Pontoon boat rental gulf shores 36542

Atlanta wooden boat association membership
The purpose of this page is to provide you with enough information about pontoon boats that you can make a satisfactory selection in what is a bewildering choice of boats. If I knew then what I know now and especially if you're on a tight budget like we always seem to be. If yes is the answer things such as a changing room with a porta potti, double biminis with side kits, a grill and sink, plus seating that pulls out to make beds may all be important for you to be happy and satisfied with your pontoon boat purchase. The above floor plans of some various pontoon boat layouts are inserted here as some examples of what is available. If you are considering a new or used pontoon boat there are still a lot of considerations to think about. Composites: In recent years some manufactures have made more composite flooring options available.
Pontoon Design: There are three primary types of pontoon designs used on current pontoon boats. U shaped foam filled pontoons: The advantage of foam filled logs is primarily the inherent safety of a redundant flotation system that it provides. Single Chambered Baffled Round Pontoons: In general round pontoons offer some significant advantages for geometrically a cylinder is the strongest shape that aluminum can be formed into. Round Pontoons with Airtight Individual Chambers: These usually feature at least three often more distinct individual chambers per pontoon.
Pontoon to cross member's attachment: Look over the mounting brackets on top of the pontoon tubes, are they securely welded in place or are they spot welded?
Fence Panels: Is the fencing on the boat of sound design and appear free of any undesirable characteristics that may cause rattling or other annoyances.
Now that all the basic nuts and bolts issues have had some basic coverage, you should have an idea what to look for in quality boat design and hardware for it. But what if a brand new boat really isn't in your budget and you'd still like to have a boat. It's really outstanding to see what was once a real " pig" of a pontoon boat brought back to life and I've observed ones that the trees have literally grown through the decking brought back to nearly new condition. You have to do a real careful evaluation of any used boat you may be considering for purchase. If the boat does show signs of neglect it does not actually mean the boat is worthless, but it may not be worth book value either.
There are a number of places on-line where you can purchase various styles of new furniture for your pontoon boat purchase. Picture of our rebuilt Pontoon Houseboat along with some of our friends on our favorite sandbar on the Muskingum River near Zanesville Oh. Since the publication of this page I've taken the time and effort to write another page Here: Buying a Pontoon Boat that goes into some other factors left out on this page here on boats and motors.
Only a few years ago those buying outboard engines for boats longer than 20 feet had basically one choice: the conventional 2-stroke.
Those who think 2-stroke engines are being phased out for environmental reasons are way off. Ironically, one of the latest revolutions in outboards is the (re)emergence of the 4-stroke engine (the first 4-stroke outboard was built in 1896 and several versions were introduced in the 1960's and 1970's). Volvo-Penta boat engines: Volvo-Penta's new Ocean Series composite out drive system fights corrosion and has greater impact resistance.
MerCruiser boat engines: Conventional, budget-friendly carbureted stern drive motors are known for their cranky cold starting.
Picking an outboard engine with the right amount of horsepower for your boat involves more than checking a boat's capacity plate (for maximum horsepower rating) or referencing the manufacturer's price sheet to find the lowest-priced models.
Finding the sweet spot in engine pricing has a lot to do with boat type; some boats won't benefit much by additional horsepower.
Sterndrive-powered boats are another good example; the manufacturer of a popular 22-foot bowrider equipped with a 300-hp 350 MAG MPI engine estimates a top speed of 52- to 56 mph. We would like to take a moment to thank anyone who have their time to send us some kind and also encouraging emails concerning the development of this site and it's content. All I can pass on to all of you, is this, that we will continue to improve and that we welcome any and all suggestions (anonymous or not).
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By clicking 1 Click Bid, you commit to buy this item from the seller if you're the winning bidder. Also known as "Styled-to-Fit" covers, Styled-to-Fit boat covers are our best selling, most popular category of covers and for good reason. Heavy-duty, tightly woven blend of polyester and cotton with an applied Double water repellent, mildew resistant, UV resistant finish.
