water in the pontoon logs / finding leaks

[rcl700]

I have found that both of my pontoon logs are filling with water when I get home from a trip I remove the lower plugs from the tubes to get it out. My question is how can I find where the water is getting in? I was thinking of using my compressor but I dont want to blow up my pontoons with to much PSI. I was also thinking of switching the hose on the shop vac so that it blows like a leaf blower. I could have someone hold it up to the plug hole (plug removed) and someone else spraying the tubes down with soapy water. Would this work without damaging the tubes?

Is there a better way?

 

[cBooms]

Re: water in the pontoon logs / finding leaks

We had the same problem with our tritoon. We sent it to a marine mechanic to find the hole, then because we thought we fixed it only to find we didn't, we had a bilge pump installed and got it all wire up nicely. It has kept all of the water out of our pontoons after heavy use this summer.

 

[rogerwa]

Re: water in the pontoon logs / finding leaks

Find a welder that does aluminum and ask him to pressure test them.. I just went through this with mine and they found the mounts in the very back cracked and caused a leak and let the water in.

 

[5150abf]

Re: water in the pontoon logs / finding leaks

You can put air in the tubes just not alot, actually the more you put in the harder iis to find leaks, the bigger ones will blow too hard to bubble.

Get a spray bottle and use water/dish soap, put @3-4psi in the tube and spray away.

Look closely at the inside back of the rear bracket, this is a stress point and where alot of leaks are, look above the water line too, water splashes everrywhere underway and can get in leaks on top of the tube.

Mark all the leaks and fins a welder to repair them.

 

[Silver Eagle]

Re: water in the pontoon logs / finding leaks

I know a guy who uses cake dye. He mixes a couple of bottles of it with some water ,puts it in the drain hole .Moves the boat forward and backward a couple of times and then put about 10#'s of air pressure in it. and waits for the dye to come out. One time he took the boat out in the water and in no time found out he had a leak.

 

[gejandsons]

Re: water in the pontoon logs / finding leaks

the shape of the pontoons will determine the amount of pressure it will take to rupture it.. be careful with the PSI...use a minimal amount to start < 5 PSI & soapy water as posted above. Pulling a vacuum may be more safe than pressurizing..good luck