Using a half sunk boat???

[Numlaar]

OK I know this seems crazy, but last week at Salt springs, I was out swimming with my son, using my little jon boat, and into the springs area came puttering in about a 20-22ft Pontoon boat...

Well something was VERY wrong with the boat... the starboard pontoon was completely submerged in the rear! and the starboard aft deck of the boat was AWASH... the front part of the pontoon was still above water, but CLEARLY something was wrong with it, and it had to be over half full of water.... The boat was listing severely to the right! The boat itself didnt seem like it was overloaded and obviously everyone wasn't standing in "that" corner of the boat, but definitely something was WRONG, and not just a weight distribution issue...

When I first saw it, my initial reaction was "OH Cr**" I hope they get that thing on the trailer before it sinks! I almost went over and asked if they needed some help or maybe see if they wanted to offload a few passengers (was at least 6 people on the boat, with kids).

Well it turns out, I guess they thought nothing was wrong, and must use the boat like this, (regularly??), because they came in, toured the springs for a bit, and puttered on out... (Since the springs is about 50 yards from the boat launch, I figured they were coming in!!!)(but guess not!). They got out of the no wake zone and took off towards lake george... and even though it took forever for it to get up and go, it eventually took off...

I was absolutely amazed that someone would use a boat like this, even worse take out passengers.. but I guess it was the norm for them.

Hopefully I dont read about them in the paper anytime soon!!!

 

[Thad]

Re: Using a half sunk boat???

Now see, we optomists view that as half afloat.

Probably have a hole in the log and figured, well, we're here...let's go anyway.
I personally woud not go any farther than the end of the dock with it.

 

[Numlaar]

Re: Using a half sunk boat???

Now see, we optomists view that as half afloat.

Probably have a hole in the log and figured, well, we're here...let's go anyway.
I personally woud not go any farther than the end of the dock with it.

Heh me either!!!

Thats the thing though... they came in from the very large lake george (severe weather capsized a 21ft bowrider on it in may, and killed 3 or 4 kids), which was why I thought they were coming IN, but instead they came into the springs area, puttered around, and went back out to lake george.... /boggle

I just don't get why they wouldn't have stopped right there and pulled that boat out of the water...

I am not much of a pontoon boat expert (never had one), but from my understanding, those "logs" as you put it, are supposed to be sealed, and there shouldn't be any water in them... this thing was leaning a good 30 degrees starboard, and about 60% of the "log" was submerged completely...

It just didnt look good at all... but oh well, I am just glad I wasn't on the thing!

 

[OldePharte]

Re: Using a half sunk boat???

We see a couple of these a year. All had the M bracket connections that, over time, flexed enough to cause a puncture in the round log. Water will slowly pour in and fill the log.

We offer to put them on a lift, drain the log, and take them to the local hardware store for some aluminum repair putty or whatever.