Restoring old pontoon

[MichaelMullis]

Hello All! I am not a newbi but still an infant to this site and I want to thank all for the good advice I have gotten in the past. It is a plesure to be able to ask questions and get a multitude of answers. It seems all want to help out, so thanks in advance.<br />I bought a pontoon this past weekend. I have always wanted one for fishing and now I have it. A 1972 MonArk 17'oval toons.<br />1972 Johnson 40HP<br />1999 Wesco trailer that will hold a 20/22' toon.<br />All for 1000.00<br />Now the work beginns.<br />I have to redeck first,the last person that redecked this toon used regular plywod not marine or pt and non SS fasteners, having to cut each bolt out with SazAll.<br />I do have a few questions about toons though.<br />1)How is Marine carpet rated? Is the marine carpet sold by Lowes any good? <br />Do I need special glue to hold carpet?<br />2)This boat will be used 80% as a fishing boat and I have had some tell me to put vynal instead of carpet to make easier to clean, but I have questions about traction on wet vynal.<br />3)Why is steering console always at back end of boat? I want to move mine to front 1/3rd of boat, I fish in current and will be fishing out of back 1/2 of boat and think more room to move in back would be better. Any thoughts on this?<br />4) This toon is rated for 55HP max, is this rating based on motor weight or weight/HP? I would like to move up to 60-70 HP bigfoot range. With the motors being lighter than when this boat was built would this be an issue?<br />What do readers think?<br />5)I found water in both toons. These toons are oval with foam fill. What is the best way to find leaks? I do want to have drains put in each toon.<br />What do readers think?<br />Any advice is welcome, I will be working on these over the next few weeks but do want to have in water asap.<br />Thanks<br />Michael<br />I have posted some of these question before but finaly got all thoughts together in one. again thanks

 

[hayhauler]

Re: Restoring old pontoon

1) No knowledge<br />2) Wouldn't use vinyl. I might consider a rough fiberglass like is used on the floor of a lot of fishing boats. You see carpet on the floor of a lot of aluminum fishing boats and it seems to last a long time when cared for. I really think on a pontoon I would go with carpet for the footing.<br />3) I don't see why that should be a problem, when you're redoing it you should be able to put the console where it will work best for you.<br />4) Should it handle it? You might want to beef up the motor well or whatever other form of "transom" your boat has, but I know that in my state a lot of people were getting in trouble for putting more motor on their boat than it was rated for, and I'm not sure what you'd have to do to make it legal. I don't think the weight of the motor is as big an issue as the power to weight ratio. I believe MonArk is still in business, maybe you can get an opinion from them.<br />5) I think the drains are a good idea, just remember to put the plugs in. I think you'll find some seams or rivits leaking, or it could be rain water that's gotten in where frame meets floats. I'd use screw in plugs, then you can make a fitting to put some water into the pontoons, fill them up about half way, but if you don't see water coming out of them anywhere drain them and don't worry about it.<br /><br />Hope you enjoy it.<br /><br />If you've gotten the old flooring and furniture off you may easily see where there's water getting in by close inspection.

 

[JB]

Re: Restoring old pontoon

Howdy, BK.<br /><br />Couple of thoughts.<br /><br />I would not put carpet on a mainly fishing 'toon. Collects stink. I suggest truck bedliner material like Rhino-liner. You can get it in light colors, which I recommend. Good traction, easy to clean and lasts like iron. Put it over exterior grade ply like CDX.<br /><br />Don't exceed the max power rating. A 50-55 with the correct prop will drive your 'toon as fast as it was designed to go. <br /><br />Good luck.

 

[DJ]

Re: Restoring old pontoon

Ditto JB. Marine grade vinyl will be OK too. No carpet on a fishing rig. <br /><br />40-50 HP will work great, if propped right.<br /><br />You can put the steering wherever you want to. It's just a matter of console placement and cable length.<br /><br />I agree on having drain fittings installed in the toons. You can monitor it from there.

