Pitting on Toons

[brooksville_rebel]

1998 Grumman GS 24. Getting the barnacles off the toon and seeing this pitting. We have the boat in the water full time down here in Florida in a Marina and use her in the Gulf. Bottom has never been painted as far as I know. We have had her for just over 3 years I believe and we haven't done it. Haven't had the money to do it.
Of course concerned.
So what can I do about it ?
Should do about?
Be doing about it ?
Do we weld a aluminum bar over it ? Fill them in and if so with what ? Ride her till shes no longer ride able ?

Thanks
Mark

 

[Silver Eagle]

I'd take it to a boat dealer and see what they say.

 

[fhhuber]

Definitely deep pitting... I'd be surprised if there aren't pinholes all the way through.

If its repairable without replacing the tubes, you need to paint with seawater rated antifouling type paint and you need zincs to protect the aluminum from corrosion.

 

[ahicks]

Not sure I would trust a dealer. Would likely call a couple different mobile tech's for their opinions. Whatever though, time for action. You need to do something before putting it back in. If you can't afford it, park it until you can.

 

[fhhuber]

Salt water and untreated aluminum... bad.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Salt water and untreated aluminum... bad.

Salt water in a marina with stray currents and un treated aluminum worse

 

[ahicks]

Was thinking the same thing (stray currents), but no clue how to diagnose, or even if that's possible?

 

[brooksville_rebel]

Definitely deep pitting... I'd be surprised if there aren't pinholes all the way through.

If its repairable without replacing the tubes, you need to paint with seawater rated antifouling type paint and you need zincs to protect the aluminum from corrosion.

Doesn't sound like theres any water in the toons.
Were do you put the zincs on the toons at ? Theres one on the motor.
Thanks

 

[brooksville_rebel]

Not sure I would trust a dealer. Would likely call a couple different mobile tech's for their opinions. Whatever though, time for action. You need to do something before putting it back in. If you can't afford it, park it until you can.

What kind of action tho ? Were my wifes son works they do aluminum welding.
Or is anti fouling painting the thing to do or in conjuction with something else to be done.
THanks

 

[fhhuber]

Doesn't sound like theres any water in the toons.
Were do you put the zincs on the toons at ? Theres one on the motor.
Thanks

There may not be any OEM location for Zincs...
You can create your own (or have someone mig weld on aluminum mounting points below the waterline) I'd want a good size zinc on each tube.
Probably somewhere is a calculator for how big the zinc should be based on surface area of metal exposed (painted still counts) to the salt water. The basic idea is you want them large enough that you don't need to replace more than once a year.

Yes, your engine has an OEM location for a zinc and that zinc is probably just large enough to potentially help protect the outboard with intermittent seawater exposure.

The barnacles were probably plugging the holes...

*************************

Break
Out
Another
Thousand

Boat: a hole in the water that demands to be filled with money... but it leaks.

 

[Scott Danforth]

for your toon logs, I would be looking for about 4 x 6 x 1 zinc pucks for each one. however the damage is done. if they are not leaking now, they will be leaking in a few months.

the work to patch and repair will be about half a new set of logs, unless you dont mind a scab patch

 

[Rickochet]

Maybe check to make sure that nothing is electrically grounded to the hull (toons).

 

[jbcurt00]

Maybe check to make sure that nothing is electrically grounded to the hull (toons).

Or the deck framing and all the struts and etc that tie the toons to the deck frame. Its all interconnected and all likely aluminum

 

[gm280]

At this stage, I would try to use some aluminum powder epoxy mix and clean and fill in the pitted areas. Then feather them out to offer a smooth surface and then coat the entire areas with a paint or coating to protect them from further damage. I mean what else is there to do? They also make a low temperature aluminum rods that could fill in the pits using a propane torch and the rods. IDK never used them. JMHO!

 

[Cat nip]

Fill pits and paid toons with epoxy. That should stop future pitting and strengthen the logs.

 

[brooksville_rebel]

Is having the toons reskinned a good option for this pitting ? My wife's son works at a large welding shop and they have done them before. He said his boss just did a tri-toon. He said his boss said he do ours for 500 each toon. He's come out and welded a bracket that held the toon to the deck that had busted about a year ago and its still going strong. He would do it when they were slow so it could take up to a month to get the boat back but that's no biggie since we can't put it in the water anyhows. Son said he will skin it 3/4 of the way up entire toon.

 

[brooksville_rebel]

for your toon logs, I would be looking for about 4 x 6 x 1 zinc pucks for each one. however the damage is done. if they are not leaking now, they will be leaking in a few months.

the work to patch and repair will be about half a new set of logs, unless you dont mind a scab patch

Found some. I was thinking this one http://www.boatzincs.com/Z6A.html

But in talking with the customer service at BoatZincs.com they said to use aluminum anodes.

BoatZincs.com: USe aluminum anodes, not zinc.
Use this anode: [url]http://www.boatzincs.com/mini-divers-dream-alum.html [/URL]

 

[Scott Danforth]

your trying to protect your toon logs not make the anode last. go zinc, replace often. think about it - you need a sactrificial material. not one that is the same as what you have.

 

[brooksville_rebel]

your trying to protect your toon logs not make the anode last. go zinc, replace often. think about it - you need a sactrificial material. not one that is the same as what you have.

Thats what I thought, thats why I was confused when the CS person said Aluminum. Thanks

 

[Scott Danforth]

Thats what I thought, thats why I was confused when the CS person said Aluminum. Thanks

You were dealing with someone who sells stuff over the counter, not someone who understands the theory behind a sacrificial anode and galvanic corrosion.