Pontoon Boats – Seniors Party Barge or a True Family Fun Ship?

Maybe I am old, maybe I am naive but for years I have thought of pontoon boats solely from a childhood nostalgic perspective.
I can’t help but think of my years growing up on the Rideau watching the grey parade party barges putter around the lake hours at a time.

So as our family grew and outgrew our Glastron Fish and Ski, we realized we needed to trade in and upgrade or do without a boat. I balked at my husband’s suggestion of looking at a pontoon boat. My desire to have a pontoon boat was pretty much on par with my thoughts about driving a minivan and becoming the cliché soccer mom.

Yes! these are all very stereotypical perceptions but these were my thoughts at the time. I did not want to be the equivalent to a “Sunday Driver” on the lake where everyone else is flying by leaving us in their wake. I wanted to be the one with the spray flying not just poking along with kayaks and canoes passing me by. I couldn’t help but picture seniors sitting on those bright coloured folding lawn chairs spaced out on the deck of the boat knitting whenever I closed my eyes and thought about pontoons.

Let’s be honest, the truth is that the pontoon boats of the late 80’s are nothing like today’s pontoons!

Everyone we talked to started telling us how “Pontoons are so much fun,” or “great for a family with children.” It took a long time but I was convinced!

So let’s be real. How do the pontoons of today measure up?
 

Don’t get me wrong, pontoon boats are still one of the best options for that weekend cruise of old, but with modern seating choices, music and lighting, they’re arguably better at it than ever before. No need for those old plastic patio lanterns zap strapped to the canopy bars either. There are now a wide array of under deck LED lighting kits and onboard light systems to choose from that will help you set your mood. Pontoons also make a fantastic fishing platform, and many models feature fishing-friendly amenities such as aerated live wells and fishfinders.
 

If you’re looking to invest in a new boat or trade up like we were, there are several factors to think about.

Obviously, it depends on what you are looking for in a boat.

Some of the additional factors we considered outside of my stereotypical mindset where cost, space, ride, the activities we could perform and maintenance.

When it comes to cost $$…for the most part, a deck boat is more expensive than a pontoon boat. Don’t get me wrong, there are some very luxurious pontoon models that begin to approach a similar price point as a deck boat but in general the price tags are nowhere near the same. The type of engine you choose for either deck or pontoon alone can cost up to 50% of the overall price of the boat so obviously, prices vary among both styles of boats, but in most cases, a deck boat will cost more. When it comes to operational cost which is another expense to consider, pontoons are much more fuel-efficient overall compare to other boat options.
 

How is the ride? Considering my overwhelming negativity toward that slow moving party boat image, ride was one of the key areas I wanted to explore.

The decks of most pontoon boats lay flat across the two pontoons which is great for socializing. The wide hull and spacing between the toons keeps the boat steady in the water, both while moving and sitting still.

When comparing that stable low rock base to the Deck boats you can see an obvious downside. The fiberglass v-hull lends the boat to rock with wind, waves, or movement of the passengers on the boat.

Although these same v-hulls are what allow a deck boat to cut through the water and to accelerate more quickly than traditional pontoons if you plan on fishing or possibly even eating on your boat the rocking may be a real concern.  Generally speaking, because of the different types of hulls, deck boats are better for slicing through the water, but pontoon boats keep you steady, whether you’re in motion or not.

But what if you really want to get moving and have some fun?

With the recent increases in power on pontoon the difference between what you can do on a deck boat compared to a pontoon boat is less and less all the time.
 

Last on the list, maintenance. Now I will be clear this is not necessarily and area I cared about. For me maintenance is best left to the professionals whether it is an oil change on my car or regular maintenance on a boat. However just like you should keep your car clean there are key general tasks to be done when owning any watercraft.
It is essential to keep your boat clean and in working order. This requires effort on both deck and pontoon boats, but the difference here is most noticeable on the hulls. The aluminum pontoons are far easier to clean and maintain than the fiberglass hull of a deck boat, which needs to be wiped down after every day spent on the water. If you don’t wipe the gelcoat meticulously, water spots become ridiculously difficult to remove later. Also if you spill your snacks on a pontoon you can easily maneuver to sweep them up or vacuum where as a deck boat requires a more compact vacuum and sweeping is really not an option.

So which type of boat is right for you? That is a tough question but hopefully the mindset that pontoons are just for elderly people or those who wish to just gracefully float around the lake at a leisurely pace have been dispelled.

Pontoon boats really are the best value on the water and continue to advance, both in style and power, without losing the essential wide-open spaces perfect for entertaining and socializing. Deck boats give you a little less space for socializing, but in many cases will move you through the water faster, even if you have to sacrifice a little stability and keep up a meticulous maintenance regimen.

Pontoon boats may still be the ultimate “party barge,” but these versatile craft have grown far beyond the slow-moving vessel you too may remember from Grandpa’s weekend family cruises. Yes, the core and look remains very much the same — stable pontoons below, topped by plenty of seating, but today’s boats, however, increasingly feature plusher seats and lounges, entertainment centres and even wet bars, along with the latest sound and lighting systems. They perform increasingly comparable to other boats especially with triple-toon models that turn on a dime and have an abundance of horsepower.

Pontoons offer the added bonuses of ease to get into and out of the water with the deck and swim ladder. There are also options for protection against the sun, rain, and mosquitoes with the many canopy configurations. They are a wonderful option for just relaxing and cruising around the lake, but you can also pull tubes or ski and leave others in your wake if you get the right set up and a big enough engine.