Pontoon Boat & Deck Boat Forum

This is our first season and we have a brand new pontoon. Want to take good care of it, as I will be paying it off for quite some time. Anyways, what is the best wax you use, want to wax it nicely for end of season storage. Also, what is good aluminum toon cleaner? Looking into different storage facilities, indoor vs. outdoor. Would love to store inside, but getting prices as high as 2200.00 YIKES! OUtdoor more like 1000.00. If shrinkwrapped, and the guy said he would build a structure around it, do you think its ok to store outside?

newboatgirl wrote: If shrinkwrapped, and the guy said he would build a structure around it, do you think its ok to store outside?

Sure it is, especially if they are willing to build a structure around it. I store mine in my backyard every winter. Just make sure make sure it is shrinkwrapped good so no critters can get in there. Give everything a good cleaning beforehand so you have less to do in the spring.

newboatgirl wrote:This is our first season and we have a brand new pontoon. Want to take good care of it, as I will be paying it off for quite some time. Anyways, what is the best wax you use, want to wax it nicely for end of season storage. Also, what is good aluminum toon cleaner? Looking into different storage facilities, indoor vs. outdoor. Would love to store inside, but getting prices as high as 2200.00 YIKES! OUtdoor more like 1000.00. If shrinkwrapped, and the guy said he would build a structure around it, do you think its ok to store outside?

Any quality auto wax will do. I especially like the old style carnuba waxes that are hard to take off.

As far as cleaning your toons. If you've been keeping your boat in the water, I'd suggest you get the ScotchBrite pads after the green grunge. Then, take it out of the water and to straight to the self service car wash and spray it as good as possible. Your boat dealership sells aluminum toon cleaners (acid based.) I prefer not to use it unless the bottom's really corroded.

If your toons are just dirty and not green/grundgy, get after it with a good car wash detergent and a bunch of elbow grease. I use Zep orange degreaser and Awesome (Dollar General) for cleaning just about everything.

Girl: Where do you live where they charge $2200 for storage? How long? We can store'em outside for $35-45 a month in a locked lot. If you look offsite around the lake, you may find some pole barns where you can rent space reasonably.

It's okay to store them outside, but you need a primary cover--other than the OEM mooring cover. I certainly want my $1500 Bennington cover to last more than 4 years--about as long as they'll last if used as the primary cover. I've seen some pictures on this website that shows how to setup a PVC frame to hang plastic tarps over--an inexpensive cover system.

I pay 85 dollars a month for a enclosed unit

This tip is tried and true. mothballs. place mothballs in mini cupcake tins all over the inside of the boat AND toss mothballs all around the outside underneath. trust me....it works. been doing this for 12 years in the north woods of WI with my shrink wrapped toon without any critir issues.

I also agree with the comment about putting it away clean. it helps in spring. I also actually store every single removable piece in my house.

Thanks for all the good tips. My boat is in Wilmington, IL. Got prices that are 1000.00 to 2200.00 Kind of blew us away. Didn't expect the cost to be this high.

OUCH.....someone seems to be taking you guys....sometimes you can find a friendly farmer with outbuildings....We cover ours and take it to our daughter's Morton bldg....mothballs everywhere and nary a problem with critters...vacuum them up in the spring.....

Im in Carmi illinois,i keep my boat in storage at Kentucky lake

My winter storage is 350 for just storage and 180 for shrinkwrap.

Someone said you need to cover it THEN shrinkwrap it? I don't have a cover. That is next seasons purchase.
Is it ok to shrinkwrap it without the cover?

katieclooney wrote:My winter storage is 350 for just storage and 180 for shrinkwrap.

Someone said you need to cover it THEN shrinkwrap it? I don't have a cover. That is next seasons purchase.
Is it ok to shrinkwrap it without the cover?

I have never seen a boat shrinkwrapped with the cover ON..... They use alot of heat when they wrap a boat. not sure That I would want my cover getting that hot.

I'm a new 'tooner' too, and mine came with a winter cover from an outfit named "Navigloo"....Google it. I've plugged it here on a
couple of threads (no, I don't work for them). Well engineered 'Erector Set' construction. First time you put it up, you may want a
divorce attorney nearby, but after that, it's a great system. Heavy tarp that comes with it should last 5-6 seasons, and it's high enough
that you can work on small projects inside the installed cover. In the off season, the whole thing will store in a good sized sports bag.
Tip: Open the box up the day you get it, and inventory the parts, and label them. Bummer to get it installed, but one missing do-dad
brings it to a halt. Good simple product that will payoff quickly.

Important tip if you have ANY freezing weather:
Make sure your boat is tipped back slightly and remove the plugs from your tubes. I found out the hard way on my first toon.
A small amount of condensation had collected in the front of the tube. This in itself shouldn't be too much of an issue according to a dealer that I had consulted with (after the leak ). The boat was used so no warranty. The water found a small void in the weld, basically a little flaw but it happens. Once it froze...you can guess the rest

Check with your local 4-h fairground. Many of them store things in their buildings over the winter as another revenue source. Mine charges 275 for the winter. I've since moved mine to a local Marine shop who stores boats for the winter too. He's at 480 but it's heated.