Looking to get into a Pontoon Boat

[brtnstrns]

Hello all,

My wife and I have pretty much become set on getting into boating and pontoon boats in particular are what we've decided would best suit our wants. I'll be completely honest though, I have no experience working on boats but through my research over the past month or so it seems like pontoons are a bit easier to work on and maintain in good condition for long lifetimes. I've worked on cars my entire life (restored 1966 Mustang, completely built 2003 Mustang Mach 1, do the maintenance on all of my vehicles, etc etc) So the other issue with this decision is that we're not looking to buy a new boat. We're primarily looking to just get out on the water.

I know I can probably get a decent-enough, running older pontoon boat for under $5000 and slowly upgrade it over time. But the other idea I think would be cool is to try to pick up a "shell" for less than like $1000 and build it over winter and have it ready for next summer with new furniture and what not. I know mechanically I can handle all of it, I just have no familiarity with doing this. My main concern is the outboard motor and the linkages between the steering/throttle/instrumentation and the motor. If anyone has any good resources for understanding this aspect of it that would be great.

For example, I know I'd prefer a 4-stroke and I know I'd like to either have or add hydraulic steering (rented a pontoon boat yesterday without assisted steering and it was a workout just to keep it going straight). But it seems that when some people are selling used motors, they're selling the steering/console/throttle along with them - can you not just buy a motor and interface it with the existing controls?

I'm primarily looking at a 20 footer with cylindrical pontoons (versus U-shaped) - either already running for under like $5000 as stated above or more of a project boat. It's really just depends on what I find first. The reasons for looking only at 20' is that we won't really need the space to justify a 24', plus I would feel more confident towing a 20' with my 2015 GMC Canyon and also, if I end up going the "project boat" route, my garage would likely not fit the length of the 24'.

Anyway, I'm just looking for some good insight into this whole hobby. I know it's never going to end up as affordable as you expect and I know it's a lot of work but trust me, I can handle whatever comes my way (hell, you could consider my Mach 1 as a BOAT [Bust Out Another Thousand] with as much money as I put towards getting that thing into tip-top shape) - it's really just a matter of acquiring the knowledge. And as an engineer, my favorite way of doing that is diving in head first.

So thanks in advance for any assistance and knowledge you guys can throw my way. My wife and I are definitely looking forward to trying to become lake rats

[vlxerdon]

Look at the rebuilds and restorations section of the forum for great ideas and how to's. I wish I were a few years younger cause I would love to build my own the way I would want it.

That being said,my wife and I are only a few years into pontoon boats with many years boating behind us. Most outboards are sold with the controls because depending on brand the wiring and controls are specific to the motor. There are cases where you can change the motor with the same brand and get away with using the existing control set up.
Steering cables are pretty much the same,so no problem there.

We purchased a used 20 foot Starcraft toon with a 40 horse Merc on it. It now has a 90 horse Johnson. It is the one in my sig pic.

We are very happy with this boat. Boat started out in a lake in the Pocono mountains in Pa. and now spends all of it's time in the sounds of coastal Ga. Maintenance on the toon is mostly keeping it clean and using some 303 on the vinyl.

Outboard maintenance is pretty much what you would do for any motor vehicle. If you can get an owners manual for whatever motor you get , it will have a schedule you can follow.

Hope this helps a little and good luck with your new adventure.

[brtnstrns]

Look at the rebuilds and restorations section of the forum for great ideas and how to's. I wish I were a few years younger cause I would love to build my own the way I would want it.

That being said,my wife and I are only a few years into pontoon boats with many years boating behind us. Most outboards are sold with the controls because depending on brand the wiring and controls are specific to the motor. There are cases where you can change the motor with the same brand and get away with using the existing control set up.
Steering cables are pretty much the same,so no problem there.

We purchased a used 20 foot Starcraft toon with a 40 horse Merc on it. It now has a 90 horse Johnson. It is the one in my sig pic.

We are very happy with this boat. Boat started out in a lake in the Pocono mountains in Pa. and now spends all of it's time in the sounds of coastal Ga. Maintenance on the toon is mostly keeping it clean and using some 303 on the vinyl.

