News — Swimming

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 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.

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.

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.