TipsandTricksforOutfittingaPontoonBoatLeeAnnRoss,BendOR

Rods

Thesidebagseasilyholdtworods.IputtherodsonmyleftsidebagasIcastrighthanded.BesuretoputtherodsinwiththereelupsothattheVelcrostrapcanholdtherodsecurelyinthebag.(IhaveaSageOnerodatthebottomoftheDeschutesRiverastestamenttonotsecuringtherodproperly).

AdditionalRods

WhenIlakefish,Itakeanarsenalofsixrods.Thefouradditionalrodsareplacedinmymilkcrate.DaveScaddenmadetherodholderontheleftfromPVCpipeusingabandsaworatablesaw.Nothavingthatequipmentavailable,Imadetheotherthreeoutofpolypropyleneflangedtailpipeusedinsinks.Iwasabletocuttheslotsusingahacksaw.Besuretocuttheslotwideenough.IpaintedtherodholdersusingBlackFusionforPlasticspraypaint.Iscrewedthemintothemilkcratesecuringthemwithself-tighteningnutssoIwouldn’tcutmyfingersontheprotrudingboltsasIreachintothecrate.Iputapieceoffoambehindtherodsoitdoesn’tbangaroundinthewaves.

EmergencyRodHolder

Whenyouneedtoputyourroddownyoucanwedgeitintotheseatstrap.Thisholdstherodsecurelywhileyoufiddlewithtackleoreatlunch.

Anchor

IuseaScottyanchormountsystem.Youcangettheadaptertostrapitaroundapontoonoryoucanmountitonthemotormount.Thereisarightandwrongwaytoattachthemount.Astheanchortrolleydropsintothemount,youneedtospinit180degreessothatitdropsdownandsecuresitselfsoitwon’tpullout.Figurethatoutbeforeyoumountthebracket.

Aftermanyfalsestarts,Iuse3/8inch,50footlengthofropethatIpurchasedatAceHardwareformyanchorrope.Itispolypropylene,itfloatsanditissupple.3/8inchisaboutthickestdiameterthatIcangetthroughtheScottyanchortrolley.Thelargerdiameteriseasieronone’shandswhenretrievingtherope.

IhaveusedboththepyramidanchorandthespikyanchorandIvastlypreferthespikyanchor.Itholdswellandreleasesfromthebottomeasily.Ifindthatthepyramidanchorimpalesitselfintoalakebottomandcanbeextremelyhardtodislodge.Ihavealsohadtocutoffapyramidanchorthatgotwedgedintotherocksonariver.Ifindthata12poundspikyanchorsholdswellevenonextremelywindydaysonalake.

Ikeeptheropeinaboxthatisusedtoholdacarbattery.Thatwaytheropedoesn’tallfallinthewaterofftheflatdeckoftheFuzion.Idrilledholesinthebottomoftheboxtodrainthewater.

IfIforgetmyanchor,IjustputarockinthestrapbelowandIhaveanemergencyanchorfortheday.Thegizmoisinmysidepocket.

Battery

Abatteryforatrollingmotorneedstobeadeepcyclebatteryasonepullspowerfromitcontinuallyasopposedtoastartingmotorforacar.Withinthedeepcyclecategory,therearebasicallytwochoices.Thelargesizemarinedeepcyclelookslikeacarbatteryandweighs50poundsormore.Thealternativeisthetypeofdeepcyclebatterythatwouldbeusedforanelectricwheelchair.Thesebatteriesareabouthalfthesizeandweighabout23pounds.IuseaMightyMax12volt35ahSLAbatterythatIgotonAmazon.IhavetwoofthemsothatonecanberechargingduringthedaywhenIamcamping.IputbothofthemontheboatifIwanttogoreallyfar.

BatteryCase

Tocarrythebattery,IputitinalunchboxthatIfoundatWalmart.Ithasaplasticinserttheperfectlyfitsthebattery.ItisanOzarkTraillunchbox.Ifounditinthesportinggoodssection.

