News — summer

Boating Season is Safety Season | Pontoon-Depot

Winter is over, spring is in full effect and summer is almost here.

You know what that means? That means it's boating season.

Unfortunately for far too many people, it also means it's the season of boating accidents, injuries and even deaths.

But it doesn't have to be. Let's make this the safest year yet by following a few basic rules of the road. 

The first one sounds so common-sense obvious that we feel like we shouldn't have to even mention it. But, we do have to mention it. Keep life jackets and floatation devices on board. Four out of five people who die on boats are drowning victims.

Next, if you wouldn't do it in a car, you probably shouldn't do it on a boat. That means don't drink and drive. Drinking and boating is illegal — and for good reason. Alcohol is one of the top causes of accidents, especially fatal accidents, on the water.

Another major hazard is speed. While not as deadly as alcohol, excessive speed causes more accidents than booze.

Keep this safety precaution in mind - education. Its up to you to know and obey all navigation rules. Ignorance is not a defense if you cause an accident.

Finally, use common sense. Watch or listen to weather reports before you head out. Heed weather-related warnings and if clouds start to look ominous, listen to Mother Nature — and your own better judgement. Make sure your passengers are seated and ready before you take off. Know — and never exceed — your boat's capacity, and use an anchor if you want your boat to stay put.

Did we forget something? The best thing about your boating safety knowledge is that as long as you don't keep it to yourself, other people can learn from it. Join us on Facebook and share your best boating safety tips on our page. You might just save a life!

It's not a boat. It floating time machine!

Memory is a weird thing.

I know every single line from "The Shawshank Redemption," but I forget entire vacations I've taken with my family. Some people don't remember anything before they were eight. Others live their entire lives traumatized by the memory of getting stung by a bee on the playground.

One thing, however, is certain. If you have a pontoon boat, memories will be made on deck.

Maybe it's the breeze. Maybe it's the sun. Maybe it's the fact that it's the only time you're surrounded by family and friends without a single person staring at a cell phone.

Any which way you like it, when time — and people — pass on, those left behind will look back at the moments they spent on that boat as the best time of their entire lives.

Whether it's the time you spent when you were a kid, or the time you spent with your kids, there's something about the deck of a boat, the grumbling of the engine, the spray from the water and the sun on your face that just makes memories stick and never let go.

So just know that every time you spend the night before preparing and packing with your family for some time on the water the following day, you're not preparing for a trip on a boat.

You're preparing for a trip on a time machine.

Those memories you make the next day stay forever. And years later, when anyone on board wants to travel back in time, they can access those memories and return to that day — one of their best days ever — which you're about to live tomorrow.

Sounds dramatic, I know. But memories are a dramatic part of life, and you have the power to create and store them just by cranking up your engine and shoving off.

Pontoon Boats Are Perfect for Kids and Dogs — Just be Safe

Pontoon boats are undoubtedly the ultimate family marine vessels.

No boat is more accommodating to friends, family, kids and even pets than a pontoon with a ton of deck space and good seating.

But just as with everything else, when kids and pets are involved, the safety stakes are raised.

First thing's first.

No matter how good a swimmer your child or dog is, they need to wear a life jacket. That is non-negotiable. Feel free to reread that sentence. Yes, we said "they." Your pooch needs a life preserver, too. If you have an infant, you must with a capital M invest in an infant-specific vest.

Talk to your kids about the difference between pools and open water. They may be incredibly comfortable in the pool, but completely unprepared for the lake. Teach them about the potential of steep dropoffs, currents, marine life, uneven surfaces, rapid changes in depth and, of course, changing weather on the water.

Unfortunately, you can't have these conversations with your dog. You will, therefore, whether he likes it or not, have to invest in a harness and tether. Even the best-behaved dog in the world could jump — or fall — into the water unexpectedly. A tethered harness will also keep your four-legged friend from tearing around the deck of your boat willy nilly.

Make sure you have a working carbon monoxide detector with fresh batteries. Slow-moving or stagnant pontoons are especially vulnerable if there's a buildup of fumes in the engine.

Finally, don't drink and boat with kids or dogs — or preferably ever. Booze and boats seem to go perfectly together, but like their four-wheeled brethren on land, a ridiculously disproportionate number of accidents can be attributed to alcohol-induced poor judgment.

Pontoon boats beckon the whole family. That's why we love them. When dogs and kids enter the equation, however, everyone on board has to be extra vigilant. Learn CPR, teach your kids to swim, use common sense and have fun!

Every Pontoon Boat is a Fishing Boat Just Waiting to be Released

People fall in love with pontoon boats because you can pile everyone you know and their pets onto the deck, shove off and have some fun. They float a ton of people, they're comfortable and cozy, and they just ooze party.

One look at a pontoon boat full of people passing, and your first thought is, "Man, they look like they're having a blast!"

One thing that people tend to forget, however, is that a pontoon can double as a mighty fine little fishing boat — all it takes is a little jazzing up and a some imaginative accessorizing.

You're going to need a fishfinder, like the Lowrance Mark-5X. That little beauty will reveal even the most closely guarded underwater hiding spots.

Then there's music. If you go fishing with purists, they'll sometimes yell at you that the music is scaring the fish. Yeah, well, let them be scared then. This is pontoon boat, for goodness sake, and we need some tunes.

Set yourself up with a Boss receiver and some marine speakers and you'll be good to go — frightened fish and all.

If you're going to be out there chasing fish all day and into the evening, you're going to want some lighting. Whether it's a fold-down light, an LED utility strip, a pole light or a combination sidelight, you'll have the upper hand.

If there's one thing that separates fish from man, it's mechanized illumination. And gills.

Finally, there's flooring.

When you finally haul one in, and he's there flopping around on your already-scummy boat carpeting, that slimy little fish is not going to make that primitive marine flooring any easier to clean.

When you upgrade to MariDeck vinyl flooring, however, that slimy sucker can flip and flop until his little fish heart's content. All it will take is a quick rinse to get right back to brand new.

So, there you have it. You love your pontoon boat because it's a floating getaway and a waterproof party — but don't forget, somewhere inside is a fishing boat just waiting to break free.