Sylvan Mandalay 8525 Sportlounger
Image from sylvanmarine.com
The Sylvan Mandalay 8525 Sportlounger is another all-around excellent family option. At 26.1 feet long, and able to accommodate 14 people onboard, it has the space for the whole family to enjoy a day out cruising on the water. It is very similar to the SunChaser, in that a pop up changing room is standard, but the port potti is an extra option.
There is also an optional ski tow pole and stainless steel grill, which would be mandatory for a day out with the family. A rear entry boarding ladder does come standard, to assist with re-boarding the pontoon after swimming. Overall a very comfortable and usable pontoon boat to facilitate the entire family.
Where Are Premier Pontoon Boats Made
Premier Pontoons describe themselves as Americas only premium, family-owned pontoon business. The company was started in one small building back in 1992, but today employs over 200 men and women in 8 buildings at their manufacturing plant in Minnesota.
Unfortunately, in 2017, Premier Pontoons filed for bankruptcy. At point of publishing this guide to where pontoon boats are made, its unknown what the financial status of the business is.
- Year Established: 1992
- Website: pontoons.com
Bennington 21 Slx Premium
Image from benningtonmarine.com
The Bennington 21 SLX Premium would be an excellent choice for a family friendly pontoon boat. It is 21.1 feet long with a beam of 8.6 feet, so there is plenty of room for the whole family aboard. With a 90 hp outboard, it can run at speeds up to 30 mph, and accommodate 10 people on board: perfect for that day trip with the family. It comes standard with a deep step ladder, easy for any family member to re-board the pontoon.
There are 4 foot and 6 foot long lounge chairs in the bow, as well as a 9 foot long L-shaped lounge chair at the stern: all constructed of a soft-touch vinyl. Overall, it is more spacious and affordable than the average pontoon boat, making it a clear choice in this category.
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Premier Pontoon 220 Cast
Image from rayclepper.com
The Premier 220 Cast-Away is an excellent choice for a pontoon boat equipped solely for fishing. It has a composite fish station located aft, as well as two fishing chairs for the ultimate comfort while waiting for that fish to bite. It has a bait prep station overtop of a built in live well centrally located on the pontoon. There are built-in rod holders and tackle trays, to keep everything conveniently located.
There is an additional live well at the helm, as well as a sink and fish finder included. The Premier is 22.5 feet long built on two 25 foot pontoons, with an outboard capacity of 115 horse power , making this an ideal and convenient fishing platform for any angler.
Are Pontoon Boats Expensive To Maintain
On average, it costs about $3200 per year to maintain a pontoon boat. Thats factoring in the cost of storage, insurance, licensing and repairs. You may spend less if you have your own storage, although with pontoon boats thats more difficult than other boats. More traditional boat styles can cost as much as $5,000 per year, but they can also cost as little as $2,000. In other words, pontoon boats arent necessarily any more or less expensive to maintain than any other boat.
I know that when I had my pontoon boat a few years ago it was over $2000 per year just for the slip rental, and that was a good deal! Then once you factor in maintenance, gas, repairs, I easily hit that $3,200 mark.
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Just When You Thought Pontoons Couldn’t Be Even More Luxurious
Forget the old days of the party barge with a picnic table on it. Todays luxury pontoon boats set entirely new standards of on-water decadence.
With their luxurious interiors, seating for the whole family and more, galleys complete with grills and refrigerators, exceptional stereo systems and all sorts of eye-popping options, todays top-end pontoon boats bring unprecedented luxury and performance to the water. With multi-engine designs that can handle twin 300s or even twin 400s, they deliver performance to rival the best speed boats, while innovative engineering ensures that power goes hand-in-hand with nimble handling for the ultimate thrill ride.
Still think of pontoons as just glorified rafts? Perhaps these luxury pontoon boats will change your mind, as we look at six of the years hottest tube boats.
Bennington QX25
Love the versatility of a pontoon but really like that open transom that only comes with sterndrive-powered runabouts? Bennington lets you have your cake and eat it too with its sterndrive-powered QX25. Featuring the companys popular Swingback stern seat, this pontoon blends stylish design with riveting performance and serious interior luxury. Standard features include everything right down to a kitchen sink so you can enjoy all the comforts of home. Just take one look at the QX25 and you can see that this is one of the best luxury pontoon boats around.
G3 SunCatcher Diamond Elite 326SS
G3 SunCatcher Diamond Elite 326SS
What Should I Look For When Buying A *new* Pontoon Boat
When buying a new boat, you will have more freedom to customize your boat and get exactly what you want.
When buying a new boat you can choose add on packages, features, or even pick your layout and seating arrangement.
In addition to size and type of pontoon boat, there are some other factors to look into when picking which one you want.
These factors can include:
- Seating Configuration:Depending on how many people you have and what you will be doing, you should pick a seating arrangement that fits. You can choose a seating arrangement that maximizes seating, or add additional lounge areas, or even upgrade the captains chair.
