Pontoon Boat & Deck Boat Forum

Bad start to the season.

Wow-any idea how that happened?

steveiam wrote:Wow-any idea how that happened?

It was REALLY windy in Ocean City, MD last Friday night. The tie down hook that is welded to the pontoon got yanked off and left a big hole in the tube.

omar174 wrote:

steveiam wrote:Wow-any idea how that happened?

It was REALLY windy in Ocean City, MD last Friday night. The tie down hook that is welded to the pontoon got yanked off and left a big hole in the tube.

That's why you use that hook for lifting only, it doesn't like side forces

Yep...weather around here in spring has gotten progressively worse every year. See what happened to my boat despite 5 cleats with 1/2 inch lines

I won't miss slipping here at all.

Check out Tow Boat US's Facebook page for the upper Chesapeake.

Guy made a ton of $$$ for multiple ungroundings, boats broke loose from slips, and 2 boat fires. One guy in a cruiser ran over a jetty and sunk his vessel.

Interesting, I wonder if his insurance will cover it based since it wasn't tied to cleats

HandymanHerb wrote:

omar174 wrote:

steveiam wrote:Wow-any idea how that happened?

It was REALLY windy in Ocean City, MD last Friday night. The tie down hook that is welded to the pontoon got yanked off and left a big hole in the tube.

That's why you use that hook for lifting only, it doesn't like side forces

how about pulling tubes and skiers? I've read many opinions about that, my dealer said it was ok to use the eyes for pulling tubes, i use a bridle hooked on both.
How about towing another boat, will they hold up to that stress?

shiat, i'm getting all mixed up.

Not sure about that particular Starcraft, but my 2006 didn't have cleats. Just the eyelets welded to the tube. No other place to tie off.

They are made to pull straight up, people have got away with using them for tow rope use, some have had cracks form, no way would I pull and boat with them, if you don't have cleats in the back, put them on, or at least some good strong eyelets.

Might not cause a problem, but why take a chance

Yep. I was specifically told by Tracker ( I e-mailed the factory reps) NOT to use the log eyelets for tying to a slip. The port and stern cleat welded onto the log has a HUGE backer inside the log, that's fine...eyelets have no side to side strength. A lot of 'toons on the bay have the log eyelets bent or broken off due to our nasty weather.

+1 on the don't use the eyelets concept.
I always use dock rings with four bolts each thru the rub rail and through the deck wood, with extra large fender washers and nylock nuts underneath. Never a problem.

omar174 wrote:Not sure about that particular Starcraft, but my 2006 didn't have cleats. Just the eyelets welded to the tube. No other place to tie off.

Mine didn't come with cleats either. I used the eyelets for a long time but after reading about them cracking I installed cleats just to be on the safe side.

So this is the wrong way??


So what do folks tie the anchor rope too?

That's what they say.

Drago wrote:So this is the wrong way??


So what do folks tie the anchor rope too?

I had an eyelet right behind my nav light or a cleat a little further back on the side, I tied mine too. What is that behind your bumber looks like a cleat to me?