On several occasions they provided peace of mind when I found myself wanting to sail in between two shallow points or if I was not sure whether such and such bay has enough depth. Here are several important steps that should be taken to effectively winterize your boat.
Get your boat up into some shallow water see what the depth finder indicates and then feel around carfully with your feet and check the clearance beteween the proprudder to the bottom.
How deep of water do you need for a pontoon boat. You can take an average pontoon boat with a draft of 18 inches in about 2 feet of shallow water. Here are some factors to keep in mind when taking your vessel in this depth of water. With their shallow draft these pontoon boats can navigate bodies of waters that the average.
Its also a crucial part of preserving the value of your boat by lifting it out of the water when not in use which keeps your boat in good repair. The depth of your water is one of the most important pieces of information to figure out before you buy your boat lift. At ShoreMaster we categorize average water depth into three categoriesless than three feet between three and.
Since even the smaller trawlers tend to have a draft of around 8 feet you can be sure that if you go where they do you are in the safe zone. On several occasions they provided peace of mind when I found myself wanting to sail in between two shallow points or if I was not sure whether such and such bay has enough depth. As far as navigational water depth is concerned it will fluctuate somewhat from even pontoon boat to pontoon boat and maybe even how determined you are to access an area where you are boating.
My boat will safely navigate without hitting anything if the bottom is without hazards and a solid two feet in real depth. You only need about a 15 indicated on the gauge but at that point youre pretty much asking for trouble. Go check it out sometime.
Get your boat up into some shallow water see what the depth finder indicates and then feel around carfully with your feet and check the clearance beteween the proprudder to the bottom. If you are looking for a boat with a lot of speed then you need a boat that has a lot of horsepower on its stern. Some of the boats you can find have as much as 900 horsepower.
If you pair this horsepower with a performance package for your pontoons then you can reach some serious speed while making tight turns. Boat lift- water depth needed. Another option is to just moor the boat 20 or 30 feet off the dock and use a dingy which is tied up at the dock to get you back and forth.
This way you get to keep the IO. Having a dock to get in and out of the dingy from is still better than beaching the dingy. Some More Considerations for Pontoon Boat Docks.
The decking should be 13 to 18 inches above the water surface to make getting on and off the boat comfortable and safe. For stationary docks on sandy lake bottoms pound pipes into the bottom to hold the dock in place. If the lake bottom is clay or extremely rocky a pile-driver may be necessary.
Does a pontoon boat need anodes. Aluminum or zinc anodes are essential for pontoon boats that are used in saltwater as galvanic corrosion damages aluminum quickly. However galvanic corrosion also occurs in brackish water and freshwater albeit at a slower rate.
Magnesium anodes are available to protect a pontoon boat from corrosion in freshwater. When youre 20 feet away from the dock put your pontoon back into neutral and allow the weight of your vessel to drift you closer. Once your boat is roughly halfway up the dock or where youre happy with it put it into reverse and give it a little gas to come to a stop.
Learning how to drive a pontoon boat is considered easy compared to other types of boats and its known as one of the simpler types of vessels to control on the water. There are a few key skills youll need to learn like docking steering accelerating and reversing as well as basic safety measures but many people find them pretty simple to master. A pontoon boat with an 18 inch draft for example can handle as little as 2 feet of water and can be safely beached for an on-shore barbecue or picnic.
However when executing shallow water maneuvers in a pontoon boat care should be taken with inboard engines which could be damaged if the boat runs aground. Pontoon boat size and power requirements are growing as fast as the presence of these watercraft on waters all over the world. Offered in lengths from under 15 feet to more than 30 in length overall with double- and triple-tube configurations pontoon boats are currently hot with boaters.
To find out what you should look for when buying one with outboard power or. Pontoon boats are not supposed to have water in them. Water in large amounts especially can cause serious damage to the engine weigh down the pontoon boat and make existing problems worse.
However it is common for small amounts of water to get through and not be an issue. We wrote an article that reveals everything you need to know about Sleeping Cots. Click here to check it out.
Choosing the Right Site for Pontoon Boat Camping. Now that you know the benefits of sleeping on a toon it is time to find the right spot for it. Fortunately pontoon boats are perfect for anchoring in water or dragging to the beach.
Ideally to measure the correct shaft length needed for your boat. You should measure the distance from where the motor will be mounted down to the water. Then you should add about 18-22 inches extra.
One of the factors is that it depends on the transom the vertical part at the read of the boat and boat hulls. However no boat owner was excluded from the intimidation of unloading and loading their 1st b. Owning a Pontoon boat is something the entire family can enjoy.
Boat lifts designed for pontoon boats often require two or three sets of bunk boards. Most of the boats on local lakes have a V-hull but the pontoon rides on either two or three sets of logs or tubes. Hoisting a pontoon boat in and out of the water requires the right support to.
YakRax Kayak Storage System for Pontoon Boats. Do you wish to carry your kayak along for a day of fun out on the water on your boat. Fitting a kayak storage system on the side of your pontoon can free up deck space on your pontoon boat.
SurfStow50061 YakRax Storage System accommodates kayaks of most shapes and sizes. It is designed from. Raw water washdowns are a rarity on pontoon boats and every serious fishing boat need a raw water washdown.
In many cases you may be reduced to using a bucket and a brush. Some pontoon boats arent saltwater-capable and will be ravaged by the brine. Be sure yours is rated for saltwater or you risk serious damage.
The tall rectangular. Pontoon boats require different style of supports for the boat. Also the draft of the boat will be needed to help determine the style of lift and lifting height you will need for your boat.
In other words how deep the water needs to be in order to float the boat. Pontoon boat winterization is as important as any measure you can take to ensure your boat will be at its best when next years boating season comes around. Here are several important steps that should be taken to effectively winterize your boat.