Pontoon Boat For Sale Craigslist (2024)

FAQs

Do pontoon boats hold their value? ›

If you want to save a few dollars, a used pontoon boat can be an excellent value. Like cars, pontoon boats depreciate by as much as 25 to 35 percent in the first year of ownership. So if you are willing to buy last year's model, you can get a $40,000 boat for a reasonable $26,000 to $30,000 price range.

Typically, a well-maintained pontoon boat can last anywhere from 20 to 30 years or even longer. However, the lifespan is influenced by factors such as material quality, maintenance practices, environmental conditions, and frequency of use.

Each manufacturer has its own width-to-length ratios that determine how wide a pontoon boat from their brand will make. A medium-sized pontoon boat holds up to ten people and is 20 to 24 feet long. Such boats are excellent for family activities and are the most common type of pontoons.

Many boats are highly specialized, which is great for families who only plan on enjoying one activity. For those who want to enjoy a wide range of activities, a pontoon is the perfect choice. On a pontoon, you can wakeboard, water ski, tube, and foil with ease. On that same boat, you can also fish or entertain guests.

If the bow rises, ease off until it's level again. Remember, pontoons are designed to ride level with the water. As a result of their wide shape and dual hulls, pontoon boats are designed not to flip over and are equally unlikely to capsize.

While fall may be the best time to buy a new or used boat, the winter months signify the boating offseason, which means the boating market slows down and there is a decrease in boat prices. Private sellers may not want to pay to store their watercraft in the winter, and boat shows are offering incentives to buy.

Another disadvantage of pontoon boats is their relatively limited top speed compared to some other boat types. While modern pontoon boats can achieve respectable speeds, they typically cannot match the top speeds of boats designed for high-performance activities like water skiing or racing.

Water, as fun as it is to spend time on, is an excellent breeding ground for grime that you don't want to have on your boat's exterior. The best time to get it off is now, when you're storing it for winter, rather than in the spring when the boat has been sitting for months.

The obvious answer, no. While a pontoon boat is low maintenance, it still requires attention.

For those who want to enjoy watersports behind their pontoon, you'll want to opt for a motor of 150 HP or higher. These motors tend to perform well for watersports. For cruising and fishing, you could likely get away with a motor smaller than 150 HP.

How many people can fit on a 22 ft pontoon? ›

Mid-Size Pontoon Boats

Mid-size 18 to 24-foot pontoon boats are well suited for lakes and rivers that don't have large waves. Mid-size boats are well-equipped to seat up to 13 passengers. You'll be able to enjoy making memories with even more company aboard.

For one to five people, a 15-foot-long boat is sufficient. For six to 10 people, you'll want something in the range of 16 to 21 feet. If you want to take along an even bigger crowd, you should consider a model that's 21 to 28 feet long.

Not all boats are suitable for beaching, and there are always risks involved, so some boat owners outright refuse to beach their boats. However, pontoons can generally be safely beached if you follow the correct procedures.

Prices for pontoons can vary from $5,000 (for an older, used pontoon boat with issues) to $150,000 (for an absolutely deluxe boat rigged with powerful engines, deluxe seating and cool gadgets).

A pontoon boat is a different breed of boat that comes with some quirks that can make it a little challenging to dock. Docking a pontoon is a lot like parallel parking a car in that, after you've done it a few times, you internalize the size and shape of the vehicle, even though you can't see it.

In general, estimates put a pontoon boat's lifespan at 15-20 years.

For example, pontoon boats and fishing boats depreciate quicker than most other boats, in which their resale values drop approximately 25% to 30% after the first couple years of ownership.

Built for comfort and safety, it's rare that a pontoon boat would sink even with an inexperienced driver behind the wheel.