Enjoying a boat is easy, but finding one that will offer what you need for a long time is harder to do. That is unless you know exactly what kind of boat you need. Finding a deal is certainly a plus, but will it serve you well in the long run? Pontoon boats might be more useful to you than you realize. 

And they’re becoming popular. As people are discovering ways to socialize outdoors, pontoons are an ideal gathering space. In fact, pontoon boats were originally designed for families to use for fishing or swimming. 

What is a pontoon boat?

Basically, a pontoon boat is a large deck structure that sits on two or three hollow, airtight tubes called pontoons. They allow the boat to glide along the water at a relaxed speed. Most can travel up to 35 mph, but some are even speedier. 

These vessels are larger than fishing boats or speed boats because they were originally designed to hold groups of people and not just one or two individuals. Often, a pontoon boat comes with seating for guests and a steering area to control the boat. 

Pontoon boats come in various sizes. You can typically find them from 15 to 30 feet long. With that amount of space, you can use them for fishing, partying, or swimming with a group of people.

What sets them apart from other types of boats?

Pontoon boats are spacious, so you can have more storage space for whatever you need for your day’s excursion. You can store your fishing rods, live bait, lunch buckets, blankets, water tubes, and towels for a day of fishing, sunbathing or swimming. 

And thanks to its larger size, you can fit more people on it, usually around 10 individuals, Hagadone Marine Group reports. Whether you’re with your family, co-workers, or friends, you’ll have more space to hang out together on the same boat instead of taking several vessels that hold only a few people. 

Pontoon boats generally last much longer than other kinds of boats. They don’t need upgrading as often, and they’re not difficult to maintain either. However, you can customize one easily if you want to add more LED lighting, seating options, or sound system speakers. 

Kinds of pontoon boats

As far as entertaining pontoon boats go, one of the more popular models is the Tahoe 2485 LTZ Quad Lounge, Boating reports. This vessel comes with a Mercury 150 FourStroke Outboard, a decent motor that can hit a top speed of 38 mph and accelerate from 0 to 30 mph in 7.6 seconds. Plus, this motor is relatively quiet, so it doesn’t make conversations difficult. 

If you want more thrills, the Sylvan Mirage X3 CLZ will deliver. This pontoon boat comes with a 250-hp Yamaha motor that can go up to 46 mph. It can also travel from 0 to 30 mph in a jaw-dropping five seconds. Conversations will be harder at the higher speeds, but you won’t have any problems when cruising at lower ones. 

Another great pontoon boat for parties is the Starcraft CX 23 DL Bar. It offers a galley for serving your food and drinks. It also has storage lockers to stow your fishing rods or other equipment for a day of swimming or relaxing on a water tube. If you need more room to hang out and relax, you can fold the galley away to reveal a lounge area. 

Pontoon boats offer more space and carry more people than typical motorboats. They’re great for events like birthday parties or simply for a group of friends spending a day together on the lake.