Bought my first pontoon

[bradcox100]

Hello to everybody from Canton, TX (1 hour east of Dallas, TX).

My wife and I bought our first pontoon boat last Friday. We bought a 2013 20' Sun Tracker Fishin' Barge with a 60hp Mercury Big Foot motor.

I have had a couple of boats in the past (25 years ago) but never a pontoon. Matter of fact, I have never ridden on a pontoon until last Saturday when we put our boat in the water. I was pleasantly surprised how much room and how stable the pontoon boat is. Especially when there was me, my wife, grandma, and our two small children.

I was happy to find this pontoon boat forum. I have a lot of questions that I want to ask.

I look forward to talking and learning from everyone.

I know everyone likes pics, so here is a picture of our new boat.

Brad

[HandymanHerb]

Welcome and ask away what you don't find reading

[bradcox100]

Hmm, can't seem to figure out how to get my picture to show up. Maybe this will work.

Brad

[margaritaman]

Welcome Brad! A new pontoon boat always look real nice.

[landlockedsailor]

Congrats! We're brand new to the toons too! Love it and you will too! These folks on the forum have been great in advising us along the way! Get good at the Search function on this site (upper right corner). You'll find answers fast! This is a Fun, Funny, and informative group!

Happy tooning!

[bradcox100]

My first question, If you look at the picture that I just posted you will see that the trailer leans down at the bow, when it is hooked to my truck. I have a 2" drop hitch bar. I was wondering if I rotate the bar 180 degrees, would that be too much of a rise on the trailer.

Maybe I am just overly worried about it, but it seems to me that the boat/trailer would pull better if the it were level going down the road. And I suspect that the boat would probably launch in slightly less water at the boat ramp. The two times that I have launched the boat at the ramp, It has been necessary to have the trailer bunks almost completely submerged.

Any ideas.

Brad

[BobG]

My first question, If you look at the picture that I just posted you will see that the trailer leans down at the bow, when it is hooked to my truck. I have a 2" drop hitch bar. I was wondering if I rotate the bar 180 degrees, would that be too much of a rise on the trailer.
Any ideas.

Welcome! Reese sells an adjustable hitch (at Wal Mart even) that can be used to raise or lower your ball. Yes, you do want to raise it. Launching like that has got to be tough! Down the highway, level is best.

[evinrude2stroke]

Welcome! Yes you can flip the tongue for the extra 2 inches, that will help some. Nice looking toon.

[bradcox100]

Thanks for everybody responding to my posts.

I will definitely be tweaking the trailer level. Now, if I can just find that automatic fish catching button, ha ha.

I look forward to talking to everyone.

Brad

[redbeard]

Welcome to the mad house. Yes you can flip the mount it will gave you about 1" of rise for a total of 3" from where you are now and yes it helps alot. BTW nice toon enjoy all the good times to come.
PS When you find that button let all of us know so we can get one too.

[curtiscapk]

Welcome looks awesome! I was just on one yesterday at BP....

[badmoonrising]

Welcome ! You'll love your Sun Tracker. And yes, you want the trailer level.

[DRock]

Good lookin pontoon! Welcome, you'll enjoy your new boat.

[bassn386]

Welcome!
Here's to hours & hours of fun and only a few seconds of sheer terror!!
Re the automatic fish catching button: It usually engages about 10 minutes before you're ready to head to the ramp.

[steveiam]

Welcome Brad!
What lake do you fish mostly? Cedar Creek?

In these threads may be some help on how deep you have to get trailer in the water.

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=16038&hilit=bunk+slides
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=15550&hilit=bunk+slides
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=14541&hilit=bunk+slides