1970's Pontoon - Questions on What to Look For

[mike2587]

Hello,

I have a 1970's year Jand pontoon - 24'. 2 years ago I purchased it from another individual and had it sitting in a smaller lake last summer without many issues, this year it will be on a lake double the size of last year. Only issues I really had were an occasional rough running engine, but I just grabbed a minn kota pontoon troller as an urgent backup to hopefully get me back to shore if my 2 stroke went out. Come winter I had the boat sitting on 6 cinder blocks outside (3 on each side one in the back/middle/front) for the winter and also had the drain plugs in the back left out all winter. The plugs are a plastic/pvc material. I went by the boat the other day and did some spring cleaning on the motor. Long story short I'm planning on launching it this week and wanted to get some insight on if there are any specifics I should look for prior to launching. The last thing I need is to launch the boat and find out it's taking on water and I'm in trouble or something. I've seen a lot of posts that talk about pontoons taking on water and that can be a little worrisome, especially knowing the age of the pontoon. On the outside, there are no gashes or any dents that I can see, but it can still leak without something overly visible. With it being the 4th of July, it will be busy and the last thing I need is something happening. I also don't have a trailer so have been renting one for really cheap an afternoon or full day when putting it in a couple of times a season. I have about 20' of frontage I leased where I'm mooring it with a series of poles for the extended weekend but won't have the trailer immediately handy if an urgent issue popped up. Now I realize anything can happen at anytime, but some pre-launching insight pertaining to the pontoons with a boat of this age would be greatly appreciated.

Also, I noticed some zebra mussels (common here unfortunately) on the bottom of some of the pontoons, not a ton but some. I just recently worked on clearing all of them off the pontoons.. But knowing they sat all fall/winter/spring will they affect the strength of the pontoons themselves?

Thanks,
Mike

 

[5150abf]

Re: 1970's Pontoon - Questions on What to Look For

If you had it on the lake all last year and it didn't take on water I don't why it would this year, sounds like it was stored properly .

I wouldn't worry if it were my boat, if it didn't leak then it shouldn't now, just get some thread sealer or Teflon tape on the plugs and you should be fine, relax and enjoy the week end.

 

[Water logged]

Re: 1970's Pontoon - Questions on What to Look For

I think a bigger concern is the rough running engine. If you are on a large body of water and the 2 cycle dies during bad weather the troller may not be up to getting you to safety. The older 2 cycles are very basic and maintenance is not that difficult unless it is just plain shot.

Glenn

 

[mike2587]

Re: 1970's Pontoon - Questions on What to Look For

It seemed to run fairly well, at times it can struggle, and definitely will struggle when going full speed. It would bog and then fire then bog and run rough. I've always ran it fairly slow and it seems to handle that just fine. Idles decent. This spring I changed the plugs, dropped the carb bowl which ended up being clean. I changed the lower unit fluid this past fall. I'm assuming the bogging is due to a gas problem.. But didn't get around to taking the thing in or trying to diagnose myself, since I knew this time of year it would be so busy. I use the boat maybe 3-4 times a season on a smaller lake. I bought the minn kota pontoon troller as a backup really for cruising slowly along the shoreline. It was a good deal, came with new batteries included.. I've never needed to go that fast and just got the boat last year for super cheap. The boat is from 1978, I wouldn't be surprised if the motor is the same age. Chrysler 45 2 stroke. the lake is an 11 acre lake, I'd really only putz around the sand bars and shoreline. I'd go a day I knew the forecast had no chance of rain, I'm not willing to take that gamble. But yes, I would much rather the boat run the best it can. Any thoughts on the bog/speed up/bog issue?

 

[MH Hawker]

Re: 1970's Pontoon - Questions on What to Look For

Mike this is just a personal observation, the tubes on the older pontoons rarely ever have any leaks. It seams to be the newer ones on the high HP boats that seam to have that sort of problem, As the hp has increased so has the stress on the weld joints and hence more leak problems. Mine is a older 1988 and I sort of test it ever time I drop it in by a simple finger tap on the back bottom of each tube while its sloped down on the ramp as I take off the back straps.

As far as your motor, well a can or two of sea foam often curse a lot of gas and idling problems. The guys in the Chrysler motor section can help I am very sure.