 

[MichaelMullis]

Re: Restoring old pontoon

Thanks for input JB,Hayhauler, and DJ. I finished taking old ply off last night and got most of the fasteners out. Today I will finish removing broken screws and will clean toons and framing. Hope to get to local welder next week to have drains put in toons. JB, I like the idea of Rhino liner type floor but wonder about heat absorbtion. Wife and kids like to forego wearing shoes. I think you guys are right about motor . I checked yesterday and found we do have a law on the books about exceeding MFG rating. I also found out that a lot of people will get the decals for correct motor size and put them on a larger motor. I think that I prefer to stay legal.

 

[hayhauler]

Re: Restoring old pontoon

I think they make the Rhino Liner type stuff in several colors, including light ones. It would hold heat if it were a dark color. I'm not sure how non-slip it is. I had a truck liner once that was bad about being slippery when wet. It wasn't Rhino Liner though.<br /><br />I'd stay with the manufacturer's rating. They don't go fast, but they go solid. Probably no skiing behind it, but tubes and stuff are fun behind a pontoon.

 

[hayhauler]

Re: Restoring old pontoon

Take a look at this stuff, Ultra Tuff<br /><br /> http://www.transomrepair.com <br /><br />when you get to the sight, on the left hand side hit the link for Ultra Tuff, the sales literature sounds pretty neat.

 

[Rmac]

Re: Restoring old pontoon

I just got finished using Ultra Tuff on the floor of my bayliner Capri 1950,, pretty impressed so far. Stuff ain't cheap, 58.00 per gallon, and it only covers 50 sq ft per gallon, but hey it still lighter in weight than wet carpet and cleanms ups with regular household cleaners. but use no bleach on it. <br /><br />Richard

 

[Rmac]

Re: Restoring old pontoon

I just got finished using Ultra Tuff on the floor of my bayliner Capri 1950,, pretty impressed so far. Stuff ain't cheap, 58.00 per gallon, and it only covers 50 sq ft per gallon, but hey it still lighter in weight than wet carpet and cleanms ups with regular household cleaners. but use no bleach on it. <br /><br />Richard

 

[thejeepster02]

Re: Restoring old pontoon

No personal experance but, Someone here in our forum once sujested garage floor paint. very tuff and has some anti skid properties.<br /><br />cars drive on it.<br /><br />I thought it sounded like a good in-expensive idea

 

[MichaelMullis]

Re: Restoring old pontoon

Thanks for all the feedback. Now i have to spend some time going through all the data. Talked to a Alum. Fab. shop today and they will put drain in each toon ,50.00 for both. I will take to shop on Mon. or Tues. then I will be ready to start flooring.<br />Again thanks for feedback<br />Michael<br />PS. Wife says that I am about to drive her crazy talking about boat all the time, but she will enjoy when done.

 

[MichaelMullis]

Re: Restoring old pontoon

Want to thank all for the great ideas for redecking my toon, I think I may have found some composite that will replace the wood. A product called "PlasTeak". I talked to Manuf. on friday and the have a 4x8x3/4 sheet that weights the same as ply, is made from plastic, has the same ormore strength as ply. It is 165.00 a sheet, has an "orange peel" texture to help with traction. Has anyone used this stuff? If so how do you like it. This is the best price that I have found without going to ply. Thhe only draw back is that right now it is only made in black. aif anyone is familial with this please let me know what you think. <br />Thanks <br />Michael

 

[flashback]

Re: Restoring old pontoon

just my 2 cents, but I think you would need about 4 or 5 sheets of the stuff to do the boat and thats a whole lotta money to put into an old boat. I would just use plywood and paint it with garage floor paint with a little non-skid material mixed in.. save the rest of the money for a good fish finder..

 

[MichaelMullis]

Re: Restoring old pontoon

Your right flashback, with shipping total cost would run about 1000.00. Thats as much as I paid for boat,motor and trailer. I will go back with plywood and use money for new FF and rod holders.