standing on a pontoon boat

[sharpshooter223]

well i just got a pontoon boat a couple nights ago. its not one with a standing bar or anything but i was just wondering, how unstabble do you think one would get if i were to put a piece of wood or something to stand on.

[ron horton]

Sharpshooter, that's what I've done. I tie a piece of plywood across the back of the pontoons and stand with one foot on the plywood and the other on the seat. It's not super stable but works well when you need to sight cast to feeding fish or need a place for your dog to ride along. I have an Outcast with 9' toons. I'll get a photo of my set up loaded for you to see the set up.

[sharpshooter223]

i have a creek company odc sport, i think its 8' long, but if there is anyway to semi-safely stand on it thats great. you know, in case im out away from the dock or ramp and need to bail some fluid onto the shore.

[Kent Lufkin]

I've seen several guys fish standing up on the seats of their 'toons (I'm not talking about the new 'toons with slide-out platforms and fold-over support bars.) Not sure that's something I'd want to try myself since I can't swim!

K

[Tony Mull]

i know that bucks will not sell the standing platform for the bronco if they know you plan to use it on a southfork due to the danger of tipping over end over end. 9' is a minimum for a standing platform as far as the industry is concerned. mounting something on top of the tubes is much less stable than a platform mounted between them at foot level (where it should be). I've seen guys stand on their seats to fish but I would not do it. I have a model with a standing platform and a leaning bar and I really need the bar to be comfortable. especially when you start bending over to land fish or untangle line you need stability. On the other hand I've always had a high center of balance due to my build. Maybe you fireplug types would be perfectly comfortable. For me it would not be worth the risk.

[theworm]

I've done it once to relieve myself. I didn't fall in or anything, but once is enough for me. My buddy is quite good at it, but it is still comical. I have seen him a relieving himself and getting fish on. Talk about gettting caught with his pants down.

[Jerry Daschofsky]

I've used alot of boats, and can say it's just not a good idea to try and stand up in a full rocker hulled boat that's under say 12'. Even then, the platform would need to be almost dead center in a 12' boat. They're just not made to stand up in. If you still want to do it, I'd say wear a PFD and don't carry a lot of gear on your person while you're doing it. LOL. Most of the boats that will carry you upright safely while floating will have almost flat tubes with very little rise near the tips. More boat in the water means more stability.

[kodiaksalmon]

Thanks Jerry. I was hoping you'd chime in. I was thinking I was crazy for thinking it a bad idea to stand up in a 9' pontoon, not designed to be stood up in. Hell, I wouldn't want to stand up in anything less than a two-seater.

[scottflycst]

Sharp-
I wouldn't try it until August when the water is warm!:clown:

[sharpshooter223]

water is warm in june in low land lakes over here, what about a board across the width of the pontoon boat right in front of the seat somehow?

[xafisher]

I've tried standing up on the seat of an outcast PAC 800 and it is not stable at all. I wasn't fishing but was looking into pools so the current was slow. I agree with most of the reply's that if the pontoon is not made for standing then you'd be best off not to do it.

[kodiaksalmon]

water is warm in june in low land lakes over here, what about a board across the width of the pontoon boat right in front of the seat somehow?

Try it. All you can do is fall in the water. If I was forced to stand in my pontoon, I'd stand in the seat. The seat should be the centerline of the boat. Stand a little bit to the fore, or aft of that, and you're off-center, and high-centered to boot in an already unstable situation.

[Derek Day]

If you do try it, be sure to have it video taped. But even better than standing on the pontoon, would be dancing on the pontoon. I'd try that. Then please post the video.

Thanks

Derek

[chadk]

OK, not quite standing, but I like to get up on my knees in the seat at times. I kneel backwards in the seat and use the seat back to lean against. I can cast this way if needed, and spot fish better when drifting slower water on the river.

For lake fishing, I bought a swivel seat I plan to install soon and I'll see how that works. I plan to anchor, and get up on my knees and be able to swivel around and cast.

[sharpshooter223]

If you do try it, be sure to have it video taped. But even better than standing on the pontoon, would be dancing on the pontoon. I'd try that. Then please post the video.

Thanks

Derek

i might try that, but i cant say much for my dancing skills

[Mr.E]

I have the ODC Sport and modified a standing platform for it. Mind you, I also stand up on my 13ft sot kayak also. Wear a PFD because you will on occasion be in the drink.It's all about balance my boy!;)
Good luck to you and be safe about it.

[Dustin Bise]

go for it. i used to practice running on upside down whitewater kayaks laid in a row across a lake.

I stand in canoes all the time. I see no reason that a person with a little agility couldnt rig up some sort of standing platform or stand on the seat if its well construcked. on moving water... not such a great idea.

[Kent Lufkin]

. . . For lake fishing, I bought a swivel seat I plan to install soon and I'll see how that works. I plan to anchor, and get up on my knees and be able to swivel around and cast.

I found a swivel bracket for my seat and have been meaning to try that for some time. Please let me know how yours works out Chad.

K

[Joe Fitzpatrick]

You could always get a Dave Scadden boat. http://www.northforkoutdoors.com/

I love my Skykomish Sunrise and at 10 1/2 feet, it's super stable to stand on the casting platform. Plus, it rolls under your seat when your not using it. The only bad thing, is that it's not a cheap pontoon. I got mine through Cabelas for $999 about a year ago.

Love it though and it's rated for Class IV-V whitewater.

[Mark Ritari]

I was standing on the seat of my pontoon fishing for gulpers on hebgen, and my buddy saw me and attempted to try the same thing, and went over the back side of the pontoon, lost the anchor, and a piece of the frame. Funniest damn thing i ever saw. There might of been some beer involved.