Outboard maintenance is pretty much what you would do for any motor vehicle. If you can get an owners manual for whatever motor you get , it will have a schedule you can follow.

Hope this helps a little and good luck with your new adventure.

Definitely helpful - thanks! I've read over nearly the entirety of the first page of the restoration section so it's given me some good ideas of what's involved (along with other restoration logs I've read over the past month or two).

Another concerning thing I found out today is that some of the older two-strokes (if I were to end up with an older boat that included a motor already) don't come with a power tilt/trim. Seems like that option would be one of the "must-haves" and it looks like adding that feature to an older engine would add on to the cost pretty substantially.

All I've been thinking about today is how much fun we had on the lake yesterday so it's tough being patient with this.

[smltooner]

Welcome to the club.
You will find some great advice here on buying and/or rebuilding older pontoon boats and motors.

All I've been thinking about today is how much fun we had on the lake yesterday so it's tough being patient with this.

Once you get "the itch", you are done for. Good luck with your search.

[vlxerdon]

"Another concerning thing I found out today is that some of the older two-strokes (if I were to end up with an older boat that included a motor already) don't come with a power tilt/trim. Seems like that option would be one of the "must-haves" and it looks like adding that feature to an older engine would add on to the cost pretty substantially."

If buying a used motor by itself, yes , make sure it has tilt and trim. If you buy a used toon with a motor on it , most likely it will have tilt and trim. Our boat is a 94 so no spring chicken.
Even the motor that was on it , a forty horse, had tilt and trim. Still, something to watch for.

[brtnstrns]

Once you get "the itch", you are done for. Good luck with your search.

Definitely. I've always been a car guy so there's always been an "itch" of sorts but I wasn't ever able to share the hobby with my wife or anyone really since I'm really the only car guy among my friends. Boating will still give me all the mechanical stuff to tinker with and customize but I'll actually get to share it and make memories with other people.

If buying a used motor by itself, yes , make sure it has tilt and trim. If you buy a used toon with a motor on it , most likely it will have tilt and trim. Our boat is a 94 so no spring chicken.
Even the motor that was on it , a forty horse, had tilt and trim. Still, something to watch for.

I gotcha. The only reason I discovered that is I was talking to a guy from Craigslist about a 1988 Starcraft SD200 Fisherman with a 75 HP Evinrude and it didn't have tilt. Boat was nice as far as motor and pontoons/frame go and it came with a trailer but at $4000, that'd be a pretty high starting price to drop another $4,000 or so on the deck furniture plus whatever other expenses come up (like adding a power tilt).

[brtnstrns]

So I've been doing some browsing and although there are some "okay" boats they all sort of have something that turns me off. However, I keep coming back to this one:







Not exactly cruiser friendly but he claims the motor runs well and the deck condition is good and I could just toss some lawn chairs on it for the near future. Pontoons and overall condition look pretty decent for a 27 year old boat. Only issue is less desirable trailer, no power tilt/trim, and obviously the more-or-less empty deck. But I feel like if I could grab it for $3000, it may be a really good starting point, especially if that 70 HP Evinrude is in decent enough shape.

What do y'all think? Worth going to at least check out?

[brtnstrns]

Or does anyone know if boats tend to flood the market for lower prices in Texas? I know that may be the case elsewhere where there are real winters, but I'm just not sure if it's worth waiting since Texas winters are so mild.

[teecro]

While that rig looks generally intact and I could be way off base but 3K for a 27 year old rig is TOO much....

[brtnstrns]

While that rig looks generally intact and I could be way off base but 3K for a 27 year old rig is TOO much....

See, in one sense I feel the same way - but then I look at used high horsepower outboards and they're almost the same cost as this entire boat. And not to mention the only type of boats I see for under say, $2000 are more or less shells of similar age.

So do you risk looking for a cheaper boat with a likely lower HP motor and likely one that doesn't run at all? Or do you deal with spending a bit more for an 80's boat that runs and could be used immediately and could be updated over time?

