Page 1
TipsandTricksforOutfittingaPontoonBoatLeeAnnRoss,BendOR
Rods
Thesidebagseasilyholdtworods.IputtherodsonmyleftsidebagasIcastrighthanded.BesuretoputtherodsinwiththereelupsothattheVelcrostrapcanholdtherodsecurelyinthebag.(IhaveaSageOnerodatthebottomoftheDeschutesRiverastestamenttonotsecuringtherodproperly).
AdditionalRods
WhenIlakefish,Itakeanarsenalofsixrods.Thefouradditionalrodsareplacedinmymilkcrate.DaveScaddenmadetherodholderontheleftfromPVCpipeusingabandsaworatablesaw.Nothavingthatequipmentavailable,Imadetheotherthreeoutofpolypropyleneflangedtailpipeusedinsinks.Iwasabletocuttheslotsusingahacksaw.Besuretocuttheslotwideenough.IpaintedtherodholdersusingBlackFusionforPlasticspraypaint.Iscrewedthemintothemilkcratesecuringthemwithself-tighteningnutssoIwouldn’tcutmyfingersontheprotrudingboltsasIreachintothecrate.Iputapieceoffoambehindtherodsoitdoesn’tbangaroundinthewaves.
Page 4
EmergencyRodHolder
Whenyouneedtoputyourroddownyoucanwedgeitintotheseatstrap.Thisholdstherodsecurelywhileyoufiddlewithtackleoreatlunch.
Anchor
IuseaScottyanchormountsystem.Youcangettheadaptertostrapitaroundapontoonoryoucanmountitonthemotormount.Thereisarightandwrongwaytoattachthemount.Astheanchortrolleydropsintothemount,youneedtospinit180degreessothatitdropsdownandsecuresitselfsoitwon’tpullout.Figurethatoutbeforeyoumountthebracket.
Aftermanyfalsestarts,Iuse3/8inch,50footlengthofropethatIpurchasedatAceHardwareformyanchorrope.Itispolypropylene,itfloatsanditissupple.3/8inchisaboutthickestdiameterthatIcangetthroughtheScottyanchortrolley.Thelargerdiameteriseasieronone’shandswhenretrievingtherope.
Page 5
IhaveusedboththepyramidanchorandthespikyanchorandIvastlypreferthespikyanchor.Itholdswellandreleasesfromthebottomeasily.Ifindthatthepyramidanchorimpalesitselfintoalakebottomandcanbeextremelyhardtodislodge.Ihavealsohadtocutoffapyramidanchorthatgotwedgedintotherocksonariver.Ifindthata12poundspikyanchorsholdswellevenonextremelywindydaysonalake.
Ikeeptheropeinaboxthatisusedtoholdacarbattery.Thatwaytheropedoesn’tallfallinthewaterofftheflatdeckoftheFuzion.Idrilledholesinthebottomoftheboxtodrainthewater.
Page 7
IfIforgetmyanchor,IjustputarockinthestrapbelowandIhaveanemergencyanchorfortheday.Thegizmoisinmysidepocket.
Page 8
Battery
Abatteryforatrollingmotorneedstobeadeepcyclebatteryasonepullspowerfromitcontinuallyasopposedtoastartingmotorforacar.Withinthedeepcyclecategory,therearebasicallytwochoices.Thelargesizemarinedeepcyclelookslikeacarbatteryandweighs50poundsormore.Thealternativeisthetypeofdeepcyclebatterythatwouldbeusedforanelectricwheelchair.Thesebatteriesareabouthalfthesizeandweighabout23pounds.IuseaMightyMax12volt35ahSLAbatterythatIgotonAmazon.IhavetwoofthemsothatonecanberechargingduringthedaywhenIamcamping.IputbothofthemontheboatifIwanttogoreallyfar.
Page 9
BatteryCase
Tocarrythebattery,IputitinalunchboxthatIfoundatWalmart.Ithasaplasticinserttheperfectlyfitsthebattery.ItisanOzarkTraillunchbox.Ifounditinthesportinggoodssection.
