The unsinkable pontoon market | Pontoon Depot
‘Tricked out’ and beefed up, the versatile, stable and affordable family boats continue to set the pace in sales
By: REAGAN HAYNES
The pontoon segment continues to make big gains year over year as builders add power to the boats, broaden dealer networks, add options for saltwater markets and continue to attract entry-level boaters.
The segment’s popularity also seems to be growing among grandparents, who are trying to draw adult kids and young grandkids to on-the-water gatherings. And sales data show that pontoon owners own second boats or personal watercraft at higher rates than those in many other segments, using the boat as a mother ship for gatherings — similar to what a yacht owner might do, but on a much more manageable budget.
The versatility of the boats also continues to be a huge selling point, as higher-horsepower outboards give families the ability to day-boat, fish, pull tubes or skiers and add other toys, such as floats and slides, to create water playgrounds.
“This has been the fastest-growing segment over the past decade and the only segment that has exceeded pre-recessionary levels,” says Jack Ellis, founder and managing director of Info-Link Technologies, the Miami company that tracks boat registrations. “Everyone has jumped in and started making pontoons, and they’ve done a better job of appealing to a younger audience. The things they put on those boats are extraordinary: dual and triple engines, bars, barbecues — I wouldn’t be surprised to see a satellite dome, like you see on large yachts. They just get more and more tricked out.”
Of the 250,000 new boats sold last year, new pontoons were the second-highest-selling category, with 48,564 sold in 2016 — a 9.4 percent increase from a strong 2015, according to data from Statistical Surveys Inc., another company that tracks boat sales. The only category ahead was the expansive outboard fiberglass boat segment, which captures data on boats from 11 to 50 feet (50,087).
This year pontoons had a particularly strong April as sales rose 11.2 percent, to 3,236; in May, pontoon sales rose 7.5 percent from the previous year, to 4,741.
“Those pontoons just continue to go up,” says Ryan Kloppe, sales director at Michigan-based Statistical Surveys. “We were up over 45,000 units last year, and we’re going to be above that this year.”
Pontoon devotees say there’s no better way to get the whole family out on the water for a day of fun.
The mother ship
Fort Myers, Fla.-based Juli Kern and her husband, Kevin, are lapsed PWC owners — “We sold them as soon as I got pregnant because we knew we wanted to have a boat with a baby” — and bought a Sea Ray 185 Sport, Juli says. Eight years and two kids later, they traded the Sea Ray in for a 25-foot Bennington tritoon 2575 with a 300-hp MerCruiser 350 sterndrive. That was in 2014 and they haven’t looked back.
“Pontoons are like floating living rooms, and down here everybody wants to have the convenience of that and be on the water,” Kern says. “Kevin wanted a fast boat. I wanted the pontoon because it’s easier for the kids and the dog and all their stuff. It also can pull up closer to the beach so we don’t have to wade through the water to get to the beach.”
The Kerns also scuba-dive and tube, so the pontoon is perfect for holding their gear, as well as getting in and out of the water without tripping over each other, she says. It has storage for chairs, floats, noodles, snorkel gear, sand toys for the couple’s 9- and 10-year-olds, towels and umbrellas.
“It’s the mother ship, for sure,” Kern says. “We have a couch tube, as well, that I love because it doesn’t flip over and the kids can relax and have fun, rather than hang on for their lives.”
The Kerns used to go out with their next-door neighbors and their two PWC, but the neighbors — also in their early 40s with school-age kids — loved the Kerns’ boat so much, they sold the PWC and bought a pontoon instead, Kern says.
Second boats and toys
Still, more than 40 percent of pontoon owners own another boat or PWC, Ellis says, with 15 percent owning one or more PWC, 10 percent owning freshwater fishing boats, 9 percent owning jonboats and 10 percent also owning fiberglass runabouts (roughly three-quarters of those are tow boats).
“We ran a similar evaluation on multi-boat ownership among all boat owners, not just pontoon, and confirmed that secondary boat ownership among pontoon boat owners is definitely higher than average — but not extraordinarily so,” Ellis says. “As you might guess, large cruiser and yacht owners have an even higher incidence of multi-boat ownership — the second boat is often a tender — but I don’t think this detracts from the fact that pontoons often serve as mother ships, not unlike a yacht.”
It’s not uncommon for boat owners to have a second boat, says National Marine Manufacturers Association president Thom Dammrich. “It’s interesting that pontoon boat owners have a second boat at a higher rate than others, but I think it’s fairly common for boat owners to have a second boat.”
