Boat/Pontoon Freezing into Ice

You · Apr 4, 2016

Any concerns about the 'morning' ice forming around a floating pontoon or fishing boat? It'd be well under an inch of ice.

Allen · Apr 4, 2016

Not an inch of ice. I'd probably start getting worried at greater than 3 inches. Just doesn't seem like an inch of ice would be strong enough to damage the hull. I'd be a little more concerned with the motor itself if it wasn't tilted up and out of the water as ice forms in the intake and around the lower unit seals.

guywhofishes · Apr 4, 2016

getting started would be the hard part especially with a pontoon... LOTS of surface area and without a running start an inch is a lot tougher than you think - especially backing away from a dock or some such - I'd back into the dock I know that.

3 inches you aren't going anywhere in a boat or a pontoon IMO

You · Apr 4, 2016

guywhofishes said:
getting started would be the hard part especially with a pontoon... LOTS of surface area and without a running start an inch is a lot tougher than you think - especially backing away from a dock or some such - I'd back into the dock I know that.

3 inches you aren't going anywhere in a boat or a pontoon IMO

I wouldn't be plowing through any ice, just curious if ice 'building up' around the floats of a pontoon, or hull of a fishing boat could possibly damage it.

Captain Ahab · Apr 4, 2016

Like Allen mentioned, I would be more worried about the motor. If you tilt it up the water will still hang in the unit and possibly crack the case when it freezes. You would likely want to leave the motor as far down in the water as possible. I wouldn't worry about ~1 inch on a 'toon for damaging the aluminum.

Wild and Free · Apr 4, 2016

I watched a guy several years ago who didn't get his toon out of his slip @ south port marina in Bismarck b4 freeze up, there was a good inch plus of ice covering the entire marina already.
He had chipped it out and just set the throttle to about 1k rpms and let it crawl from the way north end to the boat ramp. took him about 2 hours to get that far. It would slowly slide up onto the ice sheet to about mid toon and fall through and he just kept the throttle to a speed where he was moving and just a few feet a minute.

Traxion · Apr 4, 2016

I've broken up to 1/2" during late fall and wouldn't want to break anymore. I don't see an inch of ice being an issue though. Breaking that 1/2" sounds like you're tearing the bottom of the boat off LOL!

But yes, the motor should be down. No freezing worries then.

Boat/Pontoon Freezing into Ice

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