To Boat Or Not To Boat

[Gunny]

I've owned several pontoons, currently have an 18 footer. It's been my experience that loading and unloading on a lake are a piece of cake, can't say the same for a river when fighting the current, then you'll definitely need two people (at least).
We used to load up like the Beverly Hillbillies, put the boat in the water on Friday afternoon and stay out until Sunday afternoon, camping on the river banks, great fun and great times. Pontoons are great for that kind of thing, great for fishing and great for throwing out an anchor and letting the kids swim and you can carry coolers or they have coolers installed..
But they do burn a lot of gasoline pushing that big barge around, they don't go fast, unless you have a large outboard and the larger they are, the more gas they burn.
For long trips, you'd need some type of bathroom facilities, we had a chemical potty with a privacy curtain, but believe me, if you've got women on board, you'll need something or it won't be long before the thrill fades if they've got to pee and the best you can offer is to pull into the shore and let them find a tree!
Most pontoons have a Bimini top, some have a hard top, but a long day in the hot sun will also work to make the excursions a lot less fun for the little ladies.

I'd highly suggest that you rent one a few times through the summer months and see if the wife still wants one in the fall(and you). If both of you agree that you do, then the fall months are the best time to look for a good used deal.

 

[KiotiKowboy]

Interesting ... having just mentioned the Bass Masters Tournament. Seems it's coming back!

Bassmaster Classic Returning To Grand Lake, Tulsa in March 2016

 

[kcflhrc]

I have owned lots of boats. It's expensive, no doubt. I'm currently a non boater and for the most part don't see myself owning another one. But if and when I do, it will probably be a pontoon. Lots of idiots on the water, just like the highway. It is fun and relaxing for the most part. I'm a clean freak when it comes to my toys, and there is a lot of maintenance and upkeep with a boat. Probably less upkeep with a pontoon though. I have always had fiberglass pleasure boats. **** it, now you got me wanting a boat.

 

[Bird]

I have owned lots of boats.

I don't know how many it takes to be "lots":laughing:, but I've owned a 16' Ouchita aluminum canoe, on which I used a 2 hp Johnson outboard, then a 14' aluminum jon boat on which I used the same outboard, a 15' fiberglass bass boat with a 55 hp Johnson, a 16' aluminum bass boat with a 50 hp Mercury. I also used to rent aluminum boats on which I used the 2 hp Johnson.

Of course in my younger days, I used Dad's Texas Maid Falcon with a 40 hp outboard, then a Texas Maid Fiesta with a 35 hp outboard.

I have a cousin who still has his 28' pontoon boat, but I don't think it's been in the water in the last 15 years. I see some have talked, in this thread, about pontoon boats being hard to load. It was just about 25 years ago, in December, when we were tied up under the I35E bridge over Lake Lewisville fishing when I noticed one side of the boat was sinking. When the motor wouldn't start, panic began to set it because we knew that water was going to be cold.:laughing: Fortunately, another fisherman showed up in one of those big motor bass boats and towed us to the launching ramp, which was not far off.

If you think a pontoon boat is hard to get back on the trailer, wait until you try a 28 footer with a crack in one pontoon that resulted in that pontoon being half full of water.:laughing: It was not one of our better days.

 

[OKnewguy]

KiotiKowboy, fellow Okie here (Edmond) and I would love to live where you do. I have owned boats for 20 years. First a 16' runabout then a 21' ski boat, but our last boat was a 23' deck boat. You might consider a deck boat because they are the best of both worlds. You have the room of a pontoon but can cruise at 35 or 40. Most pontoons are doing good to hit 18-20.
If you do decide to stick with pontoon, consider the tripple. They can get up and plan which really speeds them up. Grand is a big lake and if you want to explore it, you will want to do it at a decent clip.
GRAND LAKE*** My favorite OK lake, we have made many trips there and would stay in Grove at Simpler Times INN. They do have some rentals if you do not buy. Unless you like to watch the drunken fools, stay away on the holiday weekends and avoid Memorial day like the plague. You get all the drunks and the people that only go out once or twice a year. They do not have any boat etiquette.
I vote for used too, we have done really well with our boats. My first I had for 5 years and sold it for grand less then I bought it, my second was very similar. The deck boat I actually made 4 grand. When I bought it, the upholstery was bad, I had it redone and the boat looked brand new.
Hopefully gas might stay cheap and I can now get a boat or at least a smaller one. We sold our deck boat when my daughter moved out and gas was $4 a gallon.
Oh btw, get someone to show you the ropes at the launch, and general boat stuff when you purchase, it can be a great help to a new boater.
Good luck, Dave

 

[Garandman]

Just throwing this in as another idea.

Given the size of the lake, you might think about a good-sized center console. We had a 21' Robalo with a dodger on the bow for shade and weather protection, and you could sleep on the cushions. It had a seat in front of the console in addition to the two chairs. In the ocean we have heavy, high "offshore" boats but lake boats are lighter, faster and cheaper. Most of them will cruise economically at over 20 knots and hit 40+ knots top speed. They have deep V hulls that will ride smoothly heading into a chop. Many of them also have T tops over the console. Trailer launch and recovery is a piece of cake.

I like them better than dual consoles because in a quartering wind, the person sitting to weather gets soaked [water here = cold, current Boston Harbor water temp is 31.8 degrees].

 

[slow84ta]

Do it, it'll be a blast!

 

[KiotiKowboy]

.... stay away on the holiday weekends and avoid Memorial day like the plague. You get all the drunks and the people that only go out once or twice a year. They do not have any boat etiquette.
Good luck, Dave

I believe most locals have learned to stay off the water on weekends and holidays - LOL.

 

[bf109v7]

Live without a boat is possible, but useless. I am retired and live on a small pension, so I can not aford a gasdriking outboard. So I build myself something like the Filipinos use, olny instead of wood I used fiberglas abd I used a diesel engine. Because I sit behind it, I made a duct to lead the hot air away.

Speed is 25 Km/h. I hoped it would pull whaterski, but now I am not shure. I still have a turbocharger, maybe I will put it on this engine.
Alex

 

[bucktaker]

Fish & Ski Bass boat. Low freeboard for easy entrance and exit for us and the dogs, plenty of seating, trailerable ans easy on gas with the new motor options (runs on 2 cylinders below 1800 rpm.

A year ago we trailered to a different lake in Michigan every weekend. Best trips are looking at the homes and homeowners who live on the lakes who are stuck on their lake.

Nice Tow Vehicle whats the capacity? lol