Tom, I must say, your work is truly impressive! You have a remarkable talent for restoring pontoons, customizing them to perfection, and managing all the intricate details involved in the process. I'm willing to bet you can also build them from scratch with ease as well. Great job!

@tomspontoons

Ай бұрын

Thanks so much for the kind words! I love working on old boats and redesigning them to be more functional and fit the needs of the owners...once torn down it's almost like every boat is a blank slate and gets to start from scratch. There's so much potential in each boat!!

It’s a year after you posted this video and I’m 19 minutes into this rebuild and I paused it to reiterate what others have said before me. This is the best DIY resource I’ve come across in the better part of a year of research. My mind is blown!! I’m a retiree MacGyver type, planning to recycle a pontoon boat into a live-in houseboat to travel the Great Lakes in Cana. I’m using skills and techniques acquired over a lifetime of land-based building projects for the “house” part😢. What I was missing was the boat how-to knowledge and you’re answering some questions I didn’t know existed. Thank you so much for the incredible job you’ve done with this video.

@tomspontoons

7 ай бұрын

Thank you so much for the kind words. Check out our houseboat project from a couple years ago (it's an 8 part sereis): kzread.info/dash/bejne/l4NhzMlmoZWdl5s.html

@luisaraujo4708

7 ай бұрын

@@tomspontoons ,thank you sooo much for the link. I had a feeling you’d done something along those lines but wasn’t successful in finding it. I’m off to binge watch more of you videos. 😁 I have found a reputable shop that’ll do the work I’m not physically capable of. (There will be accommodation for mobility issues incorporated into the boat) Bringing stuff across the border is prohibitively expensive based on my experience with projects in the past I’ve built myself. The RV based stuff has been easy enough to source in Ontario, but I’ve yet to track down boat specific stuff but I imagine I just haven’t been looking in the right places. Thank you again so much!!

@tomspontoons

7 ай бұрын

@@luisaraujo4708 I'm not sure what you'll be able to find for houseboat specific stuff, but there is Canada Pontoon that sells all the same stuff as Pontoon Stuff (I believe they just buy it in bulk from Pontoon Stuff to sell in Canada).

This is the best diy video on any subject I’ve ever seen on KZread. Great job and many thanks!

@tomspontoons

Жыл бұрын

Wow! Thank you so much for the kinds words. This video was on my list to make where we tried to document as many of the details as possible....so much time went into filming all of the work and then editing it down to still almost an hour and a half video. Well worth it though as folks seem to be liking it!

Fantastic how to rebuild a pontoon video. I tried all of this without watching the video first and it was a lot more trouble. You made it look very easy and I especially like that you worked inside a shop free from the elements. Excellent layout and quality workmanship and materials

@tomspontoons

10 ай бұрын

Thanks so much for the kind words! We know that not much of this is “easy”, but we’re hoping to continue to simplify the process and details for folks doing it at home!

This should be the model for how any diy video should be made. Really great job!

@tomspontoons

10 ай бұрын

Oh man, thank you so much. That’s the best compliment I could hope to get. We will keep it going with more content!

Man what a great job on this... very special... THANK YOU!

@tomspontoons

Жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching!!!

Im becoming a huge fan of the channel and all the how to's and don'ts fro a grateful Army Vet

@tomspontoons

Жыл бұрын

Thank you!! And thank you for your service. Hopefully my videos can give you some help on your project.

Turned out beautiful! I have an old Fun-Toon I am going to tackle soon. Great video!

@tomspontoons

Жыл бұрын

Thanks!! Best of luck with your project!

Great video Tom, I think that that making a “Tom’s kit” package is a great. I am surprise that you don’t already have a merchandise store. Keep up the good work

@tomspontoons

Жыл бұрын

Thanks James! We switched our website over to make it easy to add products, shirts, hats, etc. for viewers to shop. Hopefully we get some kits put together and have our shirts/hats on there too. I appreciate the feedback!

Hey Tom... How did I not realize you had a youtube channel! This is great! I still have some old boats, always working on them myself. I look forward to following along.

@tomspontoons

4 ай бұрын

Hey!! Hope all is well. Did you just stumble across it and think, “I know that guy!”

@samp3087

4 ай бұрын

@tomspontoons that's exactly what happened! I am fixing up that same POS old jet boat that you guys worked on for me back in the day getting ready for spring fishing. The control binacle was giving me a hard time so I was slipping through KZread

@tomspontoons

4 ай бұрын

@@samp3087 That's awesome. Well, if you ever need help you know who to call!

Thank you

@tomspontoons

3 ай бұрын

Welcome!

Great Video Tom from start to finish. It's great to see the whole process in one video. I am considering adding a dual battery system to my 1997 Voyager pontoon and would value your opinion greatly on the Blue Sea Systems battery cut-off switch set-up, maybe even a video in the future. Thanks again!! Love your channel. 😎

@tomspontoons

Жыл бұрын

Thanks so much for watching! I haven’t worked with the Blue Sea system yet so I can’t comment much there, other than the reviews seem solid. I’ve installed the Perko 4 position switch on several boats running two batteries, including my own tritoon build, and I love that system. Add in a NOCO dual bank charger just in case and you’re good to go. We didn’t need any sort of additional charging system on our tritoon all summer. Simply run the switch on the “ALL” position when cruising or out tubing, and then switch to the accessory battery when anchored with the motor off listening to music or keeping LED lights on. Our 200 Suzuki cranks charging power, but most of Pontoon use involves the motor running at least to and from spots to help charge the system off the outboard.

