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Pontoon Boat: Your Floating Stay-Cation

You don't have to go too far to get away.

You, after all, are among the elite. You have the hardware required to bring the party wherever you go. You invested in a floating memory-making machine.

You're a pontoon boat owner.

Leave the "all-inclusive" cruises to the schmos who are willing to settle for cramped cabins, crowded dinners and hack entertainment. Let the landlubbers scour Travelocity for the can't-miss, can't-wait deal of the century that comes along every four days. Let the masses pack their SUVs and head to their secret, pristine vacation hideaway that's a secret to everyone except for all the people who have Facebook.

You're a pontoon boat owner. For you, the vacation starts as soon as you shove off from the dock.

On regular boats, kids get bored quickly because they can't move around. Your floating living room, however, gives them all the stay-cation space they need to spread out and have some fun.

What would you do on vacation? Go fishing? Go water skiing?

Check and double check.

Unlike most boats, with their rigid seating structures, pontoon boats are comfy and cozy. Cuddle up and watch the sunset — or sunrise, depending on your stay-cation itinerary. Grab a pair of binoculars and see what kind of birds or other wildlife you can spy from your maritime sanctuary. Explore a channel or tributary you've never cruised before, or cut the engine and just relax, talk and enjoy each other's company — cell phone and iPad free.

The point is, spring is here. The kids will be out of school soon and a vacation doesn't sound like a bad idea. But you don't need to go very far to get away. When you invested in your pontoon boat, you entered an elite fraternity of adventurers and enthusiasts who don't need to travel to find excitement, adventure and relaxation.

You've got a pontoon boat. All of that goes wherever you go.

You Are What You Eat On Your Boat

Boat snacks.

I know. It sounds like the title of the lost Jimmy Buffett album, but that's not what we're talking about here. Today, we're going super literal. When we said boat snacks, we're actually talking about snacks you eat on a boat.

A day on the pontoon takes plenty out of you. Fun in the sun is exhausting, you know. You're going to want to bring some drinks along for the trip — and you and your guests will certainly need something to nibble on.

That could be anything from cheese and crackers or a few stems of grapes, all the way up to pastrami sandwiches. But no matter the snack, one thing is certain — at least some of it is going to wind up on the floor.

Cheese and crackers mixed with lake water, compressed under the heel of a flip flop turns into a nice thick paste, like the kind of stuff you'd use to patch a hole in sheet rock. Those grapes we mentioned before? After a few tramplings, you'll have the beginnings of cabernet sauvignon on your deck. And pastrami on rye? If you have a dog on deck, he's probably likely to care care of that mess for you, but then you'll be sliding around on wet dog hair mixed with paw prints matted into the deck.

If you have traditional boat carpeting, you have to be a boat snack prison warden. You can't bring this, you can't eat that — is that ... chocolate?!?! ARE YOU KIDDING ME??!!!

That's because you know your marine carpeting will never really come clean, that each dropped drink and snack is another layer of muck that scrapes a little more luster off your otherwise beautiful boat.

If you have MariDeck vinyl flooring, on the other hand, you can be a boat snack free spirit. No monitoring, no forbidding, no scolding. Eat what you want, nibble on what you like. No matter what they spill, a quick hosing off on deck and some basic maintenance between excursions and your flooring will look and perform like it did the first day you installed it.

Just some food for thought.

Top 5 Reasons to Own a Pontoon Boat

On the pontoon
Makin' waves and catchin' rays up on the roof
Jumpin' out the back, don't act like you don't want to
Party in slow motion
Out here in the open
Mm, motorboatin'
(Pontoon – by Little Big Town)

Now that we have that song stuck in your head, you might be wondering what all the fuss is about. Well, if you’ve lived the song, you know that a pontoon can be loads of fun for the whole family. If not, here are the top five reasons why owning a pontoon is so enjoyable.

5. Storage, storage and more storage.
You won’t find many boats that offer the storage capacity of a pontoon. There’s hidden storage under just about every seat available, and often storage compartments in the flooring too. Pack it full of coolers, food and camping gear, and you’re all set for a weekend on the water.

4. It’s a smooth ride.
Even in rough waters on the lake, you’ll have a smooth and relaxing ride on a pontoon, whether you’re running it hard for speed or simply coasting along. It’s so smooth, in fact, that you could easily bring a grill along to barbecue as you coast.

3. There’s room for… everyone.
Pontoons are incredibly spacious, with seating often available for up to 12 people (or more, depending on how many adults and how many kids you have on board). Even then, there’s still space available for walking, coolers, and to kick back and enjoy the ride (seen #5).

2. Everyone will enjoy it.
Young or old, a pontoon has far more to offer than any other boat available. The flat flooring makes perfect sense so grandpa and dad can easily fish, made especially better by MariDeck Boat Flooring. Meanwhile, mom, grandma and the kids are jumping off the back for a swim. Go for a spin and enjoy the scenery and the breeze, or pull up to a sand bar for a picnic lunch.

1. Embrace family time.
A pontoon offers a great opportunity to reconnect with your family over several generations. Customize your boat to fit the needs of all your passengers and spend a weekend on the water, disconnected from the busy world we all live in (after all, you likely won’t have any cell phone coverage out on the lake).

You Love Your Guests ... Your Messy, Messy Guests

The best boat is the one your friend owns, or so the saying goes — and all your pals know it.

Pontoon boats just scream "party!" Unlike skiing boats or fishing boats, one glance at a pontoon boat conjures up images of kids playing, grownups playing and music playing. Coozie-wrapped drinks. Plenty of food. Suntan lotion. Bathing suits. Sunglasses. Lots of laughing — that's what pontoon boats are all about.

That's why your friends became so much friendlier as soon as you got one.

When the day on the water is over and you head back to the dock, however, your friends pay you a hearty thanks and hit the road — and you're stuck with the mess. As it turns out, a lot of those coozie-wrapped drinks wound up on the deck. So did the food. And the suntan lotion.

If you have traditional boat carpeting, you're left with a matted, smooshed-in mess that's impossible to clean, at least all the way. All that grime and gook has been ground in with flip flops and cooler wheels and dog paws. That's why boat carpeting will never look as good in real life as it does in the showroom.

If you upgraded to MariDeck vinyl flooring, however, you're a few garden hose sprays away from your deck looking like new. Now, we know "like new" is a marketing cliche, but we're using the phrase on purpose here. With very little light, basic maintenance, MariDeck flooring literally returns to its brand new look and functionality.

Once it's been put to the test, boat carpeting simply looks worn, which makes your entire boat look worn. MariDeck couldn't be more of a contrast.

Not only will your guests be safe and slip-free while you're partying on the water, but you won't have to silently hate them afterward while you're on your hands and knees scrubbing after they've thanked you and said goodbye.