HELP! BOAT BEACHED AT SAND BAR IN (long level) LAKE CLARK WRIGHTVILLE, PA

[biggdoc12]

ok, here's the deal. 1990 20ft forester classic, 40hp 2stroke eninrude, no funiture. took the boat out on friday evening with a friend, first time of the season. lake choppy but know problems. saturday, took boat out with 4 adult and 4 children, lake choppy but made it up to the islands to fish. after a couple of hours i notice the boat sitting low and to the left. the left pontoon must have been filling with water so i make a b line to the sand bar for safety. had to leave the boat there in fear of it completely sinking if we toed it back in. yesterday, went out to boat, left pontoon is completely submerged in the water. we were able to lift the pontoon up and put pieces of wood underneith it too raise it out of the water a little bit (only 2ft deep). i guess i have to wait for the water level to come down so the pontoon can drain. the damn isnt scheduled to lower the water level till wednesday. ok, enough story. Is there anyone on this forum that fequents lake clark that knows when it is usally at its lowest level. i know the level can fluxuate on a daily basis just not sure of the timing.

i am kinda new to boating and would like to thank all the fellow boaters at the sand bar for all the help. u guys are awesome!

Thanks,
Mike

 

[1fast6]

Re: HELP! BOAT BEACHED AT SAND BAR IN (long level) LAKE CLARK WRIGHTVILLE, PA

I don't know anything about pontoon boats, but, will try to help. Can you drill a hole in the top of the pontoon, drop in a length of hose and use a bilge pump to pump out the water?
Just a thought..

 

[arks]

Re: HELP! BOAT BEACHED AT SAND BAR IN (long level) LAKE CLARK WRIGHTVILLE, PA

Is there anyone on this forum that fequents lake clark that knows when it is usally at its lowest level. i know the level can fluxuate on a daily basis just not sure of the timing.

I kayak in this area occasionally. The power company doesn't have a set timetable (as far as I know). The Susquehanna flow is dictated by the amount of rainfall upstream. This week is forecast to be fairly dry so the levels should be falling. One good soaking 200 miles away can change everything, so stay aware of the weather upstate.
Here's a site I check before boating the area. Notice the flow rate has been decreasing.
http://www.weatherforyou.com/wxinfo/hw3/hw3.php?forecast=riversobs&gauge=HARP1

 

[lmuss53]

Re: HELP! BOAT BEACHED AT SAND BAR IN (long level) LAKE CLARK WRIGHTVILLE, PA

1fast6 has a pretty good idea there. You are going to need a welder anyway so take a holesaw and your battery powered drill out and put a hole big enough to drop a bilge pump in, high in the stern part of the leaking tube. Drop a bilge pump in and pump it out. Run it back in and take it to a welder close to the lake, he can put the plug from the hole back in and find and fix the leak(s).

You could lash it up tight to your buddy's boat and if it didn't want to pull him under limp it in next to his. Just let his boat hold up your flooded side and his engine do all the work. You will have to get the trailer way in the water to get it out and it may take a while to drain as you pull it out. If the internal capacity of the tube would be 200 gallons that is an extra 1600 pounds on that side once it is on the trailer. Be aware of how much weight you are putting on your trailer as you pull it out.

If you can get the hole in the tube safely I think pumping it out is a better solution. It might be crude but a good chisel and a hammer would put the right sized hole in for you. Cut it on 3 sides as straight as you can, fold it back and drop the pump in, a competent welder can fix that hole without any problem. Naturally you have to put the hole above the water line to float the tube. Be safe, wear gloves so you don't end up with a big cut out in the middle of the lake.

I'm not familiar with your lake, is it a COE property? Here at Raystown they will not let an unattended boat sit for long, the SeaTow guy would have it pretty quick. Make sure you are in contact with the authorities and they know your situation, and what you are trying to do.

Good luck, and don't let one crappy weekend experience sour you on your pontoon.

 

[biggdoc12]

Re: HELP! BOAT BEACHED AT SAND BAR IN (long level) LAKE CLARK WRIGHTVILLE, PA

thanks for the idea. seems like a good one. i forgot to mention that it does have a drain plug in the back and i removed it so if the water level goes down it will drain. drilling a hole seems like the way to go. im guessing i wont be able to just sifin it out if its sitting in water. this just plain sucks!!!!! river rescue knows the boat is out there and what i have to do to get it back in. they wished me luck. im sure i can leave it there for a while if need be.

