Pontoon Boat & Deck Boat Forum

I have a very small leak, probably in a weld joint under a welded "V" channel on the bottom of my port tube. I have done everything possible with air pressure and soapy water to determine where it's leaking with no success. If that is truly where it is, there is no easy way to get at it. I do not have drain plugs on My Aqua Patio tubes but notice water dripping from the back of a welded V channel that runs along the bottom of the tubes for about 12 hours when I put the boat back on the lift. So my question is, does the tube need to be vented while in the water? With a non vented 1/2" plug the tube will not take on water. I'm wondering if installing a ball valve that I can shut off while underway would cause any problems. I understand that it needs to be vented while on my boat lift to release the differential air pressure that builds up with the temperature changes throughout the day. Ideally, repairing or replacing the tube would be my first option, however, this may be costly as well.
I live in SW Florida.
Thanks, Mike

Toons don't need to be vented at all. My old Starcraft pontoons have U shaped toons and plugs on the rear/bottom of each toon. And they are minorly pressurized when they get hot in the sun. I was thinking there is a waterproof plug on top of the rear of my new tritoons.

You could always put some tint in the water inside the toon and put the nose of the trailer high. Then chase the colored water coming out.

Finding the leak is sometimes difficult. Fixing the leak is easy for a welder. But you really need to find the source of the leak.

Both of my logs leak. I can't figure out where. I even fliked them with a bit of water in the driveway and they don't leak, but anytime it's in the water I take on 5-10 gal of water in each log. I stayed out about 6 hours a couple weekends ago and had about 5 in each log when I got back to the house.

Crab Island Cruiser wrote:Both of my logs leak. I can't figure out where. I even fliked them with a bit of water in the driveway and they don't leak, but anytime it's in the water I take on 5-10 gal of water in each log. I stayed out about 6 hours a couple weekends ago and had about 5 in each log when I got back to the house.

Have you tried 2 to 3 pounds of air pressure? Many logs can develop cracks on the top where the braces are welded on, water splash is might impressive while underway.

Cowboy wrote:I have a very small leak, probably in a weld joint under a welded "V" channel on the bottom of my port tube. I have done everything possible with air pressure and soapy water to determine where it's leaking with no success. If that is truly where it is, there is no easy way to get at it. I do not have drain plugs on My Aqua Patio tubes but notice water dripping from the back of a welded V channel that runs along the bottom of the tubes for about 12 hours when I put the boat back on the lift. So my question is, does the tube need to be vented while in the water? With a non vented 1/2" plug the tube will not take on water. I'm wondering if installing a ball valve that I can shut off while underway would cause any problems. I understand that it needs to be vented while on my boat lift to release the differential air pressure that builds up with the temperature changes throughout the day. Ideally, repairing or replacing the tube would be my first option, however, this may be costly as well.
I live in SW Florida.
Thanks, Mike

Tubes do not NEED to be vented and NORMALLY they are not vented as if air is allowed out water can come in... Try 2 to 3 PSI air pressure on a sealed tube if you have a leak it should make itself known...

Take a look at the forward welds, motion of going forward may force water into a very small Crack

I have used air pressure and it appears to be on the very bottom of the weld joint that attaches the front and rear sections together. It is also encased within the V channel that runs the length of the tube, so it's virtually impossible to get to.

Cowboy wrote:I have used air pressure and it appears to be on the very bottom of the weld joint that attaches the front and rear sections together. It is also encased within the V channel that runs the length of the tube, so it's virtually impossible to get to.

Not to a good welder with a zip-wheel and mig/tig gun...

This is gonna sound really redneck, and I'm not sure it will work, but have you thought of good ole, JB Weld? My pool heater has a baffle in it that worked loose on the inlet side. Rattled like hell and restricted my flow so bad it would shut down. I took it apart and it is so far in the tubing, that there is no way to get to it to spot weld or braze back into place. I tried for hours! I finally gave up and JB Welded it. It holds and works. I would hate to say how many thousands of gallons per hour are running through it at 18 pounds of pressure. If it holds up to that punishment, I would try it on your leak.

Cowboy wrote:I have used air pressure and it appears to be on the very bottom of the weld joint that attaches the front and rear sections together. It is also encased within the V channel that runs the length of the tube, so it's virtually impossible to get to.

By "V channel" do you mean the keel strip? My friend always told me he was taking on water, He thought the keel was 1 piece with the toon, So the "solid keel" was leaking but not getting into the toons. Also, everyone tells me all tubes are vented, accept when I argue it with them they can never point them out. I know some where in the past, are there still any?

I tied it to the dock for 2 hours today with a non-vented 1/2" pvc plug in it and it still takes on water, so that theory didn't work.
Yes, I believe a zip wheel would remove enough keel strip to access the weld. I'm going to drop it off at the marina and have them lift it out of the water and call in there welder. Might be $400 to find the leak and another $400 to fix it, depending what he runs into but I'm certain it is on the bottom of the sectional weld directly under the keel strip.

Cowboy: What brand and what age is your boat hull? Have you checked into the warranty period on the boat? Sometimes toons have long warranty periods.

You've got to be very careful removing solid V keels from the bottoms of toons. Remember that most toons are .080 aluminum, which is very thin. It's just so easy to burn through the hull and cause a bigger problem than you have now.

2-3psi of pressure is just fine, if it's a really small leak you could get a plug with an air fitting on it and keep the tube pressurized slightly. I set up my new scratch n dent tubes with 1/4" pex that runs from all the chambers up to the nose cones for easy access and leave 2psi of pressure in the tubes.