When your house needs repairs, what do you do? You fix it. A pontoon is no different. Pontoons can add significant value to a waterfront property and should, therefore, be looked upon as a valuable asset – one that should be cared for just like a house. Moreover, if you’re looking to sell your waterfront property, simple repairs and maintenance to make your pontoon safe can be the difference between a sale and your property sitting on the market for months on end.
So the question is, how do you know when pontoon maintenance and repairs are needed? Well, besides apparent issues, many tell-tale signs will let you know when its time to have your pontoon serviced.
Continue reading to find out what they are.
Lifting, worn out or mouldy marine carpet
Perhaps nothing makes a pontoon look more unkempt than worn out, lifting or mouldy carpet. Not just that, it can become a tripping hazard and mould can be slippery when wet. If your pontoon carpet is looking a little lack-lustre, then it’s time to take action. Marine carpet is very easy to replace and new pontoon carpet can revitalise your pontoon, making it look just like a new one again. As luck would have it, we specialise in pontoon recarpeting.
Barnacle buildup on piles
Have you noticed barnacles building up on your pontoon piles? If so, they need to go! Barnacles can cause damage to the rollers and prevent your pontoon pile brackets from freely travelling up and down the pontoon piles with the tide and worst-case scenario can cause the pile brackets to become bound-up on the piles holding the pontoon up out of the water. If this occurs, major damage can result as the average pontoon weight of 10 tonnes is then supported only by 2 x pile brackets, sooner or later something gives. Micks Marine Maintenance offers a barnacle removal service that will take care of this problem.
Squeaking rollers, noisy brackets and bushes
Is your pontoon giving off squeaking noises as it moves up and down with the tide, or wash? Then, yes, you guessed it; your pontoon needs maintenance. This squeaking is due to the brackets and pile rollers becoming dry and dirty. However, it’s easily fixed with a little lubricant, which Micks Marine Maintenance can apply during our service. A noisy pile bracket can mean that pile rollers are worn, allowing too much movement between the rollers and the pile. If unattended, further damage to the actual pile bracket can occur. Micks Marine Maintenance can quickly pop out and change your worn pile rollers for new ones, ensuring functionality and saving you on costly repairs.
Saltwater buildup on the fender
Lastly, if your pontoon has a fender with carpet chaffing and it is covered with saltwater buildup or the fender is torn or sagging, then this too is a sign that your pontoon needs maintenance. A buildup of saltwater or torn fenders can act like sandpaper and scratch the surface paint of your boat or jet ski, which you will want to avoid. Thankfully, this is easy to clean yourself or, we at Micks Marine Maintenance can take care of this for you.
Take Away Message
A pontoon is just like any other asset; it needs to be regularly maintained to remain in tip-top form. While pontoons require much less maintenance than their counterpart, timber jetties, due to wear and tear and being exposed to the elements, maintenance is still necessary.
If you have noticed your carpet lifting or being worn out, the piles covered in barnacles, the brackets, rollers and bushes squeaking or noisy, or the fenders covered in saltwater buildup or torn, then it’s time you booked Mick for a little pontoon maintenance.
Micks Marine Maintenance specialises in providing a holistic pontoon maintenance service to maintain and repair everything and anything pontoon related. Contact me, Mick, on 0431 778 468 to enquire about our maintenance service or to book your pontoon in for a service.