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4 Must Haves When Entertaining on a Pontoon Boat!

There are plenty of things to do out on the water, like fishing, sitting quietly, waiting for a good nibble, but what if you’re an Entertainer?  What if your family and friends aren’t into fishing?  What if you’re bringing people out on your boat or pontoon boatwho just want to have a blast?

Here are a few things to bring when entertaining on a pontoon boat that are guaranteed to be a crowd pleaser: 

1. FOOD!!! 

Everyone loves to eat.  Always be sure to have tons of finger food handy to keep your guests happy.  Some easy to prepare and transport boat foods are:

• A bowl of chips
• A canister of popcorn (try the Chicago Mix! Guaranteed crowd pleaser)
• Fruit and/or veggie tray
• Hummus and pita bread
• Guacamole and veggies
• Crackers and cheese 

2. Music

Most boats are equipped with a radio or USB port for your phone or music playing device.  Nothing livens up a mood like good music.  Music tastes vary, but here is a list of top 10 “Boating Songs”:

• “Redneck Yacht Club” - Craig Morgan
• “Come Sail Away” - Styx
• “Don’t Stop Believin” - Journey
• “Pontoon” - Little Big Town
• “Rock the Boat” - Hues Corporation
• “Toes” - Zac Brown Band
• “Copacabana” - Barry Manilow
• “Boats” - Kenny Chesney
• “It’s Five o’Clock Somewhere” - Alan Jackson feat. Jimmy Buffet
• “Kokomo” - Beach Boys

3. Games

There are plenty of games to play on your boat, some involving game pieces and some not.  Some obvious suggestions are things like 20 questions, eye spy and charades.  For an interesting challenge, though, here are a few board and card games that are easily played on a boat:

• Cards - go fish, crazy 8s, rummy, Euchre, Hearts
• Card Games -  Love Letter, Hypertheticals, Snake Oil, Mad Gab, Taboo, Super Fight, Apples to Apples, Dixit, Exploding Kittens, Fluxx, Munchkin, Uno, Codenames
• Board Games - Trivial Pursuit, Headbanz, The Game of Things, Scattegories, Pictionary, Telestrations, Bang!, Boggle, Concept, Cribbage, Roll for it, Sherrif of Nottingham, Yahtzee

4. Good conversation

You’re with friends afterall!  Pick a topic and see where it takes you. Here are some suggestions:

• Your first concert
• The best part of your home town
• Famous people you’ve met
• Your favourite book
• The best restaurant in the city
• The farthest place you’ve driven
• Your next out of country adventure

These are just a few tips and suggestions, but hey, it’s your boat!  You do whatever you think will make the best day on the water for you and your party!  Happy boating!

Play it safe when boating at night | Pontoon-Depot

An evening cruise to watch the sunset or do a little stargazing can be an unforgettable experience. But navigating home can be challenging. Everything looks different in the dark, and it can be easy to lose your way or hit an obstacle you just can’t see.

To make it home safely, follow these guidelines:

Slow Down

Before you head out, find out what the nighttime speed limit is in your area. Once you’re underway, if you feel you need to go slower than the limit, that’s certainly OK. Going slower at night just makes sense. After all, you can’t easily see the landmarks you need to navigate, and underwater or floating debris can be next to invisible. Safety first!

Learn the Language of the Lights

If you don’t know what the combinations of red, green and white lights mean, you shouldn’t be driving a boat at night. These lights help you know if a boat is coming toward you, moving away, or crossing your course - and which direction it’s going. Access your state or US Coast Guard resources to learn more, but a good rule of thumb is that if you see a red light, stop. That boat has the right-of-way.

Avoid Distractions

It’s easy for your pontoon to be a party on the water. And most of the time, that’s OK. But when you’re piloting your boat at night, it’s important you’re able to concentrate. So make sure any lights on the boat (NOT your navigation lights) are dimmed, look over the windshield so you can reduce glare, and turn down the stereo.

Consider Using a Compass or a GPS

Your first trip on a waterway should never be at night. If you’re at a new place, go out during the day first and take a compass with you. Make note of the direction you travel. Or, go high-tech and use a GPS system to drop a pin at your dock or boat launch. That will make it much easier to find your way back after dark, when everything looks the same.

By following these simple steps, you can enjoy fun on the water any time of day.

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!
 

Reasons Dad Needs a Boat Upgrade | Pontoon-Depot

Dear Dad:

Remember all the times I said, “I forgot”?

I really did.

Remember all the times I said, “It was like that when I found it”?

It wasn’t.

Remember all the jars you opened, spiders you killed, things you fixed, monsters you slayed and oil changes you took care of?

Thank you.

Mom and I have talked, and we’ve decided it’s time you did something for you. No, not fishing with your buddies. I mean, that’s nice. But we were thinking about something, well, a little “more.”

Have you ever thought about upgrading the boat?

We know you love that old boat. But, can we be honest? It’s sort of seen better days. OK. There’s no sort of about. It has! So it’s time.

The carpet is, well, gross. A new vinyl floor would look great, and be a heck of a lot easier to clean. Plus, it’s slip-resistant, so you won’t take a spill.

We know you like to take the boat out for a little night fishing, from time to time, too. But it can be hard to see everything you need to, out on the water in the dark. Add some LED lights in just the right places, and you won’t have any trouble finding your tackle. Or your snacks.

One of our favorite things about the boat is the bimini top. But the straps have become really worn. Maybe some new ones?

We hate to break it to you, but those boat seats? We don’t want to sit on them anymore. You can only hide so much with a beach towel, Dad. It’s time to invest in a new set of seats. You won’t regret it.

So what do you say, Dad? Are you ready to upgrade the boat? You can still take your friends out fishing, too. Just, maybe, check with mom first.

Happy Father’s Day!