The knowledge of How to drain water from Pontoon is rare but before getting onto that you must know what Pontoon is?
Pontoon is a boat that offers you more options and designs perfect of your liking as compared to other boats in the market.
There are many choices when it comes to Pontoon.
The sizes, power, performance, amenities and design vary matching your location and lifestyle.
Important Factors To Consider!What you will learn in this Article |
Before going further there are few things that you should know if you are a boat lover but hadn’t one yet and finally, you have one so you want to keep it safe and sound.
All those who want to know how to drain water from the Pontoon boat should also read these tips and mind-blowing facts.
If you are hearing sounds coming from your boat and wondering why there is a drain plug?
Aren’t Pontoon chambered?
If you are thinking that it is leaked then maybe the warnings of your senses are right.
But what will you do when you find an actual leak in the boat? Don’t worry. We have you covered!
How To Know If Your Pontoon Is Leaking? |
Pontoon is a very useful boat but like every boat, it has the problem of leaking sometimes.
Identifying the problem is one thing but then choosing the method to deal with it is another.
But, to know if your pontoon is leaking, follow the steps.
- Listen quietly inside the boat for sloshing water.
- Look for any dents, leaks, or corrosion that may have let water in.
- Keep track of how long the boat has been out of the water. It may be condensation!
If you hear sloshing around in your pontoon boat, there’s a fair chance it’s filled with water.
This isn’t always a problem, but water in the boat can cause a disaster.
Is There Any Way Pontoon Boats Can Have Leaked Water In It? |
There is no way water should be in the Pontoon but sometimes it gets in it.
It is common knowledge that if water gets into the boat it can cause damage to the engine and puts a lot of weight in the Pontoon boat.
The boat is made in this way that it can deal with a small quantity of water.
How Much Water Can Cause Trouble? |
As we have discussed above that Pontoon is designed to take a small quantity of water because as it gets old water leaks into it.
It gets worked up when there is a large quantity of water.
But, the question remains the same. How much water?
When the boat gets older the condensation occurs at the sides, on joints and any connections.
It is advisable to check for a large quantity of water around a gallon. Small condensations when accumulated causes bigger issues.
The most important thing is when water starts sloshing and you can easily hear it.
Signs |
Other signs show that the boat has water leakage.
- When you notice a change of level in the fuel consumption mostly it is an increase.
- When you feel that boat is somewhat low in the water from regular.
- When you check that its performance is low.
In the first and third case, to know the Enhanced consumption of fuel and reduced performance is very challenging and sometimes pass unnoticed.
But if you feel these problems then clarify the assumptions and solve them.
In the second case, where water enters into the boat and buoyance of the boat is affected badly causing the boat to sink slowly.
This is a very serious issue.
What Causes The Water To Enter The Boat? |
It is very usual for a small quantity of water to enter unnoticeable into the boat.
Causes |
Some main causes of water entering into the chambers of the Pontoon are:
- Small dents (sometimes little visible)
- Damaged hull and tubes
- Corrosion occurring at the bolts and joints. This is caused by the reaction of the brackish or salty water with metals of the bolts.
- Paint erosion
- Cracks caused by collision on the rocks
It is advisable if you check your boat before using it because if not used for sometimes the water gets condensed in it.
Leaks in the boat can easily be welded so no worries about that.
All these problems can be solved by rechecking everything, rewelding and painting.
How To Drain Water Out Of A Pontoon Boat? |
Two things determine the method you will use to get the water out of the boat.
These factors are:
- Age of the Pontoon
- Design and Model of the boat
The best way is to first check the manual of the boat to find any specific instructions regarding treatments or methods to drain the water from Pontoon.
Methods
The most important and efficient of method draining water are:
- By a drain plug
- By Tipping
- By Pumping
You can choose any method that you find easy and effective the most.
By A Drain Plug |
Do pontoon boats have a drain plug? they sure do.
In older boats, a drain plug is built solely for this purpose. It is present in the back of the boat and you can use it whenever you need it.
