Pontoon effect Pontoon effect The pontoon effect refers to the tendency of a vessel whose flotation depends on lateral pontoons to capsize without warning when a lateral force is applied. The effect can be sudden and dramatic because pontoon boats usually cannot rely on the righting effect of a keel (which contains ballast). The vessel is stable and self-righting up to the point that the centre of gravity shifts past the centre of buoyancy of the ship and the vessel rapidly capsizes. The pontoon effect is theoretically possible whenever the vessel's entire weight exceeds the buoyancy of the pontoon(s) on either side.
Pontoon effect a trimaran with narrow-beam floats will simply submerge the lee float, exposing only the weather wing and that with a lesser moment. In practical sea situations the windage effect is greater than the buoyancy effect and so cruising trimarans with highly buoyant floats are more, not less, likely to capsize than those with less buoyant floats. A trimaran is best stabilised not by adding buoyancy on the lee float but adding weight to the weather float. This is the basis of the "cool-tubes" stability system invented by Tristan Jones and L. Surtees. A large-diameter pipe closed at the aft end