Traditional 100% Cotton Oxford weave with an applied water repellent, mildew resistant, UV resistant finish. We normally ship made-to-order boat covers from our warehouse in South Carolina within 3 business days. If you are considering the purchase of a new or used pontoon boat the options, features, size and the number of available models is staggering. With all the new developments in Pontoon technology they can do more than a fair job with the water toys. Whether you are thinking about buying new, or considering used or maybe even thinking of remodeling your existing pontoon it's an important consideration. The decking on a pontoon boat provides several key functions other than just a surface to walk on. Pontoon hull design results in a considerable amount of water spray upon both the cross members and the underside of the deck. Since pontoon boats are most utilized most during the hottest periods of the year the decking is exposed to high temperatures.
There's been a effort to meet customer demand for a decay proof deck material without all the structural drawbacks normally associated with aluminum decking. Aluminum is generally offered as an option to ease customer fears of woods potential to decay. One is the foam filled (U) shaped pontoon, another is the round baffled single chambered pontoon, and then there is the single round pontoon with several airtight individual compartments.
They offer all the efficiently and most of the moat repairable of the above baffled style pontoon. For they absorb the energy and abuse of almost any collision or impact your boat may encounter. A well designed pontoon should have a full length keels securely fastened to the bottom of each one.
For it must support the weight of the motor at all times, even when you're trailering your pontoon boat on a wash boarded country road.
Well you are still a long way from being "boat-less" for there are a lot of used boats available and sometimes real bargains that can be found. And watching the transformation and the satisfaction of the individuals themselves experienced was also a memorial experience. Boats are like used anything else in this world, a person may be contemplating for purchase because of many different ways it may or may not have been taken care of since new. Is the vinyl still pliable and somewhat supple without any rips or tears on any of the seams?
I mean if there's a lot of issues that are apparent that you can readily see how much more life can be expected from them. And should you be anticipating doing a total strip and rebuild of your pontoon take several pictures and measurements before you start the tear-down process. Given time and opportunity I will probability merge them per content matter somewhat but until then click on the link above if you would like to view it.

Notwithstanding Honda's lineup of smaller 4-stroke engines, your basic decision boiled down to color: black (Mercury), white (Johnson), blue (Evinrude), or gray (Yamaha or Suzuki). Thanks to stricter EPA and California Air Resource Board (CARB) rules, manufacturers now produce simple, efficient 2-stroke engines that produce fewer emissions and offer better fuel economy than older models. They make a great choice for almost all types of boats including weight-sensitive flats boats, bass boats, and older fishing boats built before 4-strokes became available. The Mercury OptiMax 2-stroke is very popular with owners of flats and bass boats because of its superior acceleration and light weight.
The largest HPDI is the 300-hp model, and this engine is powerful enough for mid-sized offshore boats to use a single engine instead of more costly twins.
Four-stroke engines have a design known for reliability, fuel economy, and quietude — three pretty good qualities in an outboard. This system, available on the flagship BF225 and new BF150, changes the valve timing at 4,500 rpm, which allows intake valves to stay open longer and permit more fuel to enter the combustion chamber, resulting in an engine that gives you good low-end performance and a real kick at top end. Using a supercharger, which doesn’t require the engine to spool up to deliver boost like a turbocharger, the Verado outboards give you a blast of acceleration at any rpm range unlike any other. Suzuki 4-stroke engines are well-suited for a wide variety of applications from inshore and offshore fishing boats all the way to pontoons. Ocean Series is especially built for those stern drives that see duty in harsh saltwater environments. Owners often have to cajole the choke in an exact manner to get it to fire up, and when it does catch, they have to skillfully work the choke to get it to idle.
The best choice usually lies somewhere in the middle, taking both performance and cost into consideration. The same boat with a 375-hp 496 MAG MPI is estimated to have a top speed of 54- to 59 mph, but costs thousands of dollars more. As many of you have pointed out, there generally isn't any real content at a lot of sites, and there is our real difference.
