Pontoon boats are a popular choice with people who are looking for a flexible leisure craft. They are not specifically designed for one activity. Instead, they can be used to have a quiet day relaxing on the lake, followed by a day fishing and a day water skiing.

Different types of pontoon boat are best suited to particular activities, so it’s always worth reading online reviews before you buy.

It’s not just young families who use pontoon boats these days, even old timer skippers are starting to choose them now due to the steady casting platform for fishing they offer – plus the ability that they have to easily slip into shallow waters.

Genuinely, there are few boats on the market that give you the serious angling potential of a pontoon boat. As a shallow-draft boat, you can get into those coves where the big fish tend to lurk.

It’s the unique pontoon design that lets them adapt easily to the quiet and shallow backwaters found in lakes and rivers and is just one reason why they are so popular in the United States.

Understanding Pontoon Boat Draft and Its Impact on Shallow Water Navigation

A pontoon’s boat draft is vital for navigating shallow waters effectively. Draft refers to the vertical distance between the waterline and the boat’s lowest point. It shows how much of the boat is underwater and is measured in inches or feet. Assessing draft helps determine a boat’s suitability for shallow water activities like fishing and swimming.

Pontoon boats have shallow drafts, typically 1 to 2 feet, enabling easy access to shallow waters. The design, featuring two or more pontoons (long tubes), provides buoyancy and stability, contributing to a shallower draft. These pontoons create a larger surface area, distributing the boat’s weight and allowing it to float higher.

Draft directly affects a pontoon boat’s ability to navigate shallow waters, as it determines the minimum water depth required for the boat to stay afloat without grounding. A lower draft allows the boat to access more shallow water areas, making it ideal for boaters who frequent shallow waters. In contrast, a boat with a deeper draft may be restricted to deeper waters due to the risk of running aground in shallow areas.

Understanding a pontoon boat’s draft is crucial for maximizing shallow-water capabilities. Knowing how draft is measured and its impact on navigating shallow waters helps boaters make informed decisions when selecting or modifying their pontoon boats to meet their needs and preferences.

In most cases, this shallow-draft design and aluminium construction lets you run your pontoon boat ashore for a quick beach picnic very easily.

How Shallow Will a Pontoon Boat Float Before Getting Damaged?

Now what follows is a guide to how I run my own pontoon in shallow waters. It won’t be the same for everyone, but I wanted to give you a real-world example of how people might handle a pontoon in shallower waters without getting anything damaged.

The bottom line is that as far as navigational depth goes, it will be different from boat to boat, and could even depend on how determined you are to access a shallow area in your pontoon.

My own pontoon boat will safely travel without getting damaged or hitting anything if there is around 2 feet of real depth. Where you might find problems is in skinny water as there can be some hazards that you don’t get to see which could damage the prop and motor’s lower unit.

As a general rule of thumb, I won’t go anywhere near shallow water where the depth is less than three feet, and always ensure I have some room for error.

Now to clarify, my prop only sits at around 4 inches underneath my pontoons, so I feel comfortable as long as I have at least a foot of water under them. But this based on my usual areas where it’s sandy, and there are no obstructions or man-made hazards.

I have a prop guard that works really well in low and shallow water. What I do it tilt the engine up so that there is still water coming through the engine. It acts a little bit like a jet-drive as it throws the sand kicked up and away from my water intake.

That’s where my prop guard shines in low water, I can tilt the engine up, so I still have water going through the engine and it will act like a jet drive and will throw the sand kicked up away from the water intake.

Handling a Pontoon Boat Safely in Shallow Water

Let’s start by looking at some general tips for making sure you handle your boat safely.

Depending on how you are using your boat for different activities, you will probably encounter different depths of water along the way.

Shallow waters can be common if you are cruising along a river. But, how shallow can you take a pontoon boat, and what should you do to ensure that you are safe?

These are actions you should take, no matter how deep the water is.

  • Make sure that you are fully aware of your surroundings as you leave the dock
  • First point the drive unit, then shift
  • Apply power in short bursts, re-directing the drive in-between
  • Once the craft is in open water, trim the engine
  • Do not be hasty when applying power; smooth and slow is the best option
  • Always check your surroundings before you change direction
  • Turn smoothly and slowly

These actions are very important if you want to be safe while handling a pontoon boat. It is almost unknown of them to sink, but what should you do when handing your boat in shallow water?

How to Check the Water You are Traveling On

The first thing you need to do is to make yourself aware of the water you are traveling on. It’s worth investing in a depth finder, so that you can tell how deep it is. It’s not a good idea to take your boat into an area of water which suddenly becomes shallow. This can be a hazardous thing to do.

Handy Hint: To check the depth of the water you are in, you can use a fish finder or depth finder. My recommendations can be found in the pontoon gear section.

You can also check for changes to the color of the water; especially those that happen suddenly. On most occasions, darker colors will be an indicator of deeper water.

Knowledge of your pontoon boat’s draft is useful. This number is the measurement of how much of the craft is under the water. It helps you to be aware of how much water is needed to accommodate your boat. Most pontoon boats have a low draft which means they can be used in shallow waters more easily than other boats.

Taking Your Pontoon Boat into Shallow Water

Many pontoon boat owners stick to using their craft on lakes, where they know the water is a reasonable depth. But you could be missing out on some fantastic river experiences if you do this. You get to see changing scenery, and meet a variety of people, on your journey.

As I mentioned, pontoon boats are better suited to shallow waters than some other craft. This means that you should safely be able to navigate different depths in a river, as long as you are careful.

The first thing to say is that the depth of water needed varies slightly, depending on which type of pontoon boat you are handling. You should pay attention to the draft of your boat and make careful and slow progress if you are not used to judging depths.

It’s often possible for an average pontoon to be safely navigated through water that is two feet in depth. But, this can be a risky process as there may be unexpected hazards in the water which could cause damage to the motor of your boat. It’s a good idea to give yourself some leeway and stick to water that is at least three feet deep.

One thing to consider though is traffic on the river. If you need to give another boat a wide berth, be careful to avoid the very shallow water near the bank which might be at a tight incline.

The Importance of Trimming the Motor

Trimming the motor of pontoon boat is a good idea if you are navigating shallow water. But, always make sure that enough of the motor is in the water to enable you to control the boat, and to ensure that the motor remains cool.

Trimming a motor usually means that the trim locks are released. This is a big help if you encounter any underwater hazards. The motor is not locked down so it can swing away from the hazard instead of suffering solid impact.

No matter what actions you take, you can never take an area of water for granted.

Rivers and lakes change with the seasons; so where there may have been no hazards on one trip, there could be some next time.

You need to pay attention to the water all of the time, especially if you are navigating a shallow area.

Not doing so could mean that you hit a hazard, causing extensive (and expensive) damage to your boat.

If you want to take breaks from controlling the boat, make sure you have other people on-board who are qualified to help out.