How to Stop a Pontoon Boat From Taking on Water

Pontoon boats offer a place for families and friends to enjoy a day on the water to ski, swim, fish and explore. Pontoon boats have a large flat deck with two big metal tubes, called pontoons, one on each side on the hull. Some newer boat models have three pontoons. Pontoon boats range from the one person inflatable to the 15 passenger party barge. During construction, pontoons are welded and sealed to prevent leakage. To stop a pontoon boat from taking on water, the first step to correcting the problem is to find out the cause.

Instructions

    • 1

      Redistribute weight on the boat when the deck is taking on water from the wakes of passing boats, by rearranging the seating of passengers and moving objects such as heavy ice-chests. Putting all the weight on one side of the boat will cause the boat to tip and the water will drain off. If you are traversing in rough storm waters, shift as much weight as possible to the back center of the boat.

    • 2

      Turn on the bilge pump if your boat is equipped with one. Jump into the water to ensure plug is in place. Older pontoon models may have a bilge, while newer models rarely do. Get the boat up on plane and return to the launch ramp as fast as possible. Water is forced out of the bilge at high speeds.

    • 3

      Create an improvised plug with anything you have handy and jam it into the hole as far as possible. This will slow down the leak and give you time to get to shore or as close to shore as possible.

    • 4

      Open valves on top of the pontoon to release condensation. According to Mark Hamann, sales manager at Anglers Marine in Anaheim, California, manufacturers create dual chambered pontoons, which will keep the pontoon afloat if one of the chambers is punctured. He states that you cannot stop a chamber from filling up, so you should immediately go to shore.