Pontoon Boat & Deck Boat Forum

Hello!

It's that time of year again... walk through the malls, and these beautiful pontoon boats adorn the halls.

Since I moved to Vermont 5 years ago, and started seeing these boats, I've had visions of family fun on the water. And -- mark the calendar -- my wife actually shares my enthusiasm for the idea

1st point of business: research into the wisdom of this type of craft for primary use on a large body of water like Lake Champlain. I've been reading what I can find the last few days -- about as many advise against it as say "go for it." Although most of this advice seem theoretical -- haven't read a whole lot from people with actual experience on this Lake.

We're a family of 5 with three young boys. We live in northern VT -- we'll not be crossing the lake, attempting to set speed records, or water skiing. We'll trailer the boat. We'd like to swim, get to the parks, fish for bass & pike (warm water) and maybe move up the mouth of a river or two.

Anybody with similar interests and experience? I'd love to hear about actual successes as well as tribulations with Pontoon boats on Lake Champlain.

Thanks!!

JQ

I haven't been on Champlain for over 20 years, I'd like to get up there this year. The only thing I know for sure is you'll really want a large tri-toon even if you're not planning on speed records. It's just way to rough to often, With a 2 tube you'll have many a wet passenger saying lets go back... I'd like to hear from someone with a tri-toon up there to see what they say, I'm sure there up there, I don't think we have any on here though.

I do not have big water experience with a pontoon/tri-toon boat but several on here do. A few takeaways from your post:

3 young boys
Big water
Fishing
Tow (no dock/lift)

Given the above, you are looking at:

Tri-Toon (full 3rd tube)
24/25'
Tandem axle trailer
As much HP as you can afford (200+)
Ski/Tow Bar package
No carpet (fish guts)
A tow vehicle capable of safely towing the boat

Other possible additions:
GPS/Depth Finder (you can get by without these but you said big lake and fishing)
Good cover (assuming you may store outside)
Double Bimini (as you may be staying on the water all day)
On board toilet (for your wife)

My only question is how serious you will be about fishing? If very serious then that will dictate your deck layout and options (i.e. trolling motor, live well, etc.).

Welcome to the club.

Another welcome!

I think you should shop some of the pontoon dealers on the lake and arrange a tritoon test drive on a sloppy day.

You will be impressed.

.. and drive it like you stole it.

If it is really rough water like some of the above imply I would even look at some of the rough water packages now that have 27 inch toons which will get you higher out of the water and handle the rough stuff even better. Like the above said, get a test drive on a rough day and drive the boat harder than you would with the family on board and see how it takes it. Then back down to the speed you would be comfortable running with family aboard in rough water and see how it rides there. Some boats will excel at higher speeds in rough water and some at lower speeds.

Thank you for the replies, welcomes, and advice!

"Serious" warm-water fishing with little boys is perch, sunnies and the occasional bass, max depth of 6-8 feet :) All catch-and-release.

I'm absolutely looking forward to a few test drives (like I stole 'em, hahaha) -- looks like there's a place or two to rent boats for the day around here too.

Thanks again!!

JQ

Use the dealers boats, It's friggen expensive to rent them. You must have Salmon and huge lake Trout for when the kids get older?

Hi Ron,

Yep -- Lake Trout are huge, and nice LL Salmon too -- but they are waaaaay down deep in cold water during the summer. I target them in fall and early winter -- salmon travel up the creeks and rivers to spawn, trout (browns too) follow them in when the water cools. There's even a very small, semi-secret steelhead population that run into a few small streams in the winter.

The lake is for "Dad" fishing in the Summer -- mostly baiting hooks, untangling lines, etc I have an autistic son who's not too interested in fishing, but just loves, loves, loves the water. There's a state park every few miles up here, lots of bays, places to dock/beach. Really looking at the boat as a step-up from driving to docks & parks -- easy cruising on nice days. I can't ever imagine being more than 2 miles from the shore...

As far as actual fishing, I much prefer moving water -- rivers and creeks. But I like the idea of boating/fishing at the mouth -- even running up a river a bit if conditions allow.

Sounds great, I've got to get back up there.

While Lake Winnipesaukee is not Champlain, we do get some very similar wave action on rough days. I live right in the middle of the lake on an island and have seen 5' waves occasionally and 4'ers are not uncommon in the broads or open areas.

First off you definitely want a tritoon 24' long minimum and I highly recommend a performance package as well. Not necessarily for speed but to get you up and out of the chop. They just simply ride that much better when its rough. I also recommend the biggest horsepower your budget will allow.

I currently have a 27' Bennington performance tritoon with a Yamaha 350 V8 outboard. We have never gotten wet feet even on the roughest of days. Yes, an occasional spray to the face is to be expected on very rough windy days as with any boat but we have never had water over the bow or on the deck.

My previous boats were a 26' Premier performance pkg with a 250 Verado and a 24' Manitou performance pkg with a 250 HO Etec. Both of these boats handled rough water extremely well and kept our feet dry. I had a stern enclosure on both of them so we stayed fully dry even from any over spray.

Good luck!

Dan