Page 10
Motor
TherearetwotypesofMinnkotamotorsappropriateforpontoonboat,theEnduraC2andtheEnduraMax.TheEnduraC2hasfivepresetspeeds,theEnduraMaxallowsforvariablespeedcontrol.AccordingtotheMinnkotawebsite,“motorswithdigitalmaximizersprovideuptofivetimelongerruntimeonasinglechargebydrawingonlyasmuchpowerasneededsotheydon’twasteanyenergy.”ThesmallestEnduraMaxisa40poundthrustmodelwhilethesmallestEncduraC2is30.TheMaxstartat$220andtheC2startsat$110.
Icutofftheendconnectorsandputonalligatorclipsthatmakeitmucheasiertoattachthemotortothebattery.Ialsoputalligatorclipsonthefishfindercabletoattachthatcabletothebattery.
Page 11
MotorMount
WhenyouputthemotormountonthePredator,Escape,Renegade,Rampageorsimilarboats,youhavetoattachittoaDring.Bystrappingonadogleashclip,youdon’thavetostrapthemotormounttotheDringseachtime.Justclipitin.
Page 12
OutlawXPulleys
IhadareallyhardtimebringuptheanchoronmyOutlawX5soIincreasedthesizeofthepulleysandrantheanchorlineoutsideoftheframe.Iusedthreepulleys.
Page 13
Seat
Onwindydays,thewavescancrashintotheseatareaontheFuzion.Onhotsummerdays,thisisnotanissue.InNovember,itgetsreallycold.Ihavetakenaboatfloatcushionandputitinadrybagandslippeditundertheseattoraisetheseatafewinches.
Page 14
AttachingtheSideBags
IttakesawhiletoattachthesidebagsthroughthefourDrings.IjustaddedanothercliptotheextrastrappingfromtheseatandIjustattachthebagtothatclip,thusnotneedingtorunthestrapsthroughtheDringsatall.
Page 15
HitchPinsfortheFootBar
Ifindthatthehitchpinsattractmyflylineandthatthelinekeepsgettinghunguponthehitchpins.IreplacedthemwiththekeyringsandIgethungupfarlessoften.Ineedtofindastainlesssteelone.
Binoculars
Icarryasmallpairofbinocularstoseewhattheotherboatsaredoingonthelakes,tofindmybuddiesacrossthelakeandtocheckouttheinsects.
Page 16
FlyPatch
IgluedasmallflypatchontheboattoholdthefliesasIchangethemthroughouttheday.
Page 17
Nets
AttachyourlandingnettooneoftheDringssoitwon’tfloataway.
Carryasmallaquariumnetsoyoucanscoopupthebugsonthewaterandseewhattheyare.
Page 18
BoatNumbers
InOregonyouhavetoregisteryourpontoonboatifyouuseamotornomatterwhatsizetheboatis.IputmynumbersonapieceofplasticthatIhadcutatalocalplasticcompany.TheyaresizedsothattheyfitinmysidepocketswhenIamnotusingthem.Inordertohangthemoffthesidebags,IusedanailtopunchacoupleofholesinthetopofthesidebagsataseamandIinsertedaziptietomakealooptohangthelicenseboardfrom.
Page 19
FishFinder
IuseaHumminbirdPiranhamax4withdownimaging.Thereareamillionfishfinderstochoosefrom.Insteadofplacingthemountthatcamewiththefishfinderontheboat,Ijustslipthefishfinderintothecupholderonthesidebag.Itworksanditisonelessitemmountedonthedeckoftheboatforthelinetocatchon.Iputalligatorclipsonthewirethatgoestothebatterytomakeiteasiertoattach.OnceIattachedthetransducertothebottomofthemotor,Itapedthewiresontheshaft.
Page 20
Steering
Steeringtheboatwiththeelectricmotorrunningcanbefrustratingbutthereareafewtricks.Iputoneofthefins(skeg)onthebottomofmyboatfortracking.Ialsoleavetheoarsinthewaterasthatassistswithtracking.Onecansteertheboatbymovingone’sfinsleftorrightasyoumotoralong.
