Pontoon Boat & Deck Boat Forum

Hi. New guy here: I tried to search to see if this topic was previously covered. Didn't see anything: anyway. I have a brand new sunchaser 22ft. Took it to the lake, and after I got home, I popped the drain plugs. The right pontoon had water in it. Both had slight air pressure, which I expected as it was hot out. I drained maybe a half gallon out. I went to the lake agin yesterday. Pulled the plugs last night. this time maybe a quart came out. I pulled the plugs again tonight after the boat sat in the sun today, and a little more water came out. Less this time.

I know the pontoon obviously holds pressure. So I suspect this is just condensation build up. Why in one pontoon and not the other, I have no clue. Any ideas on this?

Cheers
John.

You've got a very small leak--probably on one of the seams. It happens from time to time on the best boats.

Be glad new boats are warranted. Hopefully your dealer is experienced in finding such leaks.

Bamaman wrote:You've got a very small leak--probably on one of the seams. It happens from time to time on the best boats.

Be glad new boats are warranted. Hopefully your dealer is experienced in finding such leaks.

Agreed!

Well, I would agree, but, if the pontoon holds pressure, I can't see that I have a leak. Air is way less dense than water, so if I had even a tiny leak, there would be no air pressure in the pontoon I wouldn't think. If I put the plugs in at night, when its cool, and take them out during the afternoon, there is about the same amount of pressure in each pontoon. The dealer is going to pressure test both logs for me, but I kind of think he's not going to find anything. So, sometimes you can have a tiny leak one way and not the other.

Here's another thing I did. I put the plugs in when it was warm, and removed them when it was about 20 degrees cooler. There was a slight vacuum in both pontoons, which I expected. again, it would tell me that the logs are air tight.

When I pulled the plugs this afternoon, I still got a slight amount of water out of the right log, along with the air pressure. Obviously condensation, as the boat hasn't been in the water.

I just hope the dealer can find something. Leaks don't usually get smaller!

Thanks for your thoughts.

Sunchaser has life time warranty's on the toons and the floor. No worries they will fix it for as long as you have it. I love my sunchaser and they even put the fuel tanks above water!!!

First off it has a leak no doubt about it, and its a small one, thats why it has some pressure, do to the volume of space in the log it seams like its a lot but it isnt. The air expansion is more than the leak size so it holds a bit of pressure. The condensation may at the very most be 1 oz of water.

If the log holds and builds pressure you can spray it with a soap water solution. That's how we checked mine everytime my friend welded on them. When he put my strakes on the pressure guage held fine yet it took on a little water the first day we took it out. We pressurized the log and hit it with the soap water. It took minutes for a bubble to grow so it was very small. It was a tiny hole where he pulled the rod away from the stitch weld. It was a 2 second fix one we found it. Your leak is probably very small and nothing to worry about. That said if I had a new boat I would have the dealer check it out to.