My 'toon is listing and no water drains when I pull the plug??

[Paddy60]

I was out of town for a few weeks and had not got down to the dock to check things out. I noticed that the Right toon was sitting in the water pretty low. So I say, no problem, I'll take it to the lanch ramp, put her on the trailer and pull the plug to drain.

Not so easy. As I was pulling it out of the lake, she was tilting big time. But hey, I figured that so I pulled up a few feet. Then it slid on the trailer a bit to the heavey side, to the point the toon tip was touching! I'm think the trailer failed. So I'm thinking just pull the plug, drain out the watter. NOTHING came out. Some nice fellow boater was at the ramp and said, he would help counter balance the weight so we could get it back in the watter to maybe better center the boat on the trailer. It did help with the tilt factor, it did not slide. But again, I pulled the plug and no H20 came out.

So I give up and just take it back to my slip, all listing and all, wondering what the heck is going on.

When I pulled the plug the first time, it hissed releasing some pressure. So I assume it's "open"

All I can guess at this point is that there are chambers and some crud has clogged an opening from chamber 1 and 2.

Any ideas?

Patrick T

 

[woody66912]

Re: My 'toon is listing and no water drains when I pull the plug??

All I can guess at this point is that there are chambers and some crud has clogged an opening from chamber 1 and 2.
That could be. I would pull it again a get it on level ground and see if leaks from the front of the tube.

 

[jergeo]

Re: My 'toon is listing and no water drains when I pull the plug??

What kind of toon do you have? I have a Sun Tracker and the toons are 2 chamber, sealed in the center. Put the toon on the trailer and get it on dri land, thump the rear of the toon with your fist then thump the front area you should hear the differance if the front has water. As Woody said also look for water coming out of the toon

 

[Old Screwball]

Re: My 'toon is listing and no water drains when I pull the plug??

WOW, If it was my 'toon and was listing to one side, I'd get it out of the water and keep it out until I found out why?

 

[Paddy60]

Re: My 'toon is listing and no water drains when I pull the plug??

I was at a busy boat launch ramp and could not pull it up with out the danger of it draging. The issue is the type of trailer. As you know there are two types, the good ones that have suport under each toon and the "under carrage" type that has a prety narrow frame. The suspension flexed down and allowed a tilt that then allowed it to slide to one side a bit off center. When I try again, I will place a block of wood to prevent the suspension from compressing and allowing the tilt. Then I should be able to get it up to the parking lot and better understand what the heck is going on.

What I don't understand is the two chamber concept. What is the point of a drain at the back if it is not conected to the front?? There is a plug on the top of the front end of the toon. If it is truely sealed independantly from the back, I will try to siphone out the water. I hope the plug housing is not like the back. The back plug female housing has a restricter plate reducing the 1/2 NPT to about a 1/4". Why they do this is odd.

Thank you for all your help

Patrick T

 

[WaterDR]

Re: My 'toon is listing and no water drains when I pull the plug??

The ones I have seen with chambers have a drain line that runs to the back. The chambers are not sealed completely, I don't think.

 

[craigmack]

Re: My 'toon is listing and no water drains when I pull the plug??

As I understand the contruction of the tubes and this is only from what I've been told... if there is a drain plug, the sections are not fully sealed from one another and there is a small hole (about the size of the drain plug) between the sections. If there is no drain plug then the sections are fully sealed.

If your tubes follow this reasoning then you should have a drain hole between the sections. How one would get plugged by something is a mystery unless they left crap in the tube when it was sealed. Calling the manufacturer would answer this.

 

[jergeo]

Re: My 'toon is listing and no water drains when I pull the plug??

Still what kind of boat do you have? When I bought mine one of the tubes had a hole in it, my tubes have 2 plugs in the top one near the front and one near the back I made a tester so I can pressure test them myself and the back of the tube with the hole held pressure.

 

[oldjeep]

Re: My 'toon is listing and no water drains when I pull the plug??

I'd figure out some way of getting it out of the water quick before it winds up on the bottom or upside down.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Re: My 'toon is listing and no water drains when I pull the plug??

pull the 'toon before it sinks

not all chambers have plugs in the bottom

as your pulling it out, hit the brakes and listen for sloshing water. then drain, pressure test, repair leak, and refloat.

my friend Bob's pontoon develops one leak ever 2 years (it averages 150 hours per year and stays on the water from April thru November). each tube has multiple chambers and each chamber has a plug in the top. we use a section of small diameter tubing with a weigh on the end, drop it in the hole and pressurize the chamber to about 3psi. this gets the water flowing out. while I am manning the regulator and draining the tube, Bob is spraying with soapy water looking for the leak. then its off to the welder.

 

[Paddy60]

Re: My 'toon is listing and no water drains when I pull the plug??

