Ask a Dealer: Looking To Purchase a Pontoon Boat? Here Are 5 Important Considerations
By Greg Dicks, Ward’s Marine
There are many types of pontoon boats available today. Some are designed for leisurely cruising, while others are built for racing. If you are looking for a pontoon boat, you should consider some important things before buying. In this blog, we are going to cover 5 important things you should consider before purchasing.
1) Size and Capacity Considerations
One of the first things you need to consider when purchasing a pontoon boat is the size. Are you hitting the water with a couple of buddies for some fishing or are you looking to bring your children, family, and friends for a fun day on the water?
Pontoon boats come in many different sizes. The standard sizes vary from 18 feet to 26 feet long. These are the best-selling sizes in Canada.
At Ward’s Marine, we carry Princecraft Pontoons and you will find an array of different pontoon sizes to fit your needs.
But, don’t just look at the overall length to determine the size of the pontoon you want to purchase. Depending on the make and model of the boat, they will all have different floor plans and seating arrangements.
Ask your dealer to take a look at the floorplan to make sure the layout is to your liking.
You can use this tool to compare Princecraft models.
2) Brand
The next thing you need to consider is the brand of the pontoon. Just like cars, depending on the brand and manufacturer, they will come with different layouts, features and specifications.
A standard across most brands and models of pontoons is their ability to hold a larger amount of people compared to your standard boat. This is a given.
But some key differences you’ll find comparing brands are their price, accessories, and motors. The features available for each brand or manufacturer will vary.
Contact us if you need professional help finding the perfect pontoon boat for your needs.
3) New Or Used
This might be the biggest consideration. Deciding on a new or used pontoon boat. This will come down to two things. Your budget and your needs.
If you are a first-time boater and are looking to test the waters (pun intended), you might want to consider a used pontoon. The benefit here is that you will be able to find a boat at a considerably cheaper price compared to buying brand new.
Buying used is also a good option depending on your boating needs. If you know you will only be hitting the water a couple of times a year, you might not want to go brand new as you won’t get your money’s worth out of it.
If price isn’t an issue and you know you’ll be hitting the water every weekend and you want a pontoon boat with all the bells and whistles, buying brand new will be the way to go.
4) Motor
Another important consideration is how much horsepower you want to ride with. Outboard motors today have a wide range.
Outboard motor sizes range from 2.5 horsepower all the way to 600 horsepower
So how do you decide on a motor?
Here are some things to consider. What type of body of water will you be boating on? Will you be on a small smooth lake or a large body of water that is usually choppy?
Another important factor is what you will be using your boat for. If you plan to fish with your pontoon and don’t need much horsepower, you can consider something smaller. But, if you plan to take the kids out for some tubing and want some serious power, you’ll want to look into something larger.
A note, it’s important to know that the length of your boat could have an impact on your motor’s horsepower capacity.
5) Extra Features
The final thing to consider when looking for a pontoon boat is the extra features and options it comes with.
There are many different features and options so we won’t list them all but here are some common ones:
- Material types
- Floorplan styles
- Helm styles
- Horn options
- Windscreens
- Tilt mechanisms
- Furniture + upholstery
- Storage options
- Tops
- Navigation
- L.E.D lights
- Bluetooth
- Fish Finders
