Pontoon Boat & Deck Boat Forum

What do you all suggest to look at for use in salt water?
My story...
Was about to loose my job, so I sold my 1yr old JC Tritoon with strakes and 150 Suzuki (huge loss!). Loved that boat. Smooth, fast, fuel efficient, rode really high and dry,etc.
I took it to Key West for two weeks. I pulled it out every day and 95% of the time, washed it off at the car wash.
It felt perfectly secure on the ocean and I'd like another pontoon for the Chesapeake bay and other tributaries in that area. I have a good line on a job in bay area of Virginia.

However, my JC had serious issues with the aluminum corner brackets, it's attaching bolts, and rub rails staining and the permanent damage to those parts from the salt water. Perhaps I have those parts clear anodized or replaced with SS IF I get the same brand. Also, the toons looked very nice after all that boating, but there was one spot the size of a baseball that was a bit darker than the rest. The spot was always there from the factory, but it darkened in the ocean. Perhaps there was a coating on the tubes and there was a spot untreated or uncovered from the factory. Do they put coating on the tubes?

What should I look for in my next toon that would make it more salt worthy? It would be pulled out every day.
- I should look for sold keel.
- Sealed strakes (don't know who does that)
- No unprotected aluminum. Perhaps anodized? I don't know anyone who does that either.
- fresh water and salt water anodes are different I believe.
- There is such a thing as marine grade aluminum, corrosion resistant, but no one I know uses that stuff as it's probably very $$$.

I need to do research on the tube design though. The JC used U shaped tubes and thus the top of the tubes was flat. A perfect place for salt water to dry and leave salt, over and over again. Perhaps I need to look at round logs like the Premier PTX design or Bennington ESP for performance logs.

Anything else to add to my list and any boat recommendations?

I am not going to give you a suggestion on what boat to look at but in regards to anodizing....
Anodizing is anodizing. That's it. The only differ is regular anodizing and so called hard anodizing. The difference is the layer of the anodizing. Hard anodizing is thicker.
Regular anodizing is usually 10-20 my while hard anodizing often is up to 40my.

Nusse wrote:I am not going to give you a suggestion on what boat to look at but in regards to anodizing....
Anodizing is anodizing. That's it. The only differ is regular anodizing and so called hard anodizing. The difference is the layer of the anodizing. Hard anodizing is thicker.
Regular anodizing is usually 10-20 my while hard anodizing often is up to 40my.

Thanks.

Take a look at this manufacturer for salt water rated boats.

http://www.fiestaboats.com

They make a big deal out of being made for salt water. I don't see anything on their web site that would indicate they build their toons differently than any other pontoon boat manufacturer... except that they are located in Tampa.

I think the best you can hope for is to rinse off the boat, trailer and flush the motor with copious amounts of fresh water as soon as possible - or better take it a fresh water lake ramp with the toon tied down tightly, run the engine for a minute and completely submerge the trailer since that is going to catch the lion's share of corrosion related problems. I would only buy a galvanized trailer for salt water use.

RonKMiller wrote:They make a big deal out of being made for salt water. I don't see anything on their web site that would indicate they build their toons differently than any other pontoon boat manufacturer... except that they are located in Tampa.

I think the best you can hope for is to rinse off the boat, trailer and flush the motor with copious amounts of fresh water as soon as possible - or better take it a fresh water lake ramp with the toon tied down tightly, run the engine for a minute and completely submerge the trailer since that is going to catch the lion's share of corrosion related problems. I would only buy a galvanized trailer for salt water use.

No, I didn't see anything different about their boats either. They do advertise a fiberglass deck, but I didn't have issues with carpet. I just vacuumed every couple days. My issue was really the aluminum corner pieces on the deck. They discolored, showed the grain structure, and pitted. I polished them many times but they just kept getting worse even after being home for a week. I think... It might have been some type of electrolysis reaction between the aluminum corner brackets and the stainless steel cleats. Even the stainless bolts were like rusty and hard to remove the cleats so I could buff the cleats and corner pieces.

Maybe one to consider for your usage: Review: Carolina Skiff Fun Chaser FPG 2100

Actually I want also to know what Pontoons I should look at for salt water use... And I dont want to take it up after use each day to wash it of either. I want it in order to run a day by day bussiness.

Here is my conditions.

I'll bring mine there and we can see, lol. Trade ya an east coast winter for that in a heartbeat.

There are more pontoons on the salt water here in Fort Walton Beach Florida than just about any other boat. I think the fact that there are so many rental companies here has something to do with it.

One of the reasons I bought my Bennington was because they have a Salt Water Series. Which is essentially adding anodes to the framing and pontoons. Not really sure where they are located it's just what the dealer has told me. I'll look for them this weekend.

Other than that I think just spraying the boat down and flushing the engine will be sufficient for most salt water use.

I'm sure using some shark hide on the pontoons would help keep the boat looking like new as well.

My suggestions:

Extra sacrificial anodes, like the one on your engine. You are correct, there are different kinds. Zinc for salt, aluminum for fresh.

http://www.performancemetals.com/anodes/AnodeFAQs.shtml

Each toon should have it's own anode. Mount them on the stern where you see the bracket most transducers are positioned. Metal, without the protection of an anode is at risk for oxidation in the salt. My salt water package included 4 additional anodes for the hull itself.

Coating clean toons with a metal protectant may help. Wipe it on the outside of the toon that shows, but up under the skin and inside the toon, a garden sprayer works. Okay to allow pooling on ledges.

Another item on you list might be a reinforced front fence (or gate) for that wave that comes over your bow.

What do you all suggest to look at for use in salt water?

Not to be a "brand salesman", as many have said "each person's boat is perfect for them" but I picked up our Manitou back at the end of March after being sold on them by a Manitou rep at a show and a fairly lengthy sea trial on the boat itself.

I grew up offshore fishing on go fast CC boats so speed and handling performance were both a must along with good ride - not to mention I am an engineer and spent many years as a performance engineer for a well know Ag manufacturer so to say that I am skeptical is an understatement when it comes to product performance.

We needed a saltwater package to boot as we are in a brackish estuary zone when can turn to pure-on sea water with a shift in the wind.

I have been VERY pleased with our Manitou. Until I sat behind the wheel you would have NEVER convinced me that a pontoon boat would ride and handle like this. We have had it out in some pretty rough water (for a pontoon 2-3 footers)- people on the dock couldn't believe that we went down river on "a day like that"

I would highly recommend looking into Manitou boats - no surprise that they are not cheap but the sticker shock wears off quickly when you look at boats a few years old.

Either way, as mentioned by others - buy a boat with a saltwater package - no exceptions on that. I would also recommend anti-fouling bottom paint on the toons and anything else that spends time below the waterline - its something you can do yourself or have a boat works marina do at a reasonable cost.

Hope my story helps.