10 Common Problems With Pontoon Boats + Solutions
Pontoon boats have the lowest cost of ownership and the most versatility of any boat you can buy. And for the most part, you probably won’t run into problems if you get your pontoon serviced regularly, buy a quality boat from a reputable manufacturer, and take care of your investment.
But no boat is perfect.
While there are tons of upsides to owning a pontoon boat, these are the downsides. And it’s what you need to know before owning a pontoon boat.
10 Common Problems With Pontoon Boats
These are the 10 most common problems with pontoon boats and solutions, too.
Exposure Issues With Pontoon Boats
Pontoon boats are relatively maintenance free. They are easy to clean and have mostly vinyl interiors.
But if you leave them out in the sun and rain without a cover, the vinyl will deteriorate and become discolored quickly. During summer in Arizona, you have to keep your pontoon covered or at least under shade. If you don’t, the vinyl will fade, crack, and become discolored.
Something you may not think about is pollen. An uncovered pontoon boat will catch pollen floating around in the air. In Arizona, there is a lot of pollen in the spring and it will get stuck in small places on your pontoon. This can lead to some strange growths around your boat.
Ways To Avoid Exposure Issues
Pressure wash your pontoon boat regularly to reduce pollen build up and growth
Cover your boat with a good-fitting pontoon cover
Clean often with mild detergent and vinyl cleaner
Pontoon Boat Depreciation
Pontoon boats are the lowest depreciation of any boat market segment. This makes owning them very inexpensive. But high dollar pontoons depreciate faster than low dollar pontoons. \
A low-cost pontoon will depreciate much slower than a high-cost pontoon. Ultra-luxury pontoon boats depreciate the same way a luxury car does. While they are fun, they do not hold their value as well as moderate or low cost pontoon boats. But in the end, boat ownership is mostly about fun anyway.
Docking Difficulties
A pontoon boat is an easy boat to drive. But it can be a little tricky when docking because of its shape. Wind is the biggest factor. If a big breeze comes up on its large side, you’ll get blown off course. It is also harder to make drift in and out of parallel parking when docking along a shore wall. So docking a pontoon takes a little more practice than other types of boats.
Slower Boat Speed
When they were first created, pontoon boats had very small pontoons to keep them afloat. They were essentially torpedoes you could drive through the water. Now, they’re much larger in diameter and come with lifting strakes to make them sit higher, plane better, and go faster.
Modern pontoon boats that are built with large diameter pontoons, tritoons, and lifting strakes, usually come with a decent motor and have high horsepower. These are fast boats.
Small diameter pontoon boats with low horsepower are usually quite slow. You may not mind this. It’s fun to just cruise along without going too fast. Just make sure to take the boat out for a test drive before buying so you know if the speed is right for you.
Complicated Lifting and Trailering
Pontoon boats are very narrow in between the pontoons. This makes it difficult to lift them with the usual heavy equipment at the marina. You run the risk of having the equipment slide up in between the pontoons. If they are crooked, the inside of the pontoons will get scraped. They won’t be damaged so much you need to get it repaired, but there will be scratches.
Since pontoons are very long and the weight is uneven, picking them up with a forklift is tricky. If the balance point is at the end of the forks, almost all the weight is placed on that one crossmember. Make sure you have an experienced forklift driver to move your pontoon.
You may need to get a scissor trailer to safely transport your pontoon boat. It depends on the size of you boat. To trailer and transport it safely, your pontoon needs to be in the right position on the trailer. Not too far forward or back.
Rough Water Safety
Pontoons are safer than other types of boats. And they are very, very difficult (if not impossible!) to sink. This is especially true of newer pontoons with a large diameter and tritoons. They feel very buoyant and very stable.
But when you head into a crosswind, and the waves are coming at an angle to the bow, you will get a lot of spray up and over the boat in rough conditions. You’ll be safe, but wet.
Leaks
Having a leaky pontoon can happen for a few reasons. It can be something preventable or a defect in manufacturing. The good news is, new pontoon boats are built to prevent sinking by having the toon sectioned off. This isolates it and prevents it from becoming completely filled with water and capsizing.
The most common reasons for leaks are:
Production line error during manufacturing
Hitting something while driving and not realizing there is damage
The risk of having leaks can be detected before you buy. Look at the seams of the boat. There shouldn’t be any separation between welding. Some manufacturers actively look for leaks before the boat leaves production. They do this by connecting an air hose to a valve in the toons and checking for air leaks.
Toon Discoloration
Aluminum toons oxidize in the water and if you keep your boat in a wet slip. This happens much faster in a wet slip than a dry slip. Discoloration from oxidation is largely unavoidable, but you can buy some products to help slow down oxidation.
Ask our service department or your marina about treatments to prevent oxidation on pontoon boats.
Overloading
Since pontoons can fit so many people, it’s easy to forget that there is a max capacity. Add too much weight and some rough water and you’re going to have some serious problems. Know the max capacity of your pontoon boat and honor it. Don’t forget your full cooler, lots of ice, and that lovely bar you installed aftermarket are heavy too.
Broken Electronics
Since most pontoon boats have all of their electronics packed into one device, it’s not uncommon to have them go out. It could be a dead battery, spotty speakers, or problems with the speedometer. Prevent this by protecting your electronics and having them evaluated by a technician regularly.
Final Thoughts
Pontoon boats are one of the best boats for Arizona lakes because of their good value and maximum fun. They're usually a very good purchase. Knowing common problems for pontoon boats upfront will help you reduce negative effects from them. Check out inventory for your new or used pontoon boat here.