Really enjoyed this series!! Will likely build our own from scratch when grandkids come along and we outgrow the 20' that we are redoing right now, of course with the help of all of your amazing videos! You are a master at breaking everything down so even I can follow along and understand it, not everyone can do that. Keep up the good work sir, and thanks again.

@tomspontoons

5 ай бұрын

Thanks so much for watching. That's the best feedback I could hope to get because that's what we're after with this channel...breaking things down to give folks the confidence to tackle a pontoon project. And it's not just for the diehard DIY people out there either. If it's your first boat ever we want you to feel confident taking on the project after watching our videos!

Awesome build and thanks for sharing the how-to knowledge.

@tomspontoons

8 ай бұрын

Thanks so much for watching. Happy to help!

Awesome guys!! I'm excited to get started on ours this spring. The wiring is kind of keeping me up at night but I'm sure "There's a guy for that" if I can't figure it out. Again,,, shocked at your USD pricing. I did the same budget process with similar fit/finish with the exception of a new tri-toon platform from a custom shop. DIY of course. I'm at 75K and counting CAD and I'm sure incidentals would push it up over 80K for a DIY new build. I just priced an entry level Manitou with the new motor system and a few perks. 87K from factory here in Canada + 13% tax. Hard to justify a new build. If I could source a cheap ( under 5K) platform I'd save about 25K. Keep the vids coming. I keep re-watching your electrical vids. I don't get electrical stuff.

@tomspontoons

4 ай бұрын

Yes, you definitely need to work on sourcing a less expensive platform. That's really the ticket. I think we had around $3,500 +/- into the whole pontoon kit including the damaged center pontoon and crossmembers. Even if you can find a good donor boat to use and have a welder beef it up with some brackets and welding you'd be in a good spot. Then source the center toon. Even if it were around $8,000 all in for your platform you'd be in a better spot I'd think...because otherwise yes, you'd have to consider the brand new factory boat at that price! I have a very detailed (40+ minutes long) video coming out about accessory wiring. Basically tying all of your lights and such into the electrical harness and switch panel. I have that scheduled for Friday this week. So watch that and then let me know what questions you have so I can continue to produce content that'll help with electrical. It's the one area where most people are uncomfortable, or even keeps them from tackling the project.

In early 2018 I ordered a Sweetwater 22RL performance package tritoon with the upgraded upholstery, heavy duty deck hardware, full underskin, ski tow cage, hydraulic sea star pro steering, double Bimini top, full mooring cover, full vinyl weave floor, gps speedometer, and the Suzuki DF 200A outboard with a Suzuki 21” SS prop. The boat showed up as a 2019 model, we picked it up mid-July 2018. On a twin axle galvanized trailer, we were out the door for $42,000. Fast forward 2 years, and pontoon prices has gone up so much that we sold the boat for what we paid for it back to the dealer! They sold it for $45,000. Amazing! And now that same boat would be in the $55k range. I got 44 mph gps with the Suzuki 21” three blade prop. I tried a 23 inch prop but gained no miles per hour and the RPMs dropped well below the operating range.

@tomspontoons

11 ай бұрын

Yep! That’s the perfect example of what has happened with the Pontoon Industry. Things will slow down here now that COVID has passed and supply is back up, but prices will probably never drop back to where they used to be…making projects like this even more worth it! I’ve hit 40 mph with just me with the 19” pitch prop after adding lifting strakes to the inside of the outer pontoons. Super happy all around with how everything turned out!

Nice looking pontoon. You are a big inspiration to me. I built my pontoon because of your videos. I am also going to be building a tritoon from the bottom up. Keep up the great work.

@tomspontoons

Жыл бұрын

Thanks so much for watching. That’s amazing to hear that we’ve helped push you to taking on your projects!! Best of luck with the tritoon!

Thanks so much I love the build. Your videos have helped me so much. Building a 20' 1998 Tracker tritoon fishing barge. I will post video asap when build is complete!!

@tomspontoons

Жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching our channel! You’ll love getting to enjoy your hard work when it’s done, can’t wait to see it!

I just found your KZread channel this week and have been binge watching it every since. Love the content of your videos! We have been looking to purchase a new pontoon boat to replace our 2012 G3 208FC. We are pretty much just a fishing family don’t do much cruising. After watching your videos, we’ve decided to upgrade our existing boat with third pontoon and bigger motor. Keep the videos coming!

