Executive Editor Brady L. Kay
Editorial Staff Nicole Richens, Heather Magda Serrano, Roy Sparks, Annie Carbutt, Ryan Beaty, Iris Corbett
Editorial Correspondents
Dan Armitage, Sky Smith
Advertising Director
Jason Huff, jhuff@pdbmagazine.com
Advertising Executives
Greg Larsen, glarsen@pdbmagazine.com
Robin Witbeck, rwitbeck@pdbmagazine.com
Marketing Director Stephanie Woods
Administration Assistant Brooklyn Stewart
Circulation Director Chuck Harris
Lead Designer Lavon Horne
Production Jim Donovan
www.harrispublishing.com/pontoon-deck-boat
Publisher Brady L. Kay
Executive Editor Brady L. Kay
Production Manager Janet Chase
Circulation Manager Chuck Harris
Controller Clayton Ward
Production Janet Chase
Founder Darryl W. Harris
President Jason Harris
Vice President Chuck Harris
Vice President Ryan Harris
Treasurer Clayton Ward
Secretary Janet Chase
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Copyright 2022 by Harris Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction, in whole or in part, without written permission is strictly prohibited.
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Harris Publishing, Inc.
520 Park Ave., Idaho Falls, ID 83402
(800) 638-0135 • Fax (208) 522-5241
www.pdbmagazine.com
Also publishers of Great Lakes Boating magazine and Diesel Tech magazine.
Relax. I’ll spare you the “from the dawn of time” speech and not dive too far, but to appreciate our humble beginnings I have to go back to at least 1990. That was the year our Houseboat magazine started after our founder, Darryl Harris, realized there wasn’t an existing magazine covering his new houseboating hobby. At that time our young publishing company was covering potatoes, sugar beets and other agricultural topics, so jumping into boating was a big leap to say the least.
There’s actually quite a bit you can do to keep your crew laughing and having fun. What’s more, most of the fun and games you can play won’t break the bank. So let’s see what fun we can have off the boat at the beach!
Ice Bowling
This one’s sure to be a crowd pleaser. For this game, you’ll need to fill up some water balloons to around roughly the size of a bowling ball (maybe a little smaller), freeze them overnight at home and then bring them along with you in one of your coolers.
A paddle is hiding inside each issue of PDB and the names of the first readers to find it are printed in an upcoming magazine! In our June issue the paddle is on page 27 (shown in the photo on the left) in the background as part of the dock. Here are the readers who spotted it first:
Ruth Ann Lipic, Lake Bloomington, Ill.
Terry & Kathy Smith, Lake Bruin, La.
Richard Burchill, Budd Lake, N.J.
David Groner, Vacaville, Calif.
Danny Criner, North Chesterfield, Va.
Ron Raymond, Williston, N.D.
Marcus Rosehill, Kaneohe, Hawaii
Jim Greenwald, Little Rock, Ark.
e-mail: sales@jcpontoon.com
Always wear a personal flotation device while boating and read your owner’s manual.
If you’re in the market for a new boat, consider some of the benefits deck boats have to offer. They’ve got price-friendly lineups, you can do more with less horsepower, you can pack more people on them than the average bowrider and they’ve got incredible versatility with stunning performance.
So before opting for a different type of boat as your default, take a moment to consider the deck boat segment in our industry. If you do a little homework to evaluate your needs, you might find that a deck boat could be a better fit for you and your family.
Boat Options
This family-friendly sterndrive model combines all the most popular aspects of the DX series to make a boat that is literally for everyone. The sleek exterior is complete with hull sculpting and stylish shear lines while the interior is loaded with all the comforts of home.
Versus Wants
The upside is that options and upgrades allow you to customize your boat to fit your specific boating lifestyle. With that said, it’s necessary to know what your specific boating lifestyle is. If you’re new to boating, this might sound like a head scratcher, but chances are you probably already have a pretty good idea of how you’re going to use your boat.
For example, if you plan to use your boat primarily for fishing, you probably don’t need to spend your hard-earned money on a fancy ski/tow bar, but rather on an upgraded livewell or extra rod holders.
Dometic Outdoor
By Brady L. Kay
The variety of outstanding Dometic products found in just its outdoor section alone may surprise you as its reach across multiple industries is truly impressive. You may have seen its powered refrigerated coolers, but did you know Dometic also has an impressive collection of traditional ice chests as well?
Bajio Sunglasses
I ordered the black matte frames with the silver mirror glass lenses that retail for $249. I could save a little by going with poly lenses, but I’m happy with my choice. Speaking of decisions, I went with the sliver lenses because I was looking for sunglasses specifically for boating and thought these would look cool, but for serious anglers the rose colored lenses for low light/sight fishing would be another great way to go.
Livewell systems on modern fishing boats are being improved upon every year by manufacturers who know the importance of being able to keep fish alive over the course of a fishing day. Fishing tournaments that require the catch to be alive at weigh-in have driven modern livewell technology, but recreational anglers who want the freshest fish for the dinner table have benefitted from the advances. The heat of August adds its own challenges to keeping the catch alive and well.
That said, there are some basics about keeping a healthy environment for fish aboard your deck or pontoon boat–additional tactics you can take and accessories you can add to keep your catch comfortable aboard your boat. What’s more, not all fish have the same requirements once aboard. Bass, for example, are members of the sunfish family, a group of fishes tolerant of high water temperatures and low oxygen levels. Walleye, on the other hand, are much less tolerant of low oxygen and high water temps, and are harder to keep healthy in a livewell. Trout and other salmonids are even more fickle.
The CLE Tiki Barge specializes in exactly this kind of excursion. Headed into their third season this summer, they have two tiki boats that come complete with thatched tiki roofs, comfortable cushioned bench seating, standing room with high top tables and a BYOB bar.
Perfect for parties and special occasions, these tiki pontoons offer one of the most tropical experiences you can find in Cleveland. These two-hour cruises can host up to 30 guests and include ice and coolers, a designated driver (aka the captain) and a first mate/bartender.
Do It Yourself
Do It Yourself
As I’ve mentioned before, I grew up in a family of do-it-yourselfers. If we couldn’t buy what we needed, we made it. If I couldn’t afford what I wanted, I made it whenever possible. And if it was too expensive AND I couldn’t make it (or find a friend who could) then I didn’t need it. This experience started when I was a kid hanging out in the family business. Too young to work productively and too old for a babysitter, I was left with plenty of time to create things with leftover parts, assembling nuts and bolts and scraps of metal into sculptures or items that seemed useful to a kid at that time.
