There are not too many pontoon boats with bathrooms, and the ones that do tend to be the larger party barges with a dedicated head.
For most of us, we will have to buy a porta potty toilet and then use a pontoon bathroom enclosure which is a bit like a curtain hung underneath a Bimini.
In this guide I will start off with my recommendation for a portable toilet so you can create your own on-board bathroom set-up. You might also need a pontoon bathroom enclosure that you can buy and retrospectively fit. There are two options, hanging and pop-up versions,
Once you have read through those and decided if there’s a combination to suit your boat, I will then list some of the best pontoon boats with bathrooms if you’re trying to decide what boat you want to buy from new which come with a toilet already installed.
This is what you are going to need:
Table of Contents
1: Pontoon Toilets for the Perfect Bathroom
Let’s start off with the most practical element first, which is the toilet for the bathroom area.
There are literally hundreds to choose from, most of which have been specifically designed for the camping and RV industry, but they work just as well on pontoons – as long as you select the right type.
I’ve got 4 recommendations here, with the first in the list being the portable toilet I use in my pontoon bathroom set-up.
#1: Camco Portable Travel Toilet
- Price: Low (view prices on Amazon)
- Capacity: 3 gallon holding tank is detachable; 2.5 gallon flush tank
- Weight: 8 pounds
- Seat Width: 13 inches
- Dimensions: 5″ high x 14″ wide x 16″ deep
- Warranty: 1 year
How Well Does It Flush?
This is virtually the same size as the toilet you would get in your own home, meaning it should “almost” feel like home when you use it.
A superb portable toilet, it uses bellow-type flush. All that means is that you have a pull-out lever that opens a small trap door to drop the waste down into the holding tank.
Is it Easy to Clean?
Yes, and that’s all done with some latches on the side which hold the waste tank on. You can remove the waste tank with a couple of clicks and then pour the waste out using a cap on the rear.
It’s simple, and you don’t have to carry the whole toilet to do so, you just carry the tank away.
Additional Information
It’s a really sturdy pontoon bathroom choice, with almost zero wobbles when you sit down on it. You feel secure when sat down, and it can take even the larger posteriors like my own!
It also has some sealed valve locks which mean all the smells will stay trapped inside, and you won’t get any leakage.
#2: Palm Springs Portable Toilet
- Price: Low (view prices on Amazon)
- Capacity: 3 gallon holding tank is detachable; 5 gallon flush tank
- Weight: 75 pounds
- Seat Width: 13 inches
- Dimensions: 5″ high x 13.5″ wide x 12″ deep
- Warranty: 1 year
How Well Does It Flush?
The Palm Springs flushes in exactly the same way as your home toilet does, so it’s probably a really good option for young kids, as they won’t need to figure out any new flushing methods. It’s as easy as pulling the lever.
Your passengers should definitely feel at home on this, just like they’re in their own bathroom… almost.
The name Palm Springs conjures up images of luxury, and whilst you can never be 100% luxurious on a pontoon boat toilet, this goes some way to offering the most comfort of all the other listed here.
Is it Easy to Clean?
Just like the Camco, the bottom half is the waste tank which you can remove and then transfer to a dump station at your local marina.
Additional Information
It’s one of the lightest and most portable bathrooms on this list.
Constructed from high-density polyethylene, it also has a sealed drain valve to keep smells and leaks in and can be packed down really compactly for easy carrying to and from your pontoon boat.
#3: SereneLife Portable Toilet
- Price: Mid-Range (view prices on Amazon)
- Capacity: 3 gallon holding tank is detachable; 3.2 gallon flush tank
- Weight: 14 pounds
- Seat Width: 14 inches
- Dimensions: 9″ high x 14.6″ wide x 16.5″ deep
- Warranty: 3 years
How Well Does It Flush?
It has a 3-way pistol flush. Sounds fancy, but what it means is that you benefit from a splash-free rotating pour spout, and a piston pump flush that will get rid of even the largest deposits.
This is a premium product, that has the most comfortable seat of all.
Is it Easy to Clean?
This is a higher-end bathroom for sure and comes with a water tank level indicator, so you know when it’s time to empty it.
Unlike the other toilets, this uses odor-resistant materials to help to keep the smells from becoming a problem.
