Anyone here own a boat, or know a lot about boats?

mcmxi

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Talking with my friend whose grandparents have that really nice pontoon, he mentioned the challenges of trailering and launching/recovering pontoon boats. His grandparent's boat sits in the water all summer long but he said that they're not the easiest to move and put in/out of the water. I don't know if that comment is based on experience or conjecture. The salesman said the opposite i.e. that they're easy in every way if you line the boat up properly ... seems kind of obvious.

It's highly likely that I'll want to put a boat in at various lakes in MT and WA so is trailering, launching and recovering an important variable or are pontoons no more of a challenge than any other kind of boat?
 

Poohbear

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Boat stands for Break Out Another Thousand.
The 2 best days in a boat owners life are the day they get it and the day they sell it.
As I said earlier I'm boatless now. Owned 3 since 1972 and actual expense on the 3 was never any big $. The big bucks is actually USEING the boat. My 20 ft ProCraft bass boat held 50 gal of premium so on Friday night heading to take my DW & kids for a weekend at the lake was 1st stop to fill motorhome & boat, plus 2 jet skis for our kids & truck to pull them, campsite fee, groceries, etc etc etc. Point is don't keep books on the cost of useing or owning cause that takes all the fun out of why you have the boat. The fun we had with our kids, our late parents, friends , & relatives was worth every penny.
 
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lugbolt

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recovering can be a pain if the wind is blowing and/or if you have never done it. They're way different than a Vee bottom or flat bottom as far as getting it lined up on the trailer. They are much bigger and for their size, very light-and thus really really affected by the wind. You will learn quickly. Trailering can also be fun if the wind is blowing. One I had (smaller one, 20 foot OAL) if the wind was blowing across the highway, I could look in the mirror and see the entire side of the boat. It kinda wanted to pull the truck too. But the bigger ones are a lot better in that sense becuase they generally have tandem (and sometimes triple) axles. That makes a huge difference.

most folks back the trailer in too far when recovering and it makes it a royal pain in the neck. I will usually back in way too far to get the trailer wet, then pull it back up out of the water a good ways, much further than most, then drive it on. Once the trailer is wet the boat slides a lot easier--and the bunk carpet lasts a lot longer too. On my flat bottom, I am loaded and off the ramp in a lot of times under 30 seconds. My old pontoon took a little longer, 5 minutes maybe unless it was real windy and then it just was an excercise in patience. But--at the ramp in the summertime on a weekend is the absolute best kind of entertainment. I laugh for a while and then go help and most of those folks need it-and most are grateful for it. I've been on the other side of that when I launched the little boat there and the summertime pleasure boat traffic in the "no wake zone" was just beating my little rig against the bank/rocks. Some guy runs over there and pulls it out to the water so it wouldn't get so beat up and held it there while I parked.

yeah because of their size, they can be hard to back into a shed or covered storage. Just like backing an enclosed trailer, you can't see behind it and it sucks.
 
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Fordtech86

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Ive had a few….the best one was one that wouldn’t accommodate many people 😉

and yes the boat ramp is free entertainment 🤣 grew up along the river and worked the local marina, money can’t buy brains but it can buy a boat 😂😂😂
 
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lugbolt

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Ive had a few….the best one was one that wouldn’t accommodate many people 😉
My second job is a professional fishing guide service. One-man show. Often people are trying to book a trip with 3 or 4 people and when they find out that my boat will accomodate ONE (aside from myself), sometimes they cancel. Fine with me, find another guide, and let me have my saturday back. Every once in a while they'll book it anyway and we'll go. 99% of the time, after we're done, they absolutely love the fact that it is just us two in the boat, one-on-one. Only one time in the last 4 years have I had any issue and was due to a man who was dead set on he had to catch 100 fish in 4 hours. As I tell everyone up front, I can put you on the fish, and I can teach you how to use a rod/reel, but I cannot guarantee that those fish will eat. Sometimes they don't and it's out of my control. This guy was griping and moaning about it for 2 hours and I finally said pull your rod up and we're gonna move to a different spot. The river was foggy and he had no idea where we were at, but I did. I took him back to the ramp, told him to get out of my boat and go find another guide-didn't charge him a thing. Guy was pretty mad but I was madder-guaranteed. I left him at the ramp, then took off and went back upriver where I didn't catch anything but it sure was a lot more fun not having to listen to him gripe about catching a limit in 30 minutes. He apparently thought we should have had a limit in 5 minutes and most of the time we (I) do but fishing is that way, unpredictable.

