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Should You Name Your Pontoon?

I was recently asked if naming a boat was considered bad luck. I quickly chirped back that it actually might be considered bad luck not to name it! All superstitions aside, it really is up to you. And if you do decide you want to name your boat, I would like to offer at least one piece of sound advice. Women’s names are quite popular when choosing a boat name and if you decide to honor your spouse or girlfriend, make sure the boat is not old, ugly, in disrepair, neglected and undesirable. If you do this then you may be renaming your boat The Dog House since you could be living on it full-time. Just say’n.

Having walked many piers I have seen all kinds of boat names, some applicable, some tongue-in-cheek and some leaving me saying out loud, “What were they thinking?” But as common as boat naming is, I’m often surprised by how many pontoon owners choose not to name their boats. I have seen quite a few so there are some, but not at a high percentage rate like you see with yachts or larger boats.

Not many people are brave enough to carry a fire pit on their pontoon, though it would certainly add a center of warmth and delight to your boating trips. But with the new portable fire pit from Floating Flame, that dream can now become a reality. This safe, fun, and easy-to-use propane fire pit was designed specifically for pontoon boats, and is also compact enough to set up on the beach.

The Floating Flame works just like your grill, and is small enough to carry yet large enough to put out solid heat. Enjoy more than 15 hours of burn time with a 20-pound propane tank, and never worry about cleanup with the smokeless design that is free of ashes, sparks, smoke, or odor.

Though it’s great weather that boaters love, they must also watch for sudden storms and high winds. If you’re a coastal-area boater and are wondering how to secure your boat during a weather event such as high winds or even a hurricane, Secure-A-Lift has the answer.

This innovative new product protects your boat from swinging wildly during high winds, and it can be installed on any boat lift—new or existing. And the benefits just increase from there. Secure-A-Lift is simple to install and can be engaged within minutes. And since all necessary parts are present on the lift, there is no need to look for stored or misplaced ratchet straps.

My dream house would be one of those places where I could stand on my deck and look out over my dock with a pontoon on the lift (along with my float plane) and watch the sun or moon reflect on the lake. I would also be able to go to my garage/hangar where I could decide, “Do I want to fly or drive today?” Additionally, runways need to be inspected for debris and damage so it would be pretty cool to take one of my horses for a “ride” along the runway.

But I never had the lakefront or the runway. I’ve mentioned before, our lake is a Corps of Engineers reservoir that doesn’t allow landowners around the lake. My house is less than five miles from the marina and the airport. And before neighbors moved in, we did have Arabian horses. While I like horses, they are a lot of work. My “iron” horse (Harley) has always been easier to care for.