Party Barge issue

[Texas Grown]

If you wanna know how water gets in the toons, just ask. I've repaired enough of them for Tracker. And can tell you where it's most likely getting in. Repair is a different story, very simple if you can tig weld aluminum. I can also tell you how to check for leaks on those toons. You'd never suspect it if you didn't know where and how to look.

[Walker]

I've never owned a "toon" and have never even ridden in one so school me if I'm off base here but 38-40mph on a 22 footer sounds like a little exaggeration to me.

[Big Lee]

My last pontoon. I threaded a Schrader valve into. Added pressure and would apply soapy water around the Toons. Minor cracks are easily found that way. They occur more often than you wish.

[Texas Grown]

My last pontoon. I threaded a Schrader valve into. Added pressure and would apply soapy water around the Toons. Minor cracks are easily found that way. They occur more often than you wish.

Yep. But you don't wanna inflate more than 2-3psi. Cause more than that can cause welds to crack, causing leaks. On the Tracker toons, there is a bung hole in the top towards the center. If you pull the plug and air pushes out, you're most likely good.


Aluminum flexes. And doesn't do well when it does. The brackets that are welded on the top of the toons that attach to the deck crossmembers sometimes develop small holes behind the welds where the bracket is welded to the toon. Sometimes they are right on the end of the weld. I've gotten brand spanking new boats from a new owners, and dealers, that had leaks. The very back set of brackets, and the most forward set, are where the most common leaks are. This is because they take on a lot of stress hitting the water. On the back set, the back two most welds on the bracket are the most common to leak. When the boat is under way, it throws water up and on top of the toons. And the pressure of the toons hitting the surface of the water cause the toons to breath in and out. Water gets sucked in. And air gets pushed out. Sometimes it takes a while to get a good amount of water in there. Other times, it's much quicker, pending how many leaks a toon has. But, each time the boat is run, it accumulates water over time. The way to empty is to raise the trailer tongue as high as possible so the water runs to the back of the toon. And drill a 1/8" hole on the very bottom, 2" to 3" forward of the end cap weld. Make sure the bung hole plug is out. And let all water drain. Rock the trailer some to get as much out as possible. Then tig weld the 1/8" hole up after it drys out. Make sure you reweld all of the leaky welds on top before welding up the bottom. Once the bottom is welded, pressure up again to 2-3psi and check for leaks again. If all is good, reinstall the bung hole. And go boating.


Oh, and I'd recommend 4043 for the weld rod. It's soft and will flex some while in the water. 5356 is stiff and doesn't do well with vibrations or flexing. And is likely to crack, even if the weld area was heated prior to welding. It's the "flex" and "vibration" that aluminum doesn't like.


One other thing about aluminum, it gets harder with age whether it is artificially aged or not. Just sitting outside in the sun makes the surface harder over time. So, that means it's more likely to crack with vibration or flex.

[Bayouboy]

Letting kids use your boat is the problem. At least he didn’t sink it like someone I know.

[RaginCagin]

Yes sir, he plainly stated that two mechanics said the engine was fine and was hitting 5500 RPM

I am a thinking that when the rope got sucked up in the prop that the blades may have got bent.

Thats very possible.

[ChrisB]

Prop is out of balance. I've had props redone and when I got them back I was 5mph slower.

[BrianL]

I agree with changing out prop and see what happens.

[Drycreek3189]

Yep. But you don't wanna inflate more than 2-3psi. Cause more than that can cause welds to crack, causing leaks. On the Tracker toons, there is a bung hole in the top towards the center. If you pull the plug and air pushes out, you're most likely good.