the news people want to film next spring and we're working on that. I'm the only guide who doesn't have a big long boat that will take 3 or 4 folks and word has apparently gotten out about it. I'm just guiding out of a small-ish "flat bottom" jon, with a little 25hp motor, and I'm booked up from March 1 through June 30, 2023. Done for this season though I get too cold and I've gotta work on the truck before I can use it. Had a lady call me a couple years ago said she was from off (I can't/won't say where) and wanted to experience it. Ok come on, I'll put you there and we'll find fish. She shows up at the ramp at 0600, a little late but whatever, gets out of the car and OMG she was a stunner. Unmarried, living life, 37yr old. Turns out she worked for a tv production company, so that's how all this came about. Note that I don't trust the news and generally avoid them but this time I know these people and I told them up front that it will be informal, and they're going to have to let me look at the editing. So far they're ok with it.

with all that, I'm not sure I'm going to do it much more as it takes up a lot of time that I need for other things. I work 8-5 M-F and guide on Saturdays typically from 0600 to about noon, and of course they roll the sidewalks up at noon on saturdays so getting anything done is close to impossible. Sunday is the Lord's day and I don't work on Sundays if at all possible. Day of rest. So finding 'free' time is tough, hence I may end up selling the boat and equipment at some point. Undecided but leaning that direction.
 
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mcmxi

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I keep checking boat sales in my area and some nice pontoons pop up each week. This Landau tritoon listed today.

 

GeoHorn

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The difference between a pontoon…and a tritoon… really is significant’.
 
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mcmxi

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The difference between a pontoon…and a tritoon… really is significant’.
I'm still in the learning and looking phase. Getting a feel for what's out there along with typical pricing.
 

mcmxi

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cant wait to see your new boat 😜
I wouldn't hold your breath! :ROFLMAO: I can be impulsive when it comes to tractors and implements, but I'm less easily "influenced" when it comes to boats.

That said, the Landau looks to be a good boat based on reviews and looking at Landau's website. Not sure that it's $43k good, but it's cheaper than the 2019 115hp, 20ft pontoon that I looked at recently at a dealer. I'd need to check it out in person to see what sort of upgrades it has to the underside, but supposedly Landau has some of the best pontoons on the market using .100" thick aluminum, and using a shape that improves handling.

I'll try to check it out this coming weekend.
 

mcmxi

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So I called the woman that's advertising the Landau and she runs/owns a boat rental company on Flathead Lake. She has a number of Landau models for sale, and some with very low hours since they refresh their inventory each year. I'm going to make the hour trip south this weekend or early next week to see what she has.

Landau mentions warranties for "the original owner" which are lifetime on the pontoons that Landau calls "logs", and lifetime on some other parts, but supposedly this rental company has an agreement with Landau to make all the warranties fully transferrable to new owners. That could be a deal maker!
 

lugbolt

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boat shows start in about january and a lot of times you can find great deals on noncurrent new rigs. Worth mentioning. I've bought a few over the years from the boat shows, always used (they don't really sell used boats at the 'show' but I usually ask about their preowned inventory, just in case). In 2012 finally bought the little Jon boat that I have/use still to this day. Been a great one and one of the better investments I've made in my life. Thoroughly enjoy being on the water, well most of the time.

