How to Buy an Engine for Your Boat

So you have purchased your first boat and it needs an engine before you can enjoy the joys of taking it out on your first boating expedition, or perhaps you have taken on the task of building your boat. Either way, if you intend to get it out there without the use of a paddle and manpower, you are going to need to buy an engine. Before plunking down the cash for one though, there are a few things that you definitely need to know.

Not every engine will fit your particular boat, so knowing a bit about the type of boat that you have and what it requires is important.

Things to Consider

Here are a few things that you absolutely must know before pulling out your credit card. First and foremost, is that size matters. You must know the size and weight of your boat before you buy the engine. This is common sense and yet many new boat owners do not take this into consideration. Now this is not simply the weight of the boat but the boat weight plus the weight of what it will be carrying, including equipment and passengers.

There are also different types of engines to choose from. Different engines are powered differently and each type has its pros and cons. With a direct fuel injection system, for example, the fuel is directly injected into the engine’s cylinders. This allows you more control and can be a bit more economical than some of the other choices. If you are environmentally conscious, this type of engine causes fewer emissions than some of the other models.

Another alternative is the electronic fuel injection system. This type of boat engine keeps a constant pressure because it uses an electronic fuel pump. Or you could go with the more traditional carbureted fuel systems. These engines tend to cost less and work very well.

Each of these boat engines are viable choices. It all depends on what is important to you.

Read our articles on small pontoon boats

Looking for Pontoon Boat Seats?

Guide to Pontoon Boat Seats: Luxury Boating at Discount Prices

If you’re in the market for a pontoon boat, are building one on your own, or are just trying to make some repairs or upgrades, buying pontoon boat seats can be a daunting task. Most importantly, they have to fit the exact dimensions of your boat deck, but they also have to blend in with the other design elements and match your aesthetic tastes. Fortunately, when you actually start shopping for pontoon boat seats, you’ll find that each general category of seat comes in practically all the color designs you could want, and they also come in all shapes and sizes.

Captain’s seat: First things first, you’re going to need a comfortable place for the boat driver. This may be the most important seat on the boat. While other people can move around and get as comfortable as they want, the driver has to remain upright and alert so that he or she can guide the boat safely. So, when shopping for your captain’s seat, make comfort a priority. Stay away from materials that can stick to the skin after, and invest in one with some comfy arm rests. There are reclining captain’s seats, but these are risky.

Read the rest of this Guide to Pontoon Boat Seats

Lowe Pontoon Boats: Stylish Cruising on a Budget

In an industry where it’s often difficult to tell one company’s products from another, Lowe pontoon boats are refreshingly unique. Maybe it’s because, unlike other pontoon companies, Lowe makes several different kinds of boats, including fishing boats, speed boats, deck boats, and others. It could be that their experience designing and manufacturing these other types gives them fresh perspective on pontoon design. In any case, Lowe pontoon boats are well-crafted, safe, and customizable, and their variety of models at affordable prices provides opportunity for people on all types of budgets to enjoy the pontoon boating experience.

Based in Missouri, the Lowe company has been making boats since the early 1970s. After specializing in flat-bottom boats and canoes for the first few years of existence, they entered the pontoon game in 1979. Ever since then, they’ve continued to expand the field with Lowe pontoon boats whose quality and innovation puts fear in the competition with each year of new releases. More recently, the company has led the pack in computer assisted construction methods, resulting in a fully integrated design for smooth, modern constructions.

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Sylvan Pontoon Boats

Sylvan Pontoon Boats: State-of-the-Art Boating for Everyone

The Sylvan Marine company, makers of Sylvan pontoon boats, place a special focus on making pontoons that balance luxury, quality, and performance, while also being roomy, high-tech, and safe. They’re also beautifully designed with a loving touch for detail, shape, and color. Riding in a Sylvan pontoon, you’ll be one of the more attractive boats on the water, and you’ll also be able to enjoy a variety of highly customizable features that some of the other companies simply haven’t thought of yet.

Since making their first boats in 1961, Sylvan has gradually expanded its offering to include several pontoon series in addition to their fishing boats. The 5 Sylvan pontoon series are:

• The Mandalay Series: These top-of-the-line models have all the luxury features while bringing all of Sylvan’s design expertise to bear. They have the highest horsepower, the greatest mobility, the most room, and the most state-of-the-art design, including Sylvan’s specially designed RPT (Revolutionary Planing Technology) tubes.

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Fishing Pontoon Boats

Fishing Pontoon Boats: Reeling in the Top 4

Fishing is the greatest thing in the world. I don’t think that’s going too far. Sure, maybe it’s not everyone’s thing, but for those of us who like fishing, nothing in the world can beat it. It’s a relaxing and fun way to spend time in the great outdoors. It’s a perfect way to enjoy quality time with friends or family members. And hey, maybe you even catch a fish from time to time. But for me, the craft is essential, and I’ve found that fishing pontoon boats provide far and away the best experience for recreational fishing.

