What should I do about this?

[toondog]

[quote="Drago" You only need to test the nose cone that has the damage.[/quote]
That is true, but. I think it would be better to have all the chambers at the same air pressure.

[photonfanatic]

Looks like mine are just one big chamber. There is only the plugs in at the back, and nowhere else that I can see.

Also, can anyone provide a link to the pontoon guards that were recommended, for covering up and protecting the damage? I went to academy and mine seems to have done away with their boat stuff, while they redo that part of the store. So I will just order them, but I don't know what they look like.

[wahoomon]

Looks like you ht the trailer cross beam.. That happened to me in a strong cross wind.. I recently put in trailer pontoon bunks, makes trailering easy in strong winds or current. amazon @79.00.. Just got another set for the front beam of the trailer.

To test for leaks I used a shop vac (use blowing side) had buddy hold it over hole and I sprayed soapy water to find small pin hole leak.

[toondog]

"[quote="photonfanatic"]Looks like mine are just one big chamber. There is only the plugs in at the back, and nowhere else that I can see.

Also, can anyone provide a link to the pontoon guards that were recommended, for covering up and protecting the damage? I went to academy and mine seems to have done away with their boat stuff, while they redo that part of the store. So I will just order them, but I don't know what they look like.[/quote]"

I like that shop vac idea, most guys will have one of those.
Sounds like you have baffled logs. They have chambers, but the dividers have small holes in the bottoms. This equalizes the pressure and lets water (if it gets in) go to the back of the log. Some of these have vent tubes. It's a tube that goes from the bottom to the outside top of the log. It will look like a pig tail on top of the log. If you ever get a leak, the water can only get as high as the holes/vent tube. Just FYI.

[mpilot]

Looks like mine are just one big chamber. There is only the plugs in at the back, and nowhere else that I can see.

Also, can anyone provide a link to the pontoon guards that were recommended, for covering up and protecting the damage? I went to academy and mine seems to have done away with their boat stuff, while they redo that part of the store. So I will just order them, but I don't know what they look like.

I like that shop vac idea, most guys will have one of those.
Sounds like you have baffled logs. They have chambers, but the dividers have small holes in the bottoms. This equalizes the pressure and lets water (if it gets in) go to the back of the log. Some of these have vent tubes. It's a tube that goes from the bottom to the outside top of the log. It will look like a pig tail on top of the log. If you ever get a leak, the water can only get as high as the holes/vent tube. Just FYI.

The brand name is keel guard or keel shield makes them too. They aren't designed for pontoons primarily. They are designed to go on the bottom of a v hull for beaching the boat but they will work on a pontoon. They come in different lengths and colors.

[photonfanatic]

Thanks! Found them now

[photonfanatic]

Can you still park in the sand if you have these keel guards on your logs?

At some lakes I like to do the whole pontoon landing thing, where you just sort of park on some sandy bank. Will doing this tear up the keep guards, or maybe make them look unsightly?

[mpilot]

[quote="photonfanatic"]Can you still park in the sand if you have these keel guards on your logs?

At some lakes I like to do the whole pontoon landing thing, where you just sort of park on some sandy bank. Will doing this tear up the keep guards, or maybe make them look unsightly?[/quote]

No they are meant to be beached. One of their promotional videos shows them beaching it on a boat ramp.

[MH Hawker]

yes take a file or grinder then a sander to that its more that likely fine, a shop vac with the with the hose in the exhaust port works very nicely for testing for leaks and no danger of over pressuring a tube

[Bryden24shp]

You shouldn't have a leak in that spot because the nose cone is bent together and welded together in the front, then the keel is welded on over that weld for strength, as you found out, it works! If that keel wasn't there, you would have done some nasty damage to the actual nosecone. File it smooth, fill some of the really rough stuff with some JB weld if you want, and your set to go.

[Bryden24shp]

Here are some pictures I took during a visit with Manitou. The nosecones start as flat aluminum, are cut and creased, then rolled by hand and welded. Then the keel is welded to the front, over the leading edge of the nosecone. then the pontoons are rolled and welded. Then they are put together on a large set of rollers and the tubes are welded together for whatever length the pontoon is. The nosecones and endcaps are then welded on. Its a cool process to watch and these are all hand welded and come out looking fantastic. These guys know how to lay some welds.

[photonfanatic]

Thanks for the replies all. Really helpful. I was scared I'd done some real damage to my boat. I'll be getting those keelguards and putting them on soon.