It's vitally necessary, especially when purchasing new,to put yourself in a boat you'll be happy and satisfied with for a hopefully long time. The rigid deck materials will absorb torsion that would otherwise be entirely transferred to fasteners and other structural components.
The ability of the decking to work as effective heat sink to lower temperatures can vastly improve the comfort of the occupants. The floor covering life and appearance is the key to maintaining an attractive looking appearance. Composites are made largely made of recycled plastic products formed into panels similar in size and thickness of wood. And aluminum does offer peace of mind for the customer and has become a major marketing tool for those manufactures that offer it. Each and every dealer will have a reason or explanation why the style on their perspective boats is the best. The larger the tube is in diameter the more weight it can carry and the more water it can displace.
The airtight chambers should they be hulled only allow water into the individual chamber that received the damage. They need to be made of materials and design, durable and substantial enough to resist damage.
How far apart are the cross members and are they securely fastened to the brackets on top of the pontoons? And the keel design itself should be of sufficiently sound and sturdy enough material to ward off potential damage from underwater obstructions. Is there any additional support, or other features to add additional strength to this critical area? Were spacers installed between deck and railing to allow easy drainage and help reduce the amount of mold and mildew on flooring. If you're in the market for a new boat all that's needed now is to pick out a floor plan that suits your personal needs. There are many suppliers of good to top of the line new furniture for your own pontoon boat odyssey. There's a brand new beautiful Bentley Pontoon that sits in the water under a tree where we boat at, that hasn't seen a cover on it since purchased new for instance. The furniture after all is a value added feature to any boat and if it's not in serviceable condition maybe that's the whole reason they are selling the boat is to avoid spending the money on new furniture themselves. I've found visual references indispensable more often than not, especially if I should become forgetful and can't recall exactly how it was before.
These Honda 4-stroke engines are perfect for those who like to run hard and fast, whether to cover more fishing areas or make it back to the dock with a tournament-winning fish. This is great news for those with oversized outboard-powered saltwater fishing boats growing in popularity with the offshore crowd. Four-strokes can motor along at 1,000 rpm all day without fouling plugs, offer superior fuel economy, operate in virtual silence, and don't produce gagging exhaust fumes, which always cause a problem when fishing downwind. MerCruiser uses turn-key-starting (TKS) to give inexpensive carbureted units the same easy start characteristics of EFI models.
Generally speaking, if you exclude the smallest engines available and very upper tier, careful scrutiny reveals which engines offer the best bang for your buck. With a 90-hp 4-stroke engine it runs at 13.9 mph at 4,000 rpm (a typical cruising speed), while a less expensive 60-hp 4-stroke of the same make pushes it at 13 mph at 4,000 rpm. The best source of engine information can come from your boat dealer or boat manufacturer, but you have to ask for it.
Just jot a line or two about it in your email and we will attempt to follow it up and expand it for you, if you'd like us to.
If you reside in an EU member state besides UK, import VAT on this purchase is not recoverable. Our backrest construction starts with a Roto-Cast Plastic solid frame, which is secured to our bases with stainless steel screws.
Quality construction with good durable materials is essential for long term satisfaction of your purchase. You'd be surprised how many people are letting go of their "go fast" boats and buying the more performance oriented Pontoon models that are available on the market now.
Unfortunately if one size boat and motor and one floor plan fit everyone needs these choices would not be so difficult to start with. But some of our best times and cherished memories on the water has involved an unexpected boatload of passengers. Boats can and do depreciate at a pace that can exceed the payment book that comes with it, so please put yourself in one that suits you and your needs. While screws will work for this application, bolts are superior in every way for this purpose. For maximum life of the flooring the underlayment or deck must have a smooth level surface with as few seams as possible. However when considering some of the desirable characteristics described earlier, aluminum does indeed have some shortcomings to consider as a deck material.