@tomspontoons

Жыл бұрын

This is so awesome to hear! We're just a small shop in Michigan, so we can't restore all the pontoons all over the country, but you bet we can help as many folks as possible take on their own projects by providing some guidance! You've got a great boat to start with to make into whatever meets your needs the best. Best of luck with your project!

Nice build,can you build one of those 2 story Pontoon with bedrooms , bathrooms and showers?

@tomspontoons

Ай бұрын

Thank you! We've built a double decker and we've built a house boat....so I'm sure anything is possible. However, that's a project that would take MONTHS to build and just not sure I've got the capacity to take something like that on these days.

@kreamafterhours2468

Ай бұрын

@@tomspontoons cool thanks for responding i really like your channel,and will keep intouch once i figure out how i would like to approach my pontoon build,you are very knowledgeable and i see you know what you are doing.

@tomspontoons

Ай бұрын

@@kreamafterhours2468 It's been my full time job for the last four years. We've learned a lot and have things dialed in pretty darn well now that we've restored almost 100 boats in that time.

Such a great job!! I love it!

@tomspontoons

Жыл бұрын

Thanks!!!

Nice. I recently finished a 2001 Sylvan 24ft. That had a 2012 50hp mercury BF. I bought $3000. In new seats from pontoon stuff. Re used the console and the capt.chair. next year a new fence and maybe a 3rd toon. Couldn't have done it without your videos. Thanks.

@tomspontoons

Жыл бұрын

That’s a great candidate for restoration because it’s new enough to have bigger toons and has a great engine. You can keep tweaking it to your liking in the years to come, no rush! Thanks for watching and for the kind words!

I enjoyed watching all your videos!! I have redone my own pontoon and I'm getting a lot of great tips from you! PLEASE PLEASE don't call the docking lights HEADLIGHTS!!! they are not for driving!!! they blind anyone on the lake when you drive around with them on ! People buy a new boat and they think boy is this neat ...they have no idea how it blinds anyone else on the water at night!! Thanks for the great videos!!

@tomspontoons

Жыл бұрын

Thanks!! You’ll appreciate that I tell all my customers to ONLY use their docking lights when docking…and that technically you can get a ticket for driving around with them out on the lake using them as “headlights”.

Beautiful boat!

@tomspontoons

Жыл бұрын

Thank you so much! It’s been a blast!

I've watched all the vids. Great series and extremely helpful!

@tomspontoons

Жыл бұрын

Thanks so much for watching the series. We can’t wait for spring and summer to get her back on the water for some more destroying of tubers!!!

Thanks for the video!

@tomspontoons

Жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching!!

Hey Tom and crew, wow she's gorgeous and practical, watched the whole process, now can u fly over to Aussie and help me finish my pontoon houseboat 🤣 really enjoyed ur work and instruction, very well presented. Just one thing where's the anchor system. Thanks for sharing mate cheers.🇦🇺🌠🌈

@tomspontoons

Жыл бұрын

That's a bit of a commute for working on a boat!! We simply cleat off an anchor line on the front of the boat. The anchor stores under the bumpers in that front 38" bench seat.

So, USD $37,445 2022 dollars becomes CDN $50,543.03 in December 2023 dollars plus the cost of a used boat… I’m already picking and choosing what the must-haves are for my tritoon boathouse. Definitely a smaller-ish motor with some canoe paddles. 🤪

@tomspontoons

7 ай бұрын

LOL! You’re on the right track!

How do ya'll like the suzuki so far? Would you buy it again? I will be repowering the pontoon I'm redoing and stuck between Mercury and Suzuki. Thanks!

@tomspontoons

Жыл бұрын

I can't say enough great things about our Suzuki. It's got about 140 hours on it now and it's been great. The only thing I would change is I would have bought the 250 hp!!! It's incredibly quiet, has great torque, and sips gas. I've got a 140 hp Suzuki (will be jetted out) sitting at my shop waiting to go on the river fishing boat I'll be starting to build next week...so stay tuned for that video series! In the current state, you can't go wrong with a new outboard. All the manufacturers have things dialed in so well right now and there's no "new" technology out there to be afraid of. I'd run a Mercury too with confidence, but I'm a bit too big of a Suzuki fan to choose a Mercury over my Suzuki. A huge thing to consider is your dealer network in your area. Choose the brand taking into account servicing dealer that you will be using for maintenance, repairs, warranty work (if ever needed), etc. Make sure you trust them and that they are an upstanding business. To me that dealer support should play in huge in your purchase. If you've got great servicing dealers for both brands in your area then I'd always go Suzuki!