There are 11.5 million registered boats and 8.5 million households that own a boat, Dammrich says, meaning, on average, there are 1.5 to two boats per boat-owning household.
Ellis wonders whether pontoon dealers are taking advantage of the fact that many pontoon owners also own either another boat or PWC, and typically, a slew of inflatables and other toys. “We refer to the pontoon sometimes as the mother ship,” says Ellis, who has watched the trend during the past couple of years.
“These are arguably higher-value customers for the boating industry because ... typically they are buying other boats to go with it,” he says.
People aren’t generally coming in to buy two boats from Sun Tracker and Regency pontoon dealer Grand Pointe Marina in Lansing, Mich., says owner Chris Stevens. “But do they have an older boat? Yeah, some do. For the people who have a cottage, everybody has a pontoon. It’s nice, relaxing, stable, there’s a lot of walking-around room, it’s wheelchair-accessible and good for families with young kids. It’s like a playpen in there. Everybody feels safe. The gates are two to three feet high, so there’s no fear of accidents.”
The pontoon appeals to many because it is “the big gathering area where people can jump on jets or fishing boats, but a pontoon is kind of the compromise to do everything. It can’t do one specialized thing super-well,” says Jason Westre, who also sells Sun Tracker in St. Cloud, Minn., at Westre’s Marine and Sport, as well as Regency and South Bay. “A jet ski or fishing boat is more purpose-built. A pontoon is a general way to get onto the water, and then, if someone in the family’s interests are fishing or skiing, they buy a second boat to fill that gap.”
Westre Marine doesn’t sell personal watercraft — “so I probably wouldn’t be the best person for that information. There are definitely people who still keep their fishing boat and add a pontoon to what they have,” he says.
Westre says he’d love an opportunity to sell PWC to his customers, but the PWC manufacturers often tap their motorcycle or ATV dealers to sell those. “Jet skis are a lot closer to a boat than a motorcycle, but people who manufacture them are power sports companies, and naturally they want to keep that business in their dealer network.”
Sun Tracker offers its pontoons standard with limited options, helping the company keep up with demand, and that gives Grand Pointe Marina an advantage, Stevens says. That also means his buyers are often drawn to the affordability factor. But “there’s a ton of aftermarket stuff we can put on,” Stevens says. “I would say that Tracker carries the best price point in the business. Their main concern is affordability and getting on the water, and after they’ve had the boat for a bit, they start adding some accessories. Grills, and a lot of tow sport stuff they’ll add afterward.”
Kevin Kern is shown aboard his Bennington tritoon with daughter Kayli, 9, and son Dayton, 11.
Appealing to all ages
The platform appeals to a variety of ages because it’s easy to use, easy to move around in and is safe — exactly what the Kerns were looking for. “It’s more the entry-level boaters and younger people looking at smaller pontoons, as well as the tritoons,” Westre says, adding that he is seeing buyers of all ages. Ten years ago pontoons accounted for about 20 percent of his sales; this year, he says, it will be closer to 40 or 50 percent.
“Pontoons are a pretty hot segment,” says Stevens in Michigan, the state that sells more pontoons than any other, with 5,800 sold last year — up 15 percent from 2015 and almost 2,000 more than the next-biggest pontoon state, Minnesota. “A lot of younger families are doing it because the whole family fits very comfortably. People feel safe, and there’s a lot of square footage. With the bigger-horsepower motors to do more recreational stuff, they’re just finding that it’s really versatile and really economic, compared to a same-size fiberglass boat.”
At the same time, baby boomers are also gravitating to pontoons in droves. Tow-boat owners typically get to a certain age, in their mid-50s, when they usually sell that tow boat and either already own a pontoon or buy a pontoon, Ellis says. “There are price points for everybody. It fits every type of user, every demographic.”
“This is something fun that’s going to engage the kids and grandkids to visit. They’re excited to go to grandma and grandpa’s because they got a new boat,” Kloppe says.
Ellis says today’s grandparents are much more involved with their grandkids than in previous generations and are more likely to take the youngsters out boating. “Clearly, I think grandparents today are younger,” Dammrich agrees. “What’s the saying? Sixty is the new 40? They’re much younger than my grandparents were, so they’re much more active, and more likely to get their children and grandchildren involved in boating even as they retire.”
The grandparent economy is being seen in all industries, Ellis says, with grandparents making purchases even as their grandkids are the ultimate consumers. Lori Bitter, author of “The Grandparent Economy: How Baby Boomers are Bridging the Generation Gap,” said in an interview with seniorhousingnet.com (part of realtor.com) that the trend was born when grandparents stepped in to help their adult sons and daughters during the Great Recession.