But a better definition of the best could be a lower cost of production, more efficient to operate, easier to repair if necessary, or maybe even the safest. Many manufactures also use a thinner gauge material because the foam inserted within reduces or prevents canning that would usually occur with the thin walled U shape. Though replacement corner casting can generally be found (but not always) and replaced without too much effort.
Are the cross members of good strong structural design and strength for the stress they'll be subjected to?
Then find a good dealer with a decent reputation of taking care of his customers, and handles the manufacturer of your choice you may be good to go. Any floor plan available on a new boat can be duplicated in the remodel of your boat, plus the fact that it's an opportunity to make your own unique boat floor plan. It really won't require any special tools that most any homeowner wouldn't have or need sometime anyway and a person can save thousands in comparison to new costs. All that can really be said in this case is he's letting his investment depreciate at a alarming rate and any book value wouldn't reflect it's real value after such neglect. Give all this careful evaluation as to whether it's serviceable and usable in its present condition. If the vinyl is no longer supple and is well faded it's probably getting to the brittle point where it will rip and or tear out at seams easily and near the point of failing.
So why shouldn't you use it as a value added to attempt to get a better buy on the boat for yourself?

Besides with the ease and use of digital cameras today I can't think of a reason a person wouldn't desire to take detailed photos of the project. You may even have a hard time choosing — every manufacturer produces clean-burning, fuel-efficient 2-stroke engines and 4-stroke engines capable of handling a wide range of activities. Two-stroke engines also continue to become more bulletproof (as evidenced by warranties that rival 4-strokes) and are far quieter than conventional 2-strokes, in some cases coming very close to 4-stroke noise levels. However, new models use some high-tech innovations for improved engine performance that rivals 2-strokes. Larger flats boats and bigger bass boats can take advantage of the Verado’s stealthy sound signature and still get the kick in the seat of the pants they need for getting out of the hole quickly. Instead of a traditional aluminum outer housing, Volvo-Penta uses a vinyl ester compound impervious to the ravages of saltwater.
MerCruiser also has a new clutch design on its Alpha and Bravo outdrives for silky smooth shifting rivaling electronic shifters in ease of use. 5” marine foam is used on the backrest roll and center insert cushion, plus a wedged 5 to 3” seat cushion for superior comfort and support and the wedge cushion diverts water off seating to prevent pooling on vinyl again helping to eliminate mold and rot.
Remember the most expensive and unsatisfactory pontoon you can buy is one that does not fit your intended uses or needs. But the thing all Pontoons still retain is the ability to take a nice slow relaxing ride with all your friends when you want to. So what I'm trying to say is, if there's any doubt give serious consideration to the larger side.
Many places will try to high pressure a person to purchase one they have on their lot but I encourage you to either look elsewhere or special order the one that's going to put a smile on your face. I'd urge everyone to actually crawl under the pontoons and see for themselves that there are adequate cross members between pontoons and how the flooring is fastened to them for this is that important.
Therefore with seams minimized there are less occurrences of panel shifting which can wear carpet backing and loosen adhesives and significantly shorten the life of the flooring. The inserted foam flotation makes it difficult to use baffles in the pontoons so they are not generally used which will also lower costs of manufacturing. At the bottom of each baffle there is a void or pass-through purposely left in place which allows them to pressurize equally throughout.
However this may be the most labor intensive design to produce and manufacture and often reflects accordingly. The same can't be said for the side rails if you can manage to locate them in a like replacement design. The first order of business though is to thoroughly inspect the existing flooring and floor covering to see if there's a few years of life left to them. Thankfully most owners can and do take exceptional care of their investment and in some instances they are really can be worth more than what book values states. Next thing I'd suggest doing is taking a permanent marker and mark key pieces as to their location before you remove them.