Additional Information
This portable pontoon bathroom comes with its own carry case. You can transfer the toilet to and from your boat with ease and leave the cover on when not in use.
It also has the longest warranty with a 3-year guarantee period.
#4: Thetford Porta Potti
- Price: Mid-Range (view prices on Amazon)
- Capacity: 2 gallon holding tank is detachable; 4.2 gallon flush tank
- Weight: 7 pounds
- Seat Width: 16 inches
- Dimensions: 13.4″ high x 16.5″ wide x 15″ deep
- Warranty: 1 years
How Well Does It Flush?
The Thetford also uses a pistol flush system, and you can get a massive 33 flushes whilst the fresh water tank is full – that should hopefully be more than enough for one pontoon boat trip!
Is it Easy to Clean?
There’s a pour-out spout in the toilet which helps to prevent splash backs when you’re emptying it. That’s a nice touch.
Additional Information
Thetford is a very well-regarded name when it comes to portable bathrooms and toilets, with great products used by campers all over the world.
What I like most about this product is the height. At 13 inches high it’s not as tall as the other toilets, so is ideal for a pontoon boat owner with young children. It literally is a portable potty in many respects but is large enough to be used by adults too.
2: Privacy Enclosures
Pontoon Bathroom Enclosure (Hangs Under Bimini)
What you now need to do is create a private area where you can create your own toilet and bathroom set-up. The best way to do this is to take advantage of the Bimini area on smaller pontoons.
You can hang a pontoon bathroom enclosure fabric.
Most dealers will try to see you a manufacturer version, but those can be very expensive, so I would recommend picking up a universal bathroom enclosure from Amazon.
The one that works well on virtually any pontoon is the Privacy Station from Northstar Products which you can see in this photo.
It’s very simple to hang as comes with Velcro straps that connect to the middle bar of your Bimini. It’s very lightweight and can be taken up and down in just seconds.
There’s no need to leave it hanging, you can just pack it back under a seat after each use.
Pontoon Pop-Up Bathroom (Collapses Up and Down)
If you don’t have a Bimini to hang a bathroom enclosure from then the alternative option is a collapsible and pop-up tent type structure. It’s very similar to what you might see on a campsite or on a photo shoot where models need to get changed quickly in privacy.
It’s the Fotodiox portable changing room and works perfectly as a pontoon pop up bathroom.
The only downside to using a pop-up is that they can get buffeted by the wind, so you need to pick and choose the right time to use it.
But if you don’t have a Bimini from which you can hang your bathroom enclosure curtain from, this is the best alternative.
3: Essential Pontoon Bathroom Accessories
Just like at home, there are going to be some essential accessories you need. In fact, I would call these must-haves for your pontoon toilet set-up.
Without these, you’re going to have some very embarrassed passengers on board, and whilst some of these accessories might seem obvious, on more than one occasion I have forgotten to pack these before my boat trip!
Biodegradable & Marine Grade Toilet Paper
Starting with the one that will be most needed, toilet paper. But not just any ordinary toilet paper.
You should use a specialist biodegradable toilet paper, and there’s even a marine-grade product designed for use on boats – view it on Amazon.
Why?
It’s because it won’t block up your tank in the portable toilet unit and are better for the environment should the paper get into the lake or river – which you should take steps to ensure never happens anyway!
Marine Grade Toilet Treatment Capsules
Nobody wants to use a smelly and disgusting looking toilet.
And you also don’t want to run any risks of contamination, bacteria, and other nasties that can develop in and around a bathroom area.
That’s where these drop-in portable toilet treatments can help.
Just drop them into the tank and they will not just take care of nasty odors, but also help to break down waste and tissue.
Absolutely essential.
Waterproof Portable Toilet Storage Bag & Cover
Once your passenger has been to the bathroom, you might want to take everything down.
That’s really easy with the enclosures featured higher up the page, but the actual toilets can be a little cumbersome, not to mention looking ugly.
I have a portable storage bag to keep mine kind of out of sight and out of mind when not being used. The bag and cover I have is the SeaMoment one on Amazon.
It also makes it far easier transporting the bathroom set-up onto my pontoon when at the dock due to the carry handles.
