New to Pontoon Boats. Need Advise

[Jonezy Hick]

Hi everyone,

I recently purchased a 1976 27ft pontoon and I have a few questions.

I calculated the buoyancy of the "toons" at roughly 2000lb (26ft pontoons, 19" diameter, half submerged)

subtracting the 3 x 50lb batteries, 15 gallons of fuel, motor (140hp Johnson, 350lb) and furniture I find that I have nothing left for people, gear, dogs and most importantly beer. Is my math correct or am I under estimating my tubes.


I would like to entertain the idea of adding a third toon. I purchased the boat cheep so I can splurge on additions. My idea is to duplicate the two existing tubes and add a transom to the end of the center tube. I know there will be fabrication difficulties in building a new tube but I am confident they can be managed.

Any input would be appreciated

Jones

 

[MH Hawker]

Re: New to Pontoon Boats. Need Advise

I believe your way under estimating things. If memory serves me the seating capacity on that type of boat including ever thing you mentioned was around 8 people. Altho I would look into the motor size a good bit more carefully I may be mistaken but I dont remember motor capacity being much over 70 hp on a boat of that size in those years. I believe the flotation is closer to 2800 per toon, working from a chart I have I believe its 111 per foot. I am sure some of the others will chime in.

 

[5150abf]

Re: New to Pontoon Boats. Need Advise

Welcome to iboats.

I have built something like 200,000 pontoon tubes in the last 24 years and am currently the supervisor of the tube line at Bennington Marine, we are doing 32 boats a day now, even with all my experieance there is no way I could build a tube in my garage, it just isn't going to happen.

I honestly think it would be cheaper to buy a built center tube than to try and make one and then you would be certain it would work and as Howker said you math is fuzzy, why would they build a boat that would only support itself with no passengers.

Keep looking and you will find someone that knowsa what the original capcity of the boat was.

 

[MH Hawker]

Re: New to Pontoon Boats. Need Advise

I have a good bit more time this morning to work out the numbers and using a chart I have for log flotation numbers that I will post on a 19 inch log it works out to 110 pounds per foot it comes out to 2860 per log and a total of 5720. Using that as a base figure a 27 foot boat including furniture, gear, gas and beer should weigh in some place around 2000 pounds that would leave you around 3720 pounds. So you should have plenty of capacity., And if I am wrong I am sure some one will let me know.

 

[Jonezy Hick]

Re: New to Pontoon Boats. Need Advise

Thanks guys for the quick response.

MH: Looks like I was underestimating my boat. How crucial is the "half load" when it comes to pontoons? I would assume that overloading any boat spells disaster. So if the load for a full pontoon is roughly 5,600lb, half being 2,800lb. Subtracting 2350lb for furniture, toons, gas, motor, and frosty malted barley beverages that leaves me with 450 lb for people. Again my math could be off but I would rather be cautious than at the bottom of the lake. I am taking her out today for a few hours today to test everything. I hope its not a polish battleship....

5150: I lack the expertise and equipment to build my own tube so my only option is to have someone else build it. After a quick search for pontoon tubes I found a lot of tubes for sale. The only problem is that they are all 2000 miles away. How much would it cost to ship a tube 2000 miles away? There are many fabrication shops in my area that specialize in aluminum, could they replicate my current tubes?

Thank you!

Jones

 

[MH Hawker]

Re: New to Pontoon Boats. Need Advise

I still don't think your understanding things


flotation of 2 26 x 19 logs....................................................................................5720 pounds of lift
weight of the boat including motor, furnitureture, gear beer and ever thing elese.............2000
so that should leave you a capacityisity for people...............................................3720


I am not sure where you are getting the hafe load idea from, unless its the hafe submerged pontoon thing that is used caculate the lift factor and even with it haved that would still leave you 1860 pounds of lift and that would be 9 people at 200 pounds each

This type of boat has been around since the 1950`s at least, go and enjoy it

 

[Jonezy Hick]

Re: New to Pontoon Boats. Need Advise

Took the boat out today with 3 friends and about 250lbs of dog meat and it performed well. We had a great time just cruising. The wind started picking up and it was a rough ride back to the docks but we made it.