“This new generation of grandparents stepped in to help their adult children and grandchildren in ways that redefined grandparenting,” Bitter told the publication. “They changed spending patterns, became revolving-purchase influencers and sparked a return to old-fashioned multi-generation households.”
“Today’s grandparents are more of the opinion that … instead of leaving an inheritance, they want to enjoy that stuff with the kids and grandchildren while they’re alive,” Ellis says.
A ‘living room’ on the water
The addition of horsepower and options — saltwater options, towers, customizable options — “that’s why you’re seeing that market continue to grow,” Kloppe says. “Versatility and horsepower.”
That was precisely the reason Kern was able to talk her husband into trading the Sea Ray for the Bennington. They did some research and found the Bennington with the MerCruiser 350, giving it the ability to go faster than pontoons had in the past — “so he got his cake and is eating it, too … and we’re all happy. Also it is nice to have room to bring other people and not trip over everybody, like we did in the other boat.”
Pontoon sales have grown about 20 percent every year for the past five years at Grand Pointe Marina. “I think it’s about ease of use, family time, everybody can fit, everybody can relax — I just think it’s a hot trend, especially if you have a place on the water,” says Stevens. Some of his customers elect to buy more budget-friendly options, but $100,000 pontoons are becoming commonplace, as well, he says.
“With the advancement of technology, the motors are super-quiet; it’s like being in your living room,” Stevens says. “Just with the advancements, it’s comparable to a fiberglass runabout, but for much less money. Cost is a factor there.”
Another draw is how easy the boats are to use, Stevens says, and people love Tracker’s 10-year warranty. New boaters are increasingly coming in because of that ease of use — and have learned about them from a neighbor or friend who has a pontoon — similar to the Kerns’ neighbors.
John Benchimol, owner of Harborside Marina and Yacht Sales in Connecticut, says his customers choose Bennington because “they want to have something that’s very easy to own, accomplishes a lot as far as your abilities to use a boat, and they are safer, easy to get on, easy dock, and they use outboards. The ease of ownership is unbelievable.”
Benchimol, a Chris-Craft dealer for 20 years, picked up the Bennington line about four years ago because “it was the only thing I kept seeing at boat shows that I felt fit the lifestyle of what my clients like to do. The [pontoon] boats are super-comfortable, easy to own, easy to get on and off of, easy to dock, and are not super-expensive.”
A foothold in saltwater
Benchimol’s only hesitation was the scarcity of the boats on Long Island Sound. “I was curious how they were going to do in this environment — it’s salt water, which is inherently where they’ve not been popular,” he says.
He took on Bennington “because it’s the premier line” that could withstand the harsh environment, and he says this has been the best year thus far, but it is taking time and a lot of demos to show that the pontoons are capable of handling open water.
“I have all my boats overbuilt with thickness of aluminum, as well as the saltwater packages,” Benchimol says. He avoids options that won’t work well in salt water. “The idea of this was make it an easy boat of ownership.”
He’s selling between 14 and 20 a year, and the boats usually run around $70,000. “If you go to Florida you see pontoons in salt water, as well as fresh. I think eventually it will be really good.”
The Kerns operate their Bennington in brackish water and salt water, launching in the mangroves and making their way through the maze to San Carlos Bay, and then to the Gulf. Juli Kern says spotting pontoons in their saltwater areas is common. Indeed, the rate of sales in the state has grown to 3,000, making it the fourth-strongest state, just behind Minnesota at 3,990 and Wisconsin at 3,021.
“I think eventually things will change and you’ve got to think about the future and think saltwater is the future for these boats,” Benchimol says. “If you go to any lake, like Lake Winnipesaukee, all the rich people own pontoons, probably most are Benningtons, and many probably have a boat next to it. Those dealers are selling Benningtons against other pontoons. I’m selling against Grady-White or something else. It’s a whole different mindset.”
The ones that do choose pontoons in his market could afford to buy whatever they want, but are sold on how many people they can put on the boat, the lower price point and the fact that they can still take it from Connecticut to Newport to Norwalk, he says.
“I’m putting the time and effort in now, and I’m hoping that in a couple of years it’s going to pay off,” Benchimol says. “About 85 percent of the population lives coastally. That’s an untapped market.”
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Can a Pontoon Boat Tip Over? What You Need to Know Before Your Trip
By: Bill Lewandowski
Are you worried about buying a pontoon boat, or perhaps you are booked to ride one on vacation? If you are, then please don’t worry about a tip over. Due to the design of pontoon boats, it’s almost unheard of for them to tip over, and the chances are very, very slim.
