pontoon boats

[Soundguy]

Yikes.. I think the miss's ain't gonna be gettin a boat!

soundguy

 

[grnspot110]

Mine is for small lakes! 6' wide x 15 long (12" deck), will use up to 25 HP outboard. But since I don't fish anything bigger than 500 acre & mostly under 200, I went to two electrics. 54 lb. 12V, remote on the front & 82lb., 24V, tiller steer on the back. No more trying to keep a small outboard running! Works great for me! ~~ grnspot110

 

[brin]

LOL - Soundguy...Look at grnspot110....3rd photo and picture ..there you are after a day on the lake...see the pontoon boat ? See the runners on the trailer ? Know how tired and worn out you are and now you have to jockey that puppy onto that trailer just so and pull it home....I guess some like it...if it was tied up on the dock behind your home that would be great but the trailering ...loading...unloading...repairing...gets real old real quick...I'm done !

 

[mostly_gas]

I have to smile when reading some of the responses. Loading a boat on a trailer is no harder than loading a tractor on a trailer and less work to chain secure
I would suggest you rent one a few times. If you find you like it it won't be a problem learning the skills you need to boat just like you learned your tractoring skills. Personally I prefer a deck boat as we water ski as well as fish from it.

 

[grnspot110]

LOL - Soundguy...Look at grnspot110....3rd photo and picture ..there you are after a day on the lake...see the pontoon boat ? See the runners on the trailer ? Know how tired and worn out you are and now you have to jockey that puppy onto that trailer just so and pull it home....I guess some like it...if it was tied up on the dock behind your home that would be great but the trailering ...loading...unloading...repairing...gets real old real quick...I'm done !

That's why I posted that pic: easy off - easy on!!! You just need the proper equipment. Only the winch strap on rhe front & two tie straps on the back & you're ready to roll!

Being only 6' wide my pontoon trailers very easy! ~~ grnspot110

 

[Bird]

I have a cousin who has a 28' pontoon boat. When he bought it about 22 years ago, he used it a great deal, and I've fished a number of times on it with him 18 to 21 years ago. He's still got it, but I don't think it's been in the water in at least 10 or 12 years. However, if I could afford it, I'd sure have an 18' to 20' one myself.

 

[weldingisfun]

Boats are a hole in the water to put your money in. Best days of boat ownership are the day your bought it and the day you sold it.

mark

Believe me when I tell you that I enjoy being out on the lake as much as anyone else, but, I have to agree with Mark.
We had an 18' pontoon which cost us at least $250 every time we took it out. This is how I looked the day we sold it.
Talk to your bride and see if she will go along with renting one when y' all want to spend the day on the lake. You will come out $$$ ahead and she will get her time on the lake. That is a win win situation.

 

[OKnewguy]

Hey soundguy you might run over to iboats.com. They have a great forum over there. I can't believe the negative replies about boats. I am 36 and have had a boat since I was 19. The first one I got was a 16' runabout. I did not know anything at all about boats (just been out with buddies a few times) and I ran that boat for 6 years with out any problems at all, I then sold it to little bro and it is still running strong. Our second boat we picked up for 13.5k it was a 19' glastron ski boat, had if for 7 years and sold it for 11.5k. I did not do anything to this boat except add trailer brakes. Our current boat is a 23' deck boat, this one has taken some tlc, but I knew that going in. I think I could actually make money on it right now (had if for 2 years)

I do not think you would have any problems with buying a good used boat. The most common thing you have to do with them is change your impellers (it is recommended once a year, pretty easy), if you use it in salt water you will need to flush it out after every use, but a lot of the salt guys drop in a river and go to the salt, this helps get the salt out of the motor and is easier on the trailer. I know you can handle a wrench, so do not let things scare you off.
The best advice I have read so far, is to rent one and see if it is to your liking. I agree completely.
Good luck, Dave

 

[2manyrocks]

I think I'd go to where you think you would use it and ask the boat owners there for opinions. There's a lake near me where it might be difficult to launch a pontoon because of the steep ramp access--I know it's a pain for a regular boat. Might not be a problem for you, but probably none of us really know what your local water access is like.

 

[Wayne County Hose]

I agree with Oknewguy. (Dave) I have had boats on and off all my life. I have NEVER been stranded out on the water. I have never had a bad day in a boat. I have never received a phone call on a boat, I have never had a neighbor ask to borrow a tool while on a boat. I have never caught a fish when I wasn't on the water. I am a mechanic, however, I let the marina do all the work on my motors. I am not a marine mechanic, therefore, I let the professionals handle it. Probably a big reason I have never been stranded on the water. I know a lot of people that have/had boats that were/are cheapskates. They are the people that have problems. My boats have never cost me a lot of money. I don't spend $250 a year on my current Mercury 35hp outboard.
Loading and unloading is all practice and common sense. I have seen guys at the ramp take 10 tries or more to load their boat. A good trailer set up right, (yes, you do have to set up a trailer properly) and probably most importantly, sunk in the water at the proper depth, should be a one shot, two shots maximum load. A pontoon is even easier because you have 2 bunks for the pontoons to ride on. I have buddies with the roller guides for their pontoons and they load them faster than most load a 16' V-bottom on a roller trailer.