The boat is a early '70s 24' Harris Flotebote. There is a plug on the top at the front and a drian plug at the bottom back. There was no change noticed sitting in the lake at dock. I bought a drill pump, female garden hose to 3/8" barb and tubing. A pc of pex water suply line for sinks/tolets fits inside the tubing. I will go down to the dock and get some of the water out so I can get it out of the water so I can siphon the remaining water. The extra weight makes it very diffacult to trailer. But today is Monday and the launch will be desrted. That way I can pump/drain to my hearts content.

10 years ago, I had the same thing happen but it was the back part and it drained just fine. I did not know there was two chambers. While I was replacing the deck, had the brackets that hold the deck frame welded. The welder said most leaks are from runoff from the deck leaking in from the top of the toon. It has been dry here except for one good long rain and that was when I noticed the listing. After I get all the water out I'll put 3 to 5 psi and start looking for the source/s.

The debate on the front chamber having a port to allow the back plug to drain the entire side is interesting. Advantages both ways. If you have a leak and the chambers are fully seperate, you will always have 3 out of 4. might look and ride bad but would not likely sink. On the other hand, more work to drain the front chambers. I must have fully seperate chambers. No water came out the back and it hissed releasing pressure.

Thanks again for all the input,
Patrick T, AKA Cap't Salmon Paddy

 

[Scott Danforth]

Re: My 'toon is listing and no water drains when I pull the plug??

if its still in the water and you pull the top plug, depending where the leak is the tube may start to fill up from the leak. if you have a large enough leak, you wont be able to pump water fast enough and the boat will sink right there.

most leaks are fatigue of the material where the brackets are welded. most of the time it will be a crack along a weld.

 

[Paddy60]

Re: My 'toon is listing and no water drains when I pull the plug??

Good point on where the leak may be. I'll pull it on shore so that the water loged toon is parallel to shore. if I'm pumping it down, it will start to float off the shore. But I'd guess the leak is above or she would have sank by now.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Re: My 'toon is listing and no water drains when I pull the plug??

no, if the leak is below, you have to let the air out to get the toon tube to fill. sort of like putting a bucket upside down in the water. unless you let the air escape, the bucket stays free of water.

 

[craigmack]

Re: My 'toon is listing and no water drains when I pull the plug??

no, if the leak is below, you have to let the air out to get the toon tube to fill. sort of like putting a bucket upside down in the water. unless you let the air escape, the bucket stays free of water.

Mostly true. Since air compresses, water will fill the pontoon until the compressed air pressure equals the pressure of the filling water.

I would think it's best to pull the boat out with the water in it and get it level, you'll then see where it dripping from. This is what I did with mine; just pulled it out for the second time this season and it's a brand new boat!

 

[Paddy60]

Re: My 'toon is listing and no water drains when I pull the plug??

I pulled the boat a long the shore so the water logged toon was lightly resting on the shore. I was equipted with a drill pump, cordless drill and two fresh batteries. I pull the plug that is located at the joint between the fornt chamber and the cone shape nose. The pex water suply line was ridgid enough to get to the bottom. I ran the pump through both battery packs. Hard to tell how much water I got out but there was still more. After returning the boat to the slip, I measured the distance above water each side was at the front. There was a one inch diffrence still. The back, same side, is still showing the list though. I believe for two reasons; two 12 V batteries and the configuration of the toon sections. The back section of the toon is approx 10', the front section is 10' plus the 4' cone/nose, so 14'. With the motor and batteries the back sits lower. This causes the remaining water of the front section to rest at the back end of the front toon.

With the weight being greatly reduced, I now should be able to get it on the trailer without the danger of an unbalanced load. I will let it dry for a spell to see if any drips appear. Then I will pull the boat/trailer such that the front is sloping down hill. This should get the remaining water up front near the plug for pumpng.

In the past when I had a leak, it was clearly coming in at cracks located on top where fame members attach. After having it welded, no issues for years. Only welding was on the top above the water line. (my boat sits in the water from May to Nov) I determined it was rain water run off. But this year it has been very dry with only 1-2 inch of rain. It is hard to imagine a tiny crack can see enough water draining from the deck/awning to place so much water in the toon. I might indeed have a crack on the "below the water line" area. I suspect where the cone/front section to the straight part.

Thanks again for all your insight,

Patrick T

 

[Scott Danforth]

Re: My 'toon is listing and no water drains when I pull the plug??

water splashes when you use the boat. that will be enough to bring water in.

you will need to pressurize and use soapy water to find the leaks.

 

[Paddy60]

Re: My 'toon is listing and no water drains when I pull the plug??

Sounds like the plan but very low pressure.

Thanks

 

[craigmack]

Re: My 'toon is listing and no water drains when I pull the plug??

Sounds like the plan but very low pressure.

Thanks

I've been told something in the 2~3 PSI range