Storing Pontoon on my own property over the winter

First time boat owner and it looks like my best option is to store the pontoon on my beach shoreline as I do not have a trailer or storage space. My main questions are ideas to pull the boat ashore and raise it on to pipe, wood or blocks. It is a 1995 20ft pontoon in the Michigan winter weather.

A) I have a large tree about 30yards from shore, would a come along and rope be the best to pull it from shore onto the beach for winter storage? Or another idea?

B) What is the best cheap option to store it on- cement blocks(I can get for free), PVC pipe (size?), wood logs, rubber blocks.

C) Best way to raise or pull the pontoon on to the blocks, pipe or wood? Blocks would need a jack to raise? What kind of jack and where on the boat is the best place to lift it? Pipe or wood do you just pull the boat over these into place and you are good to go?

D) I have a boat cover would this be ok or would it be best to also cover with a tarp or have it shrink wrapped? (17year old boat in good shape)

E) It is a electric motor, from what I have read you charge the (8) batteries and store indoors or is a garage ok to store over the Michigan winter?

F) Any other general advice?

Re: Storing Pontoon on my own property over the winter

There are people who advertise to pull pontoon boats out of the water. I think I saw some on Craigs list. It might be quicker and cheaper in the long run to have it towed out of the water if they can get at it easily enough with a truck and trailer. Most fully charged batteries will last the winter especially if stored inside. I leave the cars in the garage all winter and they start in the spring. I did take the deep cycles out of the boats and charge them in the garage for the winter but I am thinking about leaving the starting batteries in the boats- outside and covered for the winter. I made a ridge pole that goes down the center from front to back and a couple of cross braces to keep the cover from sagging on the pontoon boat. Sorry I can't tell you how to jack yours up but if it has cross members under it I think I would try to span several of them with the cribbage while jacking.

Re: Storing Pontoon on my own property over the winter

The thing is yes you can winch it out on sheets of ply wood or boards or pvc but how are you going to get it back in, Find some one with a scissor trailer, and have it placed in your yard or garage. Much less chance of damage.

Re: Storing Pontoon on my own property over the winter

Part of my problem is that it is very difficult to find access to launch a boat anywhere on the lake, it is a very small private lake. My property like most really does not have access because of the septic field.

Good point on getting it back in the spring after pulling it out in the fall. Some others on the lake have 16-18ft pontoons and just pulled them up on shore and leave them on the ground, I don't really want to do that.

Re: Storing Pontoon on my own property over the winter

On our lake, many people have electric winches pull the boat up on to skids of either wood or PVC. A purpose built ramp will always work best, I think. Typical winterization includes disconnecting the battery or batteries. If I had my druthers, I would shrink wrap the boat if for no other reason than to get more life out of the cover.

Re: Storing Pontoon on my own property over the winter

Not that its much help in your case but one of my uncles has a set of small gauge rail tracks with a cradle on a set of wheels and he winched it up into a shed ever winter. I trailer mine when its pulled in the late fall into my yard.

Re: Storing Pontoon on my own property over the winter

My neighbor winches his up from a tree using 4" PVC pipe as rollers. Work good for him, he just needs a few guys to push it back in the water.

Re: Storing Pontoon on my own property over the winter

Make sure you get it far enough into the lawn that the ice can't come up and bite it. You get a bad year with some wind and you'll be amazed how far up onto the property you can get a big chunk of ice.

I'd get someone to pull it out on a scissor trailer and drop it in the yard. The boat got into the lake somehow so their must be a launch

Re: Storing Pontoon on my own property over the winter

I would go the route of using 10' sections (3 or 4 of them) and pull it out if you can get something solid to pull it with. I store mine on concrete blocks with a piece of 2" styrofoam insulation between the cpncrete and the aluminum.

As for a cover, I create a frame that raises off the deck at least 7' with a big tarp (20x40 in my case) and tie it down tight with tarp clamps and tent stakes. It keeps the tarp tight so the snow doesn't collect. You can use either 2" PVC pipe or 2x4's to create the frame. Just switched to PVC this year and it was light,easy and sturdy.

You didn't mention what are you are in so don't know if snow buildup is a problem..

Re: Storing Pontoon on my own property over the winter

I (and the previous owner) store the 'toon & trailer ON my septic field & have not had a problem with those or my truck on it. I hope I'm not asking for trouble

I would do anything to NOT have to drag those thin tubes on the beach or ground. You have NO stones, broken glass, lost shovel or anything on your beach? It's an expensive "gotcha!"...

I would ask or hire a local to lift out your boat with a scissor-lift trailer & set it down on cushioned blocks or old tires.

Re: Storing Pontoon on my own property over the winter

As you are a 'new boater', I can assume that you will have the same problem next year and every year after. You need a lasting solution. You can purchase a new trailer for a couple thousand dollars, find a used one which are as rare as hen's teeth or build what you need. My solution was to strip down an old RV trailer to the frame, create a couple of bunks and for a total of $300 I have a solid platform to move my boat the few hundred feet it has to go twice a year. For this, you need deep water to load and unload. For shallow water and just moving it on shore, I would get 4 spindles, rims and tires, have two sets welded up with 2 nine foot lenghts of heavy 3"pipe and make a low slung platform to float the boat onto. ( rear axles from front wheel drive vehicles are great for this).