Awesome work and excellent presentation. I have been toying with the idea of entering the pontoon world and this video was very informative. Thanks for sharing! 😀

@tomspontoons

11 ай бұрын

Great!! Thanks for watching. Best of luck with any pontoon projects you take on!!

Good video! I hope someday you will show a conversion to a fishing pontoon with a switch to a half door up front (so a trolling motor can fit under the lower half) and rigging the front fishing chairs along with accessory fixtures for tackle.

@tomspontoons

Жыл бұрын

I hope to do so too!!! I’ve done a conversion to a half door (welding and all) with the trolling motor installation, but it was a “quick” Saturday project I squeezed in, so no filming was done. It seems like we usually end up leaving a big front deck space for trolling motor and seats, but I know a lot of folks want to be inside the railings while fishing. I’ll add it to the list to film in the future!

@rickmervine9952

Жыл бұрын

@@tomspontoons Thanks, Tom.

@tomspontoons

Жыл бұрын

@@rickmervine9952 Absolutely. Thanks for watching our channel!

Great video! That little key for the steering wheel is called a woodruff key if you ever need to know lol

@tomspontoons

11 ай бұрын

Bingo!! I've heard it before, but never remember. Thank you!

Awesome job getting ready to do my 3rd pontoon.

@tomspontoons

10 ай бұрын

Are you buying them and flipping them to sell? Or just love it and keep making them better each build?

@faronmastin8683

10 ай бұрын

Both I love to work on them and flip them to sell. I use to flip cars but i like doing the pontoons and other boats better. Just sold a houseboat I built from a 24' pontoon.@@tomspontoons

@tomspontoons

6 ай бұрын

Boats can be quite a bit simpler and less expensive to restore to sell. But they still require a skill set to work on that most folks don't have adding value to what you do for sure!

Tom Just finding your channel and enjoying your videos and refurbishing of older pontoons. Great work and I see on your site your taking order slots for 2023 projects. I'm interested in getting some details of the process. Keep the videos coming.

@tomspontoons

Жыл бұрын

Thanks Jack! We’re booked into mid-April already. Best thing would be to send me an email with some info about your boat and what you’re looking to have done. TomsPontoons@gmail.com

Great video Tom! Now I can’t wait to get started on mine!! And to answer your question…I think that would be an awesome idea if you could offer a pontoon pkg of clips, screws, splices and any other bits and pieces you could think of. Also, I haven’t seen you use it, but wondering if you ever use the black plastic split wire loom. Cheers tom, love the videos, keep ‘em rolling!! 👍🏼🍻

@tomspontoons

Жыл бұрын

Thank you for watching! The restoration season is upon us, time to prepare for the 2023 summer. Guess I’ll have to get to work on putting a kit together. Won’t take much and won’t be expensive, but hopefully I can make it easier on folks at home. I use the split conduit on occasion when wires are visible or when they’re at higher risk of chaffing. Otherwise I bundle them well and tie them up tight. I’ve seen manufacturers of brand new boats use it and I’ve seen some who do not. Personal preference I suppose! They’re all marine coated wires, so the elements won’t hurt them.

👍 Great work!

@tomspontoons

Жыл бұрын

Thanks Peg!!

Wow ! Great video ! You take the time to explain more than enough. Bravo 👏🏻 One of my Q? Is why not treat the underside? I realize there’s more cost ‘ but if it’s your personal boat you’ve gone this far. Why not protect it from the water your riding on ? Salt water or fresh ? Maybe like under coat or bed liner spray ? Don’t get me wrong you did a solid job for those owners. Hands down. Just something that was bothering me protecting on the top ! But totally bare on underside. 🤷‍♂️ Thank you in advance

@tomspontoons

Жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching, and great question! That wood is 100% meant to be able to get wet and dry out without rotting (CCA treated marine grade 7 layer ply). If you seal it on either side you’d risk it not drying and rotting potentially. Let it breathe and dry out and it’ll last 20-30 years no problem. We go by what the new boat manufacturers do, which is treated marine grade with no sealant.

@chuckpoz1968

Жыл бұрын

@@tomspontoons should have known I’d get a great response 👍🏻 Thanks for the explanation too ! Super Cool

@tomspontoons

Жыл бұрын

@@chuckpoz1968 happy to help!

LOVE YOUR VIDEOS WISH YOU WAS IN MY TOWN JUST ONE DAY TO SEE WHAT THE HECK IS WRONG WITH MINE ALL THIS NEW STUFF I MIGHT JUST PUT IT UP FOR SALE . MY WIFE SAID I SHOULD OF GOT A NEW ONE BUT I WAS HARD HEADED I GUEST .

@tomspontoons

5 ай бұрын

Thanks for watching the channel! Hard to spend a small fortune on a new pontoon boat knowing it'll lose a huge part of its value the second it touches the water. What are you having issues with? Maybe we've got a video that can help somewhere on our channel! True story, someday we hope to be able to travel once in a while around the country to help folks with their projects, and make videos about it and how we're going about installing/fixing things. No idea when that day will come, but we can always dream!

@TERRYSMITH-vu6er

5 ай бұрын

CAN YOU TELL ME HOW TO CHECK TO SEE IF THE HOT WIRE IS BAD COMMING FROM THE STARTER

@tomspontoons

5 ай бұрын

@@TERRYSMITH-vu6er Are you referring to the "key-on power" wire at the dash?

