Fiberglass Pontoon Foam Repair - Am I Overthinking It?

[MrTfromPV]

Greetings, all. Just joined this forum after purchasing my pontoon boat (or lawn ornament, depending on the day) and am in need of your advice. From my online searches, it appears that the company that built the Apache SeaMaster Prestige pontoon boat is no longer in business. I am checking here before making a trip over to a boat repair shop a hundred kilometers or so from my home.

I knew when I purchased the boat that it did have some water in the starboard pontoon, and the foam had been soaked. The boat does list to that side, probably uses more fuel than needed, but with strategic seating it has floated relatively straight in the past. The previous owner has tried some fixes to dry out the foam (by drilling 8+ holes along the 22' pontoon and running his shop vac for a week, then patching his handiwork) but with some other damage to the pontoon (we took on 18 gal of water in that pontoon in a 1-1/2 hr cruise after the boat had been sitting on its trailer for 18 months), I've decided to replace the foam this winter.


The photo on the left is taken from the front of the boat, the middle from the back. Am I correct in thinking that I need to remove those bolts that hold the pontoon to the floor of the boat, then drop the pontoon to scoop out the waterlogged foam, and then reinstall the pontoon? Or do I remove the upper deck and go in from the top without removing the pontoon?

I've researched here and on YouTube on how to safely lift the boat from the trailer bunks (which need a recarpet or PVC treatment), have removed this type of foam from a waterlogged hot tub, and have patched several holes on this pontoon already. I feel fairly confident in my ability to complete the repair myself, but don't know what to do at this first critical step.

Thanks in advance for your assistance.
David
1999 Apache SeaMaster Prestige 22' fiberglass pontoon, 1996 Mercury 150 EFI

 

[Scott Danforth]

welcome aboard

you need 3 posts under your belt before you can post pics

you cant dry foam. its a remove and replace thing. so if you can get access to remove the waterlogged foam and replace it, that is the direction you need to go.

 

[MrTfromPV]

Thx for the tip about the photos. Will try again after I qualify.

I'm trying to figure out if I remove the pontoon from the boat to replace the foam, if I have to take up the floor (its in good shape), or go through the sides & patch the holes after I'm done.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Start by unbolting the logs. You may have to cut the top of the logs to get access.

Your going to want to get access to swing a pick axe and dig with a shovel

 

[MrTfromPV]

The fiberglass hulls connect to the deck of the boat with about 25 bolts (from the underside into the deck). I assume that's what you meant I should do to "unbolt the logs," Scott?

The advertising brochure shows the foam being installed in those hulls & trimmed off before the deck goes on. From my experience with the hot tub, it was a fairly lengthy & wet process to remove the foam. I had hoped that if I could get the hull out from the deck I could get it removed without having to cut through the side.

Looks like my winter project is set!

 

[Scott Danforth]

your going to have to replace the foam. I would fiberglass a cap to encapsulate it prior to bolting the logs back on