Imagine the marine breeze, the serenity of the ocean, and the endless water reflecting the sunlight – it’s a perfect day on the water! The nautical season has just began and everyone is excited to launch their boats to explore coastal beauties, to feel the adrenaline of water skiing, to relax fishing or enjoy the sun and good drinks with friends and family.
No matter what you have in mind, the pontoon boat is the perfect alternative to normal skiing or fishing boats. Pontoon boats’ main features include large deck space that can be filled with living room-like couches, sunbathing lounges and swivel seats to sit back and enjoy the fresh breeze or the sunset. Pontoon boats can be either economic and have smaller engines offering a slow ride, or equipped with stronger engines providing the necessary speed for skiing and tubing.
When it comes to pontoon boats sizes, the general guidelines concerning the number of people that fit in are:
- 2-6 people = 18’ to 20’ boat
- 6-10 people = 22’ to 24’ boat
- 10+ people = 25’ boat or larger.
Also the engine size depends on your purposes and the boats size:
- On the 18’ to 22’ pontoon boats it is recommended a 60+ HP engine for pulling skiers, but also a minimum of 40 HP engine will do for just cruising.
- On 24’ pontoon boats, a 50+ HP engine is useful for pulling toys or cruising and 75HP for pulling skiers.
- On the larger 28’ boats, it is advisable to have at least a 50HP engine for cruising and pulling toys and 80HP for water skiers.
The main advantage of the pontoon boats in general is their price; they are the cheapest boats per square foot, and provide limitless customization possibilities. If you want speed, you can have a pontoon boat with a 220 horse power engine and 3 pontoons under the deck.
The inflatable pontoon boat is designed to comfortably and quietly take you to fish biting areas, and can be used for river rapids as well. Similar to a decked out canoe, this type of boat can hold 2-3 people, but unlike a canoe, the pontoon boat has an engine that powers it helping you get easier to a long distance place on your favorite lake or stream. Their increased popularity among fishermen is due to the fact that pontoon boats are small and fit into tight places on rivers and streams, that in a normal size boat, you may not be able to reach them. Despite their small size, they are versatile and extremely stable, and can usually hold a large amount of weight.
The motorized deck pontoons have 2 to 3 cylinder shaped pontoons attached to the deck determining the boat’s floatability and making it almost impossible to sink. Most motorized pontoon boats are made out of aluminum due to the fact that this metal is very light and will avoid rusting. The size of this type of pontoon boat depends on the number of the people you consider bringing on board and on the activities you have in mind. It can range from 16-28 foot in length and could fit in 6- 15 people depending on its size.
The motorized deck pontoon boats provide enhanced safety, having railings around the flat shaped boat, to prevent people, and especially children from falling over board. These boats are designed mainly for lakes and canals cruising, and they are not recommended to take to the ocean, as any waves above the bow of the boat can crash it.
If you’re living in a coastal city though and are looking to cruise the ocean, you should pay us a visit at the Freedom Boat Club of Portsmouth. You’ll get to experience the joy of boating with faster, sports boats that can get you where you need in record times. If you’re looking to get to your favorite fishing spot, or just go shopping in the New Hampshire area, or any other close coastal states, this is the place for you!
