How to Beach a Pontoon Boat

The pontoon boat is an amazing entertaining boat that’s ideal for families. These boats are not only spacious, but they’re also easy to operate and use. Compared to other types of boats, pontoons possess yet another underappreciated advantage: you can beach them on the coast of a remote island or locale so you can explore the new location, have a picnic, or even camp overnight! We’ve got the steps to help you get that task accomplished so you can get back to enjoying your day on the water.

A Caveat

Beaching your pontoon boat should never be done without care, and you should be aware that this process can do some cosmetic damage to the pontoons themselves. This is why many pontoon owners don’t really do this until they’ve owned their boats for a few years and suffered a few dings already. But compared to a standard V-hull boat, you don’t have to worry about scratching a gel coat.

Preparation

It’s a good idea to invest in some kind of ramp that you can use to easily walk to shore from your pontoon boat, especially if you’ve got a lot of things to carry or if you have small children with you or people with more limited mobility.

Before you beach a pontoon on a piece of coastline, you should wade around the area to make sure that it’s free of large rocks or other obstacles that could damage your pontoon boat. It’s best to beach your pontoon in an area that you’re already familiar with.

Approach

As you come towards a shoreline, have your passengers move towards the stern (rear) of your boat so that the bow (front) isn’t as heavy. Trim your engine up until the propeller takes in some air and lower the trim back down about three inches. Once you’ve gotten to pretty shallow waters, you should turn off the engine so your boat can drift towards shore.

Pull Your Boat

Now you and potentially a few of your passengers should get out and pull the pontoon boat onto the shore manually. It’s a good idea to make sure that you can easily walk in the water; you don’t want to have to swim and push your pontoon boat!

Anchors Aweigh

Once you’ve settled the bow on the shore, you should set an anchor or secure your boat to a sturdy dock or tree with a rope. Multiple anchors aren’t a bad idea. You don’t want your boat to drift away while you’re relaxing on the beach!

Stop by our dealership in Seneca, SC, today to view our selection of new and used pontoon boats for sale. We can even provide you with financing options on your purchase. JC Sports serves our South Carolina customers in Greenville and Anderson.