'Value' priced pontoon recommendations

[FLGator]

Have a friend just getting into fly fishing and he's ready to buy a pontoon. However, he's not willing to spend what it takes to get into the boat(s) I recommended. Boat will be used for local moving water and still water day trips and occasionally for an overnighter.

Recommendations?

[chadk]

More specific please. 400-600 gets you a very good entry level boat.

What is 'value' to your buddy?

Check out all the 'costco pontoon boat' threads as well. Some pros and cons with these. A quick scan on ebay shows the same boats going for $200 more than the costco price...

[Kent Lufkin]

Boat will be used . . . occasionally for an overnighter.
Take this simple test: Gather up all the stuff you're likely to need on an overnighter - tent, sleeping bag, pad, cooking gear, cooler, food, case of beer, etc. - you get the idea. Now put all that stuff in a pile then add all your fishing gear.

Now compare the size of that pile with the 'cargo deck' you'll find on low- to mid-priced pontoon boats.

The 'decks' on most of those boats will be barely big enough to hold a medium-sized cooler, let alone the gear it takes for an overnight or multi-night trip.

It's also worth remembering that most bargain 'toons will have a fairly low weight capacity. An average sized guy with all the gear above is likely to be pushing that limit in a hurry, meaning that the boat will be riding pretty low in the water and thus more susceptible to getting wet or into trouble in anything more than Class I water.

K

[FLGator]

I'm pretty certain he'd spend $4-600 no problem.

Kent,
Couldn't agree with you more in regards to "bargain" pontoons which is why I recommended what I did to my bud. However, faced with sticker shock and a family, he's not sure a pontoon is up his alley if he has to spend the kind of money it takes to buy one of the boats I originaly recommended.

[Kent Lufkin]

. . . he's not sure a pontoon is up his alley if he has to spend the kind of money it takes to buy one of the boats I originaly recommended.

You've mentioned the boats you recommended in two different posts but not elaborated. What were they?

K

[FLGator]

Skookum Osprey II or a Watermaster

[clarkbre]

Here's my recommendation:

Craigslist

I bought a 7.5' pontoon, slilghtly used, with a good pump for $100. So far, I've built a back deck for it, and set it up with a good anchor system. I think I've spent $167 total on the whole project and it works great. Have him start looking into used boats and he can buy a lot more for his money.

[troutpocket]

Here's my recommendation:

Craigslist

I bought a 7.5' pontoon, slilghtly used, with a good pump for $100. So far, I've built a back deck for it, and set it up with a good anchor system. I think I've spent $167 total on the whole project and it works great. Have him start looking into used boats and he can buy a lot more for his money.

Absolutely!

I'd definitely try to talk him into looking a used boat that will be safe and functional if he's really thinking about using it on moving water.