Pontoon boats very rarely tip over or flip over, with recorded cases being very uncommon. With a solid flat deck, and the pontoon tube design, they are a very buoyant vessell designed to be used on calm inland waters.
Can You Tip a Pontoon Boat?
The tubes underneath the deck offer a stable and secure buoyancy, and even if one tube is damaged, the other one will still keep the boat afloat.
The flat deck and two pontoon tubes gives great stability on water.
It means that pontoons don’t have the risk of flipping or tipping over like traditional v-shaped hull and deck boats do – they can withstand being side to side rolled a lot better due to the unique design.
Another aspect to consider is that in the main, pontoon boats are only ever used on calm waters such as those found in lakes and rivers. They are not designed to be used on the ocean where strong waves and wakes can occur.
It is very unlikely that you will tip or flip this boat over.
Can Pontoon Boats Be Dangerous?
Just like any water vessel, there will be dangers.
With pontoon party barges that have raised platforms and additional floors, then stability can be an issue, but only really in stormy weather conditions.
There have been some cases where pontoon boats have flipped over, and people have been caught underneath.
For example, there was a case in the news where a pontoon boat flipped over due to a sudden heavy storm coming in over a lake.
Some the fishermen in the area tried their best to rescue them, but sadly two people did pass away in the accident as you can see from the news report below.
How to Keep Safe on a Pontoon Boat
The captain of the pontoon boat should always have a clear emergency plan in place, and it’s their responsibility to make all passengers aware of the procedures, including where the safety equipment is placed.
If you own a pontoon boat, explain things in a simple and clear manner so that even the kids and elderly can understand what to do in case of emergency and flipping over.
Most of the boat accidents happened due to lack of common sense. I would like give you a few bullet points, which you can keep in mind while sailing a pontoon boat.
- Pontoon boats are not generally designed for speed, and instead should in most cases be driven at a leisurely pace.
- Avoid using a pontoon boat in water bodies where there is the chance of high waves or stormy conditions.
- Always check the weather forecasts before setting off.
- If you see a storm approaching, take the boat back to shore.
- Keep the weight on the pontoon boat equally distributed and don’t ever overload the boat.
- Finally, and most importantly, have enough life jackets for all passengers on board.
Conclusion
It’s almost unheard of for a pontoon boat to tip over, and they make for great boats for entertaining, family time, and vacation trips.
If anything, as a vacationer, if you have the opportunity to take a trip on a pontoon boat, go for it. You will be much safer than you would on a traditional-shaped boat, and there are also high side railings in place as well – great for keeping the kids away from the water!
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- Amy Cabanas
- Tags: Boating Boating Safety Family pontoon boat Pontoon Boat Operating tips
Boat Organization & Storage Tips | Pontoon-Depot
A place for everything, and everything in its place—here's 20 of the best onboard organization solutions for your boat.
By: Zuzana Prochazka
No matter how big the boat, onboard stowage options never seem to be enough. Some captains even insist that for each item that comes aboard, something has to leave. That’s when it’s time to get creative—and organized. Let’s see how some clever crews have managed to fill a boat almost to the point of needing to raise the boot stripe.
1. CREATE SPACE IN THE COCKPIT
When it comes to boat organization, we think of space as being inside or on top of something but a good eye will spot spaces that are simply created. For small cockpit items like sunglasses, sunscreen and cellphones that are always sliding around in the cockpit, try making Sunbrella pockets. Canvas holders can be custom designed around the binnacle, handrails and dodgers. This keeps small stuff from getting lost or broken.
2. MANAGE THE OUTBOARD (AND OTHER HEAVY STUFF)
Even small dinghy outboards can be heavy so many boaters carry a davit to help raise and lower them to the tender (especially on a sailboat). But davits can be expensive to purchase and install and take up space on deck. Some sailboats can solve this with a shackle and block and tackle that will fit in a shoebox. Just hang the rig from the main or mizzen boom and you have a great lifting device for the outboard, dive gear, jerry cans of water or fuel and even coolers.
3. STOW THE LONG STUFF
Boathooks, deck brushes and even dinghy paddles are awkward to stow and take up valuable space in the lazarette. Try leaving them on deck in PVC junction fittings. A row of 3-4 fittings can be lashed to the pushpit and hold these tools vertically. They’re affordable and hold up well in the sun. Just be sure to lay the brushes on deck before a photo op.