One of the most wide-spread upgrades is to the fuel-delivery system, and many models now sport electronic fuel injection (EFI) rather than carburetion. Freshwater anglers with smaller boats like a new innovation called Variable Trolling Speed (VTS) that allows those with Yamaha 4-stokes from 50- to 90 hp to adjust their trolling speed in increments of 50 rpm. It also uses a high-tech bonding agent that's a two-part epoxy, in effect making the two housing halves one piece (other outdrive systems bolt parts together, creating a potential path for water intrusion). Tests show that the new system reduces NVH (noise, vibration, and harshness) by 70- to 85% from previous models and will make procedures such as docking and close-quarters maneuvering much easier for boaters. We use high quality marine grade vinyl that is formulated to be mildew resistant and contain the necessary Ultra Violet (UV) additives to meet or surpass industry standards. So I guess the thing now is to try to figure what size pontoon will fit your needs best and understand these recommendations will be suggestions at best.
This can and often is the difference of a good quality long lasting investment or just another pontoon boat. With all these thoughts in mind you may better evaluate the various deck materials that are available. To compensate this most manufactures lay aluminum in sections of pieces six to eight inches wide. Other disadvantages of the U shaped pontoons are the fact that they are generally fairly narrow in width. Many pontoons of this design also have a drain plug at the back rear bottom to allow drainage of condensation or accumulated water. The only real drawback to this design is should there be water infiltration into the pontoon. And there is kind of an upside to this even if it's all in horrendous condition, and it's the fact that the boat could be a diamond in the rough and therefore a great bargain. Matter of fact sometimes it's almost an envy to observe how carefree a good time is had on some pretty rough looking pontoons.
There are telltale signs to look for that will help reveal some of signs of neglect of ownership. If the bases are constructed of wood do a careful check of all parameters along floor for potential rot from too much exposure to moisture. Or maybe you're the type to just throw some beach towels on it a use it for years and that's your decision if you should decide to purchase it. And on items such as the rub rails you may want to mark where specific things were for future reference also. VTS gives you the ability to back troll with total precision, whether it’s to hold your boat steady over a hot spot in the wind or current, or slowly work a contour. As an added bonus, Ocean Series weighs 20% less than a conventional drive, has 30 percent fewer parts, and is less expensive to build. However the later composites panel decking has fiberglass reinforcement that has corrected these concerns. Like any organic material if it's left untreated it will have poor survivability in a wet marine environment. The width of the pontoon has a direct affect on how it will displace the water and therefore how high above the water it will float. The repair-ability of this style pontoon is simplified by the fact that once drained it is a relatively simple routine welding repair. The only way to remove or drain it is through a usually small plug at the top of the individual affected chamber usually by siphoning though small hose.
Then apply some actual sweat equity and elbow grease and you've created your own unique custom pontoon boat platform that you can be proud of. But when you've put your family and friends on a floating living room even if it's outfitted with resin chairs it's still a primary ingredient for a wonderful day on the water. Such as where the pre-existing hole was under the console for control cables and electrical wires for instance.
Therefore you should be certain that a good grade of marine plywood was used in the construction of your boat.
The narrower pontoons along with the additional weight of the foam results in the pontoons that are sitting lower in the water. The downside of this design however is should you hull a pontoon you'll accumulate water along the entire length of the pontoon. With the twisting and racking a boat of this design is subjected to, all of this is a real consideration for a sound, solid, and secure pontoon boat. Knowing and marking all such items well and beforehand will take so much of the frustration out of the project, and make the entire job a more enjoyable memorable maybe even a pleasant experience for you.
All the additional seams also result in an increase of stress and wear on the carpet over time. The additional draft of the pontoons results in more drag and can reduce fuel economy and increased occurrences of hitting underwater obstructions.And should you ever hull the boat and take in water and it remains there over time the foam has a tendency to absorb it and becomes waterlogged.
The baffles somewhat limit water accumulation because each section pressurizes individually until it disallows any more water infiltration. But there are many people who feel that the prospects of no decay over ride all the negative aspects of this material.
Though most pontoons have a drain plug on each pontoon to drain accumulated condensation and water intrusion it also means you have to remove the boat from the water. And finally should you ever need to repair a hulled pontoon the most common and best repair, welding is very difficult to achieve because of the inserted insulation and associated heat from the process.

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