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Houseboat Living. What Laws, Rules & Regulations Affect Houseboats?

By: All About HouseBoat Living

When it comes to houseboat living, what are the laws and regulations about living on houseboats? Do they vary from state to state?

Well yes, welcome to the houseboat info, and congratulations on asking a popular question about living on a houseboat?

You will find that the laws, rules and regulations DO vary from state to state, and that is what makes it even more difficult to find a suitable location.

In some areas, they have time limit requirements stipulating that you can not spend more than 7 days at a time in one location, others it could be 30 days.

In other states, it is allowed, however it's not a topic that is highly publicized.

Houseboat living is not a popular subject amongst many government departments and officials, as there are many rumors and urban legends surrounding the type of clientele that live-aboard houseboats supposedly attract.

It brings up many controversial discussions like the effects it can have on waterfront property, property taxes, pollution, and the environment amongst so many others.

If you're looking for more in depth information, have a look at the following links:

US Army Corps of Engineers

USCG State Boating Laws

Personally, I find this is a very emotional subject for all houseboaters alike, and I assume that there will be some comments, and suggestions about the differences in various states?

Lastly, hopefully some of our readers will share and post comments about how their states laws, rules and regulations have affected their houseboat living experiences. Feel free to use the "Click here to post comments." link found near the bottom of this page.

Thanks again for sharing, IAN from all-about-houseboats

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Polaris Industries Looks to Make a Splash in Pontoon Boats

By: Motley Fool

The powersports vehicle maker looks to reenter the water market after leaving over a decade ago.

After a 14-year hiatus, Polaris Industries (NYSE:PII) is taking the plunge into watersports again by acquiring pontoon boat maker Boat Holdings for $805 million cash.

The powersports vehicle manufacturer exited the industry in 2004, selling both its personal watercraft (PWC) vehicles and powerboats because of changing industry dynamics. Rising costs and a lack of "commonality" with its existing powersports business led to the exit.

The market has apparently shifted once more as Polaris now says its customer base has a lot in common with boating -- 30% of them also own a boat. Buying Boat Holdings immediately catapults Polaris to the top of the pontoon market because it commands 26% of the industry.

Making waves

The boat market has been soaring. The U.S. powerboat market is an $8 billion opportunity, with pontoons one of the largest and fastest-growing segments. Polaris points out that pontoon sales have grown at an 11% compounded annual rate since 2010, though it may be starting to slow.

According to Statistical Surveys says the pontoon market grew 7.2% last year, but notes that some markets like Houston were devastated by Hurricane Harvey and finished down for the year. Prior to the storm, however, sales had been positive and many large markets still enjoyed double-digit growth. Fort Wayne, Indiana, for example surged over 22% for the year.

Pontoon boats are a versatile vessel as they can be used for fishing, sports, cruising, and day trips. That latter part is key because rival boatmaker Brunswick (NYSE:BC) -- which Polaris used to have a business relationship with when it was in the marine market -- says that overnight trips with boats are fading. Industry site Boat Industry quotes Brunswick's freshwater boat group President Jeff Kinsey as saying, "There's been a clear shift toward day boating, and that speaks directly to the pontoon with its seating capacity, its open space, its amenities and its comfort."

National Marine Manufacturer's Association data that shows where pontoon boat market share has remained steady at around 20% of the market for the past five years, cruisers with overnight facilities have just a 3.2% of the market.

Riding the rising tide

Boat Holdings generated $560 million in revenue last year with earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) of $75 million. Polaris says that if you take into account the net present value of the tax benefits from the deal of $100 million, the purchase price represents a multiple of approximately 9.5 times Boat Holdings' EBITDA. The deal is expected to add $0.10 per share to Polaris' earnings depending on how sales do over the next few months.

Polaris has been eyeing a return to the marine market for four or five years, but couldn't find the right spot to jump in. That changed with Boat Holdings, which was originally explored last year, though Polaris CEO Scott Wine said the opportunity wasn't right then.

Boat Holdings brings with it four brands: its top-selling Bennington, which generates 70% of the company's sales; Godfrey, the third best-selling pontoon brand; Hurricane, the leading deck boat brand; and Rinker, manufacturer of sterndrive and outboard powered runabouts and cruisers.

The latter will put Polaris in competition with leading powerboat manufacturer Malibu Boats(NASDAQ:MBUU), which last year bought Cobalt Boats, the top maker of 24- to 29-foot sterndrive boats.

While the acquisition brings Polaris Industries back into the marine market, it really is a different one than it left a decade and a half ago. It's a different demographic that buys pontoons compared to those buying personal watercraft vehicles like Kawasaki's JetSki or Bombardier's Sea-Doo. 

Millennials are targeted by PWC dealers, but boat registration tracking firm Info-Link Technologies says younger families are buying pontoons and baby boomers are selling their PWCs.

Yet with the biggest manufacturer in the fastest-growing boating segment, Polaris should be able to make a big splash once again. 

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

Small Efforts Make Big Difference in Recreational Boating Safety

By: National Safety Council 

There are over 11 million registered boats in the United States. Most boating experiences are positive – the stuff memories are made of. But the most joyful times quickly can turn deadly if boaters are not vigilant about safety – at all times. 

