Are pontoons easy to repair by welding?

[Chris1956]

My neighbor's 24 footer had the port pontoon damaged in a storm. The front of the pontoon was torn open. The opening is say 12" long and 1/2" wide. Can this be welded shut, maybe by welding on a piece of aluminum angle iron?

 

[airshot]

Aluminum us very tricky to weld and because there are many different types of aluminum that adds more dufficulty because you need to know what type of aluminum your welding. Have a friend that is a highly skilled welder, especially with aluminum. That won't be a job for a hobby welder, it will take someone with skills and the correct equipment. In my area, radiator shops often have people skilled in aluminum welding, worth looking into anyway.

 

[Jeff J]

I agree. You will want someone very proficient welding aluminum. I can weld a lot of stuff and have welded aluminum but I would not attempt a repair on a tube because my success rate with aluminum is about 50%.

Ask your local boat dealer/repair shop if they have someone they use. That’s how I found the guy I used. Be warned, some shops don’t like to share that information so they can collect money for coordinating the repair if they don’t have a welder in house.

 

[99yam40]

just keep in mind that the tube is not normally flat, so if you have to get some proper type and thickness aluminum to lay on it to weld up, it will need to be bent to the same curvature to lay against the tube.
I do not see how a piece of aluminum angle would be able to do that

 

[jlh3rd]

My neighbor's 24 footer had the port pontoon damaged in a storm. The front of the pontoon was torn open. The opening is say 12" long and 1/2" wide. Can this be welded shut, maybe by welding on a piece of aluminum angle iron?

Doesn't have to be "angle iron".
But it does take a knowledgeable aluminum welder that can identify the thickness and type of aluminum used on the pontoon. Different grades/thicknesses of aluminum can be ordered, usually as sheets, then cut as needed.
This is where my welder is employed and is used by the boat dealer. Maybe something similar where you are.
or:
How old is the pontoon? Can the manufacturer be contacted and see if they have a replacement toon? That will be the most expensive solution by far.

a picture might help when internet diagnosing.

 

[Chris1956]

The point of the bow is where the damage is. It looks to roughly be a 60* angle, although it is a complex shape. The entire pontoon looks to be welded together from at least 3 sections.

Certainly, the best repair would be to cur and join custom pieces. I thought some creative flattening of some 90* aluminum would be the next best thing.

 

[jlh3rd]

A pic would help, I can't "see".
My 24' '06 pontoon originally, yes, was 3 sections/ compartments...nose cone, center, and aft.
My new toons are in 5 sections. (another story).
I wouldn't know what's "best", I'm not an aluminum welder and a toon repairer.
If it was mine:
I'd take it to my guy and ask him what can you do. So maybe that should be your first step, finding that expert.

 

[Scott Danforth]

aluminum is easy to weld if you know what you are doing.

the pontoon logs are 5052 aluminum, so you would not want to use any of the 6061 or 6063 extruded shapes.

for a 12" long, 1/2" wide gash, the type of repair would depend on how jagged the gash is. if it can be straightened, then a simple skip-stitch weld

if it cant be straightened, the area would be cut out and a patch rolled to the same shape and size of the cut-out would be used, then skip-stitched

 

[Chris1956]

We happen to have a very good welder up the street. I have encouraged the owner to take some photos to show him and see what he thinks. The owner seemed resistant to that idea for some reason.

I need to wait and see what path he chooses. My questions have mostly been for my benefit, and I thank all for their feedback.

 

[redneck joe]

lots of hull patches on boats like mine using rivets and 5200. Not doable on a toon? The shape would be made by progressively doing the rivets and pulling patch into shape?

 

[dingbat]

I thought some creative flattening of some 90* aluminum would be the next best thing.

Generally speaking, most aluminum extrusions/structural are 6XXX series aluminum which are technically not "bendable", although some you can do a bit of "cold forming" before the material stress cracks.

3XXX and 5XXX series aluminum are very malleable. I'd cut the damaged section out/away and weld a patch over it. Easy enough to form the material as you tack it in place

 

[Jeff J]

Some depends on the desired result. Cutting the tube and welding a flush patch looks best but most patches I have seen are just welded over the damaged area. I’ve seen patches welded over both dents and holes. New, undamaged look equals new tube.

The last time I priced a side tube for a tri it was north of $3500 plus about $2500 to ship it. That was a 23’ or 24’ tube. I don’t know how interchangeable the tubes are. I checked on a tube for a Bennington from Bennington but the SilverWave factory is just down the road. Save on shipping???

Maybe that’s why the local shops cut the hangers and weld on the new tubes.