Pontoon Boats - Its Advantages & Disadvantages

Pontoon boats are spacious boats that are perfect for a big number of passengers. They are very commonly seen especially as tourist ferry boats in many parts of the country. You might be considering buying a pontoon boat depending on your need but are you aware of all its advantages and disadvantages. 

Pontoon boats don’t only fulfill the requirement of a larger space. Of course, it is one of them but it is not all that there is. Before you strike a deal with boat dealers you must be aware of whether you are making the right decision. 

To understand whether pontoon boats are for you, let’s see their pros and cons.

Pros:

•Perfect for family

If you have kids in your family, it is perfect to sail on a pontoon boat because of the big room that it has. Kids love to move around and jump on a couch which is possible in a pontoon boat. You will not have to worry about your kids getting hurt while they are up to their mischief. A pontoon boat can easily hold 11 passengers making it perfect for an amazing water journey with your family and friends. 

•Perfect for fishing and skiing 

Pontoon boats are very steady in their movements and don’t jerk a lot. This makes it ideal for fishing as it will not scare away the fish and you can have better catches. Ski boats need to have a lot of room because of the stuff that is required to be kept which is why you will find many pontoon boats for sale to serve skiing purposes. 

•Easy to maintain

Pontoons are just super easy to maintain because of their aluminum body. They dent pretty soon but they don’t tear as compared to other boats which soon develop a hole at the bottom. Even if they do get a dent, they are very cheap to get repaired. The boats sit high in the water as well as on the trailer. If you trim up while using the pontoon boat, you will not have to face the task of cleaning much either. 

•Longevity

Pontoon boats have higher longevity as compared to other boats. When your boat is 15 years old, most of the furniture will be wearing out, and all you will need then is a one-size-fits-all couch and you will be good to go. The boats are very customizable hence they don’t ever lead to the necessity of letting the whole boat go. 

•Comfort

The boat has couches and lounge kind areas where you can be comfortably seated. Many pontoon boats also have designed chill areas made which can be very relaxing and pleasant for your ride. 

•Safety

Because of the pontoon boat’s space and weight, the boats are very less likely to flip. The boats also move at the maximum speed of 28 mph. They are extremely safe that way and you can ride them without worrying much. Just as a precautionary measure, it is always advisable to wear life jackets. 

Cons:

•Slow

Pontoon boats are really not that great in terms of speed. It is a leisure boat which cannot be used for the purpose of traveling fast. With the speed ranging between 18-28 mph, the boats are pretty slow as compared to the traditional transit boats. But you also need to pay attention to the purpose for which the boats will be used. Most of the activities are for leisure so you cannot expect much speed. 

•Not for rough waters

Pontoon boats and rough waters don’t go along. The boats are for casual purposes and it will be a bad idea to decide to go for a barbecue in the waters when the weather smells foul. 

•Don’t get handled too well

If you are looking for a boat that can make sharp head pin turns, pontoon boats are not for that. If you want to go for water activities, then you may not consider having a pontoon boat. 

•Susceptible to wind drift

The reason why most of the pontoon boats just float at one particular place is that they can get drifted by water. If you reach a place that has a lot of depth and can become dangerous during high tide, you want to stay away from it. 

•Noisy engines

If you want to just have a quiet afternoon floating in the water, your peace might be disrupted by the super loud and noisy sounds of the engine. 

•Wide wake

The wake is less humped and broader as compared to the other boats which can make catching air a little difficult. 

Wrapping it up:

Keeping the above pros and cons in mind about pontoon boats, if you want to still go ahead and buy one, consider buying from Premier Watersports who are the best pontoon boat dealers in town. And before we bid you farewell read the things to add to your boating bucket list 2021 before you set sail on your pontoon boats for an exciting fun-filled water journey.