Pontoon Boat & Deck Boat Forum

Hey All -

Looking for your advice:

We would like get into boating this year for the first time. We've been on the water, but never in a controlling way... Our nearest lake is about 30 minute drive away so I would like to dock a pontoon at a marina for the season (and probably store it at the marina in the off-season). No trailering. My wife and I are registered for a boater's safety course and the dealer/seller of a pontoon we are looking at includes basic boating/docking instructions for us. I am searching through posts here and appreciate all the information so far - Plenty more to read!

OK - Since this will be a weekend thing for us (at best), the pontoon will be docked all week long and we won't be around for near-local weather conditions, etc. Marina's service includes checking lines so when lake levels change, we should be good there.

Being first timers and also not being around all the time, should we even consider this adventure? I envision us going to the lake, checking fuel/oil levels, casting off and enjoying ourselves. I am looking for any advice as to what I should know before we actually buy in. Not a new pontoon, but their not giving it away either. A 1999 20' Bennington 205L/ Johnson 70HP outboard. It comes with a full cover, but no trailer.

Thanks in advance for your input!

Paul

Forgot to mention that I realize I need to maintain the battery. Dock space can include electricity.

urbnsr wrote:... I envision us going to the lake, checking fuel/oil levels, casting off and enjoying ourselves. I am looking for any advice as to what I should know before we actually buy in. Not a new pontoon, but their not giving it away either. A 1999 20' Bennington 205L/ Johnson 70HP outboard. It comes with a full cover, but no trailer.

As an admitted newbie I would say that if you envision this then you should shy away from a 17 year old boat... Old motors can be very fussy and can need frequent attention. I would suggest the newer you can afford the better off you will be and I'd also suggest a 4-stroke motor over a 2-stroke motor too...

Thanks for that info. I, too, would prefer a 4 stroke. I normally don't shy away from motors - 2 or 4 stroke- , but since I can't readily pull the pontoon out of the water, I assume maintenance won't be as easy to accomplish.

Is there a reasonable source for like-new outboards? The same dealer might have an 18' pontoon that is 3 years newer, but without a motor.

urbnsr wrote:Thanks for that info. I, too, would prefer a 4 stroke. I normally don't shy away from motors - 2 or 4 stroke- , but since I can't readily pull the pontoon out of the water, I assume maintenance won't be as easy to accomplish.

Is there a reasonable source for like-new outboards? The same dealer might have an 18' pontoon that is 3 years newer, but without a motor.

Working over the water is a PITA namely when you have to drag any tool you know you need and just as many tools that you don't think you will need but do actually need with you down to the boat....

There is always a source for like new outboards ya just have to look/ask around... I traded in a 2014 motor last year on a 2015 motor so there was one like-new deal right there.... Watch Craigslist...

As to an 18-foot boat keep in mind what you can envision using it for and how many souls on board. While I really like my 18-foot boat as it is just me and the wife most of the time and it is so easy to handle. And while doable and very cozy it gets a bit crowded once past the 5 adults on board mark... In hindsight I wish that I'd gotten a 20-footer..

I assume storing the boat at the marina isn't free and based on your schedule you pay a lot for the boat just sitting there. Do you have room to store the boat & trailer at home/ somewhere free? I would add the saved $$ to the purchase of a newer boat with the features you like. There is nothing worse going to the marina and the clunker doesn't run and the weekend is ruined.
Just a thought!

Thanks - I can understand what you mean. But marina costs are not really as much as what I thought they would be. It is a shallow lake and I think business may not be what it was in the past.

We would also need to reduce savings by the amount of extra fuel we would use to trailer with a truck instead of using a car that gets double the MPG without considering the added weight of a trailer.

But I can respect the idea of buying in with newer equipment. One marina had two pontoons available (larger than what we may need) and one had a great interior, but an older motor. The other had an interior that needed work, but a newer motor. Both about the same otherwise. I would have picked the better motor/worn interior over the other.

Paul,

Over the past 10 years I have kept either a fiberglass runabout or a pontoon at a very small marina (30 slips) 1 1/2 hours away from home. As long as you tie your boat up and cover it properly I don't see any issues with your plan. I used to tow my boat all of the time against crazy weekend Interstate traffic and crowded boat launches. I wouldn't go back to that for anything. I absolutely love coming up for the weekend, removing the cover and few lines and off I go.

My current boat doesn't have a trailer but the marina will rent one out if I ever needed to pull it.

Get what you can afford...I would guess over half the boats at my marina are the age of yours and have no issues.

