News — Swimming

Wow! It’s Not Your Father’s Pontoon Boat!

By: SlideMoor

Searching for a new boat for the family can be an arduous task. How do you please everyone? It isn’t easy. Do you need a speedboat for skiing? Do you need something with a lot of room? What about something comfortable for those all-day adventures?

Oddly enough, the big question is, have you considered a pontoon boat? Yes, you think they’re cumbersome. Yes, you think they’re for putzing around on the lake. Yes, you think they’re nothing but a party barge for twenty-something drinkers to float around on. But your perceptions might be dated!

Today’s pontoon boat is NOT your grandfather’s (or even your father’s) pontoon boat! Gone are the days of nothing but slow motion cruising! These fresh, new versions are anything but boring.

The new pontoon boat is speedy, efficient, and exciting! It is often still supported by 2 tubes, but the new tubes are sleek and bear lifting strakes and keels. Many manufacturers now add a 3^rd pontoon which makes the boat handle much like a V-hull boat. Sure, you can still play the slow paced captain of a floating get-together, but today’s options offer a whole different realm of possibilities for fun in the sun!

Do you have the need for speed? Surprisingly, pontoons can provide it! This innovative generation of boats can rise up on plane, and put a kick in the behind of the old version. Some models, with the right outboard, can reach over 50 mph! You can have all the relaxing atmosphere you want with the speed you want. You don’t have to take the slow lane to get to where you want to be. Today’s pontoon boat will zip you to your destination in a fraction of the time!

Can you believe that these new pontoons are fully capable of pulling skiers, wakeboarders and tubers? Amazing, but true.

You have the option of several different, high powered outboard motors to fuel your fun! You can pick many different upholstery and Bimini top fabrics. There are multiple design options available to suit your family’s needs. You can customize the seating to suit your family’s needs. Do you want super storage space? You can have that too!

What about contrasting fabric for the seat cushions and Bimini top? You can have it. What about multi-color flooring? They’ve got you covered. You can even get a wet bar, movable tables and built in stereos. And the cost for all this customization is less than you would imagine.

There are multiple options for storage, shade, and even the possibility for a collapsible changing cubicle to whip on that bathing suit in private. You can even choose to use the extra space to install a chemical toilet to provide a civilized option for your children and guests on a long trip!

It’s finally here—the best of both worlds! Relaxing in style, with room for plenty of friends, with the added fun of a little zoom in your day when you want it. Don’t count pontoon boats out when you’re shopping for a new family craft. It might just be your perfect ticket to fun!

For all your accessories and/or vinyl flooring visit Pontoon Depot's shop site

Pontoon Boat Statistics | Pontoon-Depot

• Freshwater Fishing
• Watersports
• Day Cruising
• Just For Fun
• Safety/Education
• Entertainment
• Spending Time With Family
• Maintenance/How-To
• 15 Max
• 16 - 30 FT
• Outboard Engine
• Sterndrive Engine
• Trailerable

Pontoon boats may still be the ultimate “party barge,” but these versatile craft have grown far beyond the slow-moving vessel you may remember from Grandpa’s cocktail cruise. Yes, the core remains very much the same — stable pontoons below, topped by an abundance of seating above. Today’s craft, however, increasingly feature plusher seats and lounges, entertainment centers and wet bars, and the latest sound and lighting systems. They also perform increasingly like boats with a deeper v-shaped bottom, or “hull”, and include with triple-tube models that carve on a dime and an abundance of horsepower.

Activities You'll Most Enjoy

Bargain Pontoon Boat Wraps Not Always A Bargain

Does taking shortcuts for winter storage pay off?

By: Dan Armitage

As many of my fellow pontoon boat club members readied their craft for the off-season, I grew intrigued by the DIY, alternative and after-market solutions some came up with for protecting their boats and related gear. Some of these non-traditional apps are put into use by my resourceful fellow boaters during the boating season as well, and are of value for those lucky pontoon boaters south of the Mason-Dixon Line who don’t know the meaning of “off” season and may enjoy their craft year-round.

For example, you will find covers intended for back yard use on chaise lounges and Adirondack chairs protecting the furniture of some members’ boats. The patio furniture covers are less expensive than semi-custom covers designed for the job, wear well under typical conditions, and the fact that the generic one-size-fits-all covers don’t fit all that tight allows air to circulate and the upholstery to breathe a bit, which can help prevent mildew in the damp environs the boats are subject to. And when conditions aren’t typical, and a loose-fitting captain’s (aka: Adirondack) chair cover goes gone with the wind, it’s less expensive to replace.

If you’ve run across any non-traditional uses for items aboard a pontoon —or any other watercraft – we’d like to see ‘em. Meanwhile, here are a few I stumbled across during a recent late-season walk around the local pontoon boat club – and one photo I snapped last winter that reminded me that going with cost cutting alternatives may not be the bargain you, well, bargained on…

Safety Tips For Labor Day Weekend; Start planning now!

By: PdbMagazine

The Safe Boating Campaign, a worldwide effort focused on responsible boating led by the National Safe Boating Council, shares important boating safety tips for boaters to make the most of Labor Day weekend.

“We believe wearing a life jacket is the simplest way to ensure the safety of you and your loved ones while enjoying a day on the water,” said Yvonne Pentz, communications director of the National Safe Boating Council. “As you make plans for Labor Day weekend, remember to have fun, make memories, and most importantly, boat responsibly.”

Boaters are encouraged to follow these boating safety tips:

• Take a boating safety course. Gain valuable knowledge and on-water experience in a boating safety course with many options for novice to experienced boaters.
• Check equipment. Schedule a free vessel safety check with local U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary or U.S. Power Squadrons to make sure all essential equipment is present, working and in good condition.
• Make a float plan. Always let someone on shore know the trip itinerary, including operator and passenger information, boat type and registration, and communication equipment on board.
• Wear a life jacket. Make sure everyone is wearing a properly fitting U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket.
• Use an engine cutoff device. An engine cutoff device is a proven safety device to stop the boat’s engine should the operator unexpectedly fall overboard.
• Watch the weather. Always check the forecast before departing on the water and frequently during the excursion.
• Know what’s going on around you at all times. Nearly a quarter of all reported boating accidents in 2017 were caused by operator inattention or improper lookout.
• Know where you’re going and travel at safe speeds. Be familiar with the area, local boating speed zones and always travel at a safe speed.
• Never boat under the influence. A BUI is involved in one-third of all recreational boating fatalities. Always designate a sober skipper.
• Keep in touch. Cell phones, satellite phones, EPIRB or personal locator beacon, and VHF radios can all be important devices in an emergency.

The Safe Boating Campaign is produced under a grant from the Sports Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund and administered by the U.S. Coast Guard. Statistics are from the Coast Guard. More boating safety tips at http://www.safeboatingcampaign.com/resources.

For all your accessories and/or vinyl flooring visit Pontoon-Depot's shop site.