How are people transporting their pontoon boats?

[madoc]

I am considering getting a pontoon boat, but I was wondering how people are transporting them? They seem like they should be loaded on a small trailer (which means I would have to get a hitch and a trailer) - or can you deflate the pontoons and stuff them in the back of a car?

Cheers,
Madoc

 

[ArcticAmoeba]

If the frame would fit. But completely assembling it prior to launch would just be a hassle. I throw mine on top of my canopy, or in the bed of my old truck. I also drive an ancient Diesel Mercedes 4 door boat every so often, and put a towel on top, then throw the 'toon on that. A small trailer would also work well. A member here, DaveP has a 10 footer, and he uses a great little foldable trailer to haul it around.

 

[Troutski]

Car"toon"...

Car"toon"...

If you put it on top of your car does that make it a cartoon?
My toon is far to large and heavy for a car, I need a truck bed or small trailer to haul it. They are worth all the hassle once you are on the water...:dance: :dance: :dance: :clap:

Chuck

 

[ArcticAmoeba]

Yeah.. A car-toon! Hahaha!:lol: My little 8 footer gets packed in to the high lakes surrounding St. Helens, so it is pretty light weight. But yours look pretty comfy Chuck! Standing platforms are a thing of envy for me right now... Nice ride! And they are worth the hassle of hauling around for sure! I just would hate to have to assemble it out of the car trunk or something every time... But you know there are a lot of pretty cool dudes in the Magic Carpet Club...:lol: You should join up!

 

[ninja2010]

i drive a minivan... so i deflate the bladders and just load everything in the back. i do remove the back rack/anchor/motor mount to shorten the frame coz i have a passenger seat.

 

[Outdrsmn]

keep in mind that you don't want them fully inflated if you are heading up to the high lakes, the change in altitude can make them explode.

 

[Irishrover]

CARTOON That's great Troutski! I just toss my eight footer into the back of my truck and head out.

 

[ArcticAmoeba]

keep in mind that you don't want them fully inflated if you are heading up to the high lakes, the change in altitude can make them explode.

Absolutely. So can the heat. I run a hair soft at the put-in, and by the time I bank it with the first fish on, it has usually firmed up a bit. And by the time we're done, they are like rocks some days! Be careful, of pressure changes. In both directions. You don't want to overinflate, which is hard to do anyways... But underinflation makes you draft more water, and slows you down. The excess draft increases the chance you will snag something in the water and ruin your day real quick. Just observations is all. Make sure you stay on top of maintenance with these...

 

[Troutski]

Toons...

Toons...

These things are so great, such a varied range of applications. Affordable and each unique to the owners taste. A true Magic Carpet...
I second the Maintenance factor...after you are done and putting it away, open up the outer skin and let the bladders breath until the moisture is gone. This alone will add a ton of time to the life of your craft.

Chuck

 

[davep]

trailer guy

trailer guy

Im a trailer guy...my 10 footer is too big to throw on the top of a rig...I have one of those bi-mart 199 specials...I put larger wheels and tires on it for freeway speeds but still use it for hauling bark and stuff when needed....There are two reasons to go trailer...first, I leave my toon completely assembled and ready to go in a minute...I use it way more when its less hassle....two..when you fish with a pontoon buddy, I just piggy back my buddies toon, and drop the other car off at take out for shuttling at the end of the day...dave

 

[JeannaJigs]

I roll ghetto with a smallerish SUV (devoid of a roof rack! So dumb). My precious little 'toon is currently in my vehicle. I take down part of the frame, to get it to fit, and loosely place my deflated pontoons on top of the frame. I'm contemplating getting a small utility trailer to cart it around because it is a pain to assemble and take down everytime. I've got it down, and it doesn't take too much time anymore, but oi, sometimes you just want to fish and don't want to mess with it! It is however awesome to take down completely and pack into high lakes, the whole thing only weighs about 50 pounds if that.

 

[Anyfishisfine]

I've been watching Craig's list for a good deal on a toon. Would I be able to haul it in or on top of my Jeep Cherokee? I don't have a place to put a trailer right now.

 

[Throbbit _Shane]

Im gonna be buying one soon too. BiMart has a 9ft for 280.

 

[bernduffy]

No room for a trailer so...I've been putting the frame up on my thule roof rack and folding the half inflated toons in the back seat. Everything else in the trunk. Approx 150 pumps (on my mini K Pump) later the toons are good to go and I strap it all together. Set up is running approx 20 minutes. My next big idea is to extend the 48"Thule bars with some 90 degree bent conduit and try to haul the whole thing assembled. I don't raelly mind the set-up...it's the tear down that annoys the heck outa me. I rigged up a 16" bicycle wheel for land transport. Was nice to bypass a couple of drift boats at a ramp. Of course, I was still putting things away as they drove off! I'm still very much on the low end of the learning curve, but Love the pontoon!

 

[kayakkid]

I have a 10 foot toon I put on top of my four door sedan. It takes me about 5 min to get on the water when I get to put in.

 

[bernduffy]

Yeah, 5 min sounds good... I wish it was easier to swap out the cross bars on my Thule rack. It's a real pain in the...um...pontoons. They're so old I can't move them.
Kayakid, do you take the toon off the side or down the trunk or what? Any tips?

 

[koboabe]

I have a 10.5' boat and was at about 20 min to unload from car. pump (with K100 pump, i know I need an elec pump) and to assemble.
I finally got a small little folding trailer (4x8) and works great.

I also use a bicycle wheel to help launch the boat.

 

[lizardman]

I either take mine fully assembled (all accessories secured to the frame and oars in the oar locks) and inflated to the point that the tubes are semi-rigid and throw it into the back of my pickup with the front section resting on the diamond plate tool box, strap down with wratchet straps. When I had two of these (I recently sold one... how many toons can one man operate at a time right?) I would take the oar locks off of one and throw the other toon on top and then strap them both down (the one time I ever carried two toons at the same time).

Or I deflate the tubes and shove the whole assembly into the back of my Tahoe.

Dave

 

[kayakkid]

I just slide if off the side carry it over my head to the water. The thing doesn't weigh that much maybe 60lbs.


Does anyone have a set of oars 6.5 feet or longer they would like to get rid of? (sell)

 

[bernduffy]

Well, there's no way I'm twirling my 75lb toon over my head...wish I were that young again... so:
The learning curve continues: I found that my 9' can be tied down safely to my 48" Thules.

Since I find it very awkward (and back spasm-ing) to try and lift the pontoon up sideways onto the rack, Here's my load up technique:
Pllace racks closer than the space between pontoons...For me approx 20"...then lean the toons against car pointing skyward, push the craft up onto roof...it slides up pretty easily but those recovering from hernia surgery may want to apply generous slathering of Vaseline to the roof of your vehicle. Toons now straddling the rack. Lift toon up onto rack on one side so it's now facing front to back, walk around and do same on other side. Tie down real good. The take down is the traditional slide the darn thing down the side of the vehicle. Remember to wipe off Vaseline or you may have a lot of explaining to do when you get home. (But, Honey, I told you I love my boat!" )

I know that 20" apart doesn't sound like enough space between rack bars, but the frame weight is centered and by using wide tie-down straps, I've had no problems. I zip around like it's not even there! And I love not attaching the toons at the put in.

Next problem to solve: I am starting a new thread re: trolling motor placement for those interested.