Can i use my pontoon boat in saltwater

Hull compartments have drains with silicone-sealed nylon plugs that can be opened to drain accumulated moisture. Can All Boats Go In Saltwater.

Tips for Pontoon Boating on Saltwater.

Can i use my pontoon boat in saltwater. Can pontoon boats be used in saltwater. Yes you can ride your pontoon boat in saltwater bodies but its not recommended you take it in the ocean. Living in New Smyrna Beach were quite familiar with the dilemma of wanting to use your pontoon in the ocean.

Where Can You Use a Saltwater Pontoon Boat. Firstly pontoon boats are not designed to be used in open and rough ocean waters. It can be very dangerous and Ive highlighted the potential issues elsewhere on Pontoonopedia.

But you can still use them in the ocean and saltwater but need to handle the boat a lot differently. However to minimize the effects of saltwater on our Pontoon the following preparation and maintenance should be followed. If you plan to use your boat in saltwater all portions of the boat that will be submerged should be painted with an approved aluminum anti-fouling paint.

Pontoon boats are not made for saltwater use but this does not mean you cannot use them in saltwater if you take proper precautions. The aluminum must be properly protected against galvanic corrosion. Turbulent ocean saltwater swell will prove dangerous to a pontoon boat so you must stay close to shore and only venture out in optimal weather.

That said you might be surprised to hear that pontoon boats are more flexible than ever and can be used in salt water regardless of their metal construction. Another misconception about pontoons in saltwater regions is that they cannot handle the. Tips for Pontoon Boating on Saltwater.

As pontoon boats evolved from somewhat crude slow-speed platforms initially suited only to small lakes into sleek and capable powerboats more and more boaters began taking them on salt water. This is great and Bennington heartily approves as long as you keep these factors in mind to operate safely and keep. Do pontoon boats hold up well in saltwater.

I have a 1988 20 ft toon. Boat all over Florida never have had a problem. Shakehide is a good item to keep it looking good.

I just hose mine down after use. The toons are now dull and stained but with a 22 year old boat you kind of expect it. Anyone considering purchasing an aluminum tracker or using one in salt water needs to take note of the following experience.

I have used my boat in salt water 6 times and have cleaned it thoroughly after each use. Heres an update from my message board post on 53002 regarding the corrosion on my 2000 TV-18 Tracker. If yours is painted mild steel you can you should rinse it as soon as possible after launching or loading your boat.

The thing to keep in mind is that a week isnt going to hurt the boat at all and nothing will get wet in use in the saltwater that wont get rinsed right off in use as soon as you take it back out into the freshwater. Can All Boats Go In Saltwater. Not all boats are built for saltwater.

While freshwater boats will float on saltwater their flat hull design makes them susceptible to waves and the highly saline water degrades the hull and propulsion system. It might be hard. Fiesta a Florida pontoon builder that bills its boats as built for use in salt water isolates hardware and stainless-steel bolts from the aluminum with nylon washers.

Hull compartments have drains with silicone-sealed nylon plugs that can be opened to drain accumulated moisture. Yes you would be hard pressed to outrun a storm with a pontoon boat. Pontoons are great in the rivers and Intercoastal canal.

Load up the family and the dogs and head down the San Benard river to the Gulf. Young kids and dogs like the open deck of a pontoon and they are great to camp on. A bass boat is capable of going in saltwater but its best to keep your bass boat in freshwater because many components of your boats system were not designed for the corrosive nature of saltwater boating.

The bottom line is I would NEVER take a bass boat into saltwater and definitely out into the ocean. Finally before you decide to take your pontoon boat out into brackish or sea water be aware of the terms of the pontoon boat manufacturers warranty. Fiesta a Florida pontoon builder that bills its boats as built for use in salt water isolates hardware and stainless-steel bolts from the aluminum with nylon washers.

Hull compartments have drains with silicone-sealed nylon plugs that can be opened to drain accumulated moisture. Lastly not all pontoons are built equally and not any pontoon can handle saltwater just as well as the next one. Your boat needs to have the adequate horsepower in order to withstand ocean waves anything with 150 HP or more should be good.

Pontoons with larger tubes are also better for ocean sailing as they make the boat more stable. Either way as mentioned by others - buy a boat with a saltwater package - no exceptions on that. I would also recommend anti-fouling bottom paint on the toons and anything else that spends time below the waterline - its something you can do yourself or have a boat works marina do at a reasonable cost.

Hope my story helps. You can definitely use a freshwater boat in saltwater - no problem. If you plan on trailering it after each trip you might not need to do any major upgrades or installations.

This can quickly destroy your boat and cause your maintenance bills to pile up so using a pontoon thats painted with special anti-fouling and anti-corrosion paint is critical in saltwater. Luckily this is a modification you can do to your boat after you buy it so you dont need to go out and buy a brand new pontoon just for some. Keep in mind that while in freshwater a manifold can last 10 years or more.

In warm saltwater its lifespan can be as little as 3 to 4 years. Sterndrives often dont tilt out of the water so unless your boat is trailered stored on a lift or in a rack the outdrive lower unit may sit. Yes you can use an aluminum boat in saltwater.

This is the short answer and there is much more to know so lets dig into the details. According to Ed Sherman an education director at the American Boat and Yacht Council Saltwater is hash stuff. He says that saltwater can corrode anything in your boat that comes in contact with it.

Pontoon boats that are used exclusively in saltwater can use zinc sacrificial anodes because they work so well in this type of marine environment. However zinc does not offer protection in freshwater or even in brackish water making it a poor choice for pontoon boats used mostly in inland waters. The reason my boats lasted so well is because I kept it in a boathouse its whole life.

Boat Lifts and boathouses are investments that allows your boat to last longer. Even though were not in saltwater I still prefer to keep my boats dry and out of the water when not in use.