Page 21
Paddles
Ihavereplacedmystockaluminumoarswithkayakoars.Iorderedtwokayakpaddles.OnceIputthemtogether,Icutoffoneofthepaddlestomakeanoaroutofthepaddle.Usingthestockoarasaguide,Ithendrilledaholefortheoarpinatthesamedistancefromtheendoftheoartotheholeonthestockoar.IhadafriendusehisdrillpresssothatIwouldgetaholethatisexactly180degreetotheoarblade.Makesuretheholeisintherightplace,ifitisoffbyevenalittlebititwillnotrowwell.
Ithinkthekayakoarsrowmoreefficiently.IcarrythestockoarsasspareswhenIfloattherivers.OnmyPredator,Ijustslidtheextraoarinunderthesidepocketstraps.
IhavealsoreinforcedtheoarpinholewithFiberFixasIbrokeoneoftheseoarsonarivertriponceanditwasn’tprettyasIdidn’thaveaspareoar.InowcarryFiberFixinmysidebag.Thewebsiteiswww.fiberfixnow.com.
Ifyoudobreakanoar,youcanunscrewtheotheroneanduseitasakayakpaddle.Thatwillatleastgetyoutothenextboatramp.
Page 23
OarsandOarGrips
IpurchasedCarlisleMagicMysticPolykayakpaddlesfromAmazonforabout$50buttherearelotsofotherchoices.I’dorderthelongestoneyoucangetasyoucanalwayscutthemdown.Youwillneedoargripsfortheendofthehandlesonceyoucutthekayakpaddle.IfoundsomeatWalmartandWholesaleMarine.
Page 24
Pumps
Thereareatonofchoices.Mostpontoonboatscomewitheitheradoubleactionhandpumporfootpump.Iuseacoupleofotheroptions.IcarryaK-Pump200withmeontheboatwhenIfloattherivers.Worksgreat,smallandcompact,maderighthereinOregon.Theyhaveseveralmodelstochoosefrom.
PumpingaboatupfromscratchwithaK-pumpcantakesometimesoIamfondoftheBravoHigh-Pressure12voltpump.Youcanblowupapontoonboatinaflashwiththispumpandyoucangetitsupertight.ItisavailablefromNRS.Greatforpumpingupallyourbuddies’boatsattheboatramp.
Page 25
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.
Page 26
CarryingtheBoat
Theeasiestwaytocarrytheboatistoputitonyourshoulders.
Page 28
Miscellaneous
Shoes
IcarryapairofwatershoesbigenoughtofitwhenwearingmywaderssothatifIhavetowalksomewhereIamnotruiningmywaderfeet.
Page 29
TowRope
Icarryatowropetotowmyfriendswhodon’thavemotorsortoretrievemyownboat.Ididnotanchormyboatproperlyatnightandafterahighwindstorm,Iwokeupthenextdaytofindmyboatfloatinghalfwayacrossthelake.Asuperniceguyinamotorboattookmeouttoretrieveitandtowitback.MyraftingfriendstellmeIreallyshouldbeusinghigherqualitycarabineers.
Page 30
Bungee
Iuseabungeetokeepmyseatfromflappinginthewindwhentheboatisonthetopofthecar.
Page 31
MiscellaneousBoatItems
Therearealotofmiscellaneousboatitemsthatonecangettomakeone’slifeeasierbuttheycanbehardtofind.IhavehadprettygoodluckfindingsuchitemsviatheChinesewebsitealiexpress.com.Youcanaddthediskintheupperlefttocreatealongerorshorterreachforyourfootbar.Hereisasamplingofitems:
Leaks
Thevalvetendstoloosenovertime.MostofthetimeIhavealeakitisatthevalve.Usethevalvewrenchshownabovetotightenit.Countthenumberofsectionsinyourvalvetoseeifyouneeda6or8sprocketwrench.
Page 32
StoringaBoat
Welackstoragespacesowehangourboatsfromtheceiling.WeuseelectriccarwinchesthatwegotfromHarborFreight.Theyareoftenonsaleforabout$50.