New Pontoon Boat Owner (1st Ever Boat)

[POrding]

Well we have finally decided on our first boat and it's a 2010 Godfrey Sweetwater 2186 pontoon boat. With two young children we felt this was the best option for enjoyment on the lakes and waters here in Arkansas.
We had to have it ordered due to the fact that the local dealership didn't have the type boat with the options we wanted. They are anticipating it being about 3-4 weeks for delivery. The dealer stated they would then make the boat lake ready with life vests, fire extinguisher and gas and take us on a orientation.
I'll give you some details on the boat and I have a few questions and also open to listening to suggestions or lessons learned from owning a pontoon boat.
One of my biggest concerns or interests is to make sure to take care of it and keep it in an excellent condition.

Sweetwater SW2186
F90 Yahama Motor (Dealer stated they now are offering 6 Year Warranty)
Red Colored Rail Skins
Ski Tow Bar
Premium Package includes:
Upgrade Steering Wheel w/ tilt
Hour Meter
Life Vest Bag
Soft Cooler
Underseat storage trays

Thanks for your time and glad I was able to find a forum. I'll keep reading and will look forward to hearing your feeback.

Playpen cover
25" Double Tubes
Jensen Stereo w/ MP3 Holder
Digital Depth
Changing Room w/ curtain
Removable upholstered cup holders
Captain Chair upgrade

We are currently planning to keep the boat on the trailer at an outdoor covered storage facility when not in use.

So please feel free to let me know some suggestions or lessons learned from your boating experiences/ownership.

Here are a few of the questions I have if you could take time to answer. I will also continue to browse thru the other topic posts to see other responses, etc.

1)Care and upkeep/routine cleaning maintenance required
2)Motor routine maintenance to include after using boat each time
3)Suggestions on accessories that you have found that are nice things to have
4)Items to add before heading out on lake for first time?
I've seen first aid kit and some questions on tools but didn't see any responses to tools.
5)Recommendations on GPS if wanted to add (Never have owned a GPS)
6)Marine Radio (Nice to have or necessity)

[POrding]

A couple of more questions I thought of...

1)I have seen references to the shark pontoon cleaner/polish stuff. Recommended?
I really like the look of the polished pontoons. But more importantly if there is something I can do to help with the care and upkeep I'm usually willing to do it.

2)Anchors? Any suggestions?

[curtiscapk]

Welcome and congrats!!


Sounds like one helluva toon
Care = 303 for everything!
Sharkhide yes especially when new...
Anchor = flukes or river anchors depends on your bottom I have one of each.
Boat hook
Tools = socket set pliers screw drivers nothing major really, I take my entire 60 lb tool box and have yet to use it. I will still always take it.


PICS!!!!!!

[FloterBoter]

where are you located? winterizing if different here in wisconsin than downin florida.

where will you boat? you'll want a more serious anchor on lake mead than on a small fishing lake.


1)Care and upkeep/routine cleaning maintenance required

read and follow the directions that came with the furniture and carpet/vinyl flooring


2)Motor routine maintenance to include after using boat each time

saltwater? flush after each use. freshwater not so important.

GET THE MANUAL for your motor. read it and follow it. it is the most important thing you can do.


3)Suggestions on accessories that you have found that are nice things to have

beer
women
music

good bumpers
tools
spare parts
fluids (oil, gear lube, hydr fluid, etc.)
wetwipes
pee bucket
spare sunglasses
lots of suntan lotion
munchies
gas grill and some good steaks and shrimp
good cigars

beer
women
music

tubes
skis
wakeboards
water cannon

beer
women
music



4)Items to add before heading out on lake for first time?

depends where you're going.
bring all the tools you need to do what you know how to do.



5)Recommendations on GPS if wanted to add (Never have owned a GPS)

updating method is probably more important than the unit itself


6)Marine Radio (Nice to have or necessity)

depends where you go.
we always have 3, 6, 12 cellphones onboard.
if you won't have coverage, get a radio.
you'll probably never use it.
i'd spend the money on beer. (or music or women, if you prefer.)

[curtiscapk]

son of abitch lr for the first time ever I forgot the fucking beer!!

[POrding]

Thanks for all the info and suggestions. Keep them coming.

I will be sure to post pics as soon as it's delivered. Just got the order confirmation yesterday to verify all the options. So I think it's going to be 3-4 weeks.

One additional thing that I noticed in a few of the other posts were references to:
Lifting Strakes
Underdeck Skin

We did get the premium package but it looks like both of those options are not part of that package.

So could you give me some feedback on those two options and should I consider adding those?

[captain kurt]

Welcome tooner !!! My best recommendation is read and know your owners book well &if you can get your book ahead of time is best then bomb the dealer with questions. Then the nice thing of this forum is any subject unknown or not clear on go into search key in a subject chances are we've talked about it. sounds like your in for a great summer . bring your camera.