@TERRYSMITH-vu6er

4 ай бұрын

@@tomspontoons YES

@tomspontoons

4 ай бұрын

@@TERRYSMITH-vu6er A volt meter should show if you turn the key on and test the "key on power" wire (usually purple on Mercury or Johnson/Evinrude) and the ground (black) up at the helm. If it is lacking power I would check the fuse block on the motor, and then check the ignition harness and gauge harness (if applicable) for damage.

Great job on the video, very clear and easy to understand what your saying but as an instructional video it would have been helpful to to a much wider audience to put time stamps along the timeline, that way if someone wanted to know how to do one particular thing they could jump to that part of the video. As for any pontoon full resto-rebuild like this, the fact is you can buy a brand new pontoon boat for the price of all those parts, not to even mention all the labor/man hours and headaches. ...aaaaand when he gets ready to sell it the title will still read "1996" - good luck!

@tomspontoons

Жыл бұрын

Agreed! I need to add time stamps on these longer videos. We shopped the spring boat show hard to find the cheapest pontoon boat out there and what we found was a 16' Qwest fishing style with one small bench seat, a folding fishing seat for the captains chair, and two fishing seats up front. It was bare bones and had a very cheap look...for $26,999 (before all the tax/freight/fees, and with no trailer). From my research, entry level 20' pontoons with a 40-60hp are now ranging $35K to $40K. So for someone who plans to keep a restored boat for a while there is great savings there. You're right, if they plan to sell it the buyer will have to understand and see the scope of work that went into the restoration in order to understand the value. It's sort of like dropping a new engine and transmission into a 30 year old truck...if the rest of the bones are good that truck's value will be much higher than a truck of the same year without the engine/transmission upgrade...and at the same time it'll not be worth what a new truck costs. However, it'll be a great truck for someone who knows what it is and could drive another 10-20 years for way less than new. Thanks for watching and for the time stamp suggestion!!

Tom, this is the best video I’ve ever watched we’re just about to restore our boat, flooring and furniture, but we found two other boats with metal roofs so our whole boat will be covered by metal roofs and we’re gonna put a railing system on with sun umbrella and have curtains, and hopefully a solar panel to run the lights separately or at least charge it the batteries

@tomspontoons

11 ай бұрын

Thanks so much!! That sounds like an awesome project, wishing you the best of luck with it. Thanks for watching my channel!

Nice job

@tomspontoons

Жыл бұрын

Thanks Paul!!

Fu@king wow man! What a transformation😎.

@tomspontoons

5 ай бұрын

Thanks! Just trying to make some old boats look new again!!

great vids!! Question: Do you know if putting a new vinyl floor down over an aluminum deck will have a "hot" floor over vinyl over wood?

@tomspontoons

3 ай бұрын

It shouldn't be any different than when it's installed on wood. A hot day in the 90s under direct sun it'll get a bit hot, but just splash it down with water and it'll be good to go for a couple more hours. We've had black powder coated aluminum trim on our boat and it never felt very hot to the touch even on hot sunny days.

Why did you not clean the aluminum frame before starting the rebuild.

@tomspontoons

9 ай бұрын

As in the pontoons themselves? We don't do much with cleaning the pontoons because deposits will still build right back up and the outcome of acid washing isn't what some folks want....and we definitely don't polish. We leave that to detail professionals!

Love the build excellent job as always. Quick question for you. I have the deck mate seats as well and they get rain in them after a good storm. Is there a way to prevent rain from getting in the storage underneath or is that what the seat covers are for? Also how did you install the snaps in the railing for your custom seat covers?

@tomspontoons

Жыл бұрын

Thanks!! Yes, the seats and seat bases are not waterproof and will get wet. That's exactly what the seat covers are for, and to protect the vinyl from the sun, birds, and critters to increase longevity. I use stainless snaps that are self tapping into the railings, along with stainless snaps with my snap installation tool. There are tons of tools on the internet that will work, but since we do it often we invested in a nice one from Sailrite.

Thanks

@tomspontoons

Жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching!

What kind of plywood are y’all using? Marine AB Or is that normal pressure treated exterior ply?

@tomspontoons

Жыл бұрын

Everything we install is a Marine Grade CCA Treated plywood (3/4”). The only place I order it is from PontoonStuff.com, and they’ll deliver it to your door free shipping. It’s 7 layer, BC sanded. So you get a rough sanded side that’s void free for the top. This is the same plywood that pontoon manufacturers are installing on their new boats (and have been for the last 30 years). Some even give a lifetime warranty on their decks using the same stuff!

good ideal toms kits

@tomspontoons

Жыл бұрын

Thanks!! Hopefully we can put something together soon!

Have you come across any trolling motor setups that dont block the front door? I need the trolling motor but also need to be able to squeeze a wheelchair through the door.

@tomspontoons

Жыл бұрын

We’ve done several that angle out to one side on the front deck. Check out the Riviera Cruiser restoration episodes. There are also options where the trolling motor can actually mount to a bracket over the front of the boat off the deck. We hope to build a boat next season that’s all decked out for wheel chair access, so stay tuned!

What is the best approach in screwing down the railings before ordering the Bimini top to ensure they will line up correctly?

@tomspontoons

Жыл бұрын

Great question…all of the aftermarket Bimini tops have some play on the actual width. Some seem to line up perfectly, while other maybe have to be squeezed in a little or stretched a little to fit into the brackets. If your boat is 8’ wide deck then the 8’ wide Bimini will sit properly on railings that are around 90” to 94” in width. Same goes for an 8.5’ wide boat offering a range of actual railing widths.

