What Is An Inflatable Fishing Pontoon
A pontoon is a wide craft that uses two parallel hulls connected with a deck or frame in order to stay afloat. They come in a variety of different types, including catamarans, inflatables, and trimarans with three hulls.
An inflatable fishing pontoon is exactly that an inflatable version of a pontoon style boat that has several chambers you fill with air, and has been specially designed for fishing.
Commonly powered by oars rather than paddles, you can also mount trolling motors to a pontoon for effortless directional control and propulsion.
Parks And Recreation Department
Parks and Rec gets a lot of use out of these. In fact, it might be where youve spotted them before. Rangers and even volunteers utilize them to clean up debris from narrow creeks and shallow waters that an average pontoon size could never reach. State parks and private campgrounds often invest in mini pontoons to maintain the grounds.
Pond King Mini Pontoon Boats
Starting with Pond King, this company which manufactures mini pontoon ranging from 6 16 feet in length. Pond King manufactures these mini pontoons using welded aluminum sub-frames. The company also provides an option to the customer of making a custom mini fishing pontoon. The models which are available for sale are: POND KING REBEL, POND KING REBEL XL, POND KING SPORT, POND KING PRO, POND KING ULTRA, POND KING LIL CRUISER and POND KING ELITE. The prices of these boats start from $1495 and goes up to $15495. Pond King has been in business from 1995. The company assures its customers that they are buying the best mini pontoon in the market from the right mini pontoon boat manufacturers.
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More About Compact Pontoon Boats
Small pontoon boats offer a unique marine experience. Their reduced size translates to a reduced price tag, but that’s only the beginning of the benefits. Keep reading to learn more about these increasingly popular models, then visit Boat Masters Marine to shop compact pontoon boats for sale. Our dealership is based in Akron, Ohio, and we proudly serve those in Youngstown as well.
Shop Around Til You Recognize A Good Deal
You are not likely to get a good deal if you only visit one location. Make sure when buying your boat, you shop around for different dealerships, models, and manufacturers.
Like any large purchase, you will want to make sure you do the research to make sure that the boat you are buying is the right model for you and that you are getting the best deal possible.
If you feel overwhelmed you can even hire a boat broker to shop around for you. As the buyer, it is unlikely that you will pay your boat broker. Commission for a broker generally comes from the seller of the boat.
This can be a low-risk way to get exactly what you are looking for at the best price as well as getting advice from a professional.
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Which Is Better A Pontoon Or A Kayak For Fishing
Great question, and to be honest, it would take a whole article to weigh-up the pros and cons of each.
It just depends on your needs and the kind of fishing experience youre looking for. Take a look at the video below, which shows them both in action side-by-side, and see if you can draw your own conclusions.
The 8 Big Advantages Of Small Pontoons
Lets say youve been toying with the idea of becoming a pontoon owner. But, unfortunately, you have a home or retreat somewhere on a small lake thats restricted to using only electric motors.
Or lets say, instead, you live primarily in a motor home and often find yourself coming across lakes but dread the idea of pulling an extra load behind just to be able to enjoy fishing.
Well this is where compact pontoons can shine!
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Versatile And Easy To Handle
Have you ever heard that smaller vessels are difficult to handle?
Never! I believe.
Small pontoon boats are flexible enough to operate, dock, tow, and store due to smaller size and light-weight. They can be used to carry out many fun-filled activities, including daily routine tasks. This may include:
- Fishing
- Water skiing
- Tubing
Small pontoon boats are safe enough because they are usually made for beginners. And they are difficult to turn over due to moderate speed.
Built For Cruising In Comfort
The spacious, stable design invites you to kick back, relax, and enjoy the water. Like all our other pontoon boats, the Lil Cruiser has a 100% all-welded, aluminum frame and pontoons, but unlike our other boats, this baby comes standard with a carpeted, marine-grade plywood deck. Dont worry though its a Pond King, so you can rest assured youll be enjoying this Lil Cruiser for years to come! If you want to add a lil luxury to your experience down at the pond, this is the small pontoon boat for you.
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How To Define A Pontoon Boat
A pontoon boat is a flat boat that relies on two or three metal pontoons to float. The pontoons, or tubes, are what keep the boat afloat while allowing a flat deck.
Pontoon boats are excellent recreational vehicles because their flat decks allow for lounge areas, stand up bars, tables, sun pads, and other types of deluxe accommodations.
Pontoon boats are used for pleasure boating, water sports, fishing, swimming, lounging, and other recreational activities.