Trailering a boat to use for a few hours is not something I would be willing to do. I grew up with trailering the boat to use for an entire weekend or more before trailering home and that was fine as the boat became the transportation that took us to our fishing camp in the Gulf of Mexico marshlands.

Where we live now we have our own marina within the HOA so my boat stays wet and is ready to use simply by casting off of the lines. But it also sits unattended for at least 4 weeks at a time without issue. Good quality lines that are well tied off preferably with long fore and aft leads will keep you well secured. Don't tie your boat up with short lines that are directly at 90 degree angles as these cause constant jerking motion to the lines & cleats etc. A good cover is a plus to keep the birds and spider poop at bay. If you can have a lift in your slip that is about as good as you can get as then you don't get the wet boat bottom growth that needs to be attended to least once a year... But that's 5K that I don't want to spend at this time.

Thanks for the replies. I do appreciate your time to reply.

I'll describe how we do it, your mileage may vary.

I bought a new Pontoon from Shady Creek Marina/Dealer at El Dorado Reservoir about 45 miles away from home.

The dealer threw in a covered slip rental for the first year.

An annual rental includes trailer storage all year and outside boat storage in the off season. That rate is $1,400 per year and also includes use of the "Yacht Club" building if we want.

The "Yacht Club" building has bathrooms, showers, ac, tv's etc and is usable by asking for the key or scheduling it ahead of time.

By storing the trailer at their fenced, locked yard, I avoid having to drag an empty trailer home in order to store it in my warehouse building.

Also, by leaving it in their yard, whenever I need for them to do work on the boat that cannot be accomplished easily while in the slip, they put it on the trailer and get it in their shop.

At the end of the year, they pull the boat, winterize it, pressure wash it, and it's ready to go for the upcoming year.

Note; It's been horribly windy or I'd already have the boat in the water.

By having the boat in the slip, it's really easy drive over, stop for a potty break and ice and/or bait (sometimes buy ice and bait at the marina store when its open) and walk out on the slip, tilt the motor down, pull out life jackets, crank up the GPS/Depth Finder, wipe off the accumulated spider webs and swat spiders, (At a lake you have water, water means bugs and bugs mean spiders that feed on them, so they're just a fact of life) toss off the lines, and motor out onto the lake. We usually stop and fuel it up on the way in, then slide it back into the slip, tie it up, stow things away, drain the built in cooler and the live-wells, clean fish, bag em and head home.

I'm able to fuel up at the marina, and I check oil when I fuel.

If you're able to afford to pay an Annual Slip Fee, having your toon in the water and ready to go is a great way to go.

Also, at our marina, we can put a "Locker" (I used a RubberMaid Cabinet) on "Your" side of the slip. We keep extra water bottles, pop, beer and other "Stuff" locked in there. That way, all we need to bring with us each trip is ice, bait, and snacks.

Security at the Marina is good, so stuff tends to stay put. Lots of boats leave their pull toys and life jackets clamped to the rails to ensure they dry and to keep them from blowing away on windy days.

We watch the weather forecast, and any day that is forecast for 15mph and under for wind is a good day at the lake.

15 and over, and running gusts to 50mph lately means I haven't bothered to put it in yet.

Last year we had it in the water by mid-march. We typically don't take it out until November.

I store mine in my own warehouse building. I already own it, so it's a no-brainer. If I didn't have the building, I'd winterize it like many here do by putting a bucket of charcoal under the cover to help aid in keeping the moisture down, snap the mooring/storage cover on it and leave it at the marina. They also have covered storage slips for rent if you don't want to leave it out or don't have a spot of your own to leave it at.

At Shady Creek, many folks have their boats pulled, serviced, winterized, covered, and stored and then come spring, have the marina put their boat back in for them. For annual slip renters, it's all part of the deal.

As mentioned above, a lift would avoid the buildup, but it's more money. Given your status, spend that extra money on a newer 4 stroke. I like my Yamaha 90 on my SunCatcher pontoon.

And this way, you don't have to do the Boat Ramp Hustle all the time.

Train your Admiral and Bosun Mates to help break out and stow away gear and it'll make for great family fun all the way around.

Stow a first aid kit as well as sunscreen, bug spray, OFF, a flyswatter or two, imodium, benedryl and ibuprofen, toilet paper(folders can works well to stow TP in and keep it dry) and trash bags on board. I also have a pop up "Outhouse" and a "Luggable Loo" on board with kitchen bag liners to line the bucket. So if the toon you buy doesn't have a "Privacy Enclosure", consider buying a popup outhouse.