Nice work Tom. I just bought a used pontoon that’s identical to the one you restored with the upper deck. Are those new railings available to the public yet?

@tomspontoons

Жыл бұрын

Thanks! They're telling me Fall of this year. They're out of all the critical parts and pieces to make a full kit, so I'm also anxiously waiting for the full release!!

Those railings are great. Any update when they’ll be available to buy?

@tomspontoons

Жыл бұрын

I'm being told "fall" for the release date. I guess they're in manufacturing and should be shipping to the states...but it seems that the timeline to ship is almost impossible to predict accurately. I'm anxiously awaiting them having them full stocked and ready to ship!

As of today, I don't see the deluxe railing kits on Pontoon Stuff web site? Any updates? Thanks

@tomspontoons

Жыл бұрын

I know, still nothing up on the website. Last I heard they were aiming for fall time for the full line to be up on the website for sale. And they've pretty much run out of everything needed to make a kit work from what they did have in stock. Out of the necessary door sizes.

While it may seem simple and straightforward, I wonder if you can show the install of the fencing - aligning, gate install, hinges, etc. to ensure square install?

@tomspontoons

Жыл бұрын

It’s definitely not as simple and straightforward as it likely appears, especially when moving things around from the original layout. We will definitely share several videos on the topic as soon as the new railing system is released for sale!!!

Awesome video, very informative. I’m looking to repower n install a 3rd toon on my old boat. Do you have a link for that tri toon video with a materials n price break down?

@tomspontoons

10 ай бұрын

Thanks for watching! I think you’re looking for this one: DIY Tritoon Build - Episode 5 - HOW MUCH DID IT COST TO BUILD? kzread.info/dash/bejne/m5eC0aivg6zJg84.html

Greetings Tom, some toons place the fuel tank in the area in front of the motor like my Quest. When you do a complete restore like this video, will you: 1. Relocate the tank onto the rear deck and enclose it? 2. Keep it in the original position? If (2) I'm guessing the tank needs to be in place before the first deck board is installed. Lastly, do you drill drain holes in the area in front of the motor?

@tomspontoons

Жыл бұрын

Great questions! This boat actually had TWO 12 gallon tanks, one on each side of the motor. Those have been removed and we are installing a single 20+/- gallon tank under the sundeck that we'll be installing. We'll tie that into a water fuel separator and filter, as well as add a fuel gauge. This center pontoon did not have the space for a fuel tank in the pontoon in front of the motor, but you'll see on the 27' barge build we having coming up we left room for a massive 29 gallon tank. It's something that the pontoon fabricators we work with can do based on the design of the customer. This pontoon design has an opening at the bottom in the very far back for water to move in and out. So when the boat is at idle the last couple feet of pontoon will fill with some water, then when on plane the water will spill out the bottom making the load a little bit lighter. Thanks for the questions!

Couple questions, does marine grade plywood have to be used or can regular plywood be used? Also does that type floor covering get really hot in the sun? I’m still trying to decide between this type floor covering or carpet, my boat is a 1988 model and kinda wanted to keep the vintage look.

@tomspontoons

Жыл бұрын

Whatever plywood you use should be CCA treated. Marine grade just means it’s void free on one side, so no knots or blemishes where the flooring will lay. Here in Michigan we have no issues with the floor getting hot. If it ever does we just splash it down with water and it’s good to go for a while again. I’ve heard down south it can get warm, but still cools with a splash. It is just so little maintenance and doesn’t wear out like carpet, plus it’ll keep the moss and mold from growing!

@braxman841

Жыл бұрын

@@tomspontoons didn’t know that about marine plywood. I’m in NC so it does get hot during our outings, will definitely consider the vinyl. Thanks!

@tomspontoons

Жыл бұрын

@@braxman841 We were on the boat here in Michigan (about 75-80 degrees) in the sun all afternoon yesterday and had to splash it down to start, then with the bimini up and kids swimming it stayed plenty cool the rest of the day.

@braxman841

Жыл бұрын

@@tomspontoons thanks for that information.

@tomspontoons

Жыл бұрын

@@braxman841 happy to help!

How long does it take you guys to restore a boat, new floor, new console, new electric and furniture?

@tomspontoons

5 ай бұрын

Thanks for watching! Typically we schedule a boat for two to three weeks for big projects like you're mentioning. This is one on a short timeline: kzread.info/dash/bejne/i6Shl5dsgpW4pKQ.html And this is a floor replacement in a weekend: kzread.info/dash/bejne/ZGGcu5OflrW1Z5s.html We've been restoring pontoon boats for over three years full time now, and my background is in the marine industry so we've got some advantages in terms of experience and time-saving strategies. I tell most DIY folks at home to plan on 6 to 8 weekends working on their boat as the primary focus....not just 2 or 3.

Just a suggestion, but I think an old fasioned linoleum roller would be a big help. Also,, I find it strange that you don't run that tape on every cross member to prevent wood coming into direct contact with metal ? Just curious.

@tomspontoons

11 ай бұрын

I get people begging me to use a roller to save my knees, but it’s how I’ve always done it and I’m a creature of habit so I’m going to keep using the ole PVC…in seriousness, I like being down close to the vinyl to inspect it as I roll it for blemishes or bubbles. The tar tape is only for the seams to prevent water from splashing/spraying up between the plywood. The wood on the aluminum doesn’t cause any damage in freshwater that I’ve ever seen. 75+ boats in the last few years and all I’ve seen is a little dust on the aluminum from the contact/reaction.

