Pontoon Boat & Deck Boat Forum

I just found this forum and am delighted to find all this info on toons available. We are currently looking at toons on Smith Mountain Lake, lots of nice choices. Until we find the right place to keep a boat on the lake we are just going to keep looking and not buying. We would prefer to be in the Craddock Creek area having spent many years there at Lake haven in a small sailboat. First time in 30 yrs that we have been boatless so I guess it is time to get back in the water. We have been amazed at the luxury some of the toons offer, looking hard at a Bennington (new). It is all moot if we can't find a nice place to stay. Greetings to all fellow SMLer's on the forum. We will continue to rent until all the pieces fall into place - boat, price, location.

Tom

Welcome, glad to have you with us

Hi Tom..........welcome to the club from a fellow SMLer. I think you are member #6 on SML.
Good luck finding a slip. I'm sure you have checked at Mitchells Point and Parkway. They are the closest I can think of to Craddock Creek. My brother in law keeps his boat at Crazy Horse and likes it there.
I think all members are on the Roanoke River. We are across from R26.

tcat.... just wanted to say welcome to the forum. Great group here, alot of knowledge. and you are right, todays pontoon boats offer something for everyone... You can go from basic entry level fishing barges like I have to toons that will accomodate a large party and run 40 to 50 mph... Good luck with your boat shopping and finding a good place to keep her.

Hi Tom, Welcome from another SML tooner. We keep ours at Websters. I know another person that keeps his boat at Crazy Horse and likes it but again that is because it is close to his house. I know it is not in the area that you want but right across the 122 from Websters is a marinia that has newer slips. They have the remotes for the hoists and the slips are longer that alot of the older ones on the lake. When I looked at them last year the price was 2600.00 a year. Good luck and welcome again! Bill

Thanks for the warm welcome, fellow SML boatsmen and especially for advice in finding a place to keep a boat on the lake. Since we live in the Lynchburg area we favor places on the Bedford Co. side of the lake to keep the driving time down but we are open to driving further for a really nice place.

I think our former impression of toons was shaped by the rentals we saw over the years on the lake. You know the type - metal biminis, faded seat covers, old engines that were inevitably too small, and a general air of dinginess from overuse and continuous exposure to the elements. Now fade to our epiphany... brochures showing toons with three tubes doing high speed turns with one pontoon out of the water, 300+ horsepower on the rear, pop-up changing areas with facilities, and racy color schemes. When did toons get so cool, not designed specifically for the oldies and their sunset putt-putts? Never mind that we could probably be correctly characterized as members of the "oldie" clan. That's ok. Retired is cool too, more time to be on the water.

Time to look about the forum and see what others are saying about their toons, what to look for and what to avoid. We really feel like total novices out there looking even though we have close to 30 yrs of boating experience on power and sail boats. One way or the other, we just have to get back out on the water!

Tom

Welcome from another SML tooner! We just bought our new ride about 7 wks ago and have had nothing but fantastic weekends ever since! As you have recently discovered, pontoons can be anywhere from your basic low-cost (but still soooo nice!) toon to extreme luxury, and are not the toons of yesteryear! Good luck in finding yours!

We lucked out with our rented slip, a covered lift on deep water at a private home. Found it on Craigslist. Maybe check there and roanoke.com classifieds?

Oh and SML peeps, wasn't this weekend GORGEOUS!!!!! Reallllly looking forward to the long Labor Day weekend ahead!

Interesting idea looking on Craig's List for a slip on the lake. Congrats on your new ride! We are trying a new Bennington this afternoon and have found a couple of suitable lift slips. So...we just may see you on the lake soon! And yes, the weather has been great this past weekend. If you like it hot and sunny you will likely love this week as well.

Tom