Look what I found against my dock...End of the Story

[Lion hunter]

Re: Look what I found against my dock...

Re: Look what I found against my dock...

As neat as those legs are I'll bet that's what flipped the boat. High winds move it sideways until the bottom of the legs hit something and then somethings gotta give.

 

[H20Rat]

Re: Look what I found against my dock...

Re: Look what I found against my dock...

As neat as those legs are I'll bet that's what flipped the boat. High winds move it sideways until the bottom of the legs hit something and then somethings gotta give.

and from the picture, it wasn't fully in the 'up' position. Had it been all the way up, it probably would have been fine. The waves were hitting the tubes and able to lift and move it a little at a time. (people don't like lifting them all the way up, makes getting on and off a challenge.)

That is an expensive pontoon to be upside down! Probably north of $50k. Even dried out, that engine is most likely shot, or at least will be needing tons of work. A nice old 2 stroke could be dried out and fired up. A car engine, not so much...

 

[lakelover]

Re: Look what I found against my dock...

Re: Look what I found against my dock...

As neat as those legs are I'll bet that's what flipped the boat. High winds move it sideways until the bottom of the legs hit something and then somethings gotta give.

Yup, and I bet a single rope tied to a tree would've kept it upright.

 

[lakelover]

Re: Look what I found against my dock...

Re: Look what I found against my dock...

and from the picture, it wasn't fully in the 'up' position. Had it been all the way up, it probably would have been fine. The waves were hitting the tubes and able to lift and move it a little at a time....

I think the problem was that whey were fully up; they got them retracted with tools before trying to right it. I heard afterwards that he said he had put it up higher because the waves walked it over toward my dock once last year. The wind was unbelieveable, I think the wind flipped it, not the waves.

 

[Andy'sDelight]

Re: Look what I found against my dock...

Re: Look what I found against my dock...

and from the picture, it wasn't fully in the 'up' position. Had it been all the way up, it probably would have been fine. The waves were hitting the tubes and able to lift and move it a little at a time. (people don't like lifting them all the way up, makes getting on and off a challenge.)

That is an expensive pontoon to be upside down! Probably north of $50k. Even dried out, that engine is most likely shot, or at least will be needing tons of work. A nice old 2 stroke could be dried out and fired up. A car engine, not so much...

That thing is really worth 50k!!!??? Glad I don't care for pontoon boats!

 

[jeeperman]

Re: Look what I found against my dock...

Re: Look what I found against my dock...

I think the problem was that whey were fully up; they got them retracted with tools before trying to right it. I heard afterwards that he said he had put it up higher because the waves walked it over toward my dock once last year. The wind was unbelieveable, I think the wind flipped it, not the waves.

I can see where it would not take much to push it over sideways.
The toon is probaly 102" wide and the feet and legs that is holding it up is what, no more than 48" with 24" toons.
Definately a still water use only feature.

 

[lakelover]

Re: Look what I found against my dock...

Re: Look what I found against my dock...

That thing is really worth 50k!!!??? Glad I don't care for pontoon boats!

I heard $30,000 bandied about but I don't really know. I'd like to know myself. As I was taking the pictures, I was thinking that the motor was probably toast, it was submerged for maybe 4 hours.

 

[Wylie CC]

Re: Look what I found against my dock...

Re: Look what I found against my dock...

I see you are in Upstate NY, this does not happen to be Chautauqua lake is it? I heard there was a tornado that came down that lake.

 

[lakelover]

Re: Look what I found against my dock...

Re: Look what I found against my dock...

I see you are in Upstate NY, this does not happen to be Chautauqua lake is it? I heard there was a tornado that came down that lake.

No, I was about 320 miles NW of Chautauqua ("really" upstate!). It was very bizarre. My cousin next door had a flag pole on his dock bend over at about 60 degrees, but only about 50 feet from the 'toon, a webbed lawn chair on my lawn didn't even move.

 

[Bravo]

Re: Look what I found against my dock...

Re: Look what I found against my dock...

That's just freaky...

 

[glengold]

Re: Look what I found against my dock...

Re: Look what I found against my dock...

those sea legs have got to be the worst idea ever. that boat would have been fine if the owner never got that junk installed on his boat!! I can't believe how narrow the legs are either. I understand that they want to fit between the toons, but i'd imagine if he had that boat to capacity, and everyone stood on one side while jacked up on those things, the same result would happen. Maybe try and contact the manufacture of those stupid sea legs and see if its a faulty design.....

 

[lakelover]

Re: Look what I found against my dock...End of the Story

OK, here's the update and final chapter.

My neighbor was insured and his 'toon was totalled. I was there this weekend, and here's what's parked at his dock: Smokercraft Sun Chaser 22', basically the same setup as before, with a 90 Merc and the hydraulic legs.

 

[bsktball55]

Re: Look what I found against my dock...End of the Story

Looks like he didn't learn his lesson with the legs. Does he at least have it tied up as insurance? I could see where a few boat wakes could easily push that thing around.

 

[lakelover]

Re: Look what I found against my dock...End of the Story

Does he at least have it tied up

Not tied up.

 

[2ndtry]

Re: Look what I found against my dock...End of the Story

Not tied up.

Does the water level in your lake NEVER rise? It looks like 1-2 feet would free it without any trouble all.

I have to admit, I had a boat float off a lift when the water came up 2' one night and I didn't have it tied (it was a rental on a lake I was told didn't fluctuate). I had been a boat owner 1 year at that point and have never left a boat untied since. My friends now refer to boat lines by my last name

 

[NYBo]

Re: Look what I found against my dock...End of the Story

Sounds foolish to rely on those supports after what happened last time. What lake is that?

 

[lakelover]

Re: Look what I found against my dock...End of the Story

Does the water level in your lake NEVER rise? It looks like 1-2 feet would free it without any trouble all.

I've never seen it rise more than a few inches at a time in a major storm. But I agree with you, my boats are always tied up too. There was another time before this that his 'toon was "walked" over almost to my dock by some heavy waves. I don't get his thinking.

 

[tmcalavy]

Re: Look what I found against my dock...End of the Story

He likes insurance checks.

 

[Fireman431]

Re: Look what I found against my dock...End of the Story

My .02:

I like the idea of the legs. Keeps the scum off of the bottom, allows for maintenance, etc. But I would think that if a storm or high winds were coming, it would be a lot safer sitting in the water or nosed up on shore (tied off, too).

This guy apparently thinks those legs are a cure for everything. He needs to be better informed.

I'm also surprised the insurance company didn't forfit his right to claim simply for the fact his boat wasn't moored properly to the dock, ESPECIALLY during a storm! Failure to take due precautions that a prudent person would take has canceled many insurance claims.

 

[H20Rat]

Re: Look what I found against my dock...End of the Story

the legs work well, IF you have them all the way up. Otherwise once a wind comes up the waves are going to be lifting it, and flipping it again.