It’s been quite a year. All around the country there have been storms, floods, hurricanes, fires, and droughts. Quite a mix of weather, making boating in some regions a challenge. In my area, the lake was at flood level, covering parking lots and making the walk to the slips a destination in itself. Dragging coolers and extras became a big workout. I have friends with small children and elderly parents who finally quit using their boat during that time; it was just too hard to get everyone to the pontoon.

But that flood finally passed, and then we had a drought. No rain and record high temperatures. Again, it really has been a tough year for boating.

Since it’s the end of our season, I figure it’s a good time to start planning for next year. Boat shows are going to start (and have started). New boats and new extras are being promoted and some are even on sale. And really, isn’t it the time of the year to start stocking up for the self-purchased holiday gifts? I think so.

So what do you want in your stocking?

Whether you are new to the pontoon world or an old “tooner,” I’m thinking we should look at a few things that are always needed or need to be improved. Okay, maybe these are things that I want on my list.

It’s not unusual for pontoon owners to use their boat as a party platform, often tied up or parked at the beach (or sandbar) where people can get on and off the boat. Dropping anchor in the lake or throwing an anchor on the beach is normal. Personally, I always keep an anchor and rode in one of the under-seat lockers. But putting an anchor on the beach hasn’t always worked for me. Our lake can get windy and rough from passing boaters and putting an anchor on the beach ends up dragging it and moving the anchor and sometimes re-beaching the pontoon.

For years I have watched the bass boats on our lake with their power anchor poles, thinking that would be the way to go. The fact that the power poles are really only for shallow water use would make them perfect for my type of “toon” parking, close to shore. I thought of buying a set and installing them on my pontoon, but they are sort of bulky and expensive.

But there is an easier and cheaper way to do this. If you start looking around, there are some really nice shallow water anchor poles. These poles are about 8 to 10 feet in length and can be stuck into the lake bottom. One company I located has a flush deck mount for pontoons. These mounts would be great on the four corners of the deck. Just motor to the spot you want to park, slide the pole through the deck mount and into the shallow bottom. When you are ready to leave, pull the pole up and off you go. Not quite hydraulic powered deployment like on the bass boats, but sure takes up a lot less space and money. Plus, you can take the pole and walk up on a sandbar or beach and stick it into the ground, tie a line to it and easy peasy, you’re beached. No anchor to slip. And of course, there are screw-in beach poles too if you want more security.

But that means I need a better way to get back on the deck. As I’m aging and so are my friends, it would be nice to have a ramp to board on the front of the pontoon. Think about it: you need to get to the deck, but with poles you are probably standing in deeper water than normal. Not as easy for us old, out-of-shape pontooners. Usually, I would go around the boat and board using the ladder. Usually the ladders are on the stern of the pontoon, so I need a ladder on the front like the LilliPad Marine one. A bow ladder makes it easier for the kids and the dogs too, which is the next new thing I need to add to my wish list.