Can a pontoon boat sink? (1 Viewer)

[The General]

The title says it all.

On a rental pontoon boat this evening. If the pontoons are sealed can this boat be sunk?

 

[CletiusMaximus]

Yes

 

[The General]

I was in the camp they could become submerged but these things would not completely sink. 

 

[The General]

A quick search of the internet…unsinkable

 

[Osaurus]

Ask Molly Brown

 

[Leroy Hoard]

If you were an Admiral instead of a General you'd already know the answer.

 

[brun]

I would assume any boat is sinkable if its total weight exceeds its buoyancy capacity.

 

[jon_mx]

If I took a shot gun and blew a bunch of holes in each of the pontoons, such that they could fill up with water, the boat would sink assuming they are just the typical air-filled ones.  But in reality those pontoons offer so much displacement that it takes an enormous amount of weight to submerge them completely.  

 

[jon_mx]

The title says it all.

On a rental pontoon boat this evening. If the pontoons are sealed can this boat be sunk?

Is Lake Monroe crowded?  

 

[The General]

I would assume any boat is sinkable if its total weight exceeds its buoyancy capacity.

If I took a shot gun and blew a bunch of holes in each of the pontoons, such that they could fill up with water, the boat would sink assuming they are just the typical air-filled ones.  But in reality those pontoons offer so much displacement that it takes an enormous amount of weight to submerge them completely.  

I didn’t throw out the “displacement” term but this is what I was saying. I was in the minority opinion. 

 

[The General]

I would assume any boat is sinkable if its total weight exceeds its buoyancy capacity.

If I took a shot gun and blew a bunch of holes in each of the pontoons, such that they could fill up with water, the boat would sink assuming they are just the typical air-filled ones.  But in reality those pontoons offer so much displacement that it takes an enormous amount of weight to submerge them completely.  

I didn’t throw out the “displacement” term but this is what I was saying. I was in the minority opinion. 

 

[The General]

Is Lake Monroe crowded?  

I absolutely guarantee someone has shot a pontoon boat on Lake Monroe. 

Last words the boat heard were “watch this”

 

[E Street Brat]

I would assume any boat is sinkable if its total weight exceeds its buoyancy capacity.

Check out the big brain on brun.

 

[jon_mx]

I didn’t throw out the “displacement” term but this is what I was saying. I was in the minority opinion. 

Here is the level of stupidity it takes to sink a pontoon. 

 

[The General]

Here is the level of stupidity it takes to sink a pontoon. 

That is probably Lake Monroe 

 

[brun]

Check out the big brain on brun.

It's the metric system. 

 

[The General]

We were going through a smallish cut on Lake Washington where some big wakes were bouncing around when the front end of this pontoon went in at the trough of two “waves”, enough water to push the front door open, and pop the prop out of the water for a second or two.

People up front went to back, pontoons did their thing, boat corrected itself.

Whole affair lasted about 10 seconds tops. 

My words of comfort and reason fell on deaf ears. 

 

[That one guy]

Here is the level of stupidity it takes to sink a pontoon. 

Can’t see this without immediately thinking of this gem:

https://youtu.be/dE-nfzcUiPk

 

[Ron Swanson]

They can capsize, usually by flipping if the bow is stuffed too much but it is rare.  The pontoons are typically filled with foam.  Mine had a standard schreader valve on each toon where I could pressurize and check for leaks.

 

[dino259]

We were going through a smallish cut on Lake Washington where some big wakes were bouncing around when the front end of this pontoon went in at the trough of two “waves”, enough water to push the front door open, and pop the prop out of the water for a second or two.

People up front went to back, pontoons did their thing, boat corrected itself.

Whole affair lasted about 10 seconds tops. 

My words of comfort and reason fell on deaf ears. 

I have experienced the same situation. Front deck got under water due to too much weight. People moved to the back and the pontoon was fine.

 

[DaVinci]

Pontoon 

 

[matuski]

They dont have drain plugs.

They do flip over easier than other boats.

 

[matuski]

Can’t see this without immediately thinking of this gem:

https://youtu.be/dE-nfzcUiPk

No matter how many times I see this.. the driver getting knocked out is incredibale.

 

[playin4beer]

They dont have drain plugs.

They do flip over easier than other boats.

My pontoon has drain plugs on the back/bottom of each tube..