Pontoon Boat & Deck Boat Forum

Thanks Nashman. That is a great price but the measurements do not work for me. The new fences are from PontoonFences. they are loosely associated with PontoonStuff. Nice folks and good service. They have standard sizes and do not do custom work but I found that by mixing and matching I was able to put together what I needed. I just ordered some Teak-look Vinyl Flooring from Pontoonspecialists to install on the bow and across the stern area. Also want to install a deck wash down system. The list just keeps on growing. Right now going to finish cleaning up the flashings for the side rails and also the corner caps. Also started sanding down the OB lower unit. No new photos past couple of days. Too busy at the International Motorcycle show and a Texas Holdem tournament.

Looks good. I personally like that you didn't bring the fencing forward from stock (+/-) towards the bow with the aftermarket products. Definitely see those logs as a "Premier" look. Hope the cleanup on them goes well.

The work you've done looks great can't fault it at all.... But from the looks of the pictures the motor looks as though in sits really low down in the water. From what I've learned here you will get your best preformance if your anti-cav plate runs right at water level while up on the plane. There is no way this is going to happen considering how low that motor is mounted...

Unless its camera angles and lack of coffee on my end!

It may look like it was sitting low at rest, but at least for an initial mounting that motor is right where it should be. On a tritoon the distance from the cavitation plate to the flow of water from the transom never changes just the same way a 'glass hull doesn't. While every boat is slightly different, the generally accepted starting point is the plate even with the bottom of the transom (in this case, the bottom of the center toon) I found on my last performance toon I could get away with moving up a notch or 2, but only after initial testing in various conditions. And with a 90hp I'm not sure he will notice much difference even if his toon allows some height adjustment.

Happy Hump Day. Spent time working on the cast aluminum corner caps. I initially did an acid wash but that may have been a mistake. Got lots of little pits. So I attacked them with my new toy Porter Cole dual action sander/polisher. WOW, it sure makes things much easier (a relative term) then hand sanding. I ran through 60/120/220/320/400 grits and hand finished with 800. Now don't know if I should keep with the sand paper or switch over to compound. Any suggestions? I am also faced with trying to get the cleat screws out on two of the corner caps. I have tried the usual WD 40, penetrating oil, and even used a wire wheel to clean up the treads on the back side but I can't budge them. The others came out with a hammer screw driver tool but the six remaining fought back real hard. I am thinking about gently heating the aluminum in the area of the screws to see if that will loosen them up. But I don't know if that will hurt or discolor the metal. I have done lots of copper sweating in the past but want these to stay pretty. Below are a couple of pictures.

I will check the motor height but it is in the same position since originally purchased. Not necessarily right but will check anyway. Thanks Toonguy for your input.

Lookin good. Are the nuts on those bolts Nylock nuts (with nylon inserts)? If so nothing will help. They were probably put on incorrectly and the threads are galled. Cut / drill them out of there and replace them.

There are no nuts. The aluminum is threaded and the bolts are just screwed in. Will try a mild touch with the torch and see what happens.

You're kidding?!? I've never seen any thing like that. The generally accepted method is to go through the cap AND the plywood, or just the plywood and either way use large SS washers underneath. I'm not sure how your corner caps were mounted but most wouldn't keep a boat moored in rough conditions. Might want to double check the method...

My 2001 Sunsation had the cleat through plate and deck. I remember checking them before long cruises because I would need to depend on them while on the hook overnight. Would find the damn things backing out at times.

Glad you found this on your reno. Were the bumper plates the same color as the toons are before the restoration? I see from your last picture, at the start of this thread, they are brighter. Mine were the same color as the toon. Guessing Premier updated their design.

The pontoons were in generally good shape except for the thick scale at the waterline and discoloration below that. An acid wash cleaned up most of the discoloration but did not touch the scale. I am having to go with very fine sand paper to remove the scale as the acid and various scale/lime removing products did nothing. Toonguy the cleats went through threaded holes in the corner caps with bolts as I stated before. I recall that they did extend into the deck but there were no nuts involved. I will correct that on the reattachment. Several of these bolts refuse to come out. I used vice grips on the exposed bolt ends and finally got them to turn. I then cut off the marred end of the bolt and was able to remove. The final two are up against the side of the cap. I was going to take pictures but it started to rain and I had to get things put away and covered. Will do it tomorrow. Thanks for your comment Discovery. I have been generally impressed with the quality of the Premier but that surprised me also.

Toonguy: I am doing a combination of vinyl and carpet which you inhave done before. Did you do or use anything at the junction of the two?

Just go to you local big box store and get standard carpet bar. It's anodized aluminum and wears well. It comes with aluminum nails but I usually use a #8 SS pan head screw.

No major changes to show but a lot of sanding and cleaning on the outboard. It looks like the lower end has been replaced with on a couple of years older (color difference and also water inlets design) but it all checked out on the overhaul. I have found that using vinegar in a spray bottle with soften some of the scale on the motor and mount but does not seem to do much to it on the pontoons. I did take a better photo of the anti cavitation plate area and the center pontoon so you could get a better idea of how deep the motor sits when trimmed all the way down but the browse button not letting me browse at the moment so I post then later. Happy Turkey Day to you all.

OK, will try the photos again.

Spent today finishing the sanding of the lower unit of the outboard. There is some pitting and also a small crack at the base of the skag at the rear. I don't know if I need to be concerned about these two things or not. There was also some pitting on the prop edges. Any ideas out there? No salt water use. the lower unit was apparently replaced at some point so I am not sure it these occurred with this boat or not.

Hopefully the rain will let up and I can get some more done in the next few days. I am getting estimates to have the engine cover and fairings prepped and painted at a local body shop. Will have to see how the numbers look. Does anyone have suggestions on the best way to drill holes to join the fence sections together. There are holes drilled for the usual connections but I will need additional holes in the stern area. I could simply use a hand drill but was wondering if anyone has a more accurate approach. Maybe using a bench top drill press or making a jig to get the holes to line up.