4. COLLAPSE WITH CANVAS
Another item that’s not lazarette-friendly is the bucket. Instead of bulky buckets that can crack when you jam them in, consider getting collapsible canvas buckets for deck duty.
Nobody likes spending time untangling the lines—now, you won't have to.
5. WRANGLE THE RODE
Line is a space hog. What to do when every space and outside locker is already full of docklines and fenders and you need a stern anchor line? No worries, Quickline has a flat rope reel that can hold up to 265 feet of flat polyester or floating polypropylene webbing out on deck. The reels are 15” – 24” in diameter and only about 1” thick. They may be mounted to a railing or stanchion and have a handy etched measure on them to let you know how much line is out.
6. WRAP THE WRENCHES
A set of wrenches usually comes in a bulky plastic case and if you have room for it, they’re nicely organized. But if space is tight, consider canvas wrench roll-ups. Fold, roll and tie wrenches up like a burrito and easily spot a missing wrench that’s not in its designated pocket.
7. TACKLE THE FASTENERS
Boats are fastener-hungry. There’s no end to the nuts, bolts, screws and hose clamps that a boat will consume and keeping them handy isn’t always easy. Why not use clear tackle boxes to organize the small stuff?
8. STORE THE SANDPAPER
Sandpaper is another consumable that boats love. Most sandpaper comes in bulky cardboard boxes that get wet and ruin the paper inside and you can never find that half sheet of 80-grit that you knew you had leftover from the last varnishing project. A better way to keep lots of sandpaper is with an expandable pocket file from an office supply store. Label each pocket with the grit level and keep small leftover pieces where they belong.
Yes, common office supplies can come in handy while onboard.
9. MANAGE MANUALS
While you’re at it, buy two pocket files. They’re great for organizing small manuals and quick reference cards for things like electronics. They’re also good for ship’s papers like insurance, registration and schematics.
10. MAKE PILLOWS THAT AREN’T
We love pillows – they’re comfortable, decorative and really pull a “look” together. But they take up room as do sheets, blankets and towels. Why not combine them into one? Pretty accent pillows can be stuffed with towels and that leaves room in lockers for more jeans to mysteriously find their way aboard.
11. HANG YOUR HAT
Piles of hats accumulate on boats and soon can smell musty. Why not hang baseball caps and sunhats on a single plastic hanger? Just clip them on with clothespins or Velcro. This works great for flipflops on the back of door handles too.
12. VACUUM BAG PUFFY STUFF
If you’re going to keep heavier items aboard year round, consider getting a vacuum sealer. Pack fleeces, jackets and blankets into special bags and suck the air out. Not only does that shrink the contents, it keeps them mildew free.
13. CHOOSE SQUARE CONTAINERS
Galley organization is always a challenge. Not only do you have to find room for boxes and bags of basics like sugar, pasta and chips, you also have to keep them fresh and dry. Plastic containers are great but be sure to choose square ones that will butt up against each other without leaving precious space between round packaging. Label and date the containers if the food will be there a while—and toss out the cardboard that can bring cockroach eggs aboard.
14. SAVE SPACE WITH WIRE RACK DRAWERS
There are never enough drawers on a boat. But you can create them by converting a locker into drawer space using wire rack drawers that are lighter, airier and take up less room inside than actual wooden drawers. Rail and rack solutions can be found in organization outlets like the Container Store.
15. PREP THE PERISHABLES
Perishables, especially produce, can take a beating on long passages. But what to do when you just don’t have the counter space to stow all those vegetables and fruit? Hammocks utilize the space we don’t think of as space—air. String a veggie hammock near the galley. Not only does it make room out of thin air, it’ll keep produce well ventilated and swinging free so it doesn’t get bruised. Also, onions and potatoes may be kept perfectly in pantyhose. Place an onion in the hose, tie a knot, repeat. Hang the hose vertically. Just be sure to separate the two veggies because the moisture in onions makes potatoes sprout.
16. SHRINK WITH SILICONE COOKWARE
Silicone has become a “thing” in household kitchens and it makes even more sense aboard. Bulky galley tools like pot lids and strainers now come in handy collapsible versions that are easy to clean and you can even put them in the oven. Look for pots, baking dishes and even ice cube trays that can be folded and squished into tiny spaces.
17. SECURE THE KNIVES
A knife drawer is inefficient and unsafe on a moving vessel but who has room for a knife block? You do. Cut an existing block or make a new one and mount it on the side of a locker or bulkhead. Slip the knives in and make a canvas cover so you aren’t dodging flying knives in a rough seaway.
