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.
You have a dog. You have a boat. You need MariDeck.
Whether it's a pickup truck or a pontoon boat, there is something inherently wrong about getting into a vehicle and driving away without taking your dog along for the ride. For dogs, a ride in anything mechanized is a little slice of Doggie Heaven.
It’s impossible to shove off onto the lake, steering your pontoon boat out onto the water while watching your dog on land getting smaller and smaller, tail wagging slower and slower as he realizes he's not coming along for the ride. Talk about cruel and unusual! Have a heart. Bring your pooch on board.
Dogs are great. Dogs are wonderful. But wait! Dogs have claws.
Claws present several problems on the deck of a pontoon boat. First of all, without good flooring, dogs don't walk on boat decks. They ice skate. After about a half hour of slipping and sliding around like a drunk figure skater, your dog might start to wonder if he might have been better off back on shore chasing Squirrels or napping.
When you upgrade to high-end vinyl flooring from MariDeck, however, your dog — and your two-legged passengers — have a safe, slip-free deck that's cozy on the feet while offering all the traction any species could ask for.
The other problem with claws is that they scratch things up — yes, even fiberglass. While your dog is slipping and sliding, frantically trying to gain even the slightest bit of traction, he's digging those claws into your deck.
Finally, dogs go to the bathroom — only when they do, they don't actually go to the bathroom.
Even the best trained dog might succumb to his instincts in unfamiliar surroundings. If the worst — or the really worst — happens on MariDeck flooring, a few sprays with the hose and it's like it never happened. If the same thing goes down on traditional boat carpeting, your dog's mishap is now a permanent part of your boat deck. Like, forever.
Or at least until you upgrade to Marideck — which you should right this second! Your dog and your deck will thank you.
You know what is more fun than a Pontoon Boat?
The stuff it floats on!
You know the great thing about boats? They ride on the water. You know the great thing about water? You can swim in it.
Traditional boats are great, but when it comes to stopping your boat to descend into the cool, refreshing water for some fun in the lake, there is nothing in this world that can compare to a pontoon boat.
Want to turn your pontoon into a swimming platform? Then you're going to need a swim ladder. The good news is, you can score the best one money can buy for not that much money at all. Our swim ladders are perfect to use either at the transom or side gate.
They easily attach to the deck with Shur-loc catches, which are included at no extra cost. They're coated in vinyl, so both your feet and your pontoon are protected every time you take a dip. You know how ladder hooks are impossible to store? Not these babies — they fold flat.
There are few things better in this world than staring up from the water and seeing your pride and joy bathed in light. Today's LEDs don't get hot and they only gobble up around 10 percent of the energy of a traditional light. So soak your pontoon in the soft glow of amber, red, blue, white or green light to serve as a beacon while you swim and splash.
Finally, there's flooring. When all those little feet ascend back up your new ladder to the deck of your pontoon, they're going to trample your tired old marine carpeting into a matted, dirty mess. If you have high-end vinyl MariDeck, on the other hand, you'll be safe from slips and falls. Even better, you're just a few sprays with a hose away from looking like new — literally. MariDeck flooring makes your deck, and you whole boat, look brand new for years after installation.
You think it's fun on the lake? Wait til you get in the lake.
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