Us guys can hang it off the stern or go while in the lake but the ladies balk at that, especially if they need to poop. Just pop the outhouse up on the poopdeck (what else would you call it when you're pooping on it?_) set the bucket up with the liner and trust me, the first time your Admiral needs to go and you're a ways from a courtesy dock and an outhouse bathroom, she'll thank you for it.


All in all, if you're asking my advice, I'd see if you could find a toon that comes with a trailer and a newer 4 stroke motor. The trailer, even without you trailering it, makes it easier to store for winter and remove the boat to get it serviced/repaired when needed.

Oh, and regarding buying a used boat.

With the prospective boat you're talking about not having a trailer, how's it been stored? Is there any way to hook up a set of "Muffs" on a garden hose to see if the motor will start and run?

Since you're new, just an FYI, NEVER crank up and run a boat motor without it's either in the water or has a set of "Muffs" or other device to feed water into the cooling system of the motor. A burned out water pump is the result and that's no fun.

Also, how will you get the boat to the Marina and into the water?

And then, I was able to take our boat, even brand new, on a "Trial Cruise". Then once we bought it, the dealer took us on a shake down cruise and made sure I knew how to work everything.

Is that possible with the seller of your potential boat?

I once saw some folks trying to get a toon onto a trailer on the ramp. They were having a heckuva time and the motor kept dying.

I finally asked if they'd like some help and the wife stated "Yeah! I've never done this before and that boat doesn't run right."

So I backed her trailer in right, and then waded out and got the guy to toss me a line and I helped them get it on the trailer and up the ramp, showing the wife how to do it in the future.

Come to find out, they were 'Trying Out" the boat and had found plenty to decide them on not buying that particular boat by taking it on a "Trial Cruise". The owner had let them take it to the lake without any instructions. What a helluva way to do someone.

They wound up buying one of the used ones that was for sale by owner in the slips. The owners (an older couple who bought a new toon and decided to sell the old one) took them for a trial cruise, showed them the ropes, and had a good time while doing it. All in all, according to them, a much better experience.

Also, ask questions here on this site.

These folks are the tops when it comes to steering you the right way.

I count them as a Blessing as we moved up from a small fishing boat to a nice 22' SunCatcher Fish/Cruise toon with a 90 hp Yamaha.

Excellent information. All excellent.

The proposed dealer Would deliver to the lake and it includes instructions on boating/docking. But now that you mention it, nothing was mentioned about pre-purchase testing. I would ask to hear the motor start/run before buying, but a test in the water would be better.

I need to check with the marina about not having a trailer - They have a lift to raise it out, but didn't ask details. Maybe an added fee there.

Thank you very much!

I'm very fortunate to be on a large deep water lake with fixed frame boathouses. It's nice to walk down 27 steps to the boathouse, punch a button and my tritoon goes into the water.

My last pontoon boat was kept inside our boathouse for 28 years before the upholstery finally started to need re-doing. Had I owned a trailer and done proper maintenance on my engine, my lower unit wouldn't have been toast. I'd still be using that old boat.

With my new Bennington, I did purchase a good tandem axle pontoon trailer. Having a trailer allows you to minimize the months that your boat is in the water, and you can easily get it out of the water to do proper maintenance. It's really nice to be able to tow the boat to surrounding lakes and rivers for a change of scenery.

But for many long term owners, a pontoon will last so much longer if it's kept out of the water and dry as much as possible. After all, it's a great value in boating if you too have a boat that will last 20 years+ with minimal issues or reconditioning. And a trailer is an investment that pays off directly and indirectly.

More thanks -

I can see that I may need to increase our budget for this, but by not actually having past experiences in owner/enjoyership, we don't know that we will actually like this. I can't imagine that we wouldn't, but it is still unknown.

If we buy new or near-new, we do increase our chances of enjoying a boat that probably doesn't need frequent repairs (not guaranteed), but if we decide boat ownership is not for us, I assume the selling price will introduce more financial loss.

If we go in low, that doesn't assure we will get junk. A better chance, yes, but if we can enjoy it then, I don't feel bad trading up to the new or newer later because we would then have that experience. I guess I look at it similar to insurance. If we don't enjoy it, we would still loose money on the sell out, but hopefully not as bad as selling a new unit.

That is kind of how I look at new adventures...

Not sure what your budget is, but started out with the same plan as yours. Looked at a ten year old boat at a marina and the owner/friend of mine told me he could get me into a new boat for the same price. Depending on how big a motor you want/need, you can get a new 20' boat with smaller motor for 15-20k spending on how you outfit it..... Nothing worse than inheriting someone else's motor problems on an old boat.