Anyone need a drink? Become the fastest bartender on the water.
18. PREP YOUR DOCKTAIL PARTIES
Throwing a party in the anchorage? Try the Docktail Bar. Manage your spirits, mixers, wine, Solo cups, limes and swizzle sticks in a handy tray that mounts on a gunwhale or rail or even slips into a rod holder. The bottles stay secure and you have more room on tables and chairs for food and guests.
19. SECURE BOTTLES AND GLASSES
Transporting the goods to your party can be tricky and noisy. Slip those wine and rum bottles into old socks and pile them into the bilge. They’ll be cushioned and silent. You can also build wine rack below the cabin sole. Oh, and glasses can be protected by hair scrunchies so you can pack them closer together even in bouncy conditions.
20. BRING THE BUNGIES
Finally, you can never have enough bungy cords. They secure everything from fishing rods to slapping halyards. An over-the-door clear pocket organizer will keep dozens of cords of various sizes, tangle free.
These simple solutions expand space aboard so you don’t need to worry about where to stow and hide everything down to the last M&M.
Food to Take on a Pontoon Boat Pontoon-Depot
Food Ideas if You Don’t Have a Grill On-Board
By: PonoonOpedia
There’s a wealth of information online available and on Pontoonopedia about cooking on your pontoon boat, using a grill or BBQ. But what happens when you don’t have a grill on-board? You might need something that you can eat one-handed, that you don’t need to heat up on board, but still tastes delicious… if so I have some great ideas for you that are both tasty and convenient.
I can’t take the credit for most of these, as before I bought my pontoon grill set-up I just used to take pack lunches and small picnics to have when we beached our boat up. To be honest, I am a cheese and ham type of guy, and my family soon became a little bored of that. I asked them to investigate what else could be great food to take on a pontoon boat that doesn’t require heating ,cooking or grilling.
Here’s just some of their ideas which I hope to give you some inspiration if you are looking for pontoon boat food ideas for a party, picnic, or just a day’s fishing on the lakes. Whether it’s a snack idea, something for a lunch or dinner, or party food, you should find something interesting below you can try for yourself.
Food to Take on a Pontoon Boat
So here are those pontoon boat food ideas, in no particular order. If you do decide to use any of these ideas, then I recommend you have the following items at hand:
- Plastic zip lock bags
- Aluminum foil
- Paper plates
- Plastic drink coolers with spouts
- Portable cooler (can keep things hot as well as cool)
- Thermos flask for hot water (or keeping hot dogs warm!)
- 12v beverage warming device (stick it in your mug for a hot drink)
- Garbage bags
Ideas That are Fast & Easy
Some people won’t take bread for sandwiches, purely because bread doesn’t do too well in the heat. They will also worry about taking food with them that needs to be kept cool. But it doesn’t have to be that way. You can take a cooler box with you or keep things cold in a bag with frozen water bottles for a few hours.
Handy Hint: Scroll down past the food ideas as I have put together some recommendations on some great gear you can use make the food you take on your pontoon boat even more enjoyable.
Cooler Corn on the Cob
I love this idea, it’s so ridiculously simple yet effective and you can do it before you leave your house really quickly. All you do is buy a cooler box (perhaps like this marine grade cooler on Amazon). Throw the corn in and cover it with boiling water. Then seal the cooler box back up.
Corn on the cob cooked in a cooler! The perfect snack or food to take on a pontoon boat. (Image copyright thekitchn.com)
Bring some spray butter with you, and when ready out on the pontoon boat, open up the cooler. Make sure you bring some tongs because the water is still going to be steaming hot. You can take this approach for a big party of people as well.
Cooler or Thermos Hot Dogs with Steamed Buns
You can use exactly the same idea with hot dogs. Before you leave for the day, quickly boil up some hot dogs, then throw them into a smaller cooler with boiling water covering over them and they will start to cook. You can even use Thermos flasks (you can fit loads of dogs in this 64 oz bottle) for this as well. They will remain warm and cooked for hours and can be eaten at any point during the day.
You can cook hot dogs and keep them warm in a Thermos flask or cooler. License: (Image credit: Creative Commons Uploaded by: Wikivisual)
Once ready to eat, place a bag of bread rolls in the sun for 15 minutes in the sealed bag and you have steamed rolls. Then bring the hot dogs out with ketchup and mustard! Just wow… just wow.
Handy Hint: We also have some pontoon boat grill ideas with meat and vegetarian options.
Chips… But Only Pringles!
