Over the last few years I’ve learned a lot about pontoon boats. Not just through owning one myself, but also through all the feedback I’ve received from other owners who read Pontoonopedia.
It’s fair to say I’ve developed and picked up a lot of pontoon boat hacks that can save you time, money, effort, and headaches.
And to save you the trouble of having to search the blog for the best pontoon boat hacks I’ve published, I decided to put the most popular ones in this one handy guide.
The best pontoon boat hacks
Below you can find cleaning hacks, storage hacks, DIY hacks, money saving hacks and more… all of which you can start using today to get the best from your pontoon boat.
Money saving hacks
Get more money when selling your pontoon boat
Read how you can prepare a used pontoon for sale and get more money from the buyer.
Tips for buying a used pontoon boat
But what about if you’re buying a pontoon boat? These hacks will help you get the most boat for your money and not get ripped off by the seller.
Save money on fuel with a caddy
Don’t pay premium prices at the dock when you can fill up caddies at a lower price.
Use less fuel with better gas consumption
Read these tips on how you can use less fuel when out on your pontoon boat. Hacks include some that you probably haven’t heard before.
Get a cheap capacity plate replacement
Has your capacity plate gone missing? Don’t pay over the odds as I’ve found a place that does them at rock bottom prices.
Hacks to prevent your trailer getting stolen
This is one of my most popular guides and gives you loads of different ways in which you can protect your boat trailer from scumbag thieves.
Cleaning hacks
Don’t we all just hate the green stuff? It’s hard to remove as well. Don’t fret, as this guide will give you some hacks on how to remove stubborn algae from your tubes.
Remove vinyl decals the easy way
Vinyl decals are one of the hardest things to remove the sides of your pontoon boat. Read this guide with tips on how to do it quickly and easily.
How to clean your pontoon with bleach
There are pros and cons to using bleach as a cleaner, and it’s easy to get it wrong and damage your boat. Read these tips on how to do it correctly and cheaply.
Clean mildew off vinyl seating
Mildew is the scourge of pontoon boat owners across the country. It can make your white seats look terrible. No more worries though; here’s how you clean it off the best way.
Remove water spots from your pontoon
Water spots are inevitable. But did you know there’s a good way and a bad way to clean them off? I show you the most effective method using cheap products.
How to clean your pontoon on a trailer
It might sound simple, but it’s really not. Here’s a hack you can use to clean your pontoon boat safely and effectively when it’s trailered up.
You must have heard of this cleaning hack before? But you might have been doing it the wrong way all this time. Here’s how to clean with toiler bowl cleaner correctly.
Seats can get torn, ripped, misshapen, chewed up by critters. Don’t pay a professional thousands of dollars. Instead you can use this DIY pontoon boat hack and save a lot of money.
Remove black streaks from side panels
We’ve all had those nasty black streaks appear. But how can you clean them up properly? Let me show you how in this quick guide.
Storage hacks
Take a look at my ideas for making better use of the space both under your seats and on the deck. You will never be stuck for space again.
Food storage ideas
Keeping your food fresh and free from contamination is essential. Find out how you can keep your guests safe from food poisoning.
Driving and towing hacks
How to park your pontoon in a slip
This is one of the hardest manoeuvres to master as a new pontoon boat owner. Read this guide which some photos showing you how to do it easily and quickly.
Tips for towing a pontoon boat
Getting from A to B needn’t be stressful anymore with this in-depth guide to towing. There are some little-known hacks in this one, so make sure you read it all.
Critter and animal hacks
Animals and critters can cause thousands of dollars’ worth of damage to your pontoon boat. Here’s a list of methods to stop the worst of the critters from destroying your pride and joy this year.
- Stopping rats and rodents getting on your boat
- How to keep otters off your pontoon and dock
- How to keep seagulls of your boat canopy
I’ve also put together some guides for those of you that like to take your dog out on your pontoon boat. Here’s two of the best blog posts in this category.
Party and entertainment hacks
Pontoon boats are designed to party, and you can be the perfect host with this list of pontoon boat party ideas and themes.
How to make pontooning more fun for kids
Keep your children entertained with this huge list of things to do to make the pontoon boat trip more fun. But what about the moody teenagers? Read the next hack for them…
Keeping teenagers entertained on a pontoon
Yes, they can be hard work… but there are some clever ways in which you can make the whole day go a lot smoother with your teens.
Make your own DIY floating boat mat
Why buy an expensive floating mat when you can make your own with some cheap materials? Here’s how you do it, step by step.
Safe tubing tips when towing kids
If your pontoon boat is powerful enough then you simply must start pulling tubes. But, it can be dangerous so read these tips on how to make it safer for kids.
Food hacks
Pontoon boat food ideas and recipes
Stuck for food ideas and recipes for your next pontoon boat party? Worry no more with these easy to prepare foods and recipes – all of which I’ve personally tried.
Make your own floating grill
Yes, you heard that right. Some bright spark made a floating grill for their pontoon boat. Watch the video to see the full hack and method.
Maintenance hacks
And lastly, the best way you can save money is by maintaining your pontoon boat correctly. You simply need to know these maintenance hacks as you will regret it otherwise. Here’s a selection of the best ideas.
- How to prevent pontoon boat electrolysis
- How to remove barnacles from a pontoon boat
- How to store your pontoon if you don’t have a trailer
- How to clean your pontoon’s Bimini top
- How to replace the old carpet on your pontoon boat deck
- How to make a DIY boat cover support system
- How to speed your pontoon boat up
The last word
I hope you’ve enjoyed this selection of the best pontoon boat hacks that I’ve published over the last few years.
If you have any that you would like to share with the wider pontoon boat community then please do contact me on social media so I can update this list with your own valuable hacks.
