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Small Pontoon Boat Buyers Guide
This guide is designed to help you make an informed decision when purchasing a small pontoon boat. Based on over 50 years of combined experience in boat sales, factory consultations, and input from engineers and regulatory bodies like the U.S. Coast Guard, this resource aims to simplify the decision-making process. While thorough, it reflects our understanding and should not be considered legally binding. For specific questions, feel free to contact the DirectBoats.com sales team.
What is a Small Pontoon Boat?
A small pontoon boat typically consists of two sealed tubes supporting a flat deck. Unlike catamarans, which may have pontoons that allow water intrusion and require bilge pumps, true pontoon boats rely on sealed tubes for buoyancy and safety. If a boat requires a bilge pump to remain afloat, it isn’t a true pontoon boat and may require extra maintenance.
For a low-maintenance option, choose a sealed pontoon boat to avoid issues like water intrusion or reliance on batteries for bilge pumps. Many small boats, such as inexpensive plastic catamarans, may be marketed as pontoon boats but lack the safety features of sealed designs.
Defining "Small" Pontoon Boats
For this guide, we define small pontoon boats as those that can fit in a standard garage (12' wide x 22' long with an 8' tall door). While the maximum trailerable width is 8.5', length and height are often the limiting factors.
Standard 20' pontoon boats typically exceed 30' in towable length, making them unsuitable for most single-car garages. To ensure compatibility, we limit the boats in this guide to those measuring 14' or less in overall boat length. With an outboard motor, bracket, and trailer tongue, the total package length should remain within 22'. Ideally, 20' long or under so you can walk around the boat to the other side in your garage.
Why Buy a Small Pontoon Boat?
Small pontoon boats are popular for their ease of use and versatility. They are safer and more stable than all the other types of boats because of their sealed pontoons. They are simpler to tow, launch, and dock compared to larger boats, reducing hassle and encouraging frequent use.
These boats excel on calm bodies of water such as ponds, small lakes, rivers, coves, and bays with minimal wave activity. Before venturing out, always check the marine forecast to ensure safe conditions.
Stability and Design
Stability:
Pontoon boats are generally more stable than monohull boats, especially in terms of side-to-side motion. Stability depends on factors like the width, length, and design of the pontoons. Wider, shorter boats tend to be more stable than narrower, longer ones.
In rough waters, such as lakes with large waves from wake boats or houseboats, even a stable pontoon boat can face challenges. Always follow weight limits and exercise caution in adverse conditions.
Pontoon Shapes:
Faceted (Multi-Chine)
The ultimate hybrid. Why is it so stable? Unlike round tubes that naturally want to roll in the water, the faceted design features straight vertical walls. When weight shifts and the boat starts to lean, these walls instantly displace a massive volume of water, strongly pushing back to resist tipping. Additionally, the flat bottom creates a wide, secure footprint, while the angled chines slice through waves rather than slapping them.
Square Tubes
Offers the highest buoyancy and shallow draft, but the completely flat bottom can "slap" or pound in choppy water.
U-Shape Tubes
Provides good overall buoyancy, acting as a strong standard choice, but lacks the wave-cutting edges of a faceted tube.
Round Tubes
The industry standard primarily because they are the cheapest to manufacture, using basic rolled cylinders that require minimal fabrication. However, they are the least buoyant shape and are more prone to instability, as water currents naturally roll up and over their curved sides.
Speed
Small pontoon boats are slower than monohulls due to their inability to plane (rise out of the water). However, at low power, a pontoon boat may outperform an underpowered monohull in terms of speed.
Materials
Aluminum
- Durable and highly popular for freshwater.
- Can dent or slice but completely resists cracking.
- Requires anode maintenance to avoid corrosion in saltwater.
Fiberglass
- Excellent for saltwater due to resistance to electrolysis.
- Smoother, more efficient movement through the water.
- Requires upkeep to prevent fading or oxidation of gelcoat.
Plastic (HDPE)
- Highly durable and incredibly resistant to impacts.
- Material generally withstands wear better than metal/glass.
- Repairs can be challenging without calibrated tools.
Maintenance and Repairs
- Fiberglass: Easy to repair, though matching paint colors exactly may be difficult.
- Aluminum: Repairs restore strength but may leave visible marks unless entire pontoons polished.
- Plastic: Repairs are more difficult and depend on knowing the exact material type and using calibrated tools.
Electrolysis: Why It Matters
Electrolysis causes corrosion on metal surfaces, especially in saltwater environments or near stray electrical currents. To prevent damage, use sacrificial anodes, which protect aluminum pontoons from corrosion. Regularly monitor and replace these anodes as needed, especially if storing your boat in saltwater.
