Old Pontoon Boat

As I mentioned I recently purchased a pontoon boat. Not a new pontoon boat, a used pontoon boat. It's in fairly good condition, but as boats go, I have seen boats in worse shape. Having said that, I think it's fair to say that this is a pontoon boat that has "seen better days" and has been well used by it's former owners. That's OK too, after all, part of the fun of buying a used boat is the fun of repairing and restoring a used boat.

However, this old floater boat does need some tender loving care, some maintenance and some repair work. The boat navigation lights aren't working properly for one thing. The seller said it was something to do with "polarization" whatever the heck that means. I suspect it has more to do with burnt out lightbulbs or broken wiring. Polarization isn't something I am about to start trying to fix....I am not even sure what that means.

The gear shifter, or boat throttle control shifter is broken. It still works but it's made from plastic and the plastic lifter has snapped. I'm not particularly sure why it still works but it does, so I am not going to question it, just hope for the best until I can get a new REMOTE CONTROL to replace the broken one.

Other than that, there are a few issues with things like adding some snaps to the canopy, a good cleaning, and perhaps a tune up for the engine, at the very least some new spark plugs etc. Oh and the stereo system, while it works, it's kind of touchy, particularly the radio, which has a tendency to go off station. I suspect it's a wiring problem as well. I'm not well versed in pontoon boat wiring, but I have a feeling a lot of it is somewhat exposed to moisture, perhaps even more than a typical powerboat, which likely results in some deterioration of wires etc. So there is probably a need to run some new wiring for some of the electric power components like the navigation lights and the radio.

As of this post the Mercury 40 horsepower outboard engine is working quite nicely, so I am hoping I don't have to start doing any major engine repairs this year.

One thing about old boats, there is always something to do to them, but on the other hand, a little work and they can be like new again, and they are usually quite restorable. The beauty of this pontoon boat is that there is no fibreglass hull to repair, no leaks, no broken windshield to replace.

I'm torn between dry docking the boat and starting to refurbish it now, versus using it for the summer and starting the restoration work in the Fall after boating season. It is probably a good idea to use it for the summer as is, which will give me an opportunity to figure out what needs to be done. I'll have to fix the navigation lights right away because I hope to use it in the evenings, particularly for fireworks night at the campground and some of those lazy summer evening cruises.

Women's Gauze Bikini Swimsuit

This is a blog about boats.....well....it's about boats and boat related stuff....well....it's about boats and water.....and....well it's also about boats....water....and what are boats and water without women in bikini swimsuits?

Imagine the fun you will have boating in this fabulous, daring, and very sexy UjENA Nikki Gauze Bikini Tonga Swimsuit

Pontoon Boat Song

I am really getting into this pontoon boat thing....and now I find out that there is a "pontoon boat song" whooo-hoooo!!

Used Pontoon Boat Purchase

This was an exciting few days for my wife and I. We decided to buy a pontoon boat, something we have been considering and talking about for awhile now. So we added to the fleet, in terms of a Starcraft 20 foot pontoon boat equipped with a 40 horsepower Mercury outboard.

It's not new, it's a used boat, but that is what makes it so perfect, used boats are good deals, or at least better deals than new boats. New boats depreciate soooo fast, and new boat prices are out of this world anyway.

So we decided to buy a pontoon boat from a friend of ours who was upgrading to a little bit newer pontoon boat and selling his old boat.

I only managed to get a couple of pictures of our new pontoon boat, but I will be posting some more pictures of our new pontoon boat very soon.

Harbor Pilots

I love videos of boats in high seas. I particularly love to watch pilot boats. These are the unsung heros of the boating world in my opinion. Relatively small boats that carry harbor pilots out to sea to meet with large ships in order to guide them into the harbour to dock.

The pilot boats take the harbour pilot to the ship, and then he or she has to leave the small boat and board the ship.....No problem in calm seas, but what an amazing, dangerous, scary thing to do during rough weather and high seas.

These are tough, intelligent men and women....just look at what they go through....

Boating Links

Here is a list of boating related links from The Cottage Chronicles to boating stuff, links to sites about boats, outboard engines, canoes, you name it, if it's about boats or boating it might be in the list. Read the list after the jump !

Evinrude 15 Horsepower High Output E-Tec Outboard Motor

As the proud owner of two OMC outboard motors, a 9.9 horsepower Evinrude and a 15 horsepower Evinrude of late 1970's vintage, it was distressing for me to learn afew years ago that OMC was bowing to financial pressures and going out of business in 2000. Apparently at that time, the company was having trouble staying afloat, (pardon the pun) thanks to increased Environmental Protection Agency requirements and dropping sales.

It wasn't a good outlook, particularly for folks like me who had always run OMC outboards, with either Evinrude or Johnson brand. But the world didn't end, nor did Evinrude disappear, because in 2001, Bombardier, a huge Canadian born and now international company, decided to take it over certain parts of the Evinrude/Johnson/Outboard Marine Corp.

Bombardier, a leader in the design, manufacture and sales of other transportation vehicles, decided that Evinrude and Johnson outboard deserved a second chance. God Bless the folks at Bombardier.....

The good news is,