Man that came out amazing, if you just built those and sold them for what MSRP would be you would make a killing

@tomspontoons

Жыл бұрын

I’d have a boat company then!!! I love what I do and the unique stuff I get to tackle on restoration projects. Pretty sure we won’t be selling this one…like ever! I have already had a couple folks reach out about building something similar for them. Who knows?!?!

Have you ever (Can it be done?) widened a Pontoon boat or say laid 4 logs, 2 on each side to get more length?

@tomspontoons

10 ай бұрын

Sort of, check out this video: HUGE Pontoon Project - 12 ft WIDE QUAD-TOON! kzread.info/dash/bejne/dnl3yNGJqLHQodI.html

Inspired Tom! Nice talking to ya today. Senate

@tomspontoons

Жыл бұрын

Thanks for the call! I’d love to get to do the project, but I’m happy for you if you go after it yourself too!

Now you get your wife to take spicy pictures on the new boat sale them on the internet and your boat well be paid off!

@tomspontoons

Жыл бұрын

The beauty of building it ourselves versus buying something new that’s comparable is that we didn’t have to take a loan! Plus she’d NEVER go for that even if we owed a fortune on it!!

Where did you get the cooler/ottoman and did you mount it and if you did how did you ? Thanks

@tomspontoons

7 ай бұрын

We never used out ottoman we ordered actually (from everythingpontoon.com). We usually just used a nice cooler in the front of the boat as a foot rest. You could always have a local upholsterer make a custom cushion for a nice cooler using the Pontoon Stuff vinyl. Or you could be extra fancy and install Pontoon Stuff’s flip flop seat as an ottoman/cooler. You can fill the seat base with expanding foam to insulate.

When are those railing kits coming in!

@tomspontoons

Жыл бұрын

Ahhh, I know! I was told “the fall”…no other info as of now tho.

Another great Video Tom! I’m looking at purchasing a new 2021 Suzuki 200HP DF200 ATL3 still in the crate but I’ve heard the motors built during COVID have problems. Have you heard this? What year is your motor? Have you had any problems with it? Thank you.

@tomspontoons

Жыл бұрын

I haven’t heard of any issues with Suzukis at all. I know it’s happened enough for Suzuki to mention that water can get trapped in the block and freeze during winter storage, obviously causing major problems. They even recommend flushing with antifreeze. I bump my key several times at the end of the year to crank the motor (without firing) to help push water along and out. What problems have you heard of?

@anthonybass7851

Жыл бұрын

I heard it on a Team Marine KZread video. Top 10 worst motors. But it was just a general statement about motors built during Covid. Nothing specific. Thanks for letting me know about the water thing. I hadn’t heard that. What year is your Suzuki? Thanks!

@tomspontoons

Жыл бұрын

@@anthonybass7851 that sounds iffy to me unless they have a bunch of statistics to go along with it. I’ve bought three new motors myself during COVID in 2020, 2021, and 2022 and had zero issues. My DF200 is a 2022, but basically the same motor you’d be buying I believe as an ATL3.

@anthonybass7851

Жыл бұрын

Good to hear. Thanks. What prop size did you end up with for your tri-toon?

@tomspontoons

Жыл бұрын

@@anthonybass7851 I believe we have a 15.25”x19”P. The marina near me has a 16x20 for a heck of a deal. I think I need lifting strakes on my outer toons more than a new prop tho!

So buoyant! I’m worried that is going to lead to some cavitation though. 😰

@tomspontoons

Жыл бұрын

She runs and turns like a champ!!! We have a solid anti cavitation team over here at Tom’s Toons, so no need to worry.

@bender49ers

Жыл бұрын

I'm new to pontooning what does that mean?

@brybino

Жыл бұрын

@@bender49ers air bubbles forming on the propeller. It’s a running joke on this channel that anything could cause cavitation.

