Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, March 20, 1994 TAG: 9403220113
SECTION: BOAT SHOW PAGE: BS-6 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By BRUCE STANTON STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
With their diversity and carrying capacity, pontoon boats are becoming more and more popular with the water recreation crowd.
How popular?
"If I had a lot full of used pontoon boats, I could retire," said Pete Jordan, sales manager at Webster Marine Center in Moneta. "A used pontoon boat is like gold."
Meaning once someone buys a pontoon boat, they usually keep it and use it for a long time.
"I don't think we'll ever do without a pontoon boat," said Bob Taylor, an electrical engineer from Greensboro, N.C., who owns a home at Smith Mountain Lake.
Many owners like pontoon boats because of their capacity, 16 people for a 24-footer. They also prefer pontoon boats because of their versatility. They can be used for fishing or just for cruising the lake.
"It's not a speed boat, but it's a darn good relaxation boat," said pontoon owner Charles Rowe, who lives on Smith Mountain Lake in Franklin County. "It's very smooth-riding and roomy."
Rowe has owned a V-hull ski boat for several years, but with two children and his wife, he wanted a boat the whole family could enjoy.
"I really like the layout of the furniture and the way the poddy and the changing room integrated in," he said.
Rowe's pontoon boat is an Aqua Padio Tri-Toon made by Godfrey. The 24-foot craft is supported by three pontoons, which provides more buoyancy than the more common two-pontoon models.
Rowe decided to buy his pontoon boat after seeing it on display at last year's Southwest Virginia Boat Show at the Roanoke Civic Center.
"That was a good place to see them side-by-side, and when I went there, I had it in my mind to buy a pontoon boat," he said.
While Rowe uses his boat for mostly entertaining, Taylor had his boat modified for fishing.
Taylor owns an 18-foot Sweetwater pontoon boat made by Godfrey. It includes a live well and two swivel seats in the front. It also has a trolling motor and a 60 hp motor, compared to a 40 hp on most 18-foot models.
Surprisingly, pontoon boats even have an advantage over other fishing boats such as flat-bottoms and V-hulls, Taylor said.
"[A pontoon boat] drafts in three or four inches of water, where a regular boat can't," he said.
There are other advantages.
"I can take the umbrella top down and have someone fishing in every corner [of the boat]," Taylor said. "I could probably fish six in it."
Taylor used to own a speed boat, which he said reached speeds of 75-80 mph. He's definitely decided to slow down by purchasing a pontoon boat.
"When we bought a place on the water, we wanted something slow where we could enjoy the lake and see it at a slow pace," he said.
Like Rowe, Taylor did his shopping for his pontoon at a boat show. After viewing several different makes and models at a Greensboro boat show, he went to Moneta to buy his boat from Webster Marine.
Ralph Lerz, another Smith Mountain Lake resident, also had his mind on buying a pontoon boat when he went to the Southwestern Virginia Boat Show three years ago.
"I was in the market for a boat, so I wanted to compare them [at the boat show]," he said. "I had no particular model in mind. I checked what each dealer had to offer, and I thought Fisher had the best outfit. I spent the whole day going back and forth and checking out different models.
"[When you go to a boat show] you get an idea of what is available instead of walking around a shoreline or looking here and there. You can get on and off the boats and inspect them and get input from salesman."
The pontoon boat Lerz purchased from Advantage Marine of Roanoke is a 20-footer equipped with a 60 hp motor, built-in toilet, sink and a livewell.
"It's a more family-oriented boat," he said. "It's easy to get on and off, very stable and people feel safe in it."
At this year's Southwestern Virginia Boat Show, nearly every dealer will have a pontoon boat in his display. Webster Marine will have at least four Godfrey models on display. Advantage Marine will display at least five Fisher pontoons.
by CNB