Whether it’s the 4th of July or you just want to fly the flag proud, nothing says patriotism more than having the Stars and Stripes on your pontoon boat.
I’ve gone through a couple of pirate and American flags on my own pontoon boat in the last few seasons, as they can get wear and tear, but have finally settled on what I believe to be the best quality ones which works best whilst out on the water.
You’ve got a few different options here.
Either buy an American flag by itself and then mount it using an existing pole holder, or buy a complete kit with mounting hardware and a flag included. Here are the best choices I have found on the pontoon boat market.
Taylor Made American Pontoon Flag (Standalone)
If you simply want an American flag just by itself, then you can buy a high quality one on Amazon manufactured by Taylor Made who are renowned for their excellent pontoon accessories. It’s made in the USA, and is designed from durable fade-resistant nylon, making it ideal for boating in the sun.
To see this marine-grade American flag for a pontoon boat, look at the latest Amazon prices.
It won’t come with a pole or any clips though, so take a look at the option below if you want everything you need in one easy package.
Taylor Made Pontoon Marine Flag & Mount Kit
For a really simple solution, take a look at this kit from Taylor Made. It includes the high-quality Star and Stripes flag shown above, but also comes with all you need to get up and running on any pontoon boat configuration.
This is the one that I am currently using and you can read the excellent Amazon reviews from other boat owners by clicking here: Taylor Made Pontoon Marine Flag and Mount Kit.
You can buy it in a variety of sizes, it comes complete with the flag, flag clips, angled top mount base, and is made from stainless steel so it shouldn’t corrode.
Each pole comes with all the mounting and fasteners you need and all you need to then do is decide which is the best spot on your pontoon where you want to mount it.
The great thing about this kit is that you don’t just have to fly the American flag from your pontoon boat. You can attach anything to it such as a pirate flag instead or pirate steering wheel flag, providing the flag has grommet holes in to thread it onto the pole.
I am over the moon with this American flag set for our pontoon and spent a lot of time deciding whether to buy the smaller version at 24 inches or to opt for the 30 inches one. Having settled on the thirty incher it was a great decision as it is very visible and can be seen from so far away.
I am not particularly great at DIY jobs but had it up and running in under 10 minutes on the rails with no hassle at all, once I had found the best position to fly from.
The lakes I boat on tend to get very windy with some very rough water, and this flag works just great for me. There’s a little bit of wobbling in the pole, but otherwise it holds fast and sticks tight.
The quality of the American flag is superb as it’s been embroidered rather than screen-printed like a lot of them are with double stitching.
Pros
- Simple to mount and should take no more than 10 minutes
- Comes with quick release buttons on the base for easy take down
- Flag quality is very good and looks expensive
Cons
- As of yet there honestly are none
Best Pirate Flag for a Pontoon Boat
The pirate flag that we fly from our Bennington pontoon is polyester and so far has been weather resistant after being used for two seasons.
The one that we purchased was this pirate flag Amazon. The brass grommets are compatible with our Taylor Made pole holder, so I can raise the American flag, or switch it out for a more nautical feel with this pirate flag when desired.
You could always buy two flag pole kits and fly both at the same time if you really want to make a statement.
Need Help with Mounting and Set-Up?
If you already own an American flag and want to mount it to your pontoon boat into a flag pole holder, then there are kits that are ways in which you can do so.
This guide isn’t about mounting, but if you do need help with that and aren’t sure how to position your flag and get it set-up properly, take a look at this flag mounting guide which has some awesome ideas.
How About an American Flag Captain T-Shirt?
Don’t let the patriotic flavor stop just there though. If you really want to make a statement on the 4th of July, or anytime other for that matter, then you can also buy American flag t-shirts on Amazon.
Take a look at this one on Amazon by clicking here. It’s great for grandpa’s who like to be in charge of their pontoon, and I look forward to the day when I have grandkids and can wear something like this myself.
What Other Pontooners Say
I also had some discussions with other pontooners about how they fly the Star and Stripes US flag, and here’s a selection of the comments that they came back with.
“I’ve also been looking for an American Flag to put on the pontoon. Amazon used to only sell small ones, but now you can go big, so that’s where I am going to buy mine from.”
“I bought mine from Walmart as they sell a three by five-foot flag. My husband attached it to a small PVC pipe with small zip ties through holes he drilled into the PVC pipe. He then attached the slightly larger PVC pipe to the ski rack using 2 small hose clamps.”
“We do something similar with the US flag with ¾-inch PVC conduit clamped to the water ski bar as flag post holder then have a ½ inch metal conduit as the post. Slides right in and stays in, slides back out easy for storage.”
“I bought an American flag for $40 at Home Depot. It’s a nylon flag with an aluminum pole and tangle free attachments. Not as good as the Taylor Made model but does suit us just fine.”
“Just a reminder, if flying the American flag with any other flag, the American flag should be on the starboard side.”
“The best way to mount an American flag on a pontoon is to use an anchor light mounted to the top of your Bimini. We use two plastic clips to attach to the pole. It keeps it high and, in the wind, very well.”
“You want to fly an American flag on the pontoon? I’ve seen kits that have the flag and pole included that will mount to your rails. I’ve also seen people attach flags to white 360-degree navigation light pole on top.”
“We always fly our American Flag at half-mast on our pontoon boat in honor and remembrance of our soldiers and sailors that lost their lives here in Chattanooga Tennessee. God bless America!”
“Just ordered a 12 x 18-inch US flag for the pontoon. Does anyone know where I can get a 2-footer. 3 feet is just a little big for my taste on this one. But a 2-footer would be great.”