@bender49ers

Жыл бұрын

@@brybino oh haha thanks man I just found two extra pontoons for 300 and wanted to try something with them

Has the railing kit come out yet from pontoonstuff?

@tomspontoons

10 ай бұрын

They’ve told me this fall for the official release.

@matthewkahrs8164

10 ай бұрын

@tomspontoons do you use another company that does custom railings?

@tomspontoons

10 ай бұрын

@@matthewkahrs8164 the only other railings we’ve installed were from Paul’s Marine (PMI).

So how did you get a VIN assigned?

@tomspontoons

Жыл бұрын

Every state is different, but here in Michigan we can provide all of the receipts and information we have about a boat we build and the state will provide a new Hull ID or VIN #. It's considered an "Assembled Hull". This works when building a boat for yourself. When it comes to building boats to sell there is more to it, involving becoming a licensed boat builder, unless you've got the original paperwork for the hull or pontoons from the manufacturer of those parts.

What did it take you to get a title and license for the water? Thank you

@tomspontoons

Жыл бұрын

In Michigan it was registered as an "assembled hull". The DMV assigns it a new Hull ID # after providing some information about the boat, sales tax for materials, etc. If you're using a pontoon base that you know the manufacturer of and the year they DMV will likely keep that manufacturer and year on paper, but assign a new Hull ID. I can only speak to how Michigan works, but if you go in with good questions and all the information you can provide you should be ok!

@mattspry8576

Ай бұрын

@@tomspontoonsdid adding the third toon upgrade the capacity rating or how does that get figured out?

@tomspontoons

29 күн бұрын

@@mattspry8576 The USCG does not require any weight capacity or HP ratings for pontoons and tritoons because of the hull style. It's really goofy, but my compliance officer from the USCG confirmed that for me when I signed up as a licensed boat builder. The only reason they put a rating on them is for liability sake. For my own boat, if I add a center pontoon that adds another few thousand pounds of buoyancy then yes, I would definitely feel confident increasing the capacity rating. I typically just look to the new boats on the market that compare in size and pontoon diameter and how they're rated and go from there.

What's the fusing like for the wiring harness

@tomspontoons

Жыл бұрын

20 amp resettable at the battery, then 10 amp in lines behind the panel. I always prefer the Pontoon Stuff Panels, but they are out of stock currently. They have 10 amp resettable fuse buttons built in to the panel.

@goodtimescatfishing9986

Жыл бұрын

@@tomspontoons awesome!! Thank you!! I just discovered your channel!! I have a 1992 18ft bass buggy I'm working on

@tomspontoons

Жыл бұрын

@@goodtimescatfishing9986 assuming you’re a cat fisherman…no better boat to fill with rods, bait/tackle, and people than a pontoon!!!

Can someone buy like a mostly complete kit that is a diy assembly?

@tomspontoons

Жыл бұрын

Short answer is Yes. There are places to get newer pontoon sets, or just go find an affordable pontoon that needs TLC and restore it from the ground up. Pontoon Stuff makes it very easy to design your restoration project and shop for everything from the plywood and vinyl flooring to the seats, electrical, and more. Remember…Use “TOMSTOONS” at checkout to save 5% on your whole purchase!

What’s the speed peaches?

@tomspontoons

Жыл бұрын

Fastest we’ve hit is 39 mph. Low to mid 30s with a load of people and gear. Darn happy with that!! Welded lifting strakes to the insides of the outer toons which helped with a higher ride. Hoping to increase performance and cruising speeds by welding on strakes onto the outside of the outer toons soon.

@scottpetrie8707

Жыл бұрын

@@tomspontoons well alright. Love to see ya squeeze more out of it. Super nice build.

@tomspontoons

Жыл бұрын

@@scottpetrie8707 thanks, me too. Thanks for watching!!

$4900 seats, $2500 railing!?!? I can see why it went out of budget very quickly.

@tomspontoons

9 ай бұрын

Compared to a $70,000 new tritoon it stayed much more manageable! I think a lot of folks think that pontoon boats and aftermarket pontoon accessories are "cheap", but they're only cheap compared to new boats...it's the labor that saves us a fortune when we do it ourselves. Thanks for watching!