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PONTOON BOAT MAINTENANCE TIPS | PONTOON DEPOT

By: Cypress Cay Pontoons

Your pontoon, much like your car or house, is an investment that you can have for years to come with the proper maintenance. To that end there are some very simple steps you can take to keep it in the best shape possible.

WASH YOUR PONTOON

A basic and frequently overlooked step for keeping your pontoon in shape is to wash the exterior on a regular basis. You don’t really need any specialty soaps either; the soap you would wash your car with will work.

MAINTAIN UPHOLSTERY

To keep your pontoon furniture looking new, there are some basic maintenance steps you can take. You’ll want to do a bi-yearly deep cleaning and fairly frequent cleaning of the surface material which we will discuss below.

1) Keep your furniture and flooring as dry as possible by wiping down seats and opening hatches when the boat isn’t in use. Allowing things to dry out prior to covering your pontoon will help to reduce the opportunity for mold and mildew to thrive. 

2) To keep your aluminum panels from streaking be sure to rinse them off with water and a mild detergent on occasion, erasers sponges work as well (always test them in a small corner to make sure they aren’t going to cause any damage to the panel). Always make sure to completely dry the aluminum off when finished cleaning.

3) A mild soap and water solution is all you’ll need for your normal cleaning of the high quality marine-grade vinyl used on Cypress Cay pontoons. Any stubborn stains might require use of a nylon brush or marine vinyl cleaner. You’ll want to test the cleaner in a small inconspicuous location before attempting to clean the entire piece.

4) When it comes to cleaning and maintaining your vinyl furniture, always refer to the Owner’s Manual.

MAINTAIN YOUR ENGINE

Let’s face it, without the engine, you have a rowboat! You definitely want to have the engine running like the day you bought it, especially when you’re out on the lake. There are a few simple steps that can be taken to make sure your engine remains in tip-top shape. They are detailed in your Engine’s Owner’s Manual in the Maintenance and Care section.

Keep in mind that your pontoon, much like your car, has a lot of moving parts and those parts need to be maintained. 

These are just the basic steps for keeping your pontoon looking like it’s straight off the show floor. Keep in mind there are extra steps you’ll want to take to winterize your boat and also when getting it ready for its spring re-launch every year. You can find information about this and so much more in your Owner’s Manual or by visiting cypresscaypontoons.com.

Tips for Registering your Boat | Pontoon Depot

(see actual video below)

For fun, safe boating - get registered!

Just like a car needs to be registered before you can drive it, your boat must be registered before you can take it out on the water. Registering your boat is an important, responsible part of boat ownership.

Rules for boat registration vary from state, so it’s important to know the laws in your state before you ever put your boat in the water. Most states publish their boating registration rules online.Typically, boat registration is handled by a state’s Department of Motor Vehicles or Fish and Wildlife agency, so if you aren’t certain about your state’s laws that can be a good place to begin.

When you register your boat, you’ll need to complete an application, and you’ll pay a registration fee. This is in addition to any sales tax or boat titling fees you may have paid when you purchased your boat. Most states now offer both online and in-person boat registration, so you can choose the process that’s easiest for you.

Once you complete the process, you’ll receive a certificate of registration - this certificate must be displayed on your boat before you hit the water. And, depending on the size and type of boat you own, you may also need to display registration numbers and validation stickers on your boat.

Boating Licenses

Another common question that comes up is about boating licenses - specifically, if you need one or not. Most states do not require a license to pilot a boat. However, many do require approved boating safety education courses for boaters of a certain age. Check with your state to determine the specific guidelines, and find an approved course.

Registering your boat is an important step that helps keep boating safe and enjoyable for everyone, and helps protect your state’s waterways. With just a little time you can learn your state’s requirements and take steps to ensure your boat can legally operate on your state’s waters. Have fun out there!

PONTOON PARTY IDEAS: MUCH MORE THAN JUST FISHING AND TUBING

Traditional pontoon boating pastimes like fishing, swimming, skiing, and tubing are always good for hours of summer fun. And the merits of just plain relaxing cannot be overstated. But seasoned boaters at times find themselves asking, “How can I shake things up and break from the norm?”

Because of their size and large decks (in some cases double-decks) pontoon boats are vessels meant for festive gatherings. Whether it’s an adults-only party or camping with the kids, pontoons provide a venue for a wide variety of good times on the water. Below are just a few creative ideas.