Hi Tom I am ordering docking lights from pontoon stuff and I ordered wire on Amazon and I got 14 gauge which is thick can I use it to wire the lights also what gauge is good all around for wiring navigation and other stuff have a 95’ sweet water thanks

@tomspontoons

4 ай бұрын

14 gauge will work, but it's overkill. Better to have too thick of gauge than too thin though! 16 gauge would be the ideal for all electrical accessories like LED lights, basic stereo, speaker wire, etc. The harness I use from Pontoon Stuff is pretty much all 16 gauge for all accessories. They use 12 gauge I believe as the main power to the dash from the battery.

What everyone is likely wondering is approximately how much does it cost to get all the necessary parts and materials to do something like this at home?

@tomspontoons

11 ай бұрын

That’s the beauty of Pontoon Stuff…you can go put everything in your cart to completely restore your boat. A new 60 hp outboard will add $8,000+ real fast, and the new railing kits will hopefully be around $2500 for most boats. Our tritoon build last part has a thorough materials pricing breakdown.

What is the approximate cost of rebuilding an older Pontoon Boat ?? I'm an older woman who loves to fish but my husband has no interest in the boat or the fishing so years ago I bought an older pontoon boat expecting that I could bring it up to standard. It seems to be "nickel and diming" me" so I'm wondering if maybe rebuilding it may be a better idea since at most I have about 10 good years to enjoy going out on my pontoon boat and go fishing.

@tomspontoons

7 ай бұрын

That's a great question. Most of the projects that we complete on restorations are in the $13,000 to $16,000 range...but that's replacing everything but the motor with brand new materials. Sometimes it's more, sometimes it's less. It just depends on exact options chosen. Either way, we're able to give people a "new" boat for 1/2 to 1/3 of the price of replacing with a new or lightly used boat. If you tackle the project yourself you can pick those exact items to replace and you'll save money on labor...just be ready to work hard!

Great Job Tom or your video’s absolutely love these helpful videos. I just have one question where or who can I buy the exact railing and color rounded front everything just like in your video Complete Pontoon Restoration- Instructional - 1996 JC Pontoon shows 2 months ago on KZread video. Thankyou Ryan

@tomspontoons

Жыл бұрын

These railings I’ve been using were a first run or sort of a “prototype” kit. They’re making some adjustments before launching them for sale officially. I will announce when they’re available and cover all aspects of installation as soon as they’re released!

Awesome work that yall do! Learning everyday watching your videos. I have a quick question regarding repositioning the transom & pushing that motor back. I have a 24' crest pontoon with a 225 honda. The rear sits way lower already just from the motor weight, gas tank, etc. If i done the same thing, do you think itd make that worse or possibly help level it out?

@tomspontoons

Ай бұрын

Thanks for watching the channel! That's a HUGE outboard for a standard pontoon. I'm amazed the framework will even hold that without it being on a center pontoon transom. I wouldn't move that motor back from where it's at unless it was on a full length center pontoon with transom. That would help with the buoyancy and with getting the motor back where it can perform even better

@dakotashirley5292

Ай бұрын

@tomspontoons thanks! That's what I I ultimately want to do but having a hard to find a log big enough. It's got 27" logs on it already so trying to find one slighter bigger is seeming impossible. Thanks again!

@tomspontoons

Ай бұрын

@@dakotashirley5292You can always match the outer pontoons and add spacers to drop the center pontoon down into the water an extra 2 inches. Thats common.

@dakotashirley5292

Ай бұрын

@tomspontoons That may be what I end up having to do. Thanks for that idea!

@tomspontoons

Ай бұрын

@@dakotashirley5292happy to help!!

So what do you think about the marine untreated plywood? I’m getting ready to replace the plywood on my pontoon boat and my local lumber yard only carries the AB marine plywood that doesn’t look to be treated. Is it ok to use? Can I treat it with some sort of sealer? Thanks for your help!

@tomspontoons

Жыл бұрын

I’ve only ever used the marine grade TREATED plywood (always ordered from Pontoon Stuff). It’s the same type of plywood that pontoon manufacturers have been using for decades and even the same stuff that brands put a lifetime deck warranty on. We’re doing a test right now soaking treated and untreated in buckets for a month….the untreated got moldy very quickly. Haven’t noticed any other changes yet, but the treated looks totally normal. If you use untreated and seal it you’ll have to use a different type of adhesive as the wood needs to breathe for the regular glue to cure. It’s not usually much of a price difference to just order from Pontoon Stuff, plus our discount code saves you about $10-$15 per sheet. They’ll deliver it to your house via fed ex freight.

@robertrobertson3927

Жыл бұрын

Its a matter of how long you want it to last and how much money you have to spend.

@tomspontoons

Жыл бұрын

@@robertrobertson3927 very well said!! I just figure if I’m spending some money I’m going to look at the difference and it’s usually worth a little more to have the peace of mind that I did everything I can to make it last.

What do you do with stuff you tear off? I could definitely use that console with everything still attached lol

@tomspontoons

Жыл бұрын

If it’s usable we typically sell them on Facebook cheap and fast to get them out of the shop. Otherwise to the scrapyard or junk yard if we absolutely have to.

wish I would have seen this before I took off my engine, I found out I the Hardway I needed to take off the engine first to get steering cable off. Ended up exposing some of the wire on the steering cable, Should I just replace the whole steering cable, or should I try plastic welding it back together or putting Jb weld around the exposed part that got scraped. exposed?