One of three things usually happens when a good day on the water turns tragic, according to the U.S. Coast Guard:

• A passenger falls overboard
• A boat capsizes
• A boat collides with another boat or object

In 2017, the U.S. Coast Guard counted 4,291 boating incidents that involved 658 deaths, 2,629 injuries and about $46 million of damage to property. 

Perils of Falling in Frigid Water

Hypothermia can set in if a person is exposed to water less than 70 degrees for too long. The body cools 25 times faster in cold water than in cold air, according to the Personal Flotation Device Manufacturers Association. In June 2015, a Utah doctor, his two daughters and one of their friends died in the frigid waters of Bear Lake, about 120 miles north of Salt Lake City, after their boat capsized. Lance Capener reportedly swam to shore with his wife, Kathryn, only to perish when he went back for the girls. Two other teenage girls survived by massaging cramps out of each other's arms and legs and praying while waiting for help to arrive. All were wearing life jackets, but their body temperatures plummeted in the 53-degree water and 70-mph winds.

Just Wear It

Life jackets are the lifeblood of safe boating. The U.S. Coast Guard reports 76% of boating deaths in 2017 were due to drowning, and 84.5% of the victims were not wearing a life jacket. The good news is, comfortable – and stylish – Coast Guard-approved life jackets are widely available. The Wear It campaign promotes boating safety by encouraging boaters to wear life jackets all the time. Before setting sail, review a pre-departure checklist to ensure you have everything you need in your boat, including a tool box and first-aid kit. Once on the water, use common sense. In a split second, a situation can arise or the weather can turn. If you notice storm clouds, a sudden temperature drop or wind speed increasing, the best advice is to play it safe. Get off the water.

Get Educated, Reduce Risks

The National Safe Boating Council promotes safer recreational boating through education, outreach and training. In 2017, Coast Guard data indicates 81% of deaths occurred on boats where the operator had no boating safety instruction. By comparison, 14% of deaths occurred where the operator had received a nationally approved boating safety education certificate. To further reduce risk, the Coast Guard offers these tips:

• Don't drink: Alcohol affects judgment, vision, balance and coordination
• Take a safety course
• Get a free vessel safety check; contact a local volunteer here
• Know about carbon monoxide; this odorless, colorless poisonous gas is emitted by all combustion engines and onboard motor generators

The extra effort that goes into taking these kinds of precautions will help create fun-filled adventures for you and your family on the water.

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

Pontoon Boat Maintenance Tips & Tricks | Pontoon-Depot

By: Boat Life

All boats are alike—after all, they’re all designed to keep you above the water, right? Anyone who’s ever owned a pontoon boat, however, knows that there’s more to it than that. A pontoon boat can be a fun, relaxing way to enjoy the water. If you want to go on enjoying the water in your pontoon, here are some key pontoon boat maintenance tips to help keep your boat in top shape.

COVER YOUR BOAT WHEN NOT IN USE

Pontoon boats are just as susceptible to sun damage as any other boat. It’s important to cover the pontoon when it’s not in use or to keep it stored in a dry, sheltered place if possible. Why all the work? Simple: sun damage. While you can head indoors and get out of the sun, a pontoon can be exposed to a continuous blast of UV rays through the day—including the days you don’t use it. To keep its color and quality, it’s vital to add some sort of protection.

USE THE RIGHT ALUMINUM CLEANING PRODUCTS

Why a dedicated cleaner? Won’t soap and water do just fine? You’ll want this cleaner for your pontoon boat maintenance, because it has brightening and polishing properties that you can’t get from soap. The appearance of aluminum can be difficult to restore once you’ve lost it. But regularly using an anti-oxidant cleaner will help to maintain its “like new” appearance over time.When dealing with most boats, fiberglass maintenance is the name of the game. But it’s important to understand how vital aluminum is to your pontoon—and how to care for this light metal. We recommend a dedicated Aluminum Cleaner to deal with all that aluminum and make quick work of it.

SALT WATER IS DIFFERENT THAN FRESH WATER

Sure, you already knew that—but do you know how salt water affects a pontoon differently than fresh water? Some experts recommend flushing the engine after every use when you use a pontoon in salt water.

Fresh water is generally easier on your pontoon, but that doesn’t mean you’ll be exempt from regular cleaning and maintenance. Experts also recommend that you wax your pontoon every season, depending on the quality of the wax—which leads us to our next pontoon boat maintenance tip.

REMEMBER TO PROTECT

It’s important to cover your pontoon. It’s also important to regularly inspect your pontoon, especially after you bring it out of the water and have room to look at those hard-to-spot areas.

STAY VIGILANT

Your pontoon boat can be powerful and peaceful, relaxing and reinvigorating. But a pontoon is just like any other boat, which means it requires vigilance if you’re going to extend its life as long as possible. Keep it clean, inspect it regularly, and browse our full collection of boat cleaning products to help keep it 

Your pontoon boat can be powerful and peaceful, relaxing and reinvigorating. But a pontoon is just like any other boat, which means it requires vigilance if you’re going to extend its life as long as possible. Keep it clean, inspect it regularly, and browse our full collection of boat cleaning products to help keep it protected.

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