How to keep your pontoon boat safe and shipshape
from The Fishing Wire

Pontoons offer lots of space to swing a rod, lots of comfort and a shallow draft that lets them work around weedbeds easily. (Photo Credit Manitou Pontoons)

Pontoon boats are among the most trouble-free of watercraft; they’re simple, WYSIWYG rigs that don’t require much maintenance and don’t cause many problems. But BoatU.S., which maintains insurance claim files on all sorts of watercraft, reports there are ten recurring items and incidents that most often lead to trouble on these family friendly boats.

1. Anode awareness: Galvanic corrosion, which occurs when dissimilar metals are in contact with an electrolyte such as salt water, can quickly destroy aluminum. And unfortunately, most insurance policies don’t cover this damage. In salty, brackish and even freshwater, aluminum sacrificial anodes are best as they outlast other alloys. Outboard engine zincs also need replacement if they have deteriorated to less than half their original size.

2. Get Wired: In order to protect the boat and engine, the pontoon needs to be electrically connected to the pontoon’s engine via a ground wire. If not, galvanic corrosion can set in.

3. Avoid the “pits”: Pontoon logs that sit on muddy lake bottoms during low water can become pitted with corrosion. This occurs because the mud prevents dissolved oxygen in the water from making contact with the aluminum, which relies on an oxidized layer or “skin” for corrosion protection. Consider pulling or moving the boat if water levels drop.

Up to four anglers at a time can fish from most pontoons-and there’s also room for Fido. (Photo Credit Tracker Marine)

4. Don’t “plow” ahead: When seas build, pontoons have a tendency to plow into waves, which can lead to a significant amount of water over the deck. Pontoons are also challenging to handle in following seas. If you can’t avoid rough weather, slow way down and trim weight aft.

5. Passenger injuries: One big difference with pontoon boats is that they don’t bank in turns, which can lead to injuries when passengers are thrown to the deck or even overboard in a hard turn. Large wakes from passing vessels can nearly stop a pontoon if taken improperly. Passengers should always remain seated while underway.

6. Watch out for windage: Another reason to slow way down in heavy weather is the increased windage from a pontoon’s large bimini top. Never trailer a pontoon without removing the bimini. The boats also tend to “kite” in the wind when you’re trying to dock them or put them on a trailer.

7. Don’t Under-size-me: The normally benign wind conditions on many small lakes and rivers can also lull pontoon owners into using undersized dock lines and too few fenders. Since many pontoon boats don’t have rub rails, damage can occur quickly during summer thunderstorms.

Small four strokes like the Yamaha F70 offer plenty of power for most pontoons, plus low fuel consumption and very low noise levels. (Photo Credit Yamaha Marine)

8. Swimmers take care: Because they make great swim platforms, pontoons are involved in a fair share of swimming injuries, often diving related. If you’re going swimming, it’s safest to enter the water via a ladder – not head first.

9. Grand theft pontoon: No, it’s not a new video game. Because it’s difficult to hide or secure expensive gear on a pontoon, things like chartplotters, fishing tackle and iPods should be removed at the end of the day.

10. Four-legged vandals: Raccoons, muskrats and their furry brethren enjoy upholstery and wiring like a vegetarian at a salad bar. There’s no simple solution to keeping critters off the boat, but reducing fish or food smells by washing it down, or using commercially available repellants such as fox urine, have been known to help. (Unfortunately, the repellants may repel humans, too–use with discretion!)

BoatU.S. – Boat Owners Association of The United States – is the nation’s leading advocate for recreational boaters. See more at www.boatus.com.