If you take chips, make them Pringles. Why? Because you have less mess as they kept in the tube rather than splitting open large chip bags where the crumbs can go everywhere. I hate crumbs on my deck!
Pringles rule… more so when kept in the can.
Candy, Popcorn & Trail Mix Containers
Try filling cylindrical plastic containers that have lids with items like trail mix, popcorn and even M&Ms (from the cooler). These are perfect for placing in the boat cup holders and for passing around to your guests.
Trail mix makes for a health and simple pontoon boat snack option.
The food contents can also be poured out into semi-wet hands without making the rest of the dry goods soggy. This snack idea never fails. Simple, easy, and quick.
Sliced Fruit and Veg
Fruit will help to keep you hydrated on hot day, and it’s easy to pack too, as is sliced veg. We always slice ours up before hand, and then take some form of dip, all wrapped up in aluminum foil and keep in a small cooler box.
Sliced fruit or vegetables can keep you hydrated when boating.
Ideas You Will Need to Prepare Before Hand
Don’t be worried about taking warm food onto your pontoon boat. If you cook something beforehand and put it in an empty ice chest or portable cooler, then it will stay warm all day… just as long as you don’t add ice!
If it’s food that needs to keep cool, obviously you can use a portable cooling box, or even use individual foil packs or aluminum foil and keep the food out of the sun in a shaded area for a couple of hours.
Chicken Salad on Wheat Thins
You can create this mix in advance of your trip, and then bring it out once everyone is hungry. All you do is get a couple of cans of shredded white chicken, some sliced grapes, chopped almonds, diced celery, dried cranberries, chopped scallions, garlic salt and a little mayo to moisten it up.
Chicken salad can be spread on wheat thins for an amazing pontoon boat food or snack. (Image copyright loveandzest.com)
When ready, spoon the salad mix up onto wheat thins.
Jack Daniel’s Pulled Pork with Slider Buns
Cook Jack Daniel’s pulled pork from Sam’s Club in a crock pot in the morning, and then bring the crock pot on board your pontoon boat. It will keep warm if left covered for quite a few hours.
These are amazing! (Image copyright cheerstothehost.com)
We just slide our crock pot under a seat and leave it there. Then when ready to eat bring it out with slider buns a coleslaw.
Tasty Tacos in a Doritos Bag
This is an easy, delicious and portable idea. Simply make your taco meat mix up the night before and then put it into a sealed container.
Tacos in a bag… simple yet effective food to take on a pontoon boat
When on your pontoon, open up a bag of Doritos and crush them up a little. Then you can add the meat, lettuce, onions and cheese in from your container to tacos in the Doritos bag. They will taste awesome – give the bag a shake up for maximum taco-ness (if that’s a word…).
Grilled Chicken and Steak Sliced Wraps
This is one of our favorites. All you do is marinate some chicken the night before, then grill it up in the morning at home before you go on your boat trip. Alternatively, you can use thin steak slices, they work just as well.
Mouth watering chicken wraps (Image copyright sweetbabyrays.com)
You can then make some really tasty wraps with lettuce, onions, peppers, salsa, black beans, sour cream, guacamole, and virtually anything else that goes with it. It’s a big hit!
Hawaiian Bread Rolls with Your Choice of Fillings
Make some Hawaiian bread rolls. Just slice the entire bread roll horizontally then layer with your favorite deli meats and cheese, mustard mayo or your preferred spread. Then put the layer of bread back on, put back in the cardboard tray, slice them into squares or leave whole for pull apart, slide tray back into wrapper and put in a portable cooler.
Easy to make, easy to store, and popular with pretty much everyone on board (Image copyright anaffairfromtheheart.com)
You can make a few different ones with various meats and toppings. Write on wrapper what they are so that there is something for everyone and they don’t get mixed up.
Snack Kabobs (Vegetarian, Meat, or Mixed)
Break wooden kabob sticks in half and you can create snack kabobs with different fruit and vegetables, including grape tomatoes, olives, chunks of string cheese, slices of pepperoni and more.
Healthy, easy, and popular snack kabobs (Image copyright barefeetinthekitchen.com)
Make sure that you wrap them in aluminum, clearly label them, and leave them packed into your portable cooler box.
How About a Portable Grill for the Beach or Deck?
Even if you don’t want to buy a grill and mount for your pontoon boat, you can still buy portable grills that you can set up on the beach, so you can the cook brats, hot dogs, burgers, and vegetable kabobs.
If you do decide to buy a portable grill then I would also recommend that you take cheese balls, summer sausage, cut up watermelon and cantaloupe. Anything tastes better on whilst on the beach and your pontoon is tied down!
