Pontoon damage

[beer batter]

We had some bad luck with the wind over the weekend. I was out fishing in my boat which left my boat lift empty. The perfect gust of wind must have swept underneath my boat lift and lifted it up smashing it against our pontoon knock both the pontoon and the pontoon lift upside down in the water. The boat lift continued 150 yards into my neighbor's boat lift where it stopped.

Here's some pictures of the events:

This is shortly after it occurred

Boat lift blown up against neighbor's boat

The following morning. Got the pontoon lift off of it.

Starting to flip the pontoon over

Success! The pontoon is upright.

Damaged canopy

The boat lift and pontoon lift seem pretty functional. A couple bent bars, and some tears to the canopy, but I think they can be fixed pretty easily.

We are going to get an insurance settlement out of the pontoon. Is this the type of thing I'd want to run away from and get a different pontoon, or can this be fixed up properly and I shouldn't have any problems further down the road?

Here's some of the damage:

canopy is shot

benches are completely water logged and ends came off

motor was submerged (but wasn't running or attempted to start)

gas tank submerged

steering council and all electronic guages submerged

canvas cover torn and lost most snaps

many other minor things I'm sure.

My concern is that I'm going to run into severe problems years down the road with corrosion issues. Anyone have experience with salvaged submerged pontoons/motors positive or negative?

[Sandmannd]

That looks pretty bad. I feel for you. I would see how much the insurance is going to do. They may just total it out for you with all that damage. If they do, then get a new one and don't get it fixed. If they want to replace all that stuff, then do it.

[beer batter]

They may just total it out for you with all that damage. If they do, then get a new one and don't get it fixed.

That's kind of the route we're thinking right now. Say we've got it insured for x thousand dollars with a 100 dollar deductible. If this gets totaled, would we collect x thousand minus the 100 deductible?

[Sandmannd]

Yep, I had a boat that was insured with a $500 deductable. They (and I) looked at sale's online to find a simular boat. They gave me $4200 for my boat to total it, minus the $500 so I walked out with $3700. I think that would be your best route. It's going to cost a lot to fix all of that stuff.

[Ralph Wiggum]

Ouch! I hope they total it for you. That looks like a mess. Good luck!

[Tom7227]

Seems me me that a lot of the things you listed aren't all that serious. Canvas, top, seats - not that big a deal. Unless the frame is bent, the pontoons dinged badly or leaking, or the motor has some serious problems then why not just get it fixed? I'm curious to know from the real fix things sorts whether the motor is a cause for concern because it was submerged.

[beer batter]

One of the pontoon tubes was damaged while flipping it back over. Just a small crack on very front of the tube where there's a nose clip that was bent over.

From what I've heard, the seats that soaked up all the water will start to mold and mildew so they'll need replacing.

I'm also looking for info about the motor having been submerged.

[Sandmannd]

I don't think it helps your motor to be submerged, but letting it dry out and then if it runs you should be OK. Same with the electronics on the consol. It rains when you're out so it should be no different.

[riverrat56]

Well, rained on and fully submerged for a couple days are two differnt things, just ask my cell phone...

[Shack]

All thought terrible; I sure would love to have your problem . Nice set up!

I would find out what your insurance company has to say and let us know (if you want).

If it is not a huge hit and you can get into another like it for little or no money, I would be rooting for a total loss report.

Only experience I have with a submerged motor came out positive. But!!, this was an old Evenrude and I had to go threw it with a fine toothed comb (no insurance on it back then), because of the sand/slit in the water during and after the storm when the motor went in. On a newer motor, I might be a little leery of a shorter life expectancy because of sand getting inside motor.

Good luck though!

[marine_man]

I might be a little leery of a shorter life expectancy because of sand getting inside motor.

This would be my concern as well - it may sound fine now, but over the long run you might end up with some bearing replacements...

marine_man

[beer batter]

We got word today from our insurance that it's been totaled. We still have the option of buying it back at salvage rate and try to fix it up, or to simply take the money and run. I'm a bit leary of keeping a boat that's been submerged, even if for only 15 hours.

Starting to look at new (used) pontoons. One thing for sure, our insurance settlement will not afford us a pontoon of equal value from what we've seen on the market thus far...

[Sandmannd]

I would take the money and run. Unless you are handy and know people that can help you fix it, then you would have a great deal. You can guy back pretty cheap.

[Tom7227]

What are the chances that the used pontoon that you buy is the one that flipped over on the other side of the lake?

Guess I'm old fashioned - I would buy it back for the salvage cost and get the pontoon fixed. A real motor guy still hasn't stepped up to tell you what the issues would be with the motor - maybe you need to move this over to the boat forum.

[Sandmannd]

A real motor guy still hasn't stepped up to tell you what the issues would be with the motor - maybe you need to move this over to the boat forum.

Boat forum is a great place to ask this as well. But Marine Man did reply and I would take his word pretty solid.

[ottertailguy]

Don't they make anchors for boat lifts that have a canopy so this doesn't happen. Those canopies are like kites if the boats are off of them. I two would take the money and get a different pontoon. With gas price so high it should be a buyers market for slightly used pontoons. Good luck and tell us what you get.

[Shack]

Quote:

A real motor guy still hasn't stepped up to tell you what the issues would be with the motor

What more info do you need than sand in the motor??

I guess I will throw in corrosion and electrical issues down the road.

I would not want to own a newer motor that has been submerged for any amount of time and if marine_man is not your idea of a "real motor guy", then I guess??????? I do not know what I guess then

[Black_Bay]

It might be worthwhile to buy the pontoon back and replace the outboard. As far as the seats I'd put in pedestal seats instead.