Pontoon Boat & Deck Boat Forum

Hi Everyone,
I am new to this forum and would like some honest advice from those who own pontoons. I have just ordered a Bennington 22SFI with a Yamaha 90 fourstroke and want to fine tune it without going overboard. I have read about under skinning pontoons on this forum and would like lo know if aluminum roof flashing strips laid in strips fwd to aft with an overlap of around 1 inch and properly secured would suffice and do the job of deflecting the water from the underside.

I fully accept that thicker sheets would be more desirable and would look much better. However, roof flashing is considerably cheaper, more readily available, easier to fabricate and comes in 50 ft x 12 inch rolls which would be very manageable. I would appreciate answers considered upon practicality and functionality rather than personal preference, desirability or aesthetics as all I seek is an effective protection barrier to deflect the water. Any advice and opinions would be most appreciated and valued.
Many thanks
J

jjan wrote:Hi Everyone,
I am new to this forum and would like some honest advice from those who own pontoons. I have just ordered a Bennington 22SFI with a Yamaha 90 fourstroke and want to fine tune it without going overboard. I have read about under skinning pontoons on this forum and would like lo know if aluminum roof flashing strips laid in strips fwd to aft with an overlap of around 1 inch and properly secured would suffice and do the job of deflecting the water from the underside.

I fully accept that thicker sheets would be more desirable and would look much better. However, roof flashing is considerably cheaper, more readily available, easier to fabricate and comes in 50 ft x 12 inch rolls which would be very manageable. I would appreciate answers considered upon practicality and functionality rather than personal preference, desirability or aesthetics as all I seek is an effective protection barrier to deflect the water. Any advice and opinions would be most appreciated and valued.
Many thanks
J

I have not done mine yet but it seems like a good idea you have. I think you are supposed to start at the back and go forward though as you over lap will not catch the water. with a 50 foot roll though, it would go side by side pretty easy and still should not get any water in. would probably be an easy to do job with roof flashing.

Hi Again,
I understand the start at the back thing but with the flashing it will have to be fixed along ways not across because I think the pontoon supports run across the boat. Therefore, because the flashing is only around 12 inches wide, I think it will need to be laid along the underside and not across it.
Regards
J

If you run it front to back you would only need four strips and since the distance between pontoons is not 48 inches yo will have a goo overlap between panels. Make sure you bend the first and last run so it will go up the pontoon support brackets.

DAMN, this sounds like a great idea. How much is the aluminum??????

Hi Again,
I have found this on ebay, its 10ins x 50 ft for $17.99 plus shipping....http://cgi.ebay.com/10-X-50-Aluminum-Fl ... 53e0d69678
Alternatively, just look in the building section of Lowe's, Home Depot or any building or roof suppliers because this stuff is reasonably cheap and plentiful, check this out....http://www.homedepot.ca/webapp/wcs/stor ... PartNumber Also check this....http://www.homedepot.ca/catalog/roofing/172993

I have not really researched the exact cost because the idea just come to me when I read about under skinning on this forum, but I think that it would be quite easy to do and more importantly, well within most peoples budget. What I want to know is if people with experience of pontoons think it would work effectively, and within the principals of the KISS theory and all that.
Regards
J

jjan wrote:Hi Everyone,
I am new to this forum and would like some honest advice from those who own pontoons. I have just ordered a Bennington 22SFI with a Yamaha 90 fourstroke and want to fine tune it without going overboard. I have read about under skinning pontoons on this forum and would like lo know if aluminum roof flashing strips laid in strips fwd to aft with an overlap of around 1 inch and properly secured would suffice and do the job of deflecting the water from the underside.


Many thanks
J

First off, congrats on the new Benny... That's a very nice boat. You said you ordered it so obviously it's a brand new boat. My concern would be whether or not you would be voiding the warranty by doing that. I would check with either bennington or your local dealer to be sure before you do anything. I know when we got our benny the one thing I hated was the hook for the wench strap is back up underneath the boat. I had suggested at the dealership that we put a "eye hook" right out on the front edge of the deck to make it much easier to get to. They told me they could do that, but it would void the warranty.. so my point is check with bennington before you make alterations.... Good luck and again congrats on the new boat....

tried it exactly as you described if you dont mind alot of noise from the waves hitting it, mabey. but the stuff is pretty flimsy and not all that strong

I have used flashing for projects, but I couldn't recommend it as a splash shield, it's way too flimsy! The waves will bash it up real good. It's not much thicker than a beer can is make of. Sorry, but it's cheap for a reason, it's too thin!

Yep to thin, you'll have water hitting it at 8 pounds a gallon and it will beat it to death, just wait till you can find some aluminum the right thickness, I forgot what it was right now but someone will tell us.

I agree with everybody that is concerned about your warranty. We have Sanpan and wanted to do the same type of thing and we were told by Godfrey that unlesss the dealer did the install of the skin, our warranty would be voided. I had it done at the dealership with material that seems to be about 1/16 thick and it has had a amazing impact on all aspects of the performance. It is now much quieter, smoother ride and less height on the water coming up the side of the toons. The model I have has the helm a bit further back in the boat and I used to get a bit wet at times in rougher water. Plus it is riveted and sealed as well

If you want an honest opinion I would have it done by your dealer. Mine was $750.00 and I think well worth the money. I hope this helps.

I have an idea for underskining, will try it in a few weeks if someone else wants to try it, a plastic truck bedliner. What do you think????????????

Neal

rubber bedliner = drag...

Are you talking about the rigid plastic liners? How you attach them?

Correct, the plastic bedliner in a full size pick-up, not rubber like catdaddy was referring to. Cut the floor off between the wheel wells, now you have a rigid four foot by eight foot section. Make a template of your crossmembers with acurate measurements and put in four bolts approximently one foot apart on each crossmember. You will be able to get fingers up inside on the edge bolts but the two in the middle may be tough, no problem, go to the hardware store and get the bolts with the rounded top and the square part below the head, now like how they hang trailer hitches now days find a piece (not sure of technical term here) that is like a rectangler washer with the square cut into it so when you drop it from the top down thru the crossmember (this will keep bolt from turning as you attach nut) then thru the bedliner and have a super sized fender washer and locknut to finish attaching. I am in the hunt now for a bedliner so when I find and do the project I will post pics.

Try looking in your home depot/lowes for the galvanized bolts in the chain link fence section, I think I have seen them there,
I will be going tomorrow to poke around for these parts.

Neal