- How many Pontoons:Most pontoon boats have two tubes, but you can even get 3 tubes. Tri-toons can go faster with more stability. This allows them to be faster for water sports and other activities.
- How Big of a Motor:Make sure you pick a motor with the proper power for the intended use for your boat. If you are going to participate in water sports you will need the proper power to do so. You also want to make sure that you do not overpower your boat.
- Addition of a Bimini Top:Bimini tops are canvas tops that provide shade while out on the water. You will want to make sure you get a sufficient Bimini top. You should also try and use it before you purchase it to make sure it is not too difficult.
- Comfort Amenities:You are also able to pick your amenities with a new boat. These can include cupholders, tables, privacy space, and other optional amenities.
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What Should I Look For When Buying A *used* Pontoon Boat
The major thing to remember when buying a used boat is to make sure it is properly inspected and this is no different when it comes to pontoon boats.
When shopping for a used boat make sure to inspect:
- The Hull:The most important thing on any boat is the hull. Check for cracks, patches, or chips. These can get worse over time and need to be properly taken care of.
- Pontoon Tubes:You will want to make sure your pontoon tubes are straight. You will also want to check these for cracks, dents, holes or anything else that might require repairs.
- The Engine:The engine is very important when it comes to buying a boat. If there isnt a functioning engine the boat will not be useful. You will want to look for any smoke, seepage of liquid, rust, or other signs of decay or corrosion.You will also want to look at how many hours are on the engine or if there were any repairs made.
- Interior:You will also want to check the interior such as the floor and furniture. Make sure there are no cracks, mold, or rotting.
One way to make sure you are buying a boat with minimal to no issues is to get it inspected. An inspector is a professional and will be able to spot things that you cant.
If you can, it would even help to take the boat out for a test drive.
You can also see if there is an available warranty on the boat depending on its age.
You will also want to make sure to look at used boats that meet all of your requirements in advance.
Renting A Pontoon Boat Will Generally Cost You Between $30000 To $40000 A Day
This number is normally cut in half for people who are only doing half-day rentals.
While this might seem like a lot of money, it could end up saving you a whole lot more in the long run.
For instance, you might want to rent a pontoon boat for the day before you decide to buy one.
Renting first will give you a chance to see if you actually like operating and using a pontoon boat before you invest in one.
Also, some people may decide that it is less costly to simply rent a pontoon boat each year rather than to buy one.
Many boat owners end up buying boats only to find that they only use them a few times a year. If you feel you might be one of these people, youll end up spending between $900.00 to $1,200.00 a year in rental fees.
This number is far less expensive than what it would cost to buy, insure, and maintain a pontoon boat.
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What To Look For/consider When Buying A Pontoon Boat
With all the different choices of pontoon boats, it may be difficult to narrow it down to the one that fits your individual needs. There are many different factors you need to consider before you can pick the pontoon that works for you. Overall cost, the intended use or purpose of the pontoon, the length needed, the type of pontoon, which amenities or options are available with different models, and what type of warranty is being offered with the purchase. You will also need to take into account the various best pontoon boat brands available, as well as the overall budget you have to spend.
A large part of the cost will depend on the size of the engine: the more horsepower the engine has, the more the overall cost of the pontoon boat. Depending on if you need a family friendly boat, or perhaps a platform on which to land that trophy fish with a few buddies , or if a luxurious model that dictates a day of partying out on the lake are all different things that need to be taken into account.
Should You Use A Pontoon Boat In Saltwater
The answer to the question posed in title above is not a simple yes or no.
Pontoon boats can be used in saltwater but only if you take proper precautions both to protect your boat and also to protect everyone on it.
There are two major concerns about using a pontoon boat in saltwater. They are:
- Galvanic corrosion.
- Ocean swell.
Both these concerns pose a real problem to pontoon boats and therefore the boat owner must take definite steps to protect the pontoon boat and to protect everyone who is on board it.
Lets look at both these potential problems when using a pontoon boat in saltwater and what you can do to minimize the dangers they present.
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Lowe Ultra 180 Cruise
Lowe Ultra 180 Cruise
With seating for nine people and a versatile twin bow lounger layout with a spacious L-shaped lounge in the stern, Lowes Ultra 180 Cruise comes with seven drink holders, plenty of under-seat storage and a nine-foot, heavy-duty Bimini top all as standard equipment on these affordable pontoon boats. Learn more here.
Bennington S21 Fishing Pontoon Boat
This is the ideal pontoon boat for taking fishing. What makes this model so great is that it is available in 12 different configurations so it can be customized to suit the individual tastes and needs of the buyer. When you visit a Bennington dealer youll be amazed at the thousands of floor plans that they offer for your perusal and theyll assist you in designing the pontoon fishing boat of your dreams.
