News — boat dinner party

Summer Boating Snacks | Pontoon-Depot

There’s something about being on the lake all day in a boat that’s relaxing, fun… and makes you famished! Everyone loves to snack on lake day. Skip the traditional bag of chips and bring some awesome summer snacks on your next boating excursion that will not only satisfy your hunger, but your palette too!

Fiesta Pinwheels – This easy wrap may need to stay in the cooler, but it’s well worth it and that’s easily done in a plastic container. You may want to double the recipe because these bite-sized snacks will go fast! Also try these Cheddar Bacon Ranch Pinwheels or your own twist on the idea.

Mini Snack Buffet – No recipe needed for this one, just compile a bunch of your healthy favorites to keep everyone satisfied! How about some grapes, berries, cheese cubes, mini sweet peppers, nuts and olives for starters!

Speaking of Grapes – Freeze them ahead of time for a cool, refreshing and healthy morning snack! Even if they thaw a little, they still taste great!

Chopped Salad in a Cup – Chop your favorite salad ingredients in a plastic cup with a lid ahead of time and bring prepackaged dressing (bottle or bag). When you’re ready to eat, just pour the dressing on, replace the lid and shake to stir and enjoy!

Fresh Kabobs – The antipasto skewers pictured have pepperoni, salami, olives, artichokes, tomatoes and cheese, but you could do anything you like or a variety of flavors (such as fruit!).

You’ll also find some great snack ideas here and even more snacks here. Be sure to bring something refreshing to drink too. And remember, spills are easy to clean on MariDeck Flooring, offered by Pontoon Depot! Whether you’re looking for quick and easy or healthy and fun, you’ve got unlimited options. Enjoy your boating day!
 

Party on the Houseboat | Pontoon-Depot

You know houseboating can fill your summer weekends with hours of fun. Fishing, swimming, maybe even tubing - it’s all a blast. But this summer, think outside the box. Try something different, and start some new traditions.

Themed Dinner Party

I mean, you’ve gotta eat, right? And your houseboat is equipped with all the space and equipment you need to serve up something amazing. So get creative, and invite all of your friends. Host a five-course gourmet meal at sunset. Throw a Mexican fiesta - margaritas included, of course. Go nautical with the decorations and serve some delicious seafood. The choice is yours. There’s just one rule: Have fun!

On-the-Water Block Party

Do your friends own boats, too? Get everyone together for a block party! On the water, have everyone motor to your favorite cove and tie up together. From there, kick back and relax just like you would at home. Plan some games - those that incorporate the water are especially fun.

For example, set up a bean-bag toss tournament with the boards on different boats. Miss the boat with your toss? You better jump in and get the bean bag!

When it’s time to eat, set up different snack stations on different boats, or you could even hold a progressive dinner party. Appetizers on one boat, main dish on the second, and dessert on another. The options are really endless.

By the way, boat block parties work at the dock, too.

Houseboat Campout

Make a memory your kids will remember the rest of their lives - take the boat out and spend a night under the stars! Be sure you have plenty of graham crackers, chocolate and marshmallows for s'mores, and haul some sleeping bags and a small grill to the top deck. Find a quiet, sheltered spot and settle in for a night of old-fashioned fun!

With a little creativity, you can make this a summer to remember!

Staying Safe on Memorial Day Weekend

On Memorial Day Weekend, everyone has the same idea as you — let's head to the lake! That means that for three days, your idyllic hideaway looks like Walmart on Black Friday.

Basically, you can expect big crowds.

The thing with big crowds is that they're full of human beings, and human beings share one universal commonality — they all love pontoon boats. That means you're going to have a whole bunch of new best friends and everyone in the crowd is going to want to come aboard.

You, being the awesome human being that you are, are going to want to accommodate them all. The problem is, your boat's maximum capacity doesn't increase just because it's a holiday.

In short, Memorial Day Weekend gives you lots of opportunities to overload your boat. Resist the urge to say "one more couldn't hurt."

Next, watch your speed. Excessive speed causes more accidents than anything else on the water, even when crowds aren't at their peak. On Memorial Day Weekend, there are more boats. More boats equals more things to crash into.

Finally, we come to booze. Don't drink and boat. It’s illegal. It's dangerous. Its stupid. It's irresponsible. What else is there to say?

Please keep in mind that just because you're doing the right thing, you can't assume that all the other captains on the sea are following your example. Assume that other boats zigging and zagging past, pontoon or otherwise, are piloted by folks who think the rules don’t apply to them. Be on guard!

So that's it. Be safe on Memorial Day Weekend. Use common sense and exercise good judgment. These are pretty good rules of thumb to follow on a boat no matter the day, but on holidays, surviving the three-day weekend with your body, boat and family intact is a special kind of mission.

Grilling and Boating. Eating in Pontoon Heaven.

If you've got a pontoon boat, you own the floating embodiment of fun, relaxation and unbridled partying. If you own a grill, you have a fire-breathing, char-broiling pinnacle of summertime cuisine.

When you combine the two, it's too good for this side of heaven.

Grilling on a boat is a pleasure that most people will sadly never experience. But you're not most people. You're a pontoon boat owner.

So, let's start with the hardware. Before you buy your boat grill, research, research, research. This is not a time in your life where you want to feel buyer's remorse.

Owners of the Cuisinart Grill with Arnall’s Brackets, for example, talk about the machine like it's a twin sibling they were reunited with 20 years after being separated at birth. Do your research , some reviewers talk about purchasing a grill model with a lot of remorse.  Take the time to shop around, read reviews and compare features.

Second, if you choose a charcoal boat grill, which most people do, keep your charcoal in a Ziploc-style plastic bag. Wet charcoal doesn't light, and a lack of fire makes for a pretty busted grilling experience.

Next, use ready-to-light charcoal. Spraying lighter fluid out of a squeeze bottle on a rocking boat is a bad idea for several reasons. Mostly, it could lead to you accidentally setting stuff on fire that you didn't mean to.

Finally, follow common sense safety rules. This isn't dry land. On a boat, you can't walk away from a lit grill even for a second. Never grill while you're underway unless you want hot flaming coal missiles to jump out of your grill and hurtle toward you and your children, which we're presuming you don't.

Now that that's out of the way, let's talk recipes. Once you pick your grill and learn how to operate it safely, you can, you must, you will start with these choice selections:

Spicy Grilled Shrimp with Garlic & Lemon

Tabasco-Grilled Veggie Skewers

Grilled Bone-In Bison Steaks with Crisped Potatoes

*photo credit to countryliving.com