I’ve had plenty of perfectly good times in simple bass boats or even fishing rowboats, but these are not exactly the best options for the whole family. I mean, yeah, you and your best buddy could easily fit in one of these boats and have a fine day, but when it comes to bringing the spouses, the kids, the kids’ friends, and so on, you have to have something that’s going to please everyone.

Read more about Fishing Pontoon Boats

Sweetwater Pontoon Boats: Versatility, Value, and a Few Extras

The line of Sweetwater Pontoon Boats, made by the innovative Indiana-based Godfrey Marine company, has been providing people with fun boating options for over 50 years. From light-weight cruisers, to functional fishing models, to high-class luxury pontoons for large family get-togethers, Sweetwater pontoon boats meet all the recreational boating needs you could possibly imagine. They’re also very upgradable, are made of the highest quality materials, have top-notch safety features, and come with some of the best maneuvering technology on the market today.

Unlike some of the other top pontoon companies, Godfrey Marine offers both luxury options and smaller, more affordable options. All three main lines of Sweetwater pontoon boats—the Cruise series, the Fish series, and the Tuscany—are made in all different sizes and are highly customizable.

The Rear Entry and Deluxe Cruiser series starts with small models such as the SW 1986 RE3, which has enough seating for about 4 or 5 people, or a weight capacity of about 1300 pounds. This type of small boat is perfect for a couple or anyone who doesn’t have a lot of experience maneuvering boats. The horsepower is relatively small and the boat weight light, which makes the pontoon easy to steer and perfect for smaller bodies of water.

Read more about Sweetwater Pontoon Boats

Crest Pontoon Boats

Crest Pontoon Boats: Setting the Standard

There’s a reason why Crest pontoon boats are among the bestselling boats in the market. Maurell, the company that makes Crest pontoons, has been around for over 50 years, and their manufacturing standards have been high throughout their history. While their models have plenty of old-fashioned craftsmanship, they always seem to stay on top of the latest developments in boating and pontoon technology, which is why they continue to lead the pack going into the 21^st century. a

But the one thing that distinguishes Crest pontoon boats most if all is that the company only makes mid-range to luxury models. In fact, there is no model of Crest pontoon boat that doesn’t have at least one special feature that makes it stand apart from models by other companies. For example, the Crest II LE Upper Sundeck model has a unique deck that provides not only a ladder-accessible place to enjoy the view and sunbathe, but also a little bit of shade down blow to get out of the sun.

Continue reading about Crest Pontoon Boats here.

Small Pontoon Boats: For When Quality Beats Quantity

We all know the advantages of pontoons over regular boats. They’re less expensive to buy and cheaper to insure. They’re lighter, more maneuverable, and easier to transport. They’re durable, and they don’t cause much damage should a collision occur. But there are added advantages to purchasing small pontoon boats as opposed to some of the larger models. Obviously, they tend to be cheaper, but there’s much more to it than that.

1. Good for beginners: Small, compact boats are perfect for people who don’t have much experience with boating. If you’re just starting out and you’re not sure if this is going to turn into a long-term hobby, get a small pontoon boat, and practice maintaining, using, and handling it. After you try it out for a while, you can then decide whether or not to move on to a larger, more advanced type of boat.

2. Perfect for lakes that have restrictions: If you’re new to boating, you may be surprised how many lakes and other bodies of water enforce restrictions on what types of boats may enter. Some allow no gas-powered boats at all, which makes perfect conditions for a small pontoon with electric propulsion. Also, some lakes have restrictions on the level of horsepower that can be used. Small pontoon boats have such low horsepower that they’ll easily meet any of these requirements.

3. Best for small bodies of water: Some lakes and ponds are so small that it’s downright unreasonable to try to use a full-sized boat of any kind on them. But in these cases, small pontoon boats can make perfect sense. Using one in a small lake can actually be a great way to get some boating experience, train kids, or just to have a fun time without going far.

4. Easy handling: Compared to larger boats, small pontoons are incredibly easy to maneuver. Particularly for beginners to boating, larger pontoons and other types of boats can take extensive training and practice, which can really hamper the experience. Operation of smaller pontoon boats is so easy to learn that almost anyone can do it.

5. Ideal for couples or small families: Let’s say it’s just you and your spouse, and maybe you have a dog. Why spend the money on a larger boat that takes more power and is harder to transport, when you can get all the room you need from a smaller-sized boat? You’ll probably find the small pontoon to be sufficient and actually quite cozy.

6. Small size and light weight: The size of a small pontoon comes in handy for many reasons. For one thing, it’s easier to store. If you have a little extra room in your garage or even in your backyard, you can put it there, and it will hardly get in the way. Also, the size makes it easier to haul around, even with a mini-van or a smaller type of sports utility vehicle. This way, if you decide on a whim that you want to head out to the lake, it only takes you a few minutes to hook the boat up to your vehicle, get everything you need, and go have fun.