Overhauling a pontoon, lots of questions!

[radiopontoon]

Hi guys, first post!

I'm going to be undertaking an overhauling of a 20 foot pontoon boat soon. This will be from the deck up.

I have a lot of questions, and I hope that I can lend on your experience to help get them answered

1. This *seems* straight forward. What I'm worried about is getting nickeled and dimed for all kinds of things. I know I need to buy: a. Decking kit, b. full interior, c. wiring harnesses, d. gas tank, e. stereo system, f. lights, g. side rail (the stuff that hides your view of the plys of plywood.) I can only imagine there is probably going to be thousands of dollars worth of stuff that I haven't accounted for yet too. Did you find that the costs were much, much higher than you originally planned?

2. My vision for the boat is a cruiser. I do not even plan on putting a ladder on the boat. I want to do some kind of flooring that is better than carpet. I was looking at putting some kind of cheaper hardwood floor down. I worry about it's ability to handle water. It probably won't have much water dropped directly on it, but it will of course be sitting on top of marine grade plywood. Also, I worry about its weight. Does anyone have good ideas for upgrades to carpet?

3. I've found a lot of great sites online to order from (ie, pontoonspecialists, pontoonstuff, etc). Are people generally having good experiences when ordering furniture and decking kits? Do they arrive promptly? In great condition?

Thank you kindly for any insight,
RP

[Bamby]

I'd kind of like or need to know a bit more about what you are starting with here. Are you purchasing a pontoon boat that is needing rebuilt but otherwise structurally good? Or from your opening post have you just acquired a couple of pontoons and have to purchase every necessary component from the pontoons up? Hopefully its the former and not the latter because you'd be way, way past being nickled and dimed in such a project to throwing an extensive amount of dollars into it.

[radiopontoon]

I'd kind of like or need to know a bit more about what you are starting with here. Are you purchasing a pontoon boat that is needing rebuilt but otherwise structurally good? Or from your opening post have you just acquired a couple of pontoons and have to purchase every necessary component from the pontoons up? Hopefully its the former and not the latter because you'd be way, way past being nickled and dimed in such a project to throwing an extensive amount of dollars into it.

The boat project that I'm looking to to purchase has the following:

1. Two pontoons connected by aluminum cross beams (someone had already stripped off the plywood). The aluminum pontoons and structural parts are all in very good condition and need no further work.
2. A complete set of railings (they look to be in very good shape - great news, because new railings are almost $2000 themselves)
3. A 40 hp Johnson Tracker outboard (of questionable quality, looks fine, but it's been sitting up for I have no idea how long.) The motor has a steering tube attached and I believe it has the throttle assembly attached as well, but I'm not sure about the throttle. Currently it only has electric start. I'd love to make it both electric and pull start.
4. A trailer that looks pretty decent, but the winch and hitch part are very rusty. I may have to rewire the trailer lights, and I'd probably go ahead and re-carpet it too.

So basically it comes with the pontoons, cross beams, railings, a motor, and a trailer. Cost is $2000. (Is that fair or overpriced?)

So I have to buy everything: plywood, carpet, furniture, gas tank, batteries, all wiring, stereo, bimini top, ice chests, etc. Not counting the cost of the boat, could I do this all for under $5,000?

I can do all the construction and wiring myself, but I know nothing about marine engines. I'd like to drop the engine off at a shop and let them clean it up and make it run. Any idea how much that would cost?

Thank you again,
RP

[ROLAND]

Hi guys, first post!

I want to do some kind of flooring that is better than carpet. I was looking at putting some kind of cheaper hardwood floor down. I worry about it's ability to handle water. It probably won't have much water dropped directly on it, but it will of course be sitting on top of marine grade plywood. Also, I worry about its weight. Does anyone have good ideas for upgrades to carpet?

RP

Rp...when I bought my toon I had it rigged for mainly fishing, that meant no carpet and we went with a "vinyl" surface. Not the stuff they used to put in houses, this stuff has a small sandy texture to it. And after having the boat only 7 months or so, I am so glad we don't have carpet just because of all the "crap" that gets tracked into the boat from the launch, not to mention fish and bait dropping to the floor... a little soap, long handle brush and a garden hose and she's good as new. I believe they sell this @ one of those sites you mentioned earlier. Good luck.

[Bamby]

I don't think two grand is actually a bad price if all the structural components are included and in serviceable and usable condition. Since the "motor" is the unknown component in the proposed purchase, it should actually be addressed first so you'll know how much of your budget is left to address the rest of the project. There is no way to project how much or little getting it up and running is actually going to cost. But a lot of motors can sit around for years and with some fresh fuel put to them, will be up and running fine. You'd then want a new water pump installed maybe plugs and be good to go. If the motor checks out fine and doesn't eat your budget, with careful and selective shopping and doing all the work yourself I'd think you'd be able to pull this rebuild off within your budget.

[fishmor]

Go buy a boat that suits you and if wanted you can remodel it much cheaper than trying to put one together. I do it all the time so I KNOW.

[WaltF]

Have a friend that just took his 1989 28foot SunTracker down to nothing and laid in new wood and all new furniture. He reused the railings, but did repaint them. Cost him about 5-6k.