In the past I have used the Smoke Hollow portable grill. It’s affordable, robust, and is easy to transport. It makes the cooking of burgers and sausages ridiculous simple as well as giving an awesome smoky taste to any meats.
Alternatively try wrapping some potatoes, beans, onions, spices, olive oil, and chicken (or other meat) into some aluminum foil. Then throw the foil package onto your portable grill once you are on the sandbar – it’s easy and tastes great.
Use a Portable Refrigerator
Our pontoon boat is very much an extension of our home. What is easy for my home should also really apply to my boat. And that includes refrigeration. I have a small portable refrigerator that plugs into the cigarette lighter port. It keeps food frozen and food cold if we’re out for a few days or a weekend.
The one I have seen pontooners use most on their boat is this wheeled electric cooler fridge. It has tons of room inside, and once on your pontoon can be plugged in so it’s ready to go. You would pack it with food before you leave for the day as it’s also a standard cooler box, then get it connected to the power supply once on the pontoon boat.
Dietary Restrictions
If you’re preparing food for a group of people other than your own family, it’s important to consider what their dietary restrictions are. Not everyone’s diet is the same, so here are some things to think about.
Food Allergies & Intolerances
Before you plan and prepare any food for the boat trip, ask the passengers if they have any allergies you need to consider on their behalf. One of the biggest ones you probably already know about are nut allergies, with lesser known intolerances including gluten, beans, dairy and shellfish.
If you get this wrong, it can be very dangerous so always check before hand to find out what the passengers own special food requirements are.
Health Conditions
Older people in particular can have medical conditions that require a healthier approach to food. It could be that they suffer with high blood pressure or diabetes meaning you should be mindful of the types of food that you prepare and pack.
Lower salt food ideas are ideal for those with blood pressure; processed meats will have high salt levels so try not to include those. Diabetes sufferers will appreciate low carb and high protein food choices.
Dietary Preferences
Passengers with vegan and vegetarian lifestyle choices should be made to feel at home with something that is specifically prepared for them. Both of these types of diet have become increasingly popular over the last decade, so make sure you can offer something in this range for your pontoon guests.
The Internet is a great way to find suitable options, and in particular for vegan diets where you might not be familiar with that can and can’t be included in a snack. Take a look at the Vegan Society website for some great ideas that are simple to prepare.
Keeping Your Food Safe to Eat
If you don’t want to spend money on a portable refrigerator, or just have concerns on how you can keep your food safely stored when on a long day’s fishing trip or day’s leisure on the water, then here are some tips.
By following the guidance below, not only will your pontoon boat food still taste great no matter when you eat it, but it will still be safe to eat!
Pack & Store Smart
By far the best way to ensure that you keep your food safely stored when boating, is to only pack stuff that doesn’t need keeping cold in a refrigeration unit.
If you also want to keep your belly feeling full for a long day on the water, it’s essential that you think about foods that are high in protein and have whole grains in them.
Peanut butter sandwiches are a winner here as they tick that box, but also don’t need to be kept cool. As long as they are wrapped in aluminum and kept in the shade, there should be no contamination risk.
On a similar tip, fruit is also a great food idea, in particular apples and oranges. They also contain higher than average amounts of fiber like whole grains do, keeping your passengers feeling full for longer.
Keep Your Food Cool
In the list of food ideas listed above in this guide, there are some options that do need to be kept cool, ideally refrigerated. Now we know that’s not always possible on a pontoon boat, so what can we do?
As previously discussed, a portable cooler box will help, and I have listed a couple of recommendations further up the page in this guide. By using a cooler box with ice packs, you can pack your food with the peace of mind in knowing it will keep safe for hours.
If you don’t have ice packs, then a simple solution such as a frozen water bottle can work just as well when thrown into the cooler box.
Keep Your Food Away from Water
It’s important to protect your food and snacks from the water. Why? Because fish, and fresh water in particular can have bacteria in them which could be very bad for you if ingested.
Pack everything into sealed plastic containers, zip lock bags, or at the very least very tightly wrapped aluminum foil. You don’t want any water to get into the packages or touching the food.
Where you store the food on your pontoon boat is also really important. Have it stashed somewhere away from the sun and water. If you are fishing then you don’t want the food to be close to the area where you are pulling fish out onto the deck.
When it comes to eating your snacks, always wash your hands before handling the food. Those anti-bacterial hand wipes work perfectly for this, as you want to avoid cross-contamination at all costs.