Hotwood’s Offers Premium Powder Coat Finish On All Models Lil’ Sport Fish
In the photo you will see Fish N Sport placed side by side to show the comparison of the 2 colors we offer. On the left is our Carlsbad Canyon Tan with Covert Green on the right.
The process we use to powder coat a boat, starts with a perfectly clean surface that is done by a series of chemical cleaning through a multiple step program to assure the surface is ready to apply color.
When the boat has been cleaned and color is applied, it then is baked at 500 degrees for a specific amount of time to basically, melt that paint into the surface, to give the boat a finish much like a refrigerator. This process assures out customer the highest quality finish possible that can be applied.
When a boat is powder coated, it makes such a smooth surface that cleaning is a breeze.
As you see in this photo above custom colors like this Right On Red are possible here at Hotwoods that this customer wanted on his 1 off 615 Aluma Sport. Non-standard colors or 2-tones do add extra expense when ordering your boat, but they can be done. Ask your Hotwoods sales rep about that and the time frame of delivery it may add.
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Tahoe Sport Quad Lounger Pontoon Boat
The Sport Quad Lounger is ideal for use in small lakes and ponds. Its one of the best smaller pontoon boats that money can buy. It is equipped with a removable windshield, with a Viper steering wheel, and cadet II fiberglass Helm stand with Greywood Dash panels. It comes standard with an electric powered 12V Power Point engine, ideal for entering waters with gas powered restrictions. It comes equipped with an Infinity PRV250BT stereo system and 4 stereo speakers.
Great Things Dont Only Come In Big Packages
While its fun to look at big boats that have all the bells and whistles imaginable, its important to remember that great things dont only come in big packages. Thats especially evident in the newest small pontoon boats for the 2021 model year.
Built to be easy to tow behind a mid-sized vehicle, small pontoons are growing in popularity because they still provide plenty of seating and comfortable amenities in a more compact package. With their efficient pontoon designs, theyre also perfect for use on waters with horsepower restrictions how many other boats can you think of that provide comfortable seating for a half-dozen people and drive around comfortable with just a small outboard motor?
These small pontoons deliver big fun heres the latest 2021 models from some of the top pontoon manufacturers.
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What Are The Benefits Of An Inflatable Fishing Pontoon
Pontoon boats can be more stable than traditional craft, as well as being more buoyant thanks to their hull design.
This is especially true of inflatable models, which offer two durable, puncture-resistant, float tubes that provide excellent stability on the water arguably better than most kayaks.
A fishing pontoon can be a great choice if youre hunting big fish, and you need more width and stability to your craft in order to confidently land a monster.
Some pontoons also come with a hard deck, which makes them ideal for standing casts and reels, and more suitable for fly fishing.
They can be more affordable than most kayaks and other boats, as well as offering unbeatable portability and storage when not in use.
Pontoon inflatables also offer a lot of versatility, particularly if they feature a hard deck. And just like one of these cool float tubes, on certain models, you can use flippers on your feet in the water for added power and control.
Aside from fishing, pontoon boats can be useful for hunters, bird watchers, and wildlife photographers, thanks to their near-silent, stealthy operation.
Are Pontoon Boats Good For Fishing
Most people think pontoon boats are only good for pulling water-skiers and wake-boarders. The truth is that a lot of anglers today are using them for freshwater and saltwater fishing. Pontoon boats have some key advantages over regular fishing boats. Of course, there are a few downsides to fishing from a pontoon boat as well.
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How Much Are Mini Pontoon Boats
Mini pontoon boats can be purchased for well less than $10,000 new and in some cases less than $3,000. The larger the miniature pontoon boat, the more expensive it will be. If youre looking for a tiny, one-person pontoon boat, youre going to spend considerably less money.
These are fairly niche boats so you might have a hard time purchasing them used. I didnt know they existed until I poked around the internet looking for topics to write about. All the same, if you do find one used, consider reading my article on how to buy a boat for your family without losing sleep. You might turn an already great deal into an amazing one.
Traditional Pontoon Boat Manufacturers Mini Models
Mini pontoon boats are the perfect way to get out on the water of a small lake or pond and fish those perfect spots. Lake fishing is obviously a favorite pastime in the state and its no wonder why some of the major boat manufacturers want to get in on the game of the mini pontoon boat manufacturers game. Here are a few major pontoon boat manufacturers who decided to shrink their normal sized pontoon boats into more manageable, smaller, and less expensive smaller versions of the boats. These guys come stacked with options just like their bigger cousins so sometime it feels like you are paying for a normal pontoon boat but man are they cool!
