News — DIY

E15 Fuel Year-Round? | Pontoon-Depot

What Do You Know About Using Household Cleaners On A Boat?

By: Pontoon Boat & Deck Magazine

Keeping your pontoon or deck boat in showroom-like condition usually isn’t accomplished by using your run-of-the-mill household cleaners. For example, did you know that common dish soap can eat into gelcoat, remove wax and polish, and bring on early aging and oxidization? That’s why Shurhold Industries offers a set of Clean-N-Simple Tips to ensure you don’t use a product that’s not safe for your boat.

Shurhold's marine-specific concentrated Brite Wash is safe to use anywhere on board and still cuts through dirt, grease and salt residue. There’s no need for re-waxing or cleaning away water spotting. Environmentally friendly, it's completely biodegradable and can be rinsed overboard.

Rather than using bleach, which is effective but quickly dulls gelcoat, changes vinyl color, degrades fabrics, and corrodes fittings (even stainless steel), SMC Spray is the bleach-free and environmentally friendly alternative that removes the toughest of stains and is safe to use on all surfaces.

Likewise, the ammonia in home glass cleaners can make isinglass, Plexiglas, plastic or touchscreen electronics material brittle. Shurhold's Serious Shine is a one-stop detailer that cleans, polishes and protects any surface commonly treated with glass cleaner or spray wax in one breezy step. UV inhibitors and anti-static and water-repelling properties makes it an ideal marine maintenance product.

A great companion to Serious Shine, Microfiber Towels are very absorbent and can gently lift away dirt, moisture, grease and stains without scratching delicate surfaces.

And when a strong restoration compound is needed, Shurhold's Buff Magic is designed to do the job well; formulated with jewelers rouge, it actually breaks down as it's being used, effectively becoming finer with use until it's a polishing agent. Thus, this product gently and thoroughly removes oxidation, stains, rust, and surface scratches.

And last but not least, the Pro Polish Wax is designed to seal the pores of fiberglass with a long-lasting UV- and water-resistant finish – and, as a bonus, leaving a deep shine behind.

Price ranges are as follows: a 32-ounce bottle of Shurhold's Brite Wash is $11.98; a 32-ounce spray bottle of SMC is $11.98; a 14-ounce aerosol can of Serious Shine is $17.98; a 3-pack variety of Microfiber Towels is $18.98; and a 16-ounce bottle of Pro Polish Wax is $22.98.

For all your accessories and/or vinyl flooring visit Pontoon Depot's shop site.

UPGRADING YOUR PONTOON BOAT IN THE OFF-SEASON

By: Bennington Marine

Pic By: Manitou Pontoon Boats

One of the many perks of owning a pontoon boat is the number of features, add-ons and upgrades available to customize your boating experience. No two boat owners want exactly the same set up and pontoon boats are a great canvas to build on.

It can be difficult locating exactly the right components for your boat during the spring and summer seasons, as demand for these features tends to be much higher. The off-season is a great time to consider upgrading your pontoon boat as many items are restocked and become available.

Here are some upgrades to consider for your boat or as a gift for a boat owner this fall and winter.

Sound system or speakers

Summer is a popular time for upgrading sound systems and speakers. Often boat owners do not think about this feature until the first time they start their boat up for the season and that can make it difficult to get the model you're looking for. Contact your dealer in the fall to give yourself plenty of time to get your system ready for the following year.

Grills and coolers

Food and beverage related features are also extremely popular in the summertime. Take some time to consider what you plan on doing with your boat the following year and explore these options with your local dealer. Remember to plan for the size of the group you expect to have on board, you don't want to cook burgers for 12 people on a 2-burger grill.

Water sports equipment

Not only will you see great deals on towable tubes, water skis, wakeboards and other fun toys in the off-season, but these items will be easy to store and a pleasant surprise when you open them for the first time the following year or as a Christmas present.

For all your accessories and/or vinyl flooring visit Pontoon Depot's shop site.

Bargain Pontoon Boat Wraps Not Always A Bargain

Does taking shortcuts for winter storage pay off?

By: Dan Armitage

As many of my fellow pontoon boat club members readied their craft for the off-season, I grew intrigued by the DIY, alternative and after-market solutions some came up with for protecting their boats and related gear. Some of these non-traditional apps are put into use by my resourceful fellow boaters during the boating season as well, and are of value for those lucky pontoon boaters south of the Mason-Dixon Line who don’t know the meaning of “off” season and may enjoy their craft year-round.

For example, you will find covers intended for back yard use on chaise lounges and Adirondack chairs protecting the furniture of some members’ boats. The patio furniture covers are less expensive than semi-custom covers designed for the job, wear well under typical conditions, and the fact that the generic one-size-fits-all covers don’t fit all that tight allows air to circulate and the upholstery to breathe a bit, which can help prevent mildew in the damp environs the boats are subject to. And when conditions aren’t typical, and a loose-fitting captain’s (aka: Adirondack) chair cover goes gone with the wind, it’s less expensive to replace.

If you’ve run across any non-traditional uses for items aboard a pontoon —or any other watercraft – we’d like to see ‘em. Meanwhile, here are a few I stumbled across during a recent late-season walk around the local pontoon boat club – and one photo I snapped last winter that reminded me that going with cost cutting alternatives may not be the bargain you, well, bargained on…