[catdaddy]

Great posts fellas...
I'm gettin all jacked up... The weather is finally turning...
Yee haaaaa...
and what about the beads... I bought like 10 trashbags of beads....
Is that a good thing?

[trott46]

I think Floter summed it up pretty well. But you do need beer women music as well. Lifting strakes are a devices to cause the toon to plane out on top the water to some extent rather then push the water thus adding speed. If you want speed then you want the strakes. Underskin is a protective skin on the bottom side of the decking i would also recommend having that. Oh dont forget beer women and the music.

[WaltF]

Did anyone mention beer music and women? Cause ya need those.

As far as the strakes go, i wish i had em. but if they arnt an option, then, oh well. Something you prob WONT want to do is try and add them after market, and here's why. Someone will have to Weld them on, and that will more then likely void the warranty on you toons.

You can, however, add the underskin after you buy it, and that is also a good thing to have.

[POrding]

Well I contacted the dealer and added the underskin. They said it would be an additional $800 to the price of the boat. Also got an update on the expected completion date: 24 May. So it's going to be really close if we get it before Memorial Day Weekend. It's being built at the Godfrey plant in Indiana then needs to be shipped to dealer here in Arkansas. We will see.

[tkrein]

o dont for get beer women and music.


if you want to have some fun get one of those under water magnents that you can troll with see if you find any thing. up here on the missouri there are bays that people swim in dock party have a good time. remeber most people dont go jumping in after what they lost. we found 2 anchors 1 was one we lost the day before and went searching for it. o remeber to tie to rope with a good knot. some sunglasses ond other misc items cant remember o a shovel wonder what that was doing out there. anyway with the kids dont forget sand tos floaties knoodels things like that . o and sun screen for your guests

and beer women music.

[walter]

DID SOMEBODY MENTION BEEEER? I'm not an an alcoholic, I just like to drink alot. Oh yes and the women, put em on a pontoon and watch out!! Chicks dig big toons. And speaking of toons, never ever never forget the tunes.

Underskin, I would rate as a must have, I remember the olden days of rentals, I can still feel the lunging and jerking, wow whys this boat do that.........got underskin?? Nope!!

Another must have........grill! Rail or post mounted if possible, all utensils right there, no on or off the boat and if you don't beach, guess what, you can still........grill!!

Last but not least.......find others that know and enjoy boating and being in the sun, for us it's an ALL DAY event, and if someone can't take it all day.........they're going to bring down the partay! Been there done that. May I have another!!!

Hey Catdady, you boat on Ky Lake, us too, where you at? Where up in Ky just south of the dam.

[POrding]

Thanks again for all the feedback.

A couple of extra questions.

Since I'm buying this from a dealer would it be good to ask for a stainless steel prop? I'm guessing that the F90 I'm getting with the boat will not have a ss prop on it.

I guess they are going to give us an orientation and take us out on the water for the first time. They said we would be "Water ready" with fire extinguisher, life vests, and bumpers.

Is there anything specific I need to ask about before we pick-it up or at the time of delivery?

[FloterBoter]

i forgot to add toilet paper. very important at times!


trott46> I think Floter summed it up pretty well. But you do need beer women music as well.

why didn't i think of that??


underskinning is generally viewed as a good thing. on the other hand, i'm constantly puttering with
my boat's set-up, running some more wires here and there, and underskinning would be a pain for that.

strakes, hmmm, or maybe tap fins?


walter> for us it's an ALL DAY event, and if someone can't take it all day.........
they're going to bring down the partay! Been there done that.

agreed! and that brings up........ paper towel! several rolls at least, stashed in the seats.
you will need it when that inexperienced partayer blows their cocktails all over your new boat!
remember, the piss bucket doubles as a chum bucket, if they can't get their head overboard in time.


SS prop -- now you did it. here we go again.

i'm sure you'll hear from those who love their ss props, and more power to them.
for me, though, i listen to an oldtimer who once told me,
"hit with aluminum, break your prop,
hit with stainless, break your gears."

i've hit with aluminum and messed up my prop enough times to know that i don't
want to risk a ss prop strike. (and, btw, i'm really anal about watching the
depth and trying to stay in the right part of rivers and lakes--but it happens.)

a ss prop will improve hole shot on a performance ski boat. on a toon with a
90hp outboard i would guess you're looking at 1-2 mph extra at the top end, max.
someone who's had both can chime in here (bmr?).

i would stay with aluminum. you may have to change prop pitch several times to
find the one that works best for you. once you do, keep a spare or two onboard.
find yourself a prop shop nearby and go introduce yourself. they will probably
charge you about half of what the dealer will charge for a "prop repair", which
means the dealer had some kid drive your prop to the same shop.