A few summers ago we purchased our first fixer upper watercraft, a 1984 Palm Beach Pontoon. Prior to discovering it, the pontoon had been sitting outside for close to a decade, pretty beat up by the harsh Michigan elements. Good friends of ours on the lake revamped an old boat very similar to this. So our idea is not original. However, it's really a perfect solution for small lake living. We were inspired to seek out a pontoon (before a ski boat) because our friends pioneered the most attractive lost cost, low-maintenance & high enjoyment boat ownership we've ever witnessed, which our design mimicked closely. Those pontoon essentials for lake cruises include:
RENOVATION The Palm Beach Pontoon needed new marine decking, flooring, a hole fixed in one of the toons, a good paint job (SW: Coastal Plain), trolling motor and some fun accessories. The navy bimini top was in pretty good shape after a deep clean and power wash. We chose a vinyl flooring product in Greystone that would be easy to sweep, be cool on our feet under the hot sun and would update the look of our boat. Found a propane fire table for $160 online and picked up a bunch of deck chairs from Lowes. The versatility of those deck chairs allow for anything from a couple intimately cruising around the lake to hosting a 10 person group out on the water. We're intentional about spending quality time with our people- family, friends, and neighbors. So our boat name 'Linger Longer' was an easy fit. My neighbor helped me Cricut vinyl letters onto a life preserver for the final touches of our old pontoon boat remodel. ELECTRIC TROLLING MOTOR We affixed a used Minn Kota pontoon trolling motor to the front of the boat, which has 55 foot lbs of thrust, the max we could find that ran off of 12V batteries. We used pretty thick gauge wire (6-2) running from the motor to the back of the boat, where we set up two group 27 deep cycle marine batteries (~$100 ea), running in parallel so that they provide hours of use from a single charge. Also on board is a waterproof smart battery charger ($120) that re-charges both batteries while not in use, keeping them reliably maintained and ready for long cruises on the lake. So, yes, this setup does require power at the dock. I should note here that our lake is so small, meaning we never have a need to get across the lake faster than what our vessel can carry us. If we lived on a lake > 150 acres, you might consider sticking with a gas motor... otherwise it will take you forever to get there! ROUGH COST BREAKDOWN Boat: $1,200 Vinyl Flooring: $700 Batteries/Power Setup: $400 Propane Firepit Table: $160 Deck Chairs: $300 Marine Decking: $320 Miscellaneous Hardware/Paint: $200 Sold Gas Motor: $650 (helped offset remodel cost) BOAT PARADE
Our lake community has made an annual tradition of hosting a 3rd of July Boat Parade! Families get really into it decorating. It's a blast watching 25+ boats cruise around the lake. We vote and award trophies for 'most patriotic' and 'best decorated' categories. In the past we've done 'Christmas in July' singing carols and 'Bubble Bath', which Aaron blessed us with his dance skills. I need to start dreaming up some ideas now, because summer has arrived!!
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Navigating through life together as husband-wife duo, fixing, flipping or renovating whatever comes our way. Allyssa is a licensed Realtor, self made Interior Designer, and House Flipper. Aaron, a Data Scientist (someone who makes data and graphs sexy) by day and handyman by night. Clark House Collective, was birthed from a slow maturing love for all things home-project related. We're a collection of DIYs, projects, house flips, design and more. |