Motor

TherearetwotypesofMinnkotamotorsappropriateforpontoonboat,theEnduraC2andtheEnduraMax.TheEnduraC2hasfivepresetspeeds,theEnduraMaxallowsforvariablespeedcontrol.AccordingtotheMinnkotawebsite,“motorswithdigitalmaximizersprovideuptofivetimelongerruntimeonasinglechargebydrawingonlyasmuchpowerasneededsotheydon’twasteanyenergy.”ThesmallestEnduraMaxisa40poundthrustmodelwhilethesmallestEncduraC2is30.TheMaxstartat$220andtheC2startsat$110.

Icutofftheendconnectorsandputonalligatorclipsthatmakeitmucheasiertoattachthemotortothebattery.Ialsoputalligatorclipsonthefishfindercabletoattachthatcabletothebattery.

MotorMount

WhenyouputthemotormountonthePredator,Escape,Renegade,Rampageorsimilarboats,youhavetoattachittoaDring.Bystrappingonadogleashclip,youdon’thavetostrapthemotormounttotheDringseachtime.Justclipitin.

OutlawXPulleys

IhadareallyhardtimebringuptheanchoronmyOutlawX5soIincreasedthesizeofthepulleysandrantheanchorlineoutsideoftheframe.Iusedthreepulleys.

Seat

Onwindydays,thewavescancrashintotheseatareaontheFuzion.Onhotsummerdays,thisisnotanissue.InNovember,itgetsreallycold.Ihavetakenaboatfloatcushionandputitinadrybagandslippeditundertheseattoraisetheseatafewinches.

AttachingtheSideBags

IttakesawhiletoattachthesidebagsthroughthefourDrings.IjustaddedanothercliptotheextrastrappingfromtheseatandIjustattachthebagtothatclip,thusnotneedingtorunthestrapsthroughtheDringsatall.

HitchPinsfortheFootBar

Ifindthatthehitchpinsattractmyflylineandthatthelinekeepsgettinghunguponthehitchpins.IreplacedthemwiththekeyringsandIgethungupfarlessoften.Ineedtofindastainlesssteelone.

Binoculars

Icarryasmallpairofbinocularstoseewhattheotherboatsaredoingonthelakes,tofindmybuddiesacrossthelakeandtocheckouttheinsects.

FlyPatch

IgluedasmallflypatchontheboattoholdthefliesasIchangethemthroughouttheday.

Nets

AttachyourlandingnettooneoftheDringssoitwon’tfloataway.

Carryasmallaquariumnetsoyoucanscoopupthebugsonthewaterandseewhattheyare.

BoatNumbers

InOregonyouhavetoregisteryourpontoonboatifyouuseamotornomatterwhatsizetheboatis.IputmynumbersonapieceofplasticthatIhadcutatalocalplasticcompany.TheyaresizedsothattheyfitinmysidepocketswhenIamnotusingthem.Inordertohangthemoffthesidebags,IusedanailtopunchacoupleofholesinthetopofthesidebagsataseamandIinsertedaziptietomakealooptohangthelicenseboardfrom.

FishFinder

IuseaHumminbirdPiranhamax4withdownimaging.Thereareamillionfishfinderstochoosefrom.Insteadofplacingthemountthatcamewiththefishfinderontheboat,Ijustslipthefishfinderintothecupholderonthesidebag.Itworksanditisonelessitemmountedonthedeckoftheboatforthelinetocatchon.Iputalligatorclipsonthewirethatgoestothebatterytomakeiteasiertoattach.OnceIattachedthetransducertothebottomofthemotor,Itapedthewiresontheshaft.

Steering

Steeringtheboatwiththeelectricmotorrunningcanbefrustratingbutthereareafewtricks.Iputoneofthefins(skeg)onthebottomofmyboatfortracking.Ialsoleavetheoarsinthewaterasthatassistswithtracking.Onecansteertheboatbymovingone’sfinsleftorrightasyoumotoralong.

Paddles

Ihavereplacedmystockaluminumoarswithkayakoars.Iorderedtwokayakpaddles.OnceIputthemtogether,Icutoffoneofthepaddlestomakeanoaroutofthepaddle.Usingthestockoarasaguide,Ithendrilledaholefortheoarpinatthesamedistancefromtheendoftheoartotheholeonthestockoar.IhadafriendusehisdrillpresssothatIwouldgetaholethatisexactly180degreetotheoarblade.Makesuretheholeisintherightplace,ifitisoffbyevenalittlebititwillnotrowwell.

