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Pontoon coatings?

3K views 10 replies 4 participants last post by  North Island 
G
#1 ·
Curious if anyone has any info on coatings and such which may be applied to pontoons to increase their durability, etc.

mmm
 
#2 ·
None needed

If you buy a good grade boat, you won't have to worry about it. Check the denier rating and the oz of material on the seams. Those will normally tell the tale. Not sure of a coating, usually they put skid pads on to help chaffing of frame. But rarely is needed. My 16' cataraft is one of the first production catarafts on the market. Now it's (I'm amazed after I did the math and figured out it's age wrong) roughly 15 years old!!!! It's still going strong, and the tubes are in excellent shape for all the use they've had (have been on some of the US's toughest whitewater runs). Never had any extra treatment nor extra skid pads.

Buy a quality set of tubes/boat you'll have no worry.
 
G
#3 ·
In defense of cheap, poorly constructed pontoon boats – Not everyone can afford Skookum, besides I have too many white elephants getting in the way, already. :(

“Hey, Pop, let’s get a canoe.” So I invest a grand in an Old Town canoe that sets in my yard, unused. Make a great planter when I finally get around to punching a few drain holes in the bottom.

I have a Sage “Noodle” spey rod (thanks, Russ), a gift from the wife. Sits in the corner, mostly unused.

The list goes on…

And I won’t even discuss yesterday’s hor$e$ - Warning! A quick trip to financial insolvency! :whoa:

Nooooo, this time I wanted to start at the bottom and work up. The wife wanted to purchase a PAC 800 and I nixed the deal, preferring a full set of BFGs for the truck and a pair of “el cheapo” ODC Sport Boats (@$200 each). Worked out to about the same amount of money. The pair work just great for dragging leeches around the lake with the kid and I envision a few trips on the Skagit when the flows mellow. Nothing too extreme here…

So back to the question: Anyone have any thoughts on coatings, etc.? Any Chemical Engineers out there with ideas?

mmm
 
#4 ·
LOL

Well, I can't really afford them either. I just have enough connections from all my years using these things I usually can buy the pieces and have frames built for WELL below most people buy a Pac9. Like I've tried to say, I've been running these things well before they were made for fishing. So I have some connections that help when it comes to custom building.

But seriously, what you can do is email ODC to see if they can get you some "swatches" of their material long and wide enough to cover the bottom like you'd want. Or, even contact other companies as well. Then, get some of the "boat glue" that can be found at whitewater outfitters. It's a glue that can be applied to a boat UNDERWATER and will setup and seal a leak. You can generously apply this to the swatch you get and put on yourself. No spray/paint coating will be better then an actual piece of material the boat is made from. (plus, not sure if they could stand the heat of a spray on coating lol). Heck, you could also get a big inner tube from a garage, and cut it and add to bottom. Know it's not fancy, but helps take some of the shock of an initial hit instead of the fabric. Use the glue I mentioned. It's GREAT stuff. Actually, you could even email Bill at Skookum and see if he'd sell you a patch. I know he adds those to his boats. Just tell him what you're doing. He's great to work with, even if you're not using his boats.
 
#6 ·
LOL, this stuff is GOOD

Say it this way, it'll stick your hand to the boat if you wait long enough. LOL. I'm pretty sure it will. I doubt you'll need kevalar, but you never know. I'd try calling fabric shops, see if they can get you in touch with distributors. They may be able to find it for you. I bet it's probably expensive though. But this glue is great, will work on anything. I just ran out (luckily, it was for someone ELSES's boat, not mine), I lent my last tube to a buddy. But will get some more once I'm healed up enough to use my boat.

You're more then welcome for the help.
 
G
#7 ·
WOW - You really got the propeller spinning on top of my thinking cap. And boy do I love the web! Did a yahoo search on kevlar fabrics and found a mother lode.

I can see it now, my squished Nash Rambler of a hot rod banana boat floating down the Skagit to the oohs and awes of fellow steelheaders.

This is definitely gonna be a winter project for one of the boats.

OBTW, thanks!

mmm
 
#8 ·
Super glue, Kevlar???

Triple M, I wouldn't think you'd need to strengthen your poontoons to run them "kiddie pools".:hehe:
 
G
#9 ·
Well the "kiddies" have moved from switchblades and the occasional zipgun to uzis and mac-10s.

Nah, just thinking protection in an increasing unfriendly world. Twenty or thirty years ago access was far easier to come by. Today, with most everything closed to trespass, floating is mandatory to find your few inches of space. There are some nasties out there ready to ruin your day, hence the kevlar Titanic.:rolleyes:

The closer I get to the double nickles the more fond I become of my old hide. ...and the less immortal I feel.:eek:

mmm
 
#10 ·
Progess report??

Hey MMM,
how did ya make out with your kevlar project? I'm confronting the same dilemma, nasty river with many 'foreign objects', and no lack of "kiddies" on the shore with all manner of projectiles...:devil:

Any details appreciated.-
cheers,
Macspey
 
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