Completly rebuilding my 30' pontoon boat any ideas??

[motorboatinSOB]

I have had this 28' pontoon boat for 3 years now and its been a awesome party boat, but its time i rebuilt it with a little class. I have begun stripping it down to the aluminum frame as the decking is in need of being redone. One of the cylinders in engine does no fire so I am going to have the 110 89 johnson tracker redone buy a mechanic, unless someone thinks that is a bad idea and waste of money. This boat is going to have lots of features such as a RGB Led light system throughout that flashes with the beat of the music. I want to redo the railings with pressure treated wood painted as i think it would be unique and look nicer. Having a little trouble with the design though. Any Input would be greatly appreciated. I attached some pictures of my boat, pleasing to any Gator fans out... I live in the swamp

 

[Engreps]

Re: Completly rebuilding my 30' pontoon boat any ideas??

Pressure treated wood will add a lot of weight for a railing. You might won't to reconsider that. Weight means less performance..

 

[EGlideRider]

Re: Completly rebuilding my 30' pontoon boat any ideas??

Great project... I would keep the wood to a minimum due to weight.

Keep the pictures coming.

 

[Cubbyblue22]

Re: Completly rebuilding my 30' pontoon boat any ideas??

Actually I don't think the weight really matters in this case. It's a 28' foot boat with a 110 on it, it's not used for anything but parties i'm guessing. Also if you didn't notice the empty Natty Ice cases i'm thinking it's just a party boat and nothing but a party boat lol. I would def. have the mechanic look at fixing that motor. It will only lead to more problems and with a bigger pontoon like yours with a lot of people on it your going to need a good motor to push you around. If you want the wood look i'd go for it.

 

[Cubbyblue22]

Re: Completly rebuilding my 30' pontoon boat any ideas??

Also just thought if your a gator fan you could find some real nice graphics from custom websites where you could put some blue graphics on the side but also add in some orange to go along with it. Then find some Florida Gator decals in certain spots, kind of what i'm going to be doing with mine only for the chicago cubs. Just a thought

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Completly rebuilding my 30' pontoon boat any ideas??

The new pressure treated wood EATS aluminum.

 

[lncoop]

Re: Completly rebuilding my 30' pontoon boat any ideas??

Before you begin the procurement process check here. Everything from furniture to carpet to complete redecking kits. Do the structural stuff right with the correct components then play around with the layout, graphics, etc. If you use unsuitable materials now you'll just end up redoing her again in five years. You know what they say. Do it right or do it twice. I agree with getting the motor diagnosed. If the loss of a cylinder is the only issue the repairs could easily be worth the expense. You might try asking about the motor specifically over in the johnnyrude section. Lots of knowledgeable help over there. Good luck and welcome aboard. Sounds like a fun project. Keep us posted.

 

[Navigator_Victory]

Re: Completly rebuilding my 30' pontoon boat any ideas??

Ahh the memory?s of my Party Hut......well I was to the point of selling mine or rebuilding and I chose to sell but, not before I did some research. Mine had plywood floor = Rot eventually the nicer boats have aluminum deck = last forever so my thought was to put down an aluminum floor...but, cost $$$ so I found you can buy and forgive my spelling/description---- I beam pearling I think it was called and they are like 2x4's very light weight and when in combination very strong...another thought since I have been reading forums on rebuilding would be to glass the plywood before you install it....I am guessing weight is why people do not do that but,,,,,other than that.....if you glassed the wood I would think it would last a great deal longer....but that is just a theory

My 110 blew up on me and I parted it out on ebay ending up with $500 when I was done.....took that money and bought a tunnel hull boat that had a bad transom but, a good motor.....put that motor on my boat and then sold the tunnel hull for $300......took alot of work swapping and wheeling and dealing but,,,,,by the time I was done I had a good motor for free------just a thought.....if the motor is cheap enough I would just get it fixed

 

[Mr Crabbs]

Re: Completly rebuilding my 30' pontoon boat any ideas??

Navigator, are you thinking about purlins instead of pearling?

As others have said keep the treated to a minimum. Treated is heavy and absorbs moisture, carpenter bees love it around here. They drill nice round holes in it!

Motorboatin, consider ditching all of the pontoon furniture and replacing it with bag chairs. That way your guests can grab one at the dock. Maybe put in a seat with the reversible back and cooler underneath. Put something in better than light beer.

Does it have a head? Grill or cooker? Maybe add a compresser for inflatables.

I suspect you'll be wanting a sound system for that thing. I know I would.

 

[lncoop]

Re: Completly rebuilding my 30' pontoon boat any ideas??

I just have one question. When will the rechristening take place? I need to be sure I ask off in time.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Completly rebuilding my 30' pontoon boat any ideas??

Motorboatin, consider ditching all of the pontoon furniture and replacing it with bag chairs. That way your guests can grab one at the dock. Maybe put in a seat with the reversible back and cooler underneath. Put something in better than light beer.