Local lake, summer time is often riddled with pleasure boaters, and don't get me wrong they have every bit the right to use the lake as I do. The problem that I have with a very select few is their lack of consideration for anglers and in particular smaller craft. Case in point I was tied up to a submerged tree a few years back in August, it was later in the evening about an hour before sunset. One of the pleasure boaters decides they're gonna run around that area where I was at, in their expensive wake board boat. I'm ok with that except they decided to make circles around me, within about 200 feet of my little boat. It was totally obvious that they were being jerks. Absolutely no question. I ignored them for the first few circles but then they started hollering about my rig being a tiny POS and that it had no business on THEIR lake. Then I got mad. The longer it went on the madder I got but I was also trying not to sink (and for the record, my little boat will not sink, it stays afloat even with the drain removed....don't ask how I found that out!). This went on for 5 min or so, probably 20 circles. I think they got dizzy and moved on down the cove but what these drunks didn't realize that it gets real shallow down there, and is FILLED with submerged timber that was either fallen or blown into the lake. So as they run down there, I hear the crackling of timber and rocks and such hitting the props of their rig, then I see the MUD being kicked up as they're trying to get out. Soon they're STUCK. Totally stuck. The direction they are going just gets shallower, there's always water but it's no more than 6 or 8" deep at that time. I can get over it in my boat but I don't make a habit of it, I'll go around usually, from the other side of the cove (it circles an island). So I'm sitting there in my boat picking up all of the stuff that was knocked down by their wake, and they're down there full throttle trying to rock off of that mud bottom. I mean they were STUCK. Finally they shut it off and holler for help. I motored on down there and stopped, looked directly at the "captain", who was obviously intoxicated, and turned my tiller steered outboard and idled away, all the while these guys were screaming words that I won't repeat towards me, and again I'm fine with that. Ive been called much worse. 3.4 miles back at the ramp, it was getting dark, the sheriff rolls through like they always do and I stopped him & told them about the stuck boat. Told him of the situation and he said he'd drove over to the other side of the cove, there's a road back there, and he'd keep an eye on 'em. I told the deputy that they were intoxicated, but he said he wasn't surprised. Said he's just gonna make sure nobody gets hurt and let them learn a lesson.

there's been a few other instances, mostly at a different lake where some anglers will pull right up beside me when I'm catching a few, then start dunking their lure in a hole that I'm using. Fine. The lake is 6000 acres of water, I can move to another spot and catch a few-or maybe more-or maybe none. I'm not that serious about it. That's happened several times and each time I keep telling myself that I need to invest in a jet outboard. One of those guys pulls that stunt? Turn around, tilt the motor up, hammer down. A 60hp jet will throw a stream of water about 90 feet at 5800 rpm, and this is from experience. A 115/80 will throw water about 125 feet. I've not run anything larger. Lots of 40/30's and 60/40's and the one 115/80 but never anything larger--although they do make a 150/105. That's a 150hp engine but they're derated to by the jet to 105.
 
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mcmxi

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boat shows start in about january and a lot of times you can find great deals on noncurrent new rigs. Worth mentioning. I've bought a few over the years from the boat shows, always used (they don't really sell used boats at the 'show' but I usually ask about their preowned inventory, just in case). In 2012 finally bought the little Jon boat that I have/use still to this day. Been a great one and one of the better investments I've made in my life. Thoroughly enjoy being on the water, well most of the time.

Local lake, summer time is often riddled with pleasure boaters, and don't get me wrong they have every bit the right to use the lake as I do. The problem that I have with a very select few is their lack of consideration for anglers and in particular smaller craft. Case in point I was tied up to a submerged tree a few years back in August, it was later in the evening about an hour before sunset. One of the pleasure boaters decides they're gonna run around that area where I was at, in their expensive wake board boat. I'm ok with that except they decided to make circles around me, within about 200 feet of my little boat. It was totally obvious that they were being jerks. Absolutely no question. I ignored them for the first few circles but then they started hollering about my rig being a tiny POS and that it had no business on THEIR lake. Then I got mad. The longer it went on the madder I got but I was also trying not to sink (and for the record, my little boat will not sink, it stays afloat even with the drain removed....don't ask how I found that out!). This went on for 5 min or so, probably 20 circles. I think they got dizzy and moved on down the cove but what these drunks didn't realize that it gets real shallow down there, and is FILLED with submerged timber that was either fallen or blown into the lake. So as they run down there, I hear the crackling of timber and rocks and such hitting the props of their rig, then I see the MUD being kicked up as they're trying to get out. Soon they're STUCK. Totally stuck. The direction they are going just gets shallower, there's always water but it's no more than 6 or 8" deep at that time. I can get over it in my boat but I don't make a habit of it, I'll go around usually, from the other side of the cove (it circles an island). So I'm sitting there in my boat picking up all of the stuff that was knocked down by their wake, and they're down there full throttle trying to rock off of that mud bottom. I mean they were STUCK. Finally they shut it off and holler for help. I motored on down there and stopped, looked directly at the "captain", who was obviously intoxicated, and turned my tiller steered outboard and idled away, all the while these guys were screaming words that I won't repeat towards me, and again I'm fine with that. Ive been called much worse. 3.4 miles back at the ramp, it was getting dark, the sheriff rolls through like they always do and I stopped him & told them about the stuck boat. Told him of the situation and he said he'd drove over to the other side of the cove, there's a road back there, and he'd keep an eye on 'em. I told the deputy that they were intoxicated, but he said he wasn't surprised. Said he's just gonna make sure nobody gets hurt and let them learn a lesson.

