Pontoon Boat & Deck Boat Forum

After checking in at the Welcome page I'm making my first post here. I've noticed some people on our lake just run their 'toon right up on the sand/dirt of small islands on the lake. I can't imagine this is good practice with worrying about the prop and rocks. Do you do this or drop anchor and walk or swim to shore? Thanks.

If it is just sand, beach it, I have a v shaped aluminum angle welded to the toons from front to rear to protect the toons, I figure you should have the same, so beach away

I always beach mine, as does everyone else around us. This is on sandy parts of the TN river.

That is one of many things about owning a Pontoon beaching it !!

Thanks guys. I'm going to have to give it a try someday.

I would also secure your anchor to the beach. I beached mine the other day and headed to the marina for a beer and lunch, wind came out of nowhere and I turned to see my toon trying to get back out on the lake without me. The anchor was the only reason I did not have to swim out to retrieve my wayward toon

I don't beach because I have this stalker rock that follows me around

I don't because I boat in tidal waters and the difference in water level can be 3 ft. or so between low and high tide. Beach at low you're generally ok, beach at high you could be sitting on dry land in a matter of hours.

We beach pretty much every time we go out, never found a rock or had any problem...

I have 3 great sand bars to choose from. We beach everytime, take the grill, tables, and chairs off. Blow up some rafts, and swim the day away.

As long as its sandy, beaching is perfectly safe.

Another nice thing about toons is you can tie off two lines and not worry about anchoring the stern. The two hulls don't allow the boat to twist when tied against shore. Great for an hour or overnight.

Ya, we beach prob half the time we go out....
Throw an anchor off the back when were about 50 foot from the shore.
Then tie a line off the front to a tree or something...

Then open a beer and commence the fun!

If you have soft-sand and no rocks, you can actually power onto the beach to set the toons. I used to do that when I had a few folks on board, then it was easy to get off the beach when the boat was empty (lighter), and/or I'd have my boys push me off. Rarely needed to even anchor as the lake we used had very little current and we were never out of site of the boat.

It is also handy for cleaning off the bottom front of the logs, keeps a nice scuffed-shine on them.

so you can "power on" the beach. can you power off or do you have to push off

also.. what about the newer toons that have the different shaped middle toon?

We have more submerged rocks than sand beach areas so we have to be careful. We always put a lookout in the bow fishing seat with eyes "down" just in case.

After we've powered on, we power off, but sometimes it requires swinging the wheel (read motor) back and forth to work off.

Enjoy!