@tomspontoons

9 ай бұрын

It's a crazy way that they design boats, not just pontoons either, to have to remove the motor to get the steering cable free. The best long term solution is definitely to replace the cable. What you're seeing exposed is likely just the metal sheathing of the cable (spindly wound wires). The actual cable moves inside of that metal sheathing. However, now water will be able to get in there and to the moving part over time. I've run boats with the plastic coating cracked and metal exposed for years with no issue, but it was in my youth when I didn't know any better. You could spray some lubricant in there and wrap it with electrical tape and it might last another 10 years....or you could go to turn it next spring and it could be seized up. It's a gamble unless you just replace it.

@craigr.2755

9 ай бұрын

Thanks, that’s what I figured I probably just needed to replace it

@tomspontoons

9 ай бұрын

@@craigr.2755 yep, wish I had better news…but a new cable will last another 20+ years!

Just love ur presentation Tom, u make easier for the diy to do the job and feel mighty proud they did. Thanks Tom and crew bloody legends.😉😎😁🌈🇦🇺

@tomspontoons

Жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching from across the globe!! We’re just doing what we love and having fun along the way!

Hey Tom do you suggest drilling all the hole in the deck that you need before installing the vinyl? Such as for a removable table and controls and wiring?

@tomspontoons

Жыл бұрын

I cut all my holes for electrical and the motor as pretty much a last step in the whole restoration process. I've never had the woven vinyl products catch, pull, or run when cutting with a jig saw, hole saw, or drill bit...carpet might not be as forgiving in that way though. Once in a long while when we're doing just the floor on a boat I will trace off the original wood and pre-cut holes that have specific sizes, shapes, and placements. This is when we're re-using everything and we want to make sure the components go back in the exact same spots.

@natemcwilliams8773

Жыл бұрын

Awsome thanks Tom

@tomspontoons

Жыл бұрын

@@natemcwilliams8773 happy to help!

how did we exist without 20 volt dewalt tools lol

@tomspontoons

9 ай бұрын

Hahaha this cracked me up! But yes, we probably wouldn’t have been very productive.

Yyeeeessss a long video

@tomspontoons

Жыл бұрын

Days and days to edit all the hours of raw video!!! Happy to make something that walks through the entire project though, it’s been needed I think.

I have a 97 dolphin 204. It needs new vinyl on the seats.

@tomspontoons

Ай бұрын

Your local canvas and upholstery shop should be able to help with that. We stick to only replacing seats altogether with the Deckmate seats from Pontoon Stuff. If your seats have wood in them I would heavily consider replacing the seats and seat bases with new seats, as the wood tends to be waterlogged and rotten on the older wooden seats.

Will it hurt to put a sealer on wood before putting glue on the wood will sealer keep glue from working

@tomspontoons

9 ай бұрын

I never seal any of the wood I install. Just install marine grade TREATED plywood and there'll be no need. In fact, a lot of folks will argue that sealing your plywood will cause it to rot faster as water will get stuck in the small spots you miss or voids in the surface like drilled holes, and not be able to breathe and dry. Any sealant will not allow the glue to cure if you're installing vinyl....making it much like installing vinyl onto aluminum or composite decking. If you're installing carpet then it'll be just fine as the carpet can breathe to allow the glue to cure.

Pulling the transom back, could you put anything bigger than a 60 horse?

@tomspontoons

Жыл бұрын

This was about all this boat would take without beefing up or replacing the transom itself. We have to remember that the weight and torque of the motor on a pontoon boat is significantly different than a typical boat, and even very different than a tritoon. The transom is suspended out on 8' long aluminum crossmembers in most cases, not welded or incorporated into the hull structure itself. It lends to a lot of abuse on those crossmembers over the years. I encourage folks to play is safe and stay lighter unless they absolutely need more speed!

How much is that console your working on what is it called can a shifter be put on right side not on side rail

@tomspontoons

3 ай бұрын

It retails for right around $300 before adding switch panels and such. It's Pontoon Stuff's standard pontoon console and has lots of options. I just did an installation video of it recently which shows how you can use a binnacle mount shift/throttle with it: kzread.info/dash/bejne/jGutvLSLiMm2pbw.html You can install some style of binnacle mount shift/throttle controls on it next to the steering wheel, but not with the full gauge/switch panel I used in the video. It gets quite tight on space when adding the control to the face of the console.

Do you ever sell any of the used stuff like the console or seats

@tomspontoons

11 ай бұрын

Yes, if it’s in good enough shape I sell it cheap and fast locally. Not trying to make money off of it, just preventing high cost to dump it and I like to keep anything I can out of the landfill!

Do you have any mercury benical plastic piece that mounts to the das😢

@tomspontoons

11 ай бұрын

I don’t have anything like that laying around unfortunately. Check out EBay though, I’ve been amazed how much stuff like that is on there.

Where is best warehouse for parts and pieces all seats, railings etc.

@tomspontoons

9 ай бұрын

I order everything from PontoonStuff.com (discount code TOMSTOONS for 5% off). They have everything you'd need, and will be releasing their new railing system soon. Otherwise, there are some folks down in Northern Indiana who have inventories of leftover or blemished parts from the pontoon manufacturers. Usually you can find them on FaceBook Marketplace.