 

[jimbo_jwc]

Re: HELP! BOAT BEACHED AT SAND BAR IN (long level) LAKE CLARK WRIGHTVILLE, PA

If has a drain plug than use a air tank to pressurize then pull off and let low pressure force water out of plug hole . Like air nozzle with small hose just remember 5pounds of air pressure might take all old dents out and explode at the seam welds . plus you will find leak from bubbles after you get enough water out

 

[lmuss53]

Re: HELP! BOAT BEACHED AT SAND BAR IN (long level) LAKE CLARK WRIGHTVILLE, PA

LOW LOW air pressure in the top of the tube will push the water out the drain hole. Air tank or 12v compressor regulated down to 2 or 4 PSI will put steady pressure into the tube. Use one of the vent holes on the top of the tube to feed it in, and plug the others off. High pressure in a pontoon boat tube will pop a seam or worse. This is another idea for you to consider but be aware of what can go wrong here. See the post at top of the page about air pressure in tubes.

I'm not saying this is not a good idea, just be careful if you do it. Very little air will push the water out.

 

[Silverbullet555]

Re: HELP! BOAT BEACHED AT SAND BAR IN (long level) LAKE CLARK WRIGHTVILLE, PA

Something to consider. If you wait for the level to drop so the toon can drain, you will be high and dry. How do you plan on getting it back into the water?

 

[biggdoc12]

Re: HELP! BOAT BEACHED AT SAND BAR IN (long level) LAKE CLARK WRIGHTVILLE, PA

Something to consider. If you wait for the level to drop so the toon can drain, you will be high and dry. How do you plan on getting it back into the water?

i dont think it will get high and dry, maybe about 4" of water, enough for the pontoon to drain so it'll float when plugged. that's my thought, but im new to pontooning, just trying to use common sense. and use some old fashion man power to move it. usally a good bit of people out there.

 

[sschefer]

Re: HELP! BOAT BEACHED AT SAND BAR IN (long level) LAKE CLARK WRIGHTVILLE, PA

Wait, before you go punching holes in it, use the low pressure compressor trick but just put the air hose in the drain hole. You won't build up too much pressure in the tube you'll just push the water out. I worked rescue salvage in the Navy. We used this method a lot. It takes a lot of volume so take a couple of spare batteries if you're using one of those 12v emergency compressors.

You'll get a lot of it out. Probably enough to float it safely back to the dock but please do heed the warning about pulling it out on the trailer.. Just a little at a time until she's empty.

 

[biggdoc12]

Re: HELP! BOAT BEACHED AT SAND BAR IN (long level) LAKE CLARK WRIGHTVILLE, PA

Wait, before you go punching holes in it, use the low pressure compressor trick but just put the air hose in the drain hole. You won't build up too much pressure in the tube you'll just push the water out. I worked rescue salvage in the Navy. We used this method a lot. It takes a lot of volume so take a couple of spare batteries if you're using one of those 12v emergency compressors.

You'll get a lot of it out. Probably enough to float it safely back to the dock but please do heed the warning about pulling it out on the trailer.. Just a little at a time until she's empty.

could i use compressed co2. i have a 20lb co2 bottle for my keg frig. i know co2 is heavier than air but the bottle may hold enough to fill a pontoon. just a thought. thanks.

 

[wifisher]

Re: HELP! BOAT BEACHED AT SAND BAR IN (long level) LAKE CLARK WRIGHTVILLE, PA

could i use compressed co2. i have a 20lb co2 bottle for my keg frig. i know co2 is heavier than air but the bottle may hold enough to fill a pontoon. just a thought. thanks.

As long as it is regulated down to a safe pressure, it should do fine. Just remember that the co2 tank is well over 1000psi. If you hooked it up with no regulator, it would quickly overpressurize the toon.

 

[biggdoc12]

Re: HELP! BOAT BEACHED AT SAND BAR IN (long level) LAKE CLARK WRIGHTVILLE, PA

As long as it is regulated down to a safe pressure, it should do fine. Just remember that the co2 tank is well over 1000psi. If you hooked it up with no regulator, it would quickly overpressurize the toon.

i can regulate the pressure from 1 to 10 psi.

 

[wifisher]

Re: HELP! BOAT BEACHED AT SAND BAR IN (long level) LAKE CLARK WRIGHTVILLE, PA

i can regulate the pressure from 1 to 10 psi.

Sounds like the perfect setup then.

Let us know how it works for you.