Floating Pontoon Dinner Party

Pontoons can be equipped with all kinds of grilling and food-storage artillery, so it’s easy to host a dinner party on the water. The possible themes are endless. You can choose an ethnic or regional theme like Japanese or Midwestern, or go nautical and serve “Flank Speed Flank Steak” and “Buntline Bunt Cake,” or just take an old standard like the simple fondue party and modify its traditions — anyone who loses bread in the pot buys a round of drinks at the dockside bar. There’s no shortage of ways to get creative.

You could also reduce your prep time with a potluck dinner party. Or, get everyone into the on-deck cooking with a floating competition à la Iron Chef.

Get Your Game On, Pontoon Tournament Style

Breaking out the cribbage board or chess set on the pontoon is often a spontaneous thing, but such games are also perfect for tournaments, which can serve as the focus of the gathering and keep conversations flowing and seats shuffling. The games help fill in conversation gaps and maximize the mingling.

Also, a simple invite to “spend the afternoon on the boat” can be aggrandized into the “Seventh Annual Lake George Pinochle Tournament,” for example. It becomes an event traditions can be formed around.

If you have a friend with a pontoon on the same lake, more extravagant tournaments are possible, such as bean-bag toss with cornhole boards placed on separate, anchored boats. (If you miss the pontoon with your toss you have to dive in and get it, of course.) For other games you can have winner- and loser-bracket boats.

(picture by Harrisboats)

Birthday Party On A Pontoon

In addition to being a respite for parents, pontoon boats make terrific kid-party venues. Don’t limit yourself when throwing a birthday bash on the water. Deck your pontoon in a fun theme like tiki Hawaii or pirate shipwreck to make your child’s birthday party a fantasy adventure. Kids having too much fun can slide down “the plank” if your boat has a slide.

Pontoon Club Gatherings

Any kind of club can convene on a pontoon boat, making the meeting all the more entertaining and memorable. Cruise the open waters as your book club discusses the most recent read. Or, get a beer and wine club together and sample cocktails under the setting sun. Where better for an environmental studies or bird-watching club to gather?

Pontoon Boat Block Party

Pontoon boaters tend to have several like-minded friends who frequent the same waterways or docking areas. A pontoon boat block party operates just like a regular block party, with the added fun of boat hopping to chat with the “neighbors.”

Kick the pontoon boat party up a peg by making it a progressive dinner party where boaters start on one boat for appetizers and aperitifs, then move on for the first course, then to another boat for the main course, and then to another boat for dessert.

A riff off that idea is to have each boat feature different cuisine from different regions of the country or the world, or for each boat to prepare a different seafood dish. The possibilities are endless.

Pontoon Camping Adventures

Pontoon boat covers provide plenty of protection for sleeping under the stars on the water. Grab a group of friends, a bag of marshmallows to toast over the grill, and some flashlights and spend the night sitting on the deck telling stories about what lurks beneath the surface. This is also a fun thing to do with the family or with children’s parties or scouting groups.

Personalize It

With limitless options for fun on the water, the most important thing is to make your pontoon party suit your style. Take these ideas and make them your own with twists that match your personality. Or, let this be the guide that sparks your imagination to develop your own uniquely branded pontoon extravaganza.

Post your pontoon event pictures to our Facebook or on your Instagram with hashtag #MariDeck. We would love to see your photos and will even share if they catch our eye.

By: HarrisBoats

Tips and Tricks for Fishing with Kids

Making lifetime family memories on the water is something that just can’t be beat, and what better way to make some of those memories than fishing with the kiddos out of your Starcraft boat?  For some people, this activity can seem daunting.  I got together with Team Starcraft Pro Fisherman, Greg Yarbrough and got some awesome tips and tricks for taking tykes fishing!

To start, safety , education, and engagement are key to a successful fishing trip with the kids.  I know, I know, it feels like people are constantly harping on boat safety, but it truly is an important aspect that we need to teach the kids so that it just becomes habit.  Did you know that on average, a child needs to be told something 200 times before it starts to stick with them? 200 times! That’s a lot of patience, and a lot of “don’t forget your lifejacket!”  And the key to making safety and fun a part of the adventure is ​engagement.