I can't imagine how any of this makes financial sense. Man hours, flooring, seating, railings....has to cost more than what the boat is worth. It's probably a $7-10k boat as sits. Add another 15-20k for man hours and upgrades and it's still a 1996 worth....maybe $17k. I don't get it but cool to see an old boat restored.

@tomspontoons

3 ай бұрын

A ton of my customers have sentimental connections to their old boats, and when they compare prices of new boats and even 10 year old boats (that’ll often need restoration soon) they’d rather spend money making their old boats look new. The new motor investment is huge for resale value IF they did sell. I’m very up front with my customers that their investment in their old boat is best applied when they plan to keep the boat for decades to come. Resale value of a restored boat is hit or miss depending on where you’re located and availability of used boats. Thanks for appreciating the project still!!

@00700556

3 ай бұрын

A pontoon is still a pontoon at the end of the day.

@tomspontoons

3 ай бұрын

@@00700556 I think that's why the pontoon industry has grown so much in the last 5-10 years. Easy to own, easy to operate, high and dry and safe ride. Great for families and people of all ages. Folks know if they want to go fast they need a personal watercraft or speed boat, but if they want comfort, convenience, and affordability then a pontoon is a great choice.

@Boatfisherz1

27 күн бұрын

@@tomspontoons Good point, guess it's still significantly cheaper than buying new one and considering it's still a Pontoon, makes more financial sense to freshen up an old dog vs spending 10s of thousands on a new boat.

@tomspontoons

27 күн бұрын

@@Boatfisherz1 Trust me, I have customers who want restorations and improvements done that I am honest with and tell them they should look for a new or newer boat for what they’ll have into new everything including a center toon and new 250 hp. HOWEVER, what I’ve learned doing this full time for four years is that the sentimental value of a boat is strong for a lot of people. They take pride in owning a boat since it was new and see great value in spending money to update it to get another 20+ years out of it. It’s a huge factor for a lot of people…versus folks who might want to buy one just to fix it up and have a cheap restored pontoon boat. To each their own!!

HI, CAN I ASK YOU A QUESTION ABOUT PRICING I KNOW ALL OR DIFFERENT BUT A ESTIMATE , I HAVE A 2005 BASS BUGGY 18DLX FLOORING REPLACEMENT / WOOD /VINYL FLOORING .

@tomspontoons

4 ай бұрын

Most boats of that size are around $4,000 to have everything stripped down, new plywood and vinyl, and everything reinstalled. Layouts and other accessories change the price obviously, but that’s a ballpark number!!

@Toms Toons pontoon quick question i have a 1994 20ft pontoon if i move the motor back like you did on another pontoon do i need to move my fencing and seats forward too balance the pontoon out if it needs it i and moving the motor back about 16 inches

@tomspontoons

Жыл бұрын

I don't think that moving the motor back 16" will really hurt the weight distribution of the boat. Typically we move the motor back because the customer wants to gain that rear space for walking around or for pushing seats and railings farther back for more interior seating. I don't think you'd see any noticeable change in the way the boat sits or the water line to be honest.

@redneckrockhunters5021

Жыл бұрын

@@tomspontoons yeah that's what I want also is more room

@tomspontoons

Жыл бұрын

@@redneckrockhunters5021 It's the easiest way to utilize all the potential space. You'll be glad you extended the deck!

@redneckrockhunters5021

Жыл бұрын

@@tomspontoons thank you if I had not watched your videos I would not have known how to do it thanks again for making great content and for answering my questions

@tomspontoons

Жыл бұрын

@@redneckrockhunters5021 happy to help! thanks for watching my stuff!

Need a center console do you no Wer I can get one in Oshawa ont Canada thanks

@tomspontoons

Жыл бұрын

You could try CanadaPontoon.com, they are a retailer for Deckmate brand products like the ones we install. Their "standard helm" might work well as a center console for you!!

So I have to ask, how much $$$ was saved by doing the total restore over getting a new boat of same likeness?

@tomspontoons

Жыл бұрын

We can usually restore a boat for about half the price of a comparable new one…if we add a new motor it can become a little more expensive, BUT still usually no more than 2/3 of the cost of a new boat. The new boat pricing went insane the last couple of years making restoring your boat a great option.

Might be a dumb question but is the plywood treated or no?

@tomspontoons

8 ай бұрын

Not a dumb question at all. Yes, we only use marine grade CCA treated plywood. It’s from Pontoon Stuff, same stuff the big pontoon brands use and warranty.

@fishmaster797

8 ай бұрын

Thank you!

@tomspontoons

8 ай бұрын

@@fishmaster797Happy to help!

Why start with a pontoon that was already perfect the way it was. If you're doing a floor up restoration the only quality requirement is the pontoon size diameter-length preference and their condition. (Do they leak)

@tomspontoons

10 ай бұрын

Lots of boats we restore would be a gem to a lot of folks…but they’re on their way to soft floors, cracking seats, and broken down motors within a few years. Most of my customers understand they’re investing new boat features for a fraction of the cost of a new boat…and their old boats, in the shape they’re in, wouldn’t bring them much more than aluminum scrap for trade. The beauty of restoration is that there’s a huge array of what’s possible and each person gets to go about their project their way. We’re just help to guide folks through some of it the way we do things.

@J.W.W.

10 ай бұрын

Exactly. On my 1984 Riviera Cruiser: I replaced the deck, covered it with modern woven vinyl, repainted the rails, rebuilt the transom, built a new console, installed a brand new Suzuki 25 horse engine with controls, purchased a new galvanized crank trailer, rewired all of the lighting, all for 1/2 the price of an equivalent new boat.