Based on looking at Craigslist every day for the past couple weeks it seems my options are:

$1000 - boat shell; likely no motor or non-working motor; mostly don't come with trailers; usually older boat anyway
$4000 - older boat; runs; could obviously use some updated furniture; between 40-70 HP older motors; comes with trailer
$7000+ - mid 90's and up boat; 40-60 HP motors; trailer; furniture anywhere between "fair" to "average"

Unfortunately, as ridiculous as it may sound, we're not really in the position for an all-up-front $7000+ boat. However we could easily swing $3000-$4000 for a running boat that we can slowly bring up to date but still get use out of in it's current form.

[vlxerdon]

Price does seem a little high to me as well. However,I am not knowledgeable when it comes to prices in your area. The warm winters may have something to do with that.
My boat was purchased in Pa. in excellent condition. A year later we retired to Georgia. When I tell people here what I paid for my boat, they assure me I would never find that kind of a deal here. Warm winters again.
If that is a good price in your area and you like the boat then you are the one to make the choice. I would worry about no tilt and trim, but I am not as young as I like to think I am. Pulling that motor up by hand would not even cross my mind.

[brtnstrns]

Price does seem a little high to me as well. However,I am not knowledgeable when it comes to prices in your area. The warm winters may have something to do with that.
My boat was purchased in Pa. in excellent condition. A year later we retired to Georgia. When I tell people here what I paid for my boat, they assure me I would never find that kind of a deal here. Warm winters again.
If that is a good price in your area and you like the boat then you are the one to make the choice. I would worry about no tilt and trim, but I am not as young as I like to think I am. Pulling that motor up by hand would not even cross my mind.

Yeah, unfortunately, boats in general are new to me so the trends and values are something I'm not familiar with. Obviously, NADA is a good starting point, but from my experience with cars, some models/types are more valuable in people's eyes than what any guide might say.

Lack of trim and tilt seem to be a pretty common theme among the boats I'm looking at price-range wise. Seems like that can be solved with a little cash though.

And finally, I wish I knew whether or not there will be a flood of available boats in a couple of months for good prices since, even though the winters are mild, I'm sure people stop taking their boats out.

Ugh, why is being on the water so addictive - I'm used to the desire for the next desired car part, etc but usually the excitement can die down. This whole desire for a boat ain't dying down at all! If I only had unlimited money...

[vlxerdon]

Wish I could be more help,but like I said, no knowledge of your area. There is always the possibility of lower prices in the winter, but I know how it is when you have the itch.
If you go to look at that boat in your pics, crawl under it and check the deck real good,the toons as well. Also look at the trailer tires and wheel bearings. You will need to replace the carpet on the trailer bunks possibly the bunks as well. Good luck and keep us posted.

[teecro]

... crawl under it and check the deck real good,the toons as well. Also look at the trailer tires and wheel bearings....

No kidding! We went to purchase a small jet boat last time I was off from work as the price was modest and the owner claimed the boat while old needed absolutely nothing and the pictures backed that up. As soon as I pulled into the driveway I knew something was up as the boat really looked nothing like the pictures. Turns out this schmuck used pictures plucked from the Internet. While I was still interested I was guarded and found lots of little issues that would have required time and skill to make good lasting repairs so I bartered the price down with him bitching the entire time. Hooked up the trailer and pulled out of his driveway and before I can exit his neighborhood I hear this growling sound so I pull over. What do I find but the right wheel kilted out! So I've got no choice but to go back to his house as it will never make a 90 minute drive. Turns out the first dip at the bottom of his driveway it dropped the wheel bearings. And now the guy is yapping on and on about how he sold me a boat for XXX and that the trailer was basically just thrown in for nothing... By this time I'm frustrated, dripping in sweat and blood from a cut I got while looking at the wheel bearings... Long story short I demanded my money back and that it was in his best interest that we simply go our separate ways on this deal....

World is truly buyer beware....

[vlxerdon]

Yep. I'm maybe paranoid, but I'm always looking for the small things that could go wrong with a trailer. Usually when I am boat, or any type of vehicle that needs to be towed, shopping.
Never had a problem on the road ,but I have seen a few. Don't want one myself.