boat this happened?
 
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pgshields

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Dec 22, 2015
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Well now that you guys say that, the guide on the trailer, was around that area. The guide was a pvc pipe that could have done that I guess. I picked up the trailer and didn't inspect it. It had rained heavily the night before and I drove it back to my marina, backed it into the landing and put it in the water. I noticed it had a very weird lean but thought all the water was draining out.

So you guys all think that I am going to have to get a plate weld(ed) over it? I assumed there was no DIY things I could do other then that, that would work. The toon was in the water for about 3 or 4 days just leaning, so I took it out and all the water rushed out, once I had it on the trailer.
 

bruceb58

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The guide was a pvc pipe that could have done that I guess.
No way PVC pipe could do that and no way a guide is made solely of PVC pipe.

Only way to repair that is with an aluminum plate.
 
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lncoop

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Holy schnikeys. As Bruce said, there's no way a piece of PVC caused that. Unless there's something significant missing from the story it sounds like a conversation with the shop is in order. If that is indeed where it happened he owes you a tube IMO. That's not exactly a little nick.
 

Silver Eagle

Master Chief Petty Officer
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Mar 16, 2010
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I saw patches at 84 lumber that would fix that, they harden like steel and are water proof, Less then $10.00. May work until you get it fixed properly .Happy cruising.
 

pgshields

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Dec 22, 2015
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Thank all of y'all for the input. The hole goes almost to the bottom of the pontoon. The guy who came out and welded it said he couldn't get the fill to heat up enough to finish the bottom. Have y'all ever had that happen? So I have 3 sides of the patch welded. I want to get the bottom part welded but he said they make some epoxy/sealent that works just as good since I don't have the giant hole now. Do y'all have any suggestions
 

HotTommy

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Do you know what kind of welding equipment he was using? Was he TIG welding or something else?
 

bruceb58

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You have a picture of what he did so far? He doesn't sound like a very good welder so I would now be wary of what he already did.
 

Skypirate

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Apr 28, 2016
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Sounds like he might have been intimidated by welding "up" as the bottom would be the same as over head welding, of all positions " overhead with a TIG is the most challenging
 

ahicks

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I can't believe the level of bad luck you're having. It would be one thing if any of it was your fault, but here?

Not knowing any better, I wonder if the pontoon may have water in it, preventing the alum. from coming up to a temp that would allow for a weld. I know copper pipe, when you are trying to solder that, it's nearly impossible unless the parts are dry.

Last, where to go from here? Not liking the epoxy plan at all. I'd keep looking for competent a welder.
 
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