The rear pontoons are submerged completely when you have 2 people and a cooler in the stern. It concerned me so much that I trailered the boat and removed the plugs. No water came out but I am troubled by the fact that the fuel line and motors electrical is under water when I am not on a plane. Is this normal? Is my engine to heavy? There is aluminum sheeting on the underbelly that could add a few pounds but it should not make or beak me. The front pontoons are half submerged when the boat is at rest.

I feel like I am worrying too much. If this is normal then so be it, I can live with it, but it just does not feel right.

Jones

 

[tomdinwv]

Re: New to Pontoon Boats. Need Advise

All pontoon boats are heavy in the rear. The engine, gas tank (s), batteries etc... are all in the back. You just need to distribute your weight (passengers) to compensate. Some folks even relocate their battery to the front to help put weight to the front. Next time you have it out, just try to balance it out by having your passengers move torward the front.

 

[MH Hawker]

Re: New to Pontoon Boats. Need Advise

Well like I said earler a 140 hp motor is way to much for that boat, I doubt it was designed for more that 70 so yes it is .

 

[a1nowell]

Re: New to Pontoon Boats. Need Advise

Who is the manufacturer? There should be a tag on the boat that specifies all capacities. max engine size, number of persons the boat was designed for, etc.

 

[Jonezy Hick]

Re: New to Pontoon Boats. Need Advise

The boat is a 1976 starlite. I couldnt find any info on the boat. I couldnt find a "plate" that had any information on the boat so anyhting info you guys have would be greatly appreciated.

 

[5150abf]

Re: New to Pontoon Boats. Need Advise

A real easy way to find water in a tube is to have it on the trailerand have someone pull forward about 5' then stop suddenly, put your ear on the tube and if there is water you will hear it sloshing but as Hawker and Tom said it is just probly heavy in the rear and a 140 does sound pretty big for a '76, normal engine on a boat that old would have been a 50-70, 140 was a really big engine back then.

Watch your motor pod closely for cracks.

 

[Jonezy Hick]

Re: New to Pontoon Boats. Need Advise

I pulled the plugs after a quick loop around the lake, just incase. A small amount of water came out.

Should I look for a 50-70hp motor and swap out the 140? Or should I look for a center tube with built in transom? I would love the extra capacity and downgrading to a small motor just seems like a waste.

 

[5150abf]

Re: New to Pontoon Boats. Need Advise

Dollar wise it is about a draw between a tube and the engine, as you saw tubes are very pricey, if you can find a tube that will work on your boat for the right price that would be great but in the mean time just shift people forward to spread your load more.

 

[Jonezy Hick]

Re: New to Pontoon Boats. Need Advise

I have two businesses that specialize in aluminum fabrication that I like but they need a schematic/measurements on the pontoon tube. I am leaning towards a U shaped tube but am not apposed to a round tube.

I would like a tube comparable to the existing tubes with a transom. I am thinking 1/8" thick tubes with baffles at each joint/wield for support. The transom is were I need some help. I can replicate the existing transom but it is wider and shallower than the tubes. Fabricating the transom will be more difficult/costly if I follow the existing transom.

Do I replicate the depth of the prop from the existing transom?
Do I eat the extra cost to replicate and get the depth close?
If I buy from a pontoon tube manufacturer what specs should I give them ot look for?

Jones

1976 Starlite 27' Pontoon. 140hp Johnson

 

[5150abf]

Re: New to Pontoon Boats. Need Advise

A U tube would make fabbing stuff up alot easier the probelm is there aren't very many places that make U tubes but that style tube woudl sliminate amny probelms with bracket since you mount right to the top of the tube.

If you go round you will need to match your brakcet spacings, probably 24'', 16'' brackets are pretty new,a s far as the transom, if the boat runs good now then match the height you have and work down, without a tube to go off of it is going to be hard to make a measured drawing.

Get to a boat dealer and start looking at centers and how they are built, everyone does it differently and imagine you will have to create parts as you need them but you will need a back board and the inner parts that the bolts go through, a peice on the bottom to weld a knee brace to and the knee brace itself and I would make all of these bits out of at least 3/16.

I can't get you pitures or dimensions as I enjoy having a job but there si nothing stopping you from going to a dealer and reverse engineering someone elses design.