Beauty mark or compromised log?

[3ric]

Scraped up my log yesterday. Now that I am done crying, I would like some opinions on whether the scrapes are deep enough to warrant a repair or just call them beauty marks and get back to fishing. Thoughts?

 

[airshot]

Look me I tell people when they get a new car....take it to a parking lot and slam a shopping cart into the door....curse and cry, then go enjoy your new car and quit worrying about it...it is broke in now !

 

[cyclops222]

I would really check picture #3 black marks. Are those HOLES in the gashes ?
Need a trained Aluminum Eyeballs to determine how much metal is ripped off........... Fresh or salt water boating ? Can you call the boat company and send them These pictures ? Or have them look at this post and pictures ?
Excellent damage pictures.

 

[3ric]

I would really check picture #3 black marks. Are those HOLES in the gashes ?
Need a trained Aluminum Eyeballs to determine how much metal is ripped off........... Fresh or salt water boating ? Can you call the boat company and send them These pictures ? Or have them look at this post and pictures ?
Excellent damage pictures.

That is just a shadow from a curl of metal. It appears to be about less than 1/2 the metal thickness at the deepest. Maybe I’ll take it in just in case. Fresh water

 

[flashback]

Yea picture 3 does look like a hole in a couple of places

 

[matt167]

Looks like 3 holes. Alumiweld rods may work for a fishing fix

 

[cyclops222]

DO NOT let just anybody ....ATTEMPT .... to weld those gashes. It will take a fantastic Aluminum Certified Repair welding person. To build up and file / sand down the excess weld ridge.
Most people will burn holes. Bigger holes. And quit trying. STAND there when the welder starts. Slightest hole ? Stop him and leave with the boat.

 

[airshot]

Looks like 3 holes. Alumiweld rods may work for a fishing fix

Blow air into the log and see if any comes out where you suspect holes to be sure. They don't look like holes to me, but I am just looking at a picture

 

[3ric]

DO NOT let just anybody ....ATTEMPT .... to weld those gashes. It will take a fantastic Aluminum Certified Repair welding person. To build up and file / sand down the excess weld ridge.
Most people will burn holes. Bigger holes. And quit trying. STAND there when the welder starts. Slightest hole ? Stop him and leave with the boat.

Noted, thank you

 

[Scott Danforth]

Looks like a hole

 

[3ric]

So I took a sharp piece of wire and went poking around kinda like a dentist does with suspicious cavity areas. No holes. I think what folks are seeing are shadows from metal curls. And it seems none of the gouges are more than 30-40% of the thickness deep.

 

[racerone]

A product called----LUMIWELD-----or similar will fix this.----An aluminum brazing rod.-----color will be different than the aluminum of your pontoons.----A darker shade once weatherized ( is that a word ? ) after a while.

 

[jlh3rd]

Pontoon logs are not designed to take pressure over 3-5 psi. So be for warned about blowing air in them.
A simple way to check if a toon is leaking is by slowly opening the cap usually on top of each toon section. You should hear air either escaping or entering the toon. If you do, great, no leak.
If you don't, like I had happen, I used my shop vac as a pressure source, taped a tube to it and blew air into the toon. Then used a water/soap mix to find my leak.
I would not use compressed air as a source....