Executive Editor Brady L. Kay
Editorial Staff Nicole Richens, Heather Magda Serrano, Roy Sparks, Ethan Hunt, Iris Corbett, M.J. Hansen
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
Circulation Director Chuck Harris
Lead Designer Lavon Horne
Production Jim Donovan
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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.
By Brady L. Kay
I stand by my statement that boaters are some of the friendliest and most helpful people you’ll ever come across. What’s in their cooler is yours and if you’re having a problem with your engine, they’re quick to grab their tools and offer to take a look. Forget your sunblock? It’s not a problem; some boater will have your back and will be glad to lend you a bottle.
There are tons of boating songs out there that can enhance a day on the lake. All the folks here at [PDB] love a good pontooning playlist as much as the next person. So we put our heads together and came up with 10 songs that we feel belong on every boating playlist. It was a great excuse to just hang out together and listen to music that reminds us of our favorite thing: boating.
Where’s The Paddle?
David Groner, Vacaville, Calif.
Danny Criner, North Chesterfield, Va.
Ken Braun, Hartford, Wis.
for any pontoon boat
for any pontoon boat
Move sideways, diagonally, or rotate in place
Easy DIY installation • $5,695 for the complete kit
e-mail: sales@jcpontoon.com
Always wear a personal flotation device while boating and read your owner’s manual.
e-mail: sales@jcpontoon.com
Always wear a personal flotation device while boating and read your owner’s manual.
FOR US
While they liked the sporty look of the full wraparound windshield, they didn’t like having a divider in the center of their boat and felt the layout wasn’t right for them.
After much research (and really wanting to rock out the lake), Don Potter invested in a complete audio overhaul with four KM Series Marine Coaxial speakers with colored LED light rings, a KMC4 media center and head unit, a 10-inch L7S square marine subwoofer, and a KXMA amp to run it all–each component made specifically for the marine environment and all from KICKER.
celebrate 50 years
Jim Wolf, the CEO of Avalon & Tahoe, considered the incredible journey the company has undergone and how much they’ve grown. As he reviewed the deep-rooted history of Avalon & Tahoe, he broke up the company’s time periods and labeled them as the Stone Age, the Iron Age, the Bronze Age, the Silver Age and finally their current Golden Age.
Let’s take a little walk through their history and see how they came to their Golden Age.
The Stone Age (1972 to 1984)
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Most boaters live for bright sunny days and dread the thought of cruising in total darkness after the sun has dipped beyond the horizon. However, this Trifecta pontoon is not your typical boat. When the sky is at its darkest, this pontoon that is enhanced with the new Apelo surface-mounted LED underwater lights from Hella Marine, truly shines…literally.
We reviewed the loaded Trifecta with Marty Scott, who is a partner with SGL Sales & Marketing and represents many of the upgrades on this boat, and Gary Stidham, the Hella Marine US/Canada Sales Manager. The 2023 Trifecta 25 SB2 SS is loaded with upgrades, but the one that gets noticed the most by other boaters are clearly the lights.
GARMIN
Though it should have been, the quatix 7 wasn’t even on my radar despite the fact that I use Garmin FishFinders and see a lot of other Garmin products while out boating. From chartplotters and autopilots to VHF radios and handheld GPS aunits, Garmin’s reach in the marine industry is wide, not to mention all of the other industries it’s involved in.
Pre-Season Reel Service
By Dan Armitage
I say “apparently” because reels are tools, and tools that rely on metal-on-metal and other surfaces to function need proper lubrication on a regular basis. Over time, the highest-quality reel will suffer from the use of oil and grease that has outlived its lubricating qualities. If you are like me, you have a go-to reel or two that just feels better in your hands – let alone when a fish is on. I do my best to keep those reels in top operating condition, not only in the off-season but throughout the fishing year. For example, every time I spool with fresh line, at least once a season, I inspect and lightly oil the reel. When it comes time for more invasive service, I mail it to a professional.
Back to pontoons. It doesn’t matter if you are buying your first boat or your fifth, there are still a few things you should review before you make the purchase.