there's been a few other instances, mostly at a different lake where some anglers will pull right up beside me when I'm catching a few, then start dunking their lure in a hole that I'm using. Fine. The lake is 6000 acres of water, I can move to another spot and catch a few-or maybe more-or maybe none. I'm not that serious about it. That's happened several times and each time I keep telling myself that I need to invest in a jet outboard. One of those guys pulls that stunt? Turn around, tilt the motor up, hammer down. A 60hp jet will throw a stream of water about 90 feet at 5800 rpm, and this is from experience. A 115/80 will throw water about 125 feet. I've not run anything larger. Lots of 40/30's and 60/40's and the one 115/80 but never anything larger--although they do make a 150/105. That's a 150hp engine but they're derated to by the jet to 105.
That's a good story. I drive past the Somers boat ramp in the summer and have to wonder at the stuff that goes on there. Trucks and trailers all over the place, trucks and trailers parked along side the road for hundreds of yards in both directions, full parking lots etc. Nothing about that is appealing to me. If my friend didn't have his own boat ramp and dock a mile north of the lake I doubt I'd even consider investing in a boat.
 

58Ford

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Go sit by the boat launch at any spots you plan on using. You will get first class info on how easy it is to launch at that spot. You will see it all. Sometimes the peeps you think will suck are really skilled and vice versa. I live close to the gorge on the Columbia River and it is notorious for being difficult to launch as there is few protected harbors that include a public launch. Proficient operators only or you will mess your Rig up and likely others.

DO NOT intentionally shoot jets of water at other boaters. The Deputy will be waiting for you at the launch when you get back for sure in WA. In fact, don’t "F" around at all. It will bite you on the ass. Old Man River & the Sea Lady don’t take kindly to idiots.
 
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D2Cat

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Go sit by the boat launch at any spots you plan on using. You will get first class info on how easy it is to launch at that spot. You will see it all. Sometimes the peeps you think will suck are really skilled and vice versa. I live close to the gorge on the Columbia River and it is notorious for being difficult to launch as there is few protected harbors that include a public launch. Proficient operators only or you will mess your Rig up and likely others.

DO NOT intentionally shoot jets of water at other boaters. The Deputy will be waiting for you at the launch when you get back for sure in WA. In fact, don’t fuck around at all. It will bite you on the ass. Old Man River & the Sea Lady don’t take kindly to idiots.
Make your advise family friendly or say it somewhere else!
 

lugbolt

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DO NOT intentionally shoot jets of water at other boaters. The Deputy will be waiting for you at the launch when you get back for sure in WA. In fact, don’t fuck around at all. It will bite you on the ass. Old Man River & the Sea Lady don’t take kindly to idiots.
absolutely right....about the last part. Glad I don't live in that hellhole, though. My uncle does. Good for him-and for you.
 

GeoHorn

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Be alert to those “warranties” transfer “gotchas”…. The seller can claim to have transfered a warranty…and the warranty underwriter can agree to the “transfer”….which only means that all the original provisions still apply…..such as “no commercial use”… and/or…. ”one year warranty on deck underlayment”…. which in the real-world means no warranty to the second owner after a rental business has sold the boat.
Hopefully you can confirm any warranty with the actual warranty underwriter or mfr’r…

Also…be certain to determine Where and When any warranty repairs will be undertaken. Do you have to return the boat to the original place of mfr’..? Or will they cover repairs at a local marina..? and how long or far down that line-of-customers will be your wait..?

