leaking pontoon

[astull]

Just pulled my 24 ft pontoon out today for the end of season I found out that I have water in my pontoons anyone have any ideas on on how to get the water out and how to find where it is leaking

[SheetWise]

If you can pressurize it, soap and a brush will tell you. Maybe getting the water out and subsequently pressurizing the pontoon can be done using the same through hull -- are there supposed to be compartments in the pontoon?

[tunnels]

What is the pontoon made of ?Glass , ?? look for a place that damaged or has a gdeep gouge or cut or any sort of damage any where . as already suggested soap and water and a brush and pressurize the pontoon . its got to be from water level down so look for the most likely !! :p

[Saildude]

Don't know much about pontoons but I have seen containers that had a lot of water in them because water could build up around inspection plates and such in a puddle and then leaked in around a bad seal due to the heating and cooling of the tanks. Oil drums had this happen often when they had been opened and the bung not screwed back in all the way. So look for potential holes and cracks on the top side also.

[astull]

thanks for most of your responses a guess i should have been more specific obviously I looked for the obvious damage where it could be leaking I need to know how to pressurize the pontoon dont really want to be doing something Im not supposed too

[Frog4]

thanks for most of your responses a guess i should have been more specific obviously I looked for the obvious damage where it could be leaking I need to know how to pressurize the pontoon dont really want to be doing something Im not supposed too

pretty simple, you are not going to pressurize it to the point of rupture, just enough to find the leak(s) ... hit up the auto parts store and find the rubber ended valve stems that are made for tubeless tires ... the drill a hole roughly the same diameter as the stem and the grease/lube up the valve stem and insert it into the hole. next go grab your handy tire inflator/compressor/bicycle pump and get to pumping ... you do have you bucket of soapy water ready to run over the seams (which is more than likely where your leak is) ...

[astull]

where is the best place to drill the hole and are the pontoons sectioned off on the inside this is my first pontoon boat dont know much about them

[gonzo]

What kind of a pontoon is it? Please specify make, model, etc.

[astull]

24ft god frey aqua patio

[gonzo]

Do they have a drain plug?

[PAR]

Most lower end pontoons (round, aluminum) use a plastic plug at the aft end (near the bottom) cap. They can crack, get damaged, break down from UV and generally are a crappy way of saving money at the factory. Pull both plugs (assuming two pontoons) and replace then with well lathered brass pipe plugs, from the local hardware store. Don't be shy about the anti seize on these plugs. Lastly, remove these plugs at the end of each season, let the accumulated condensation vent or run out, re-lather them with anti seize, then reinstall.

In the old days, we called this sort of thing preventive maintenance and it was part of seasonal tasks aboard every boat. We actually looked for known problems, wear items/areas and changed out consumables, amazingly enough before they turned black or fell off. Ah, the good old days when a chamois gently removed the morning dew, before the sun could burn a spot into the bright work.

[Saildude]

I like to use the thick Teflon Paste on pipe plugs. Seals well and can be taken apart. Also helps to cut down on dissimilar metal corrosion.

[PAR]

I've used both and I've seen those plastic (PVC and Teflon) plugs get broken in loading/unloading operations. I replace about a half a dozen of these things a year around here. I'm also animated about yearly R&R with the owners, most of whom are now still freshly scared they almost (or did) sink a pontoon. Teflon is a much better then the PVC ones that come from the factory.

[astull]

do not believe there are any plugs on the bottom of the toons but there are 3 plugs along the top of each pontoon is this where in need to add air to check for leaks

[Frog4]

double check for those "plugs" ...

[astull]

ok so they will be at the end of the pontoons at the backon the bottom

[astull]

Thanks for everybodys help so far still trying to figure things out getting almost to the point of taking it to someone but im an hvac mechanic and i figure if I can find a leak in a cooler I can find it in a pontoon that being said I need to get the water out of the toons before the first freeze no drain plugs in the bottom 3 on top can I syphine the water out through the top

[Frog4]

do you have a wet/dry shop vac?

make a wand extension out of pvc pipe

[astull]

is there anything i need to be careful of taking the water out

[Submarine Tom]

...were it goes?

-Tom

[FMS]

I am surprised there is no drain plug.

Where are these three plugs located exactly? Are there 3 because the pontoons are segmented internally??

To get the water out, if you don't have a shop vac, get a manual bilge pump. They are handy to have around anyway.

Beckson Marine -224PF Hand Bilge Pump $20
http://www.google.com/products/catalog?q=marine+hand+pump&hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=E2G&rlz=1R1GGLL_en___US404&prmd=imvns&biw=1150&bih=728&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=14055469606650669080&sa=X&ei=Fs6XTsvdHOj40gGIs_WcBA&ved=0CIYBEPMCMAE

Or better one with a hose on the input side, also handy to have around and cheap
Beckson 109PC Hand Pump Gas & Oil 11-1/2"L $26
http://www.google.com/products/catalog?q=marine+hand+pump&hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=E2G&rlz=1R1GGLL_en___US404&prmd=imvns&biw=1150&bih=728&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=11588081944209393007&sa=X&ei=Fs6XTsvdHOj40gGIs_WcBA&ved=0CIwBEPMCMAI

Now the real question is how much water is in the pontoon and how did it get there. If it's more than a tiny bit do as above and rig a rubber raft or bike pump and some soapy water to find where they are leaking.