@tomspontoons

10 ай бұрын

@@J.W.W. and that’s why the pontoon restoration industry will continue to be so valuable for so many people….especially with the price hikes the last few years in new boats. And it’ll continue to be a go to for thousands of folks until an entry level pontoon drops back down to $20K or less (from the $40K range they’re now at). Never going to happen!

How much on average doyit take to do what you just did?

@tomspontoons

2 ай бұрын

Most boats can be restored like this one for around $12,000 to $15,000 in materials, before factoring in labor. A new 40-60 hp motor adds $8k to $11k quickly though!

Mercury motors are just relabeled tuhatsu motor.

@tomspontoons

8 ай бұрын

Any Mercury 30 hp and below is made by Tohatsu, has been that way almost 20 years now…but Mercury makes their own 40hp and up.

Do you clean the toons?

@tomspontoons

Жыл бұрын

On occasion we will acid wash for water stains, but we don’t go beyond that. A lot of detail businesses charge in the upwards of $2,000 for a 20’ pontoon for cleaning and polishing!!

How long did this take? I didn’t miss it in the video did I?

@tomspontoons

Жыл бұрын

Most of our projects of this scale take about 2 weeks on average to complete from tear down to delivery.

Will you sell the top mount control?

@tomspontoons

11 ай бұрын

I don’t have any used controls in stock right now. Check EBay as I’ve seen them for sale on there often.

L I K E👍👍👍👍👍👍🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩😎

@tomspontoons

Жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching!!!

Why didn't you choose to treat the plywood whit some paint?

@tomspontoons

Ай бұрын

This plywood we use is CCA treated and has a 30 year warranty installed AS-IS. It should never be sealed or painted in any way. It needs to dry to prevent rotting. If you’re using a marine grade untreated plywood (like Menards sells) then you should epoxy or fiberglass it as that’s how it was meant to be used. It will not last if used on a pontoon boat exposed to elements constantly.

Where you purchase all the supplies?

@tomspontoons

Жыл бұрын

Just about everything I install is from PontoonStuff.com. If they don't have what I need in stock I usually have to resort to ordering from Amazon.

@jakeowens1770

Жыл бұрын

@@tomspontoons Did you call your local pontoon manufacturer to ask about scratch and dents?

@tomspontoons

Жыл бұрын

@@jakeowens1770 no, I’m a dealer for Pontoon Stuff. 6 year warranty, and if you ever need to add or swap seats they’ll always have them being made. Manufacturers seating is usually made once and you can never get it again if there’s a problem. I play it safe!!

Good video and a good job on the restore but it makes me wonder why you don't just build a pontoon boat from scratch and not destroy a less expensive boat a family could afford to get them started at boating? You take a $6k boat and turn it into a $30k+ boat when new pontoons and cross sections would have been about the and price as the older boat but with brand new toons.

@tomspontoons

10 ай бұрын

I’m just doing the work at the request of my customers who like their boats and see value in restoring them to make them exactly what they want instead of spending far more on a new boat. Building a new boat has a lot of complications aside from sourcing quality materials. Luckily for all, there are tons of pontoon boats out there for sale under $6K for folks who want to try boating for the first time.

Excellent video...ruined by verticle filming.

@tomspontoons

11 ай бұрын

I know I know! Saddest part is that we didn’t film our normal “after” portion, so the vertical filming at the end was from my customer walking through it before we shrink wrapped it for the winter. We’re still just small time KZreadrs trying our best! Thanks for watching!

I what that center consal how much what city are you in

@tomspontoons

Жыл бұрын

I'm in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Looks like from your other comment you're in Canada. I'm not sure what suppliers would have exactly what you're looking for in Canada.

I bet that was a pretty penny

@tomspontoons

2 ай бұрын

I always say that what we do isn’t “cheap”, but it’s way cheaper than the alternative of buying a new boat!!

It's not a tritoon and it is underpowered. The thing isn't going to go faster than 15 miles per hour. I would not buy it. It's got to be a tritoon and at least have a 150 for me to even consider it. Other than that it's nice.

@tomspontoons

9 ай бұрын

Usually a 20' boat with a 60 hp will top out around 20-22 mph. Just enough to pull the kids around on a wakeboard or little ones on skis or a tube...but if you want to replace the need for a speedboat with a pontoon that can do it all and go 40 mph then you're 100% correct....it's gotta be a tritoon with 150+ hp.

@UltraMagaFan

9 ай бұрын

@@tomspontoons Avalon makes a tritoon with twin Mercury 450s on it that’ll go 110 miles per hour. If you want a pontoon to replace a speedboat buy that instead. 40 miles per hour is slow.

@tomspontoons

6 ай бұрын

Now that's a serious need for speed...and a huge check to write! Luckily, most of the pontoon world is happy just puttsing around the lake quietly loaded up with people and some food/drinks on board. It's mostly about comfort for the folks we're working with.

Its whatever but its not a boat

@tomspontoons

11 ай бұрын

To each their own.

Can I get it to oshawa ont canada wiring kit and console and 8x 24 ft vinal help me paul thank you if you can give me a phone number

@tomspontoons

Жыл бұрын

Hey Paul! Head over to CanadaPontoon.com and see what they have to offer. They sell a lot of the same materials PontoonStuff sells here in the states.

What size are the front corner seats? 30 inches ?

@tomspontoons

Жыл бұрын

Correct, 30” corners.