The truth about submarining a pontoon.

[Socal Pat]

OK, I've been mulling over my options and like the idea of a pontoon. I have been talking it up with some guys at work and one told me he was against them because they so easily submarine. I said "only if you don't use it right" and he told me the guys at the boat dock at Big Bear Lake in Ca. say they have to rescue folks regularly. Now maybe they are exagerating to keep the tourists on the straight and narrow, but It got me to re-thinking this pontoon thing. I'd be using it in pretty windy conditions from time to time. So what's the real deal on smaller (14-16foot) pontoons?

 

[cribber]

Re: The truth about submarining a pontoon.

As long as you don't overdrive your pontoon for the conditions, you can weather choppy water better than most bowriders.

 

[boatmor]

Re: The truth about submarining a pontoon.

There is one word for the info you have been getting "Bullsh-t". A pontoon boat CAN'T submarine on it's own, the operator has to cause it through improper operation. Also submarining by a pontoon boat is HARMLESS unless it causes someone to go overboard. That and someone falling down is the only harm it can cause. When a pontoon boat submarines it HAS to come back up, it can't do otherwise. Most folks get excited and don't get the throttle pulled back quick enough which keeps the front of the boat stuck in the water for a little longer which causes NO harm. Submarining is not a consideration when contemplating the purchase of a pontoon boat.
I consider a pontoon boat the safest type boat made.

 

[boatmor]

Re: The truth about submarining a pontoon.

I'm an old coot that likes to mess with boats and I LOVE rough water. I have never found a boat type that handles rough water better than a pontoon boat. I am NOT talking about the Great Lakes or salt water.
I have owned a lot of pontoon boats the last two years and I have taken them to the lake on the windiest, roughest days I could and tried them at every speed in every direction and very seldom got any water on deck. I was on the boats by myself so they weren't heavily loaded. Overloading boats causes lots of problems so if you are heavily loaded be more watchful.

 

[boatmor]

Re: The truth about submarining a pontoon.

S Pat you need to buy a pontoon boat for what you are going to use it for. My favorite boat for cruising around was a 28 footer, while my favorite for fishing was an 18 footer because it was more maneuverable. The secret to any boat is keeping it as high in the water as possible so the longer the boat the more load it can carry and still perform decently.
People have the mistaken idea that if they want to stay with a small engine they need to stay with a small boat. That is not so. The longer the boat the less water it draws for any given load and is easier to push. A 40 horse motor will do better on a 24 ft boat than it will on an 18 footer carrying the same load. I had an 88 hp Evinrude on my 28 footer and it ran 34 mph. I switched the same motor over to the 18 footer and only ran in the mid to upper 20's. That's why 3 log boats handle so well. You have more flotation which keeps the boat floating on top of the water. Also of utmost importance is the diameter of your logs. All the newer boats use larger logs than they used to. The old boats used 19 inch logs which couldn't carry a load so they operated with most of the log under water which caused them to be very sluggish.

 

[shaeleblanc]

Re: The truth about submarining a pontoon.

i have submarined mine 2 times once on accident my father inlaw got out the throttle to quick and back in it with alot of weight on the front... it did nothing but get the floor wet. the second time i did it on purpose to mess with some people on the front of the boat. not the smartest thing i have done. my pontoon runs the bay just as smooth as my bay boat but i wouldnt dre take it in anything over about a 2-3 ft chop. it fished the salt bays nice also

 

[5150abf]

Re: The truth about submarining a pontoon.

A pontoon is a semi wave peircing hull so it goes thru wave rather than over them like a mono hull which is why they ride so smooth.

On a smaller toon like a 16 you have limited flotation and have to pay attention to loading so if you have too much weight up front you can get them to submarine just like any other boat.

But no pontoons are very safe boats if used correctly.

I work for Bennington and we have made @ 50,000 boats over the last 13 years and I have never heard of anyone complain about that.

I had a 28' copmpany boat out and got water to come over the bow but I was screwing around when I did it, full throttle tight turn then cut the throttle, but I was also going across the lake in 3' chop at 40 mph and it never came close to doing anyhting close to scary.

So no, that isn't a problem as long as you use your head and the boat correctly.

 

[hvachillbilly]

Re: The truth about submarining a pontoon.

big bear is not that big of a lake i does get choppy but i have a 21 ft suntracker on lake mead which is much rougher water and as long as it is driven right i have only submarined two or three times i got the deck wet thats about it pop out the water and kept on chugging along

 

[cuzzx]

Re: The truth about submarining a pontoon.

In my ten years of pontooning I did this one time. Trust me you will remember.

What I did was run to fast to close behind a larger boat hitting its wake crossways. The front end went under and the toon rear lifted up enough for the items and small children to shift forward. Nothing and no one fell out.

But it did give me something to think about. To this day.

Like anything, watch what your doing.

 

[Socal Pat]

Re: The truth about submarining a pontoon.

Interesting input guys. I really like alot of the aspects of a toon, but having my camping gear on board and having water wash accross the deck might be less than optimal. I don't like sleeping in a wet sleeping bag in 26* weather. Yes I camp in the Sierra mountains in October each year.

 

[dodger11]

Re: The truth about submarining a pontoon.

I am not real sure I really want to boat in 26 degree temps, & wet bags are not an option in any weather for me. I can and do camp in much colder weather. Is that the only way you can get to where you want to go?

 

[Socal Pat]

Re: The truth about submarining a pontoon.

Yup, no roads to the back of these lakes and too much gear to pack in on foot. It's only 26 at night. Gets up to 40 in the daytime.

 

[cribber]

Re: The truth about submarining a pontoon.

40 is still cold to us Florida peeps no matter what the time of year!!

 

[Plumberbutt]

Re: The truth about submarining a pontoon.

I have done this once and it is something you won't forget. It was my own fault as we had less than capacity for the number of people, but we all weighed MORE than what the capacity limit was and we went in good, but then it popped right back up. As far as submarining goes, I believe it is just operator error when or if it ever happens.

 

[artistwood]

Re: The truth about submarining a pontoon.

Pack your gear in dry bags (always a good idea), don't load the boat front heavy and enjoy the 26* weather. My folks owned a 27 footer about 30 years ago and my favorite past tiime was to take it out in the whitecaps on a hot day. When it got too hot, do a hard left, circle around and hit the waves from behind, chop the throttle on the down side and voila......instant air conditioning!

Even when fully loaded and in rough water, a person would really have to work at it to put the front under. Most of the time it will happen when you're running too fast for conditions.....did i mention that i love whitecaps?
We bought a 28' party hut last year to restore and i can't wait to go "submarining".

As far as I'm concerned, for inland lakes (not the great ones), NOTHING beats a pontoon for safety and fun...

Think of it a 20 some feet of stress relief with a built in water park...