Installing a pontoon winch on your boat is all well and good, but if space is at a premium and you don’t want to start drilling holes into your beautiful deck, then a pontoon anchor ledge could be just what you’re looking for.
By mounting a pontoon anchor to a ledge fitted to the aft of your boat, you can benefit from more space on deck, plus no anchor or winch in the way that you, your kids, or passengers can take a nasty trip or stumble over.
Currently there’s only really one product in the pontoon boating industry that fits the bill, and that’s this excellent (and I would say the best) pontoon anchor ledge on Amazon (click to read the reviews and see prices).
Features
Here’s a list of just some of the features and benefits should you decide to buy and install.
- You can you raise and lower your anchor from the console
- There are no ropes or winches for passengers to trip over
- They are powder-coated, making them almost maintenance-free
- It gives you more pontoon deck space
- You don’t have to drill holes into the pontoon deck
Specification
- Ledge platform size: 12.5 inches by 18 inches
- Coating: Heavy duty aluminum alloy with a powder coated finish
It’s the Best Pontoon Anchor Ledge on the Market
For any pontoon boat where you don’t have a wider foredeck platform, or you just need to save on space, this will work really well.
The reviews are something else too, with it being one of the highest rating pontoon boat accessories currently for sale on Amazon. You can see the latest Amazon prices for the ledge online, plus read what other people are saying too.
The product itself is made from aluminum which shouldn’t corrode, plus is coated with a power finish to make it even more robust against salt water and salination corrosion.
It’s very, very sturdy, and will let you drop and raise your anchor with ease, all from the safety of your console.
You will no longer need to pull your anchor out from under the seats or storage and throw it out into the water. Instead you mount the ledge with your anchor system and can happily leave it there all the time.
It’s genuinely a hassle-free product that will be a great time saver, and space saver.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Are you still not sure whether this is right for you? Here are some commonly asked questions that other potential purchasers have asked, with my replies.
Do I Really Need This Ledge?
If you are thinking about buying an anchor winch for your pontoon boat due to the ease at which you can drop and wind your anchor in, then this is a great product. You can also mount any anchor system on it with ease.
The main reason that pontoon anchor ledges are so popular is the space savings you get.
Rather than drilling holes into your deck (and who wants to do that?) you can have the ledge on the outside of the boat, sat just above one of your pontoon tubes, attached under the deck.
That gives you more deck space to play with, plus means you don’t have any anchors anywhere near where passengers are going to be walking. That gives you the peace of mind in knowing you aren’t’ going to have anybody trip over your anchor or winch leading to a potential injury.
How Strong is it?
Yes, and only this week I’ve seen it in action this week on 22-foot pontoon using an anchor winch set onto the ledge, coupled with a 30-pound mushroom anchor.
It is strong enough to take that weight, and the weight of any standard pontoon anchors and winch systems. I’ve even seen a small kid stand on it with no damage or bending.
How Easy is it to Install and Attach?
You will need to drill some holes into your tube rail under the deck, but those holes won’t be visible.
Total installation time should take no longer than 30 minutes, and you can watch a tutorial video lower down the page.
Does it Mount on the Rear or Front?
Most pontoon boat designs have forward pontoons, which extend out further than the rear. That means the rear (aft) is the best position (read this location guide), as you can then lower and raise anchor easily.
In addition to that, the aft of your pontoon is the optimum place for your anchor system position, and this ledge is designed to be installed to that position. It’s out of the way, out of sight, and out of mind most of the time.
Will it Fit on My Pontoon Boat?
The pontoon anchor ledge has been designed to work with any brand and model of boat.
As long as you have some gaps above your tubes under the deck, you can slide it in and bolt it on to the rails on top of the tubes.
It bolts in an upright position behind the skirting.
Installing Your Pontoon Anchor Ledge
The manufacturer has put together an excellent installation video guide, which is probably one of the easiest pontoon boat tutorials I have ever seen. Watch the one below, and you won’t even need to refer to the instructions.
It Should Take Around 30 Minutes
Installing this pontoon anchor ledge should take no longer than 30 minutes, plus 11 minutes to watch the video above.
When you open up the box there’s a warranty card inside, specifying the guarantee length, plus more importantly, the instructions.
Watch the entire video to see how you do it, but essentially you will be bolting everything together yourself to create the ledge. There aren’t many parts involved, and I would say that anyone could do this. It’s simple.
Once the anchor ledge is built, you move onto attaching it to your pontoon.
You simply slide it above your tubes and then bolt it in place.
You simply slide it into brackets (the openings that you see) above the pontoon tube rail, underneath the boat’s deck. When it has been slotted in, you need to secure it temporarily in place using clamps, and then will have to drill and bolt it to the pontoon rails.
Test it out to make sure that it’s not moving, and that’s it. Watch the entire video for the full installation details, which is just over 11 minutes long.
Handy Hint: You can also read reviews of the best electric anchor winches if you are thinking about upgrading your model this year.
(Image header credit unknown, found via a Facebook share.)