Ithinkthekayakoarsrowmoreefficiently.IcarrythestockoarsasspareswhenIfloattherivers.OnmyPredator,Ijustslidtheextraoarinunderthesidepocketstraps.

IhavealsoreinforcedtheoarpinholewithFiberFixasIbrokeoneoftheseoarsonarivertriponceanditwasn’tprettyasIdidn’thaveaspareoar.InowcarryFiberFixinmysidebag.Thewebsiteiswww.fiberfixnow.com.

Ifyoudobreakanoar,youcanunscrewtheotheroneanduseitasakayakpaddle.Thatwillatleastgetyoutothenextboatramp.

OarsandOarGrips

IpurchasedCarlisleMagicMysticPolykayakpaddlesfromAmazonforabout$50buttherearelotsofotherchoices.I’dorderthelongestoneyoucangetasyoucanalwayscutthemdown.Youwillneedoargripsfortheendofthehandlesonceyoucutthekayakpaddle.IfoundsomeatWalmartandWholesaleMarine.

Pumps

Thereareatonofchoices.Mostpontoonboatscomewitheitheradoubleactionhandpumporfootpump.Iuseacoupleofotheroptions.IcarryaK-Pump200withmeontheboatwhenIfloattherivers.Worksgreat,smallandcompact,maderighthereinOregon.Theyhaveseveralmodelstochoosefrom.

PumpingaboatupfromscratchwithaK-pumpcantakesometimesoIamfondoftheBravoHigh-Pressure12voltpump.Youcanblowupapontoonboatinaflashwiththispumpandyoucangetitsupertight.ItisavailablefromNRS.Greatforpumpingupallyourbuddies’boatsattheboatramp.

MaxPump

IfoundaninterestinglittlepumponIndiegogocalledtheMaxPump.Youcanfinditathttps://www.indiegogo.com/projects/max-pump-best-outdoor-tool-enjoy-your-leisure-time-technology/x/14604329#/.ItissmallerthanthesizeofabeercanandisrechargedviaaUSB.Whileitisnotahighpressurepump,itwillpumptheboatuptoabout90%fullmeaningyouonlyhavetohandpumptherest.Youcanalsouseittodeflateitems.ItisavailableonAmazonasFlextailLightPumpforabout$30.Superforbackpacking.

CarryingtheBoat

Theeasiestwaytocarrytheboatistoputitonyourshoulders.

Miscellaneous

Shoes

IcarryapairofwatershoesbigenoughtofitwhenwearingmywaderssothatifIhavetowalksomewhereIamnotruiningmywaderfeet.

TowRope

Icarryatowropetotowmyfriendswhodon’thavemotorsortoretrievemyownboat.Ididnotanchormyboatproperlyatnightandafterahighwindstorm,Iwokeupthenextdaytofindmyboatfloatinghalfwayacrossthelake.Asuperniceguyinamotorboattookmeouttoretrieveitandtowitback.MyraftingfriendstellmeIreallyshouldbeusinghigherqualitycarabineers.

Bungee

Iuseabungeetokeepmyseatfromflappinginthewindwhentheboatisonthetopofthecar.

MiscellaneousBoatItems

Therearealotofmiscellaneousboatitemsthatonecangettomakeone’slifeeasierbuttheycanbehardtofind.IhavehadprettygoodluckfindingsuchitemsviatheChinesewebsitealiexpress.com.Youcanaddthediskintheupperlefttocreatealongerorshorterreachforyourfootbar.Hereisasamplingofitems:

Leaks

Thevalvetendstoloosenovertime.MostofthetimeIhavealeakitisatthevalve.Usethevalvewrenchshownabovetotightenit.Countthenumberofsectionsinyourvalvetoseeifyouneeda6or8sprocketwrench.

StoringaBoat

Welackstoragespacesowehangourboatsfromtheceiling.WeuseelectriccarwinchesthatwegotfromHarborFreight.Theyareoftenonsaleforabout$50.