Question:
I am looking at purchasing a boat. I like what I have seen in pontoon
boats from 18 - 25 foot lengths, but I was wondering if there are any
negatives in owning one. I have rented a pontoon boat from time to
time, and would like to go the next step to ownership. However, I have
not seen many pontoon boats at some of the reservoirs where I have lived
and was curious why? I was also curious how they handled rough waters.
Lake Powell around AZ & UT, for example, can get very rough with three
to four foot swells.
I do understand that they usually aren't very fast, but that really
isn't something I am to concerned with. I wonder to that in the past,
pontoon boats had not really been of interest to me so I just wasn't
looking for or noticing them.
Answer:
-If you have the right trailer it is not a problem. Just don't buy one of those
little transporters that fit up between the pontoons. They are only good for
moving the boat around the boatyard. Get a trailer with a full width axle and
supports under the pontoons.
- My parents went through a succession of boats since I was a little one.
They started with a 15 foot fabiglass , then they sold and bought a 17
foot sea ray, then they sold that and bought a 20 foot sea ray cuddy cabin,
sold that and bought a 23-24 foot Sun Dancer cabin cruiser. Sold that and
bought a pontoon boat. Absolutly hated it and sold it and bought a jet boat
which they currently own. The things they hated about the pontoon boat...
1) (already pointed out) Bad on wavy water.
2) Doesn't cut the water well so it sucks a lot of gas.
3) Because it isn't fast the distance you could travel in a day was limited.
4) Really bad on a windy day.
Things they liked about the pontoon boat...
1) It was good for putsing around and having a few beers on the water...
(Not that I condone that kind of a thing)
2) It was good for putsing around.
3) If you really wanted to puts around, it was good for that.
You get the idea...
-In "wavy" water the main downside of a pontoon is they are "wet". You won't
sink it and they are pretty hard to turn over but you are going to get wet. The
ride is actually smoother since you go through the waves with half coming over
the top.