 

[sschefer]

Re: HELP! BOAT BEACHED AT SAND BAR IN (long level) LAKE CLARK WRIGHTVILLE, PA

Sure, I raised a floating dock with a dive tank once. Not sure if you'll have enough volume with that 20 but it would give you a head start.

 

[Jeep Man]

Re: HELP! BOAT BEACHED AT SAND BAR IN (long level) LAKE CLARK WRIGHTVILLE, PA

I would think that due to the weight of the boat, 3-5 lbs of pressure will not be sufficient to push enough water out. Any more would damage the pontoon. Pick up a 12v pump from Harbor Freight or another hardware supply. They are equipped for garden hose attachment. Insert one end (fitting removed)of a 6-8 ft hose into your drain hole while under water, make a temporary seal around it with pliable putty, and turn it on. They move a lot of water fast. Personally I would leave it running while running for shore. The one I picked up was about $50.

 

[lmuss53]

Re: HELP! BOAT BEACHED AT SAND BAR IN (long level) LAKE CLARK WRIGHTVILLE, PA

You could expand on jeepman's idea and plumb a thru hull bilge pump, or livewell pump from walmart so it screwed in the drain plug hole. Assuming you don't have a gaping hole somewhere in the tube that would allow it to reflood, it would pump out the water and air would enter the vents to take the waters place, floating the boat.

Jeepman the 3 to 5 pounds only needs to push the water out of the tube, replacing the water with air or CO2 allows the tube to float again. Kind of like blowing the ballast tank on a submarine.

 

[dwco5051]

Re: HELP! BOAT BEACHED AT SAND BAR IN (long level) LAKE CLARK WRIGHTVILLE, PA

I would think that due to the weight of the boat, 3-5 lbs of pressure will not be sufficient to push enough water out. Any more would damage the pontoon. Pick up a 12v pump from Harbor Freight or another hardware supply. They are equipped for garden hose attachment. Insert one end (fitting removed)of a 6-8 ft hose into your drain hole while under water, make a temporary seal around it with pliable putty, and turn it on. They move a lot of water fast. Personally I would leave it running while running for shore. The one I picked up was about $50.

The weight of the boat would only increase the draft and the pressure needed to expel the water by a few oz/sq in. 3-5 psi would expel water if the drain hole was submerged to a depth of about 6 to 11 feet. Since your drain hole is only a foot or so under water go ahead a stick a hose in there and pump air or co2 in at a regulated low pressure. Make a crayon mark at the water level and has the tube rises remark so you will have an idea how long it will take to float it. It also makes a person feel better in a salvage operation to actually see progress being made no matter how slow it may be

 

[lmuss53]

Re: HELP! BOAT BEACHED AT SAND BAR IN (long level) LAKE CLARK WRIGHTVILLE, PA

Scheffer, I just reread your post to put the air line in the drain plug. I'm confused, if you put the air in the drain plug won't you just blow bubbles inside the tube and vent out the top? If he is to push the water out he has to give it somewhere to go doesn't he?

The holes in his tubes are most likely cracks that took days to leak enough water in to give him trouble. It will take a long time to push the water back out these cracks if he plugs the vents and if the cracks are above the water line the air he puts in will just bleed off. I think he has to put air in one vent, plug the others and leave the drain open to allow the air pressure to push the water out through it.

bigdoc, you will have to keep an eye on the cracks and plugs and everything to make sure you are putting enough air in to maintain some positive pressure on the tube, but not too much. A pressure gauge in another vent hole would be a good thing to have. If you are putting 5 psi in and the gauge is showing 4 you know you are maintaining positve pressure and pushing the water out. If you are putting 5 in and the gauge is showing 0 you have to put a little more in until you are putting in more than you are bleeding off.

Another thing to do would be hold your hand over the plug hole, while the air is going in and see if you can feel water flowing out. My guess is the boat will float real well long before the tube is empty. I've taken 25 gallons of water out of tubes that didn't show any sign of sinking. When it floats keep the pressure on and book it to the dock.

 

[lmuss53]

Re: HELP! BOAT BEACHED AT SAND BAR IN (long level) LAKE CLARK WRIGHTVILLE, PA

dwco probably has the simplest solution yet, only you will have to plug the vents at the top of the tube, and not have a tight fit at the drain hole. This will put air in the tube and push the water out around the hose stuck in the drain hole.

My boat has J shaped tubes at the top for vents, others have solid plugs that will maintain pressure without you doing anything, still others have plugs with small vent holes in them that you will have to plug somehow.