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Always wear a personal flotation device while boating and read your owner’s manual.
Executive Editor Brady L. Kay
Editorial Staff Nicole Richens, Heather Magda Serrano, Roy Sparks, Annie Carbutt, Bradley Sallee, Ryan Beaty
Editorial Correspondents
Dan Armitage, Sky Smith
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Jason Huff, jhuff@pdbmagazine.com
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Social Media Manager Stephanie Woods
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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Also publishers of Great Lakes Boating magazine and Diesel Tech magazine.
Blame it on my day job, but this got me thinking as I pondered the benefits of boat ownership compared to other investments that aren’t nearly as rewarding. We all have coulda-shoulda-woulda stories about money and investing. You know, that red-hot stock you never saw coming. Or your brother-in-law’s stupid business venture you lost a bundle on. Or that now-valuable collectible you tossed out years ago. Some financial flubs are easily shrugged off. But others can’t be forgotten quickly, because the dollar amounts end in way too many zeroes.
Everyone loves a party, but a party in a boat takes fun to a whole new level. When the weather is just right and you’ve got your family and friends out on the water with you, there’s not much that’s better. The last thing you want is for an accident or safety issue of some kind to get in the way of your good time.
With a little planning and forethought, you can have a great boat party and keep your bases covered in the event of an emergency, even if it’s only a little one. Of course you always hope that doesn’t happen, but we’ve put together a list of safety tips and advice for your next boat party, just in case.
NO WAKE ZONE | PLACES, FACES, VIEWS, NEWS, PRODUCTS & MORE
Marcus Rosehill, Kaneohe, Hawaii
Tom Gilbert, Atlanta, Ga.
As soon as you find the paddle, email its location, your name, and hometown to paddle@pdbmagazine.com. Paddle on!
While this type of flooring system may seem too futuristic to believe, it’s actually available today and has been since 2005. Considering how unique it is, you might find it a little surprising it’s not more recognized in the pontoon industry as being truly innovative.
Our annual “Salute The Troops” edition originally started with our July 2016 issue and it’s something we look forward to as a staff every year. We got the idea to do the special feature when we started noticing a trend or pattern in some of the emails and messages we were receiving. A number of the messages coming in were from soldiers who were pontoon and deck boat enthusiasts looking forward to getting out on the water when they returned home to the states. However or whenever you served, this issue is dedicated to you. We want to honor those who put their lives on the line to protect our freedoms. We Salute You!
Created in the early 1950s, the 65,530-acre impoundment (the 9th largest in the U.S.) was established for flood control and production of hydroelectric power. It is estimated that the dam holding back the waters has prevented more than $500 million in flood damage since its construction. The over 100-mile-long reservoir is part of the original Cumberland River that was established by the United States Army Corps of Engineers and has approximately 1,255 miles of shoreline! That is more shoreline than the state of Florida has. All that shoreline is formed from Kentucky’s south central mountainous, rugged topography that creates and shapes the multitude of fingers and coves. There is a steep drop at the shoreline for that very reason.
Slow-cruising between fishing spots under bow-mounted electric trolling motor power, I was standing up front with eyes glued to the forward fishfinder screen at my feet as we ghosted across the broad, flat-as-a-pancake bay. Scanning for any deep cover that might hold fish on the sweltering summer afternoon, I was about to give up the search on the local water supply reservoir when I looked up just in time to see what I took for a log floating just underwater off the bow. The two-foot-long “log” reacted with a violent splash as I slapped the handle of the motor aside to turn away from the obstruction before it fouled the plastic prop.
I needn’t have worried. The ‘log’ was long gone by the time I settled down to figure out just what had happened. Before we moved another 20 yards, I spotted another log-like object just under the surface ahead. I shut the motor off and allowed the pontoon boat to drift close enough to the creature to make an ID. As with the first encounter, the sub-surface fish allowed us to get within rod-poking distance before submerging with a sudden flick of its broad, spotted tail.
Yes, watching fireworks is awesome, but do you know what’s even better? Watching fireworks from your pontoon or boat. We’ve put together some of the best boating locations for watching fireworks this Independence Day so you can get the most out of both your boat and the holiday. While there are plenty of other great firework shows over water, each of these patriotic celebrations we included have their own personal flair as unique as the cities they’re hosted in. Regardless of where you end up this Fourth of July, be sure to take advantage of arguably the greatest boating holiday of the year.
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What exactly does anchors aweigh mean, and why is it “aweigh” instead of “away?” As I was thinking about this I was humming along with the “Anchors Aweigh” song in my head.
First, “Anchors Aweigh” is the fight song of the United States Naval Academy and the unofficial march song of the United States Navy. It was composed in 1906 by Charles A. Zimmermann with lyrics by Alfred Hart Miles.