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Department Of Parks And Recreation
As well as law enforcement, the department of parks and creation also use compact pontoons. Its common for park rangers to have to clean up junk in difficult to reach places such as narrow creeks. A full-sized pontoon would have difficulty getting into these spots. Because of this, it makes sense for them to use compact toons which can fit into these tighter waters.
Sun Tracker Party Barge 18 Dlx
Sun Tracker Party Barge 18 DLX
With its spacious seating, overhead Bimini top with QuickLift system, a wide side entry gate big enough to accommodate a wheelchair or stroller with ease, and plenty of underseat storage, the Party Barge remains among the most popular pontoons sold in the US. With seating for nine people and an extensive standard feature list, its easy to like this boat whether your aim is a bit of fishing or just relaxing on the water. Prices start at $18,395. Learn more here.
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Which Pontoon Boat Is Right For Me
Our commitment to Art of the Pontoon creates a palette of offerings for every activity. Whether you choose Master collection, Signature Collection or Boutique Collection you will be offered a multitude of interior layouts & performance option. First choose your performance level. Achieve maximum speed, turning, lift, & wave handling with our exclusive Waveglider high performance package or choose from other performance triple pontoon options. Then choose your comfort design. Available interiors include cruising, sun lounging, versatile lounges that achieves both, fishing, entertaining including bars & prep centers, double decker with water slide, or the latest in super-fast performance models with windshield and ski boat inspired interiors and exteriors to give you the ride of your life! Check out our comparison tools to find the perfect boat.
Homegrown Is Always Best
Were not saying that other places dont know how pontoons should be made. But because pontoon boats are most popular in the United States, isnt it fitting that locals take on the task of making them? So if you were wondering where are pontoon boats made, then here are the answers. Fortunately for you, all of the most popular pontoon boat brands are made right here on US soil, making it easier to acquire them and allowing boat owners to get in touch with manufacturers without all the fuss.
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How Deep Does The Water Need To Be For A Pontoon Boat
Two feet of water is enough for most pontoon boats, but always check the owners manual for information specific to your boat. Some boats may need more depth, especially larger models. Bear in mind, too, that if your boat is carrying a lot of weight it will sit lower in the water. This effect is less pronounced in pontoon boats, but it still happens.
Top Us Suppliers Of Pontoon Boats On Thomasnetcom
Table 2 displays information about the most popular pontoon boat suppliers on Thomasnet.com in the U.S., ranked by engagement metrics. Details include each companys headquarters location, year founded, and number of employees where available. Dashes indicate where information was unavailable.
Table 2: Top U.S. Suppliers of Pontoon Boats on Thomasnet.com
|
1956* |
50-99 |
JPW, based in Aztec, NM, offers inflatable, customizable pontoon boats for rafting and rescue applications, including catamaran and canoe models. They also manufacture accessories, including bags, pads, repair products, and spill containment products.
In Richmond, CA, WAM-V Marine Advanced Robotics offers pontoon boats for scientific research applications including marine surveys, defense and maritime security, marine robotics R& D, and coastal uses. They also provide custom boats.
Brinson Marine, in Syracuse, NY, supplies docks, boat lifts, and new and used boats, including custom and standard pontoons and ski boats. They also provide boat repair and storage, as well as services for trailers, boat lifts and docks.
Veranda Luxury Pontoons is based in Malvern, AR. The company offers six different series of boats from 20 to 27 feet in length featuring aluminum decks. They also offer boat trailers for salt water and fresh water.
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Polaris Industries Agrees To Buy America’s Largest Pontoon Boat Maker For $805 Million
Polaris Industries CEO Scott Wine
Polaris Industries, the $5.4 billion maker of snowmobiles, off-road vehicles and motorcycles, has agreed to buy the countrys largest pontoon boat maker, Boat Holdings, for $805 million. The all-cash transaction, expected to close in the third quarter, will round out Polariss portfolio of power-sports products and, it hopes, give it opportunities for cross-selling.
Most of our competitors have water products. Were kind of late to the party, Polaris CEO Scott Wine told Forbes in a telephone interview. Yamaha, Kawasaki and others that compete with Medina, Minnesota-based Polaris in its existing markets already have boat divisions, he noted.
The U.S. market for new powerboats is $8 billion, and pontoon boats are the largest and fastest growing segment of the industry with an 11% compound annual growth rate since 2010. Theres strong overlap between the different types of powersports with some 30% of Polariss existing customers owning a boat.
Boat Holdings, which manufactures its boats in Indiana, has been growing faster than the industry, and has been at the forefront of the shift to high-featured, high-performance luxury boats, according to Polaris. Even without custom finishes, these boats are pricey: A 25-foot Bennington R Series fastback pontoon boat can run $60,000 or more.
The making of a pontoon boat at the Elkhart, Indiana factory of Nautic Global Group, now part of… Boat Holdings.
Courtesy of Polaris