This is a great idea. The best pontoon I was ever on was a big giant one like yours that a close family friend owned. The furniture had rotted out years ago so the only thing he had permanently attached was the console and a pedestal chair for the captain. Additionally he built two long (around 6') boxes with padded upholstered lids. They were great for storing PFDs and other gear. Then he also had about 4 of these type of deck chairs http://www.overtons.com/modperl/pro...lding_Deck_Chair&str=deck+chairs&merchID=4005

 

[Navigator_Victory]

Re: Completly rebuilding my 30' pontoon boat any ideas??

Navigator, are you thinking about purlins instead of pearling?


Thats the stuff------knew the name sounded right but, the spelling was off....thanks...

 

[likalar]

Re: Completly rebuilding my 30' pontoon boat any ideas??

Wood railings will be more maintenance, and could eventually offer something aluminum doesn't: splinters. Also, the bracing you'll likely need for wood stanchions will be good toe stubbers. Maybe consider metal stanchions with a wood cap all the way around. Also, consider beefing up that roof. When the party really gets going, too many people dancing up there could be trouble. Nice project, and best wishes with it.
Larry

 

[motorboatinSOB]

Re: Completly rebuilding my 30' pontoon boat any ideas??

WoW I really appreciate all of the input from everybody, This is really gives me extra motivation on rebuilding my MotorBoatin' SOB. Since my last post on Tuesday tonight i finally completed striping down the boat, sorry it got dark out so the final strip down picture will have to wait for tomorrow. I did attache some pictures of the boat in the middle of the strip, and it looks like a freaking hurricane hit it. While i pondered about doing the wood side rails i noticed that after i took off the aluminum rails it looks like they are in great condition. perfectly straight, i was worried about this. What made them look bent were the support brackets which became torqued from wear and tear. So for people out there with railings that look bent, it could be a simple fix by redoing the support brackets.


I did some research on the RGB led Lights and bought a system for $150.00 from www.usledsupply.com

12v RGB Waterproof Flex E IP-68 1 $100.00
RGB LED Modules RGB SMD LED Modules 4 $12.00
RGB RF Remote Controller with Audio Input/Mic 4A 6x Key DMPWM12V4ARFA 1 $30.00
Subtotal $142.00
Shipping & Handling $9.85
Grand Total $151.85


You can watch how this system operates on this youtube video.... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRzoE1M0Z5A


Another unique item I am adding to the boat is the cooler...... (Truck bed tool box), its diamond plate, has a hydraulic lid, and shiny.... all together its a BADASS COOLER!!! As my friend said I was very innovative in doing this. I know that it heats up to the touch and it not so insulated to keep ice very long, but I thought that through. Rustoleum makes a truck bed liner spray that creates a barrier between the ice and metal on the inside, with a few coats making it decently thick it should work great for the insulation. As for the lid getting hot in the sun; one, it is sure to be in the shade under the roof, and two ice in the cooler should keep the lid cool. I went looking for a used Truck bed Box online and found that a decent one used with minor scratches was $150, and then was walking through home depot and found a really nice one made by Husky on sale for $180. I figured it was worth the $30 for that perfect shiny look with no scratches. Any comments good or bad on this idea shoot em' at me. Here is the truck bed box http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc...splay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Completly rebuilding my 30' pontoon boat any ideas??

If you lined the inside of the cooler with even thin sheet foam, it would make a tremendous difference in its ice keeping ability.

 

[captmello]

Re: Completly rebuilding my 30' pontoon boat any ideas??

If you lined the inside of the cooler with even thin sheet foam, it would make a tremendous difference in its ice keeping ability.

I agree and it's going to sweat a lot!! I'd just find a cooler to fit inside of it. Or line it with insulation like ez said.

Man, your options are endless with that huge toon!!

 

[Mr Crabbs]

Re: Completly rebuilding my 30' pontoon boat any ideas??

I just have one question. When will the rechristening take place? I need to be sure I ask off in time.

I'll bring the beer! How many cases to fill that bad boy?

I'd go with the foam too. It's cheap, can be found at any home center or construction site dumpsters

 

[motorboatinSOB]

Re: Completly rebuilding my 30' pontoon boat any ideas??

Mr. Crabbs id say it holds about 50 cases of beer lol, Im going to take it outta crystal river, Florida for its is first voyage... memorial day, fourth of july, and this huge boating party called the Raft Race is in August. Anyone and everyone should come out, as if yall lived close haha.

I thought of using sheet foam, but isnt that stuff kinda soft? I was worried that full beer cans, bottles or anything heavy that hit it would cause dents and eventually wear and tear. So i thought of using Rustoleum truck bed liner.

 

[motorboatinSOB]

Re: Completly rebuilding my 30' pontoon boat any ideas??

Now that i have the deck stripped of everything, its was great to find that most of the plywood is in good condition I added some pictures. lemme know what yall think? i was also considering treating it and putting down a hardener on it like epoxy resin or something for extra protection.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Completly rebuilding my 30' pontoon boat any ideas??

I thought of using sheet foam, but isnt that stuff kinda soft?

Use the pink or blue sheet foam from Lowes/Home Depot. It is quite sturdy.