Don’t mean to be so negative…just remarking on the “warranty” which was passed to me as the second owner of a “lifetime” warranty on certain things.
 

mcmxi

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Be alert to those “warranties” transfer “gotchas”…. The seller can claim to have transfered a warranty…and the warranty underwriter can agree to the “transfer”….which only means that all the original provisions still apply…..such as “no commercial use”… and/or…. ”one year warranty on deck underlayment”…. which in the real-world means no warranty to the second owner after a rental business has sold the boat.
Hopefully you can confirm any warranty with the actual warranty underwriter or mfr’r…

Also…be certain to determine Where and When any warranty repairs will be undertaken. Do you have to return the boat to the original place of mfr’..? Or will they cover repairs at a local marina..? and how long or far down that line-of-customers will be your wait..?

Don’t mean to be so negative…just remarking on the “warranty” which was passed to me as the second owner of a “lifetime” warranty on certain things.
Very good points re the warranty and I've asked for supporting documentation from the business I visited today. The rental company/dealer confirmed that they'd handle any warranty issues. Here's the information they provided this afternoon via email but I'd call Landau next week for sure.
  • 23' Island Breeze 232 w/150Hp Suzuki Motor: (5 year warranty starts from when we purchased it)
  • Pontoons & Structures- all logs, aluminum undercarriage and motor pods carry lifetime-limited warranty against structural defects in material and workmanship
  • Wood Decking- All wood decking carries lifetime-limited warranty
  • Seat backs & base also carry lifetime-limited against defects in material and workmanship
  • Motor- 5 year warranty -
  • 5 year stem to stern limited warranty that protects from defects in materials and workmanship for all other original components. They will replace or repair any part or component deemed to be defective for a period of 5 years.
  • You have any issues even with the stereo you give me a call.
  • You will only have to deal directly through us & not the manufacturer since we are a dealer.
  • We will take care of it all for you.

I drove an hour south this morning to look at some boats that will soon be listed, and asked lots of questions. The rental business is also a dealer for the boats they have in their rental fleet which are mostly Landau Island Breeze 232 models. They have two 2022 boats with 109 hours and 112 hours and the 2021 boat with close to 300 hours. I also looked at a 2023 boat that just came in that's essentially the same as the other three boats. This particular series is a no-frills, entry level offering from Landau, who also makes premium models that are far more luxurious.

If I were to order a new 2023 Island Breeze 232 and trailer set up the same way I'd be looking at around $64k. The 2022 with 109 hours has a selling price of $52,735. I'm not sure yet if this is a "take it or leave it" price. The 2021 with 291 hours is $43,630.

Interestingly, if I buy a boat they'll store it all winter in a massive warehouse at no charge. That's where I saw the boats today. In addition, they'll store it in the same place next winter for no charge.

This is how the boats are set up and they're all the same.

  • Landau Island Breeze 232
  • 3/4 spray shield
  • 34-gallon fuel tank
  • vinyl flooring
  • lifting strakes
  • added plastic sheeting behind front fence to prevent denting from waves
  • walk thru ski tow
  • chrome light housing with dock side lights
  • hydraulic steering
  • upgraded ladder
  • led under seat lights
  • sport rear seating
  • Bluetooth stereo
  • Bimini
  • mooring cover
  • Suzuki 150hp motor
  • 22' tandem tri-log trailer
  • Exterior & interior will be cleaned before purchase
 
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mcmxi

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I'm heading back down to the boat rental place this weekend to check out a 2016 Robalo R200. I've come to the conclusion that I'm just not excited enough about pontoon or tritoon boats to spend $50k on one. Choosing a boat for the couple of weekends a year that I might have more than six people on board doesn't make much sense. I need to make a choice for me and my needs or wants and everyone else will have to make do. I want to be excited about a boat and a pontoon just doesn't do that for me.

This boat on the other hand is kind of awesome. It even has the option for a toilet. This model is good for 8 people, and although I don't have much interest in a boat for fishing, this model is set up for that. It would make a nice runaround boat too which is really my interest.

 

mcmxi

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I have to laugh at all the boats I see on Craigslist that start out at $50k and then every couple of days the price drops by a $1k or more. :LOL: One particular boat is now at $38k and the seller is still smoking crack if he thinks he can get $20k. With the epidemic craziness a lot of people have a sense that their old, tired, worn out junk is worth way more than it is.

So I did check out the Robalo last weekend and it's a gorgeous boat and one that would suit me and my needs. I've made an offer but the owner of the company is unwell so still waiting to hear back. Now that I've narrowed down the type of boat I want, I'm prepared to wait for the right one at the right price.
 
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