Pontoon Boats with Bathrooms & Toilets
To find a decent pontoon boat with a toilet or bathroom already fitted, you will have to spend a little bit more money than usual, and look for something larger, possibly even with a second upper deck level.
Many of the pontoons with two decks take advantage of the extra space by building an area with a lockable door, the Sun Tracker Party Hut below being a perfect example of that.
Sun Tracker Party Hut 30 Regency Edition
This boat from 2007 takes the typical layout of a pontoon but took things to a whole new level of comfort and amenities. Whilst most pontoon boat bathrooms are simply a portable toilet in a pop-up changing room, this Sun Tracker has two floors.
The Sun Tracker 30 is one of the best known pontoon boat with bathroom options available.
What that means is there’s space for a separate lockable changing room in the head, with its own dedicated bathroom toilet.
I don’t believe Sun Tracker build Party Huts anymore, so you might have to look on the used market to find the best deal for you.
For more information, visit the Sun Tracker website.
Harris V270
Harris is one of the leading names in the pontoon boat market, and their V series are very stylish and sleek models, with the V270 coming with a sit-down bathroom section and toilet.
The Harris V270 comes with a recessed toilet room.
The full marine head comes with a pump out toilet, sink, and shower all located and recessed just in front of the helm.
As far as the boat goes, it’s a tritoon with 3 tubes coming in at a very large 27-feet long. That gives enough room for a maximum of 14 passengers, so works great as a party boat. No doubt, there will be some points during the day when someone is going to need to go to the integrated bathroom.
For more information, visit the Harris Boats website.
Southland Mistral
This isn’t the largest pontoon, with a length of between 20 and 24-feet depending on which model you buy, which makes it even more surprising that it comes with a bathroom and toilet option.
The smaller Southland Mistral pontoon boat in action.
But it is optional, so if you really want a pontoon boat with a toilet, you’re going to have to pay Southland a little bit more money (and I don’t have any idea on how much that would be).
If you do opt to have the bathroom and toilet fitted you will get a 10 liter chemical water tank, an 18 liter waste tank, and a chemical toilet with a pump-out mechanism. Kind of like a camping toilet in fact.
For more information, visit the Southland website.
Why You Should Set-Up a Bathroom on Your Pontoon
Not all pontooners are going to need one, I have fishing buddies who don’t even bother. For me though, I do a lot of entertaining with friends and family of all ages.
It has been absolutely essential to have somewhere on board for my passengers to either get changed or go the toilet.
If you are still undecided about whether to fit your pontoon with a bathroom, then here’s are my top 4 reasons get your toilet sorted!
Children
Like anyone with kids I have lived through so many car trips where I’ve suddenly had to find somewhere to stop. Kids will need to go at the most inconvenient of times.
It’s not just about when they need to go the toilet though.
On many of our boating trips we’re in heavily populated lakes, and I would prefer that my kids have somewhere private to get changed in and out of their swimming costumes.
Having a bathroom on my pontoon takes care of both of those scenarios.
Pontoon Parties
Each year I hold a couple of parties, with my most popular being the 4th of July.
At the party I have more guests than usual, and there’s alcohol involved. And we all know what effect alcohol has on your bladder.
My passengers who drink really appreciate having somewhere to go!
Long Boat Trips
On long boat trips it might be some time before you dock or even see land. Having a portable toilet set-up is going to be a necessity.
You can also use the portable pontoon toilet if you are going to be beaching up and then camping for the night.
Medical Reasons
I have an elderly aunt who loves coming on our pontoon a couple of times a year.
She is now in her eighties and I wouldn’t dream of not having somewhere for her to go to the toilet and have the privacy she needs.
It’s even more essential at her age, and she has certain medical complaints which means she needs that type of immediate access at all times.
Conclusion
As I mentioned, there really aren’t that many pontoon boats with bathrooms available to buy, unless you spend big money.
The process of setting up your own bathroom and toilet area is simple though, and for less than $150 dollars you should be able to get set-up in no time with the combination of products shown above.
My last comment on this would be please dispose of your toilet waste properly, and never throw anything over board.
Many marinas and docks will have disposal areas you can use, but if they don’t, please take it home with you and flush it away into the proper sewer system.
That way, our rivers and lakes can stay clean and enjoyable for everybody to use!