Aluminum flexes. And doesn't do well when it does. The brackets that are welded on the top of the toons that attach to the deck crossmembers sometimes develop small holes behind the welds where the bracket is welded to the toon. Sometimes they are right on the end of the weld. I've gotten brand spanking new boats from a new owners, and dealers, that had leaks. The very back set of brackets, and the most forward set, are where the most common leaks are. This is because they take on a lot of stress hitting the water. On the back set, the back two most welds on the bracket are the most common to leak. When the boat is under way, it throws water up and on top of the toons. And the pressure of the toons hitting the surface of the water cause the toons to breath in and out. Water gets sucked in. And air gets pushed out. Sometimes it takes a while to get a good amount of water in there. Other times, it's much quicker, pending how many leaks a toon has. But, each time the boat is run, it accumulates water over time. The way to empty is to raise the trailer tongue as high as possible so the water runs to the back of the toon. And drill a 1/8" hole on the very bottom, 2" to 3" forward of the end cap weld. Make sure the bung hole plug is out. And let all water drain. Rock the trailer some to get as much out as possible. Then tig weld the 1/8" hole up after it drys out. Make sure you reweld all of the leaky welds on top before welding up the bottom. Once the bottom is welded, pressure up again to 2-3psi and check for leaks again. If all is good, reinstall the bung hole. And go boating.


Oh, and I'd recommend 4043 for the weld rod. It's soft and will flex some while in the water. 5356 is stiff and doesn't do well with vibrations or flexing. And is likely to crack, even if the weld area was heated prior to welding. It's the "flex" and "vibration" that aluminum doesn't like.


One other thing about aluminum, it gets harder with age whether it is artificially aged or not. Just sitting outside in the sun makes the surface harder over time. So, that means it's more likely to crack with vibration or flex.

Uh……Cuz, ain’t airplanes made out of aluminum ?

[Texas Grown]

Uh……Cuz, ain’t airplanes made out of aluminum ?

Some are.

It's all in the engineering.

I've been in the aerospace/aircraft industry, with a few mfgs, for the last 25+ years.

The fish are biting and there's hogs to be kill-t. Gotta go!

[dbaio1]

I would have the pitch on prop checked.

[COACH_EM_UP]

I have a 175 VMAX SHO on our tritoon, with lifting strakes, and I have only gotten to 38 mph on one occasion. And that was with perfect, glass water at 8 am and I was the only one on the boat. We average 34-35 mph with 4-5 people on board and 31-32mph with 7-8 people. I had 12 people on board and we were cruising at 24 mph.

To get to 38-39 mph on a pontoon is rare. If you are running a 21 pitch prop, your rpm's are going to be higher than 5500. That is too much pitch. Most pontoon/tritoon props are 13-16 pitch. Anything else and you are not getting any power out of the hole. 5500 rpm at WOT sounds about as much as you want that motor to be. I am at 5300 rpm @ WOT with a 13 pitch stainless prop. I could go faster, but would have to go to my 15 pitch aluminum prop.

[Quackerbox]

I have a 175 VMAX SHO on our tritoon, with lifting strakes, and I have only gotten to 38 mph on one occasion. And that was with perfect, glass water at 8 am and I was the only one on the boat. We average 34-35 mph with 4-5 people on board and 31-32mph with 7-8 people. I had 12 people on board and we were cruising at 24 mph.

To get to 38-39 mph on a pontoon is rare. If you are running a 21 pitch prop, your rpm's are going to be higher than 5500. That is too much pitch. Most pontoon/tritoon props are 13-16 pitch. Anything else and you are not getting any power out of the hole. 5500 rpm at WOT sounds about as much as you want that motor to be. I am at 5300 rpm @ WOT with a 13 pitch stainless prop. I could go faster, but would have to go to my 15 pitch aluminum prop.

More speed from aluminum?

Don't think I've ever heard that.

Sent from my SM-G970U using Tapatalk

[COACH_EM_UP]

More speed from aluminum?

Don't think I've ever heard that.

Sent from my SM-G970U using Tapatalk

Yes, more speed because of the pitch, not because it is aluminum. I know it does go faster because I have put both of my props on my boat and the 15 pitch aluminum makes the boat run faster than the 13 pitch stainless. So, you know . . .

[texasdeerhunter]

I’ve learned a lot from this thread. I bent my 3 blade aluminum prop, so I started doing research. Just had a new 4 blade SS prop put on. I’m curious what the result will be. Top speed with the 3 blade aluminum was 41 mph. But had trouble pulling a skier out of the water. I am gonna find out if I lose speed by going to the 4 blade and if it makes pulling skiers easier