My Pontoon "Wobbles" while being towed.

occifer_deas

Recruit
Joined
Aug 31, 2008
Messages
1
Hi all. I am new to this site and also to the pontooning world. Just traded my bass boat for a nice 24ft Starcraft Pontoon and the family is loving it. I do have one concern with towing it. I notice that when I step onto the front of the boat while it is on the trailor, that the front of the boat goes down when I step onto it. Also I cant seem to load it all the way to the "Bumpers" that stop the boat on the trailer. It is about 2 inches from them. When I load the boat on the trailer it bumps into them and stops but when I pull it out of the water, it always ends up being about 2 inches from the bumpers. When I tow the boat and hit the normal bumps on the road the front of the boat rocks on the trailor up and down. I am concerned that all of the rocking will take a toll on the eyebolt that the winch hook, hooks onto and mess something up. Is this a problem or am I just overly concerned with something that is common in the pontoon world?

Thanks for any advise. See ya on the water! ! !
 

Silvertip

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Sep 22, 2003
Messages
28,771
Re: My Pontoon "Wobbles" while being towed.

You need to winch the 'toon fully up to the stops. You might also ensure the winch strap is level or preferably pulling slightly downward on the bow. If it is pulling upward, the bow is being lifted off the bunks.
 

tashasdaddy

Honorary Moderator Emeritus
Joined
Nov 11, 2005
Messages
51,019
Re: My Pontoon "Wobbles" while being towed.

you may have to pull up just a little on the ramp, and retighten.
 

Sparky69

Cadet
Joined
Jun 11, 2007
Messages
23
Re: My Pontoon "Wobbles" while being towed.

Hi occifer_deas
I am kinda new to tooning also since two years ago (still learning). I had the same problem as you. I just tighten it up real good and to keep it from bobing up and down while towing I just throw a couple of pull straps around the front of the pontoons and strap them down to the bunk. It rides more solid now without the bouncing.
I just put new turbo lube hubs on mine yesterday but they are leaking out the oil seal so I'm waiting on some of those bearing buddy spindle seals as others had recomended to get a better seal. I found out one of my old hubs was halfway disentigrated and was riding on the inner bearing. Not a good thought wondering what could of happen while on the interstate.
Hey I did the same thing as you. I had a 86 ranger and traded a guy for his 19 footer pontoon. Yeah it was fun going fast till the wakes on the lake starts to churn up and then it gets kinda scary. And I couldn't take my wife and all her friends along on that Ranger but I do miss it sometimes when I'm out by myself.
Well I hope this help you out some

Sparky
 
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