The point that you should always consider is that find the right plug!
Sometimes people don’t check it and open other plugs that are built for air storage.
The drain plug is always on the lower rare side of the Pontoon. So be careful!
In newer models, other features take care of draining the water from the boat so they don’t have a drain plug.
By Tipping |
In the fresh models that are advanced and more efficient, the drain plug is not present.
They have small compartments that assist in draining.
The first thing to do in that case is identified where the boat is leaking?
After that, the boat is tipped to get all the water out. When all the water is out.
The leakage point is welded and this process the problem completely.
By Pumping |
The last option or method is Pumping. Most people use it as it is the easiest and simple process.
It requires a shop vac or basement drainer to suck the liquid from the Pontoon and make it again efficient.
A hole is drilled to get the hose into the boat.
There are two methods known after that. You can choose anyone that you are comfortable with.
- By applying low-pressure water is sucked out. This is done very carefully as it can cause cracks in the older boats. This method is better in identifying the cracks too as the bubbles are formed there.
- By turning on the basement drainer. It sucks the water and moves the drainer thoroughly to suck even from the corners or cracks if any.
These methods are effective when you knew the location of the drain.
How Much Pontoon Can Be In Water? |
The log varies from model to model. So, half or less of the log should be in the water.
If the log is 36” then 18” should in the water and half 18” should be above the water.
But there is another factor that determines how many bats will be in the water and that is “Weight”.
Weight placement is a very important factor. Following features try to balance the boat on the water.
- Engine
- People On Board
- Anchor
- Coolers
- On-boarded Things
Rearranging these things can achieve balance and weight is distributed effectively. This is necessary for the safety of the people and the boat.
Fixing The Leakage Source |
When the water is drained from the boat.
The thing or important factor that you should know is how to fix that leak?
There are two methods of fixing the Pontoon.
- Welding
- Repairing by Steel or Aluminum Putting
Welding
There are few points you should keep in your mind.
Choose the best welder because if gone wrong your boat will be useless.
- Determine the boat’s material –Steel or Aluminum.
- Locate the source of the leak –be careful!
- Move the boat to a dry position so that welding can be done safely.
- Clean and dry the leak area.
- At last weld the area.
Repairing by Steel or Aluminum Putting
It is better for small cracks. It is available in hardware stores and marine shops.
Steel Putty when applied gets hardened and can be machined and drilled.
The steps to follow are given below.
- Identify the source of the leak, which may be caused by seams, punctures, cracks, or erosion. Always look out!
- Move the boat to a dry place – although the putty can be used on wet or dry products, it works better on dry ones.
- to ensure that the putty adheres, Clean and gently sand the leaky area
- Apply the putty (different brands can have different directions for application, so read them carefully)
Taking Care After Repairs |
Most people neglect after they repair their Pontoon. But, if you want to avoid problems in the future.
You should make your boat immune to the problem.
Like using Epoxy over the surface so that the board or surface doesn’t get cracked any time soon.
Frequently Asked Questions(FAQs) |
| Where The Drain Plug On A Pontoon Boat Is Located? |
| Drain plugs are not challenging to find. They are located at the bottom of every Avalon Pontoon boat. It is present usually at the lower level of the boat so interact with the water. It assists in lifting and draining the boat. But, a drain plug doesn’t tell the source of the leak so for better efficiency identify the leak source. |
| How Do Know Where Leaking Is? |
| First, take a round of the boat and look out for any condensation or leaking from a crack, bolt or joint. If you don’t find anything then use the Drain plug to fill the Pontoons and when the hose is filled you get to know the location of the leakage. Other than this air compressor is also an option. When air is filled in the pontoons water produces a sound where leaking will be. |
| How To Repair The Leak? |
There are two methods for repairing the leak and those are:
|
Conclusion |
In this article we tackled everything you need to know about draining a pontoon. Now you can head back out there with the best depth fish finder. And if you do be sure to learn how to install a depth finder on a pontoon boat.
