Anyone know where to get higher end pontoon helms or furniture???

thetester

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Jun 14, 2012
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4
Hey guys, this is my first post on this forum and hope I can get a little help. I am restoring a pontoon and I want it to look as nice as any Manitou, Bennington, Princecraft out there. I am thinking on going with veada seats and doing some accents and custom end caps myself. However, I am having a REAL pain finding a helm or console that looks worth a crap. The only thing I can find is on ebay from great lakes skipper. I think the console is the main focal point for any pontoon and such I need or want a really nice console. Does anyone on here have any earthly idea how to get my eyes on any of these such helms???

The only thing I find searching google is the same ole same ole. Wise and deckmate which can't hold a candle to the real deals. For my last thought for myself would be to call dealers and find replacement helms but then I don't know what each model looks like without looking up each and every one. GRRRRRRRR I am at witts end.

Thank you guys for any responses you may have

Tester
 

MH Hawker

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Jul 13, 2011
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5,516
Re: Anyone know where to get higher end pontoon helms or furniture???

Thats why I made my own. :D I wanted a simple helm but with what I wanted and needed with out a lot of extra stuff that is just something elese to keep working.
 

5150abf

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Joined
Aug 12, 2007
Messages
5,808
Re: Anyone know where to get higher end pontoon helms or furniture???

Most of the helms on new boats are fiberglass and as you said you would have to go to a dealer to get one,never seen one for sale to the public, maybe Google "fiberglass helm" but a dealer would be your best bet, and be ready, I am sure they aren't cheap.

You would die if you went into my work, there are racks and racks of them.
 

thetester

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Jun 14, 2012
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Re: Anyone know where to get higher end pontoon helms or furniture???

Guys I really do appreciate your responses and your efforts here. I did try google imaging but it has usually lead me to a dealer site where they are either selling used boats or in a few cases new ones. I have seen the couple of helms in the last couple of posts and they are ok I guess. I figured I want to feel like I am getting behind the dash of a lincoln or a beemer when I hop on the pontoon HAHAHAHA.. I don't mind splurging here as it in my mind is what sets it apart from every other pontoon and makes the boat. I have seen them all over craigslist and some helms that would just make you drool.. CHEAP TOO..but they all seem to be up north. I am in the south in good ole alabamy. Not willing to travel either since I traveled four hours to go get this fool pontoon and bout had a break down going over the mountains boarding georgia to get it... HAHAHA..


I figured there may be a repairman's resource or some inside info on where to get the higher end stuff. I am seeing that pontoon items are quite limited. I may just have to search out some dealer stuff and get a price quote for a replacement. I think that is gonna take me a LONGGGGGGG time. I don't know if I can take it. It is just sitting there begging to be put in the water. HAHAHAHAHA.. Fresh paint, new carpet, new bimini, fresh tune up... Heck I had to restore the pontoons and since this is my first pontoon I had lightly sand and re-polish the toons. I had no choice but to polish them out the way I did but they are mirror brite. NICE if I do say so myself even if it will blind the other boaters to even take a glance LMAO...

Well, thanks guys for all your efforts and I am sure I will be back here soon to ask more noob questions. If anyone else has info to add please do as I will check back here often.

Till then thanks guys,
Tester
 

Bamby

Seaman
Joined
Jun 11, 2008
Messages
57
Re: Anyone know where to get higher end pontoon helms or furniture???

In doing a bit of looking these look pretty sweet to me anyway. Boat pilot console and I think my real pick would probably be this one though it is a bit should I say pricy..:)
 

5150abf

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5,808
Re: Anyone know where to get higher end pontoon helms or furniture???

I am pretty sure the last one is a Bennington console, it is from Veada, where we get our furniture and it sure looks like what we put in some of them, of coarse you still need a gauge cluster but that is a real nice con, way better than the Wise stuff.
 

thetester

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Jun 14, 2012
Messages
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Re: Anyone know where to get higher end pontoon helms or furniture???

I thought I might give my experience and my findings as of yet. I thought it might help the next fella out who is rebuilding and looking for higher end accessories or furniture. I have looked at the pontoon specialist and didn't find anything that was any different from every other pontoon sales site. They carry the same old WISE type furniture everyone else sales. Wise and Deckmate might be good stuff but for me it doesn't have the look or elegance that I desire on my pontoon. It is just well,....... tacky colors and tacky seem design. For the guys who have it, I hope I have not offended. This is my own personal opinion. I just desire the more luxury MODERN look.


As for the gentleman who gave me the PREMIER pontoon web site, I did call them and they only sale DIRECTLY to owners of a premier pontoon. You have to have a serial number which I don't possess. I did think they had some nice looking helms from what I could see from the ads they had up advertising their replacement parts and dash panels. The problem is getting a serial number in which to mislead them?? hmmmmmmm... Why would a company be so strict on selling a part. If you got money who cares?? Sale them anything!! As far as I have ever experienced, I could call any oem and empty my wallet in micro seconds for ANY couple of their items without question. LOL


Great lake skipper... They do have some nice stuff including helms at great great prices but it is older items off boats like Harris and Kayot. Anyone would be hard pressed to finder a better price excluding private individual sellers on solid fiberglass helms. They are not bubbly and designed like a bennington but they are nice. Plus you had better be ready to fabricate some panels or search out the panels that go to them. Here is the catch!! You have to let it be delivered to a commercial business and have it unloaded via forklift. Not very convenient for the individual guy. For what I was told by Greatlakeskipper they will NOT do it any other way.

As far as seats and helms go VEADA and AMERICAN SOFT TRIM both do custom seats with a predefined seat pattern with limited colors. Here is the drop on those two. I talked to both Veada and American soft trim and they both use the same vinyl products with exclusion of a couple colors. Here is the difference. A.S.T uses plywood frames in seat construction and a 15% up-charge for molded plastic. A.S.T's price for seating is very close if not higher than Veada. You will also oblige a hefty freight fee for delivery on your seats. Soft trim had very nice customer service reps and or sales reps. Lead time to acquire the seats was estimated at about three weeks at longest. It was pleasant to talk to them.

Veada has both VERY nice designed seats ( Regatta...AGAIN MY OPINION ) and very decent helms that are fiberglass. The only thought on the helm is for about $900 can I get a nicer OEM helm for close to that amount?? The shipping is free and if you spend $1000 you get a 3% off discount and a 5% for 3 grand or more. ( I don't think this helps if you look at the pricing on most items) Here is the kicker with this company. Veada's sales reps don't seem to care one way or the other if they get your business. If you have multiple questions they seem to loose interest and get annoyed. Maybe this is because their sales are made for the season?? Who knows!! Veada at the present is backed up to over EIGHT weeks! If you ask for a estimated date you will NOT get one. From what I can gather they take your money and then..... well you wait!! For the helms they do not stock them. They order from a fabricator. The fabricator sends the helm to veada and then to you. This is over a three week process. YEP I did talk straight to veada management. From what I could conclude from my observation, if you had problems with veada and their attitudes are like what I have described now that they are under slight production pressure. What will the attitude be once you have already purchased the items and warranty issue comes up? Or better yet warranty issue comes up while they are in peak production season like right now????

I hope I have tossed out some helpful tidbits that I have found and thoughts that has crossed my mind. I hope more suggestions come in that will help me and others like me in my search for nicer pontoon items. I have not settled on a company for a helm or seats. It would seem right now Veada is my only choice with a dose of salt and vinegar. If I get stuck going with veada, I will poke the wound and wait till the end of season or closer to winter and see if the prices go down. Even if I order now it will be about then when I get my items anyway.

Thanks again to all you guys,
Tester!!
 
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