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Types Of Compact & Small Pontoon Boats
There are three different types on the market:
- Narrow
- Compact
- Mini
Each different size comes with its own pros and cons and the type of activities that can serve. As an example, narrow pontoons are going to be really good for narrow rivers, whilst a small compact pontoon might be a great way for someone on a budget to start pontooning with their family.
And as for mini-pontoons? Well, you might just have enough room for yourself, one friend, and a small amount of fishing gear but not much room for anything else!
These sizes each have their own abilities and benefits. For instance, a pontoon with a narrow beam might be great for rivers. A compact can be a great boat choice for a family that wants a pontoons luxury but more affordability. And a mini is just enough square footage for you, a fishing buddy and a cooler.
Search & Dive Rescue Boats
This is a Fish & Sport model that was set up for a Search & Rescue team a few years back. Using the stability of the design only Hotwoods uses with multiple logs, this is the perfect boat to dive or do rescue recoveries from.
Any or our models can be set up with the reflective decals as the boat above, to be used for actual rescue’s or to do training from. They work great with rescue dogs to ride out on the front deck like the diver in the photo above.
This very team is actually who inspired us to add the rescue rails on the side of the boat that hang downward to the water.
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Bonus Budget Buster: The Premier Escalante
If your idea of affordable is spending about as much on your boat as the median cost of a house in the US of A, youll probably be interested in a precocious pontoon like the 314 long, 100 wide Premier Escalante. Starting MSRP is $146,800, but thats before you load up to 800 total horsepower onto the transoms and start adding options and accessories.
Highlights of this double-decker pontoon palace include a 12 high second-level deck with seating and a waterslide, a full upright rigid changing station/head compartment, and an entertainment center with a sink, refrigerator, wine chiller, and crystal caddy.
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The Key Takeaways From The Post
A boat can hold around 40 gallons of gas in its tank on average. But the range can vary from 5 gallons or less for a small boat to 250,000 gallons or more for a big yacht. Yet, most brands allow buyers to customize the boat to their needs, worrying less about fuel capacities.
Boats are not as fuel-efficient as cars. They consume a lot of gas compared to other vehicles due to traversing in the waters. Thats one of the main reasons why most boats have bigger fuel capacities compared to other vehicles.
Many small boats tend to use 3-8 gallons of gas per hour at cruising speeds, while faster boats like speed and motorboats can use 25-40 gallons an hour.
Depending on the boats weight, size, model, and, very importantly, the type of motor it has, the fuel burning rate changes drastically.
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Are Inflatable Pontoon Boats Good For Fishing
Yes, they are. Inflatable pontoon boats make excellent fishing craft, because they are portable, near-silent, offering a good field-of-view, and are super-sturdy on the water.
Theyre also spacious, and some offer the opportunity to do comfortable standing casts and reels from a stable, fold-out deck.
What To Look For In A Luxury Pontoon Boat
The best luxury pontoon boats come with features that arent offered with your standard, run-of-the-mill pontoon boat. When choosing a luxury pontoon boat, you want to find something that looks and feels better than its competitors, while also having a reputation for excellent performance and durability.
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Why You Should Buy A Small Pontoon
And finally, what would be the advantages to buying or using a smaller pontoon boat if you are a member of the public, and not working for a government agency?
1. They are Great in Shallow Water
You can use pontoons in shallow water, but even more so with the compact small models. Examples could be if you want to fish out on a pond, as pontoons are far better suited to this type of environment than v-shaped hulls are.
2. They Mean You Might Not Have to Worry About Horsepower Restrictions
The lakes near you might have a restriction on the amount of horsepower your boat can have. You can overcome that with a compact pontoon as the engines will be far smaller, and in the case of a mini, might not even have an engine to worry about.
3. They are a Good Choice if on a Budget
Pontooning for the first time? Then a compact can be a great way to dip your toe into the pontoon lifestyle. They are great for beginners due to the size and price, or just suit those that want something to scoot around the water quickly and easily perhaps to get from one side of a lake to another.
4. They are Easy to Manoeuvre
First time pontoon owners can be intimidated by the idea of operating a larger boat. Compact pontoons are far simpler to move around the water, as well as trailering-up, launching, and docking.
5. They are Easier to Store Due to the Size
6. They are Better for the Environment
Long Trips Or Large Bodies Of Water:
If you are traveling on a large body of water, or you are on a long journey, having a head-on board might be your only option to relieve yourself.
Suppose you are traveling on a large body of water like the ocean or a large lake you might not have landed nearby that you can stop at. Even if there is land near, you might not be able to utilize a bathroom.
One example of this might be while traveling downriver. Just because there is land nearby, most of the rivers structures will likely be private residential homes instead of public areas.
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