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What pontoon manufactures don't use wood decks?

SLT Kota

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I'm looking for a new to me boat and like everyone else in the world am leaning towards pontoons. It will be a secondary boat kept in the water and will see lots of rain, waves, some snow and even possibly a little ice.

My biggest concern is having a wood deck as the boat will be left out in the elements with only a storage cover, no roof or lift. I'm looking at boats about 15 years old and think an aluminum deck would be the way to go but I also know that some are composites (I don't know how they hold up?)

What manufactures make (or made 10-15 years ago) non wood deck pontoons? I know wood is fine on a boat that sits on a trailer but this boat won't have an easy life.

Thanks,
Stuart
 

warlock250

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I'm looking for a new to me boat and like everyone else in the world am leaning towards pontoons. It will be a secondary boat kept in the water and will see lots of rain, waves, some snow and even possibly a little ice.

My biggest concern is having a wood deck as the boat will be left out in the elements with only a storage cover, no roof or lift. I'm looking at boats about 15 years old and think an aluminum deck would be the way to go but I also know that some are composites (I don't know how they hold up?)

What manufactures make (or made 10-15 years ago) non wood deck pontoons? I know wood is fine on a boat that sits on a trailer but this boat won't have an easy life.

Thanks,
Stuart
Look at Veranda pontoons.

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Waffles

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The Suntracker regency line had all aluminum decks up until 2005 I believe. Everyone after that swapped over to composite wood to save on costs. I don't believe any, even the higher end toons, come with an aluminum deck as a standard option anymore.

Edit : I stand corrected. Veranda pontoons does offer an all aluminum deck as standard option
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LowRiver2

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Bennington has aluminum liners-water side on the older ones from the early 2000’s.
Most 05-10 benny’s I’ve seen have solid wood to this day.
 

FreeBird236

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Not sure of the years, but even the entry level Sun Tracker pontoons had aluminum decks in the 90's
 

warlock250

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Nothing wrong with wood decks just make sure when they are parked that you have enough slope in it to let the water run off and not stay puddled up especially with older pontoon boats with carpet floors. The Toons in the last few years use new marine weaves and vinyl style floors so the water runs off really good.

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ltbaney1

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my new to me 95 playcraft is a plywood deck with Aluminum skin on the water side. dont know if it came from the factory like that or not. but i like it.
 

Checkmate21

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I would not even worry about a plywood deck. Everyone uses pressure treated plywood nowadays. The deck would probably outlast the rest of the boat. I had a 1985 Sun Tracker with a plywood deck that sat outside under a cover for 10 years before I bought it in 1995. I took it to Big Bear Lake in 1995 and it has been kept in the water from April thru October ever since. I sold it in 2018 and it still sits in the water all summer and outside shrink wrapped in the winter. Looking at the plywood, I don't think that it was even treated. The people that bought it are still using it and it is just fine. The boat is 34 years old and still very usable.

A plywood deck is the last thing that I would be worried about. 20 years from now, we will be lucky if they let us have an inner tube. Boats will probably be in museums.

Just buy what you like and enjoy it. We are only here for a short time, might as well make it a good time!
 

throttle

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no wood in my new Berkshire, I would not know what to compare it to. I can say the new deck material used on mine is hot AF tho.
 
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I'm looking for a new to me boat and like everyone else in the world am leaning towards pontoons. It will be a secondary boat kept in the water and will see lots of rain, waves, some snow and even possibly a little ice.

My biggest concern is having a wood deck as the boat will be left out in the elements with only a storage cover, no roof or lift. I'm looking at boats about 15 years old and think an aluminum deck would be the way to go but I also know that some are composites (I don't know how they hold up?)

What manufactures make (or made 10-15 years ago) non wood deck pontoons? I know wood is fine on a boat that sits on a trailer but this boat won't have an easy life.

Thanks,
Stuart
My Veranda does not have wood. One of their key features is a tongue n groove all aluminum floor. Mine also came with a galvanized trailer. Makes it popular for mountain lakes. Even after the snow melts the deck and trailer are in great shape. Getting ready to sell mine. Time for an upgrade and not much snow in Havasu.
 

SLT Kota

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Thank you for everyone's input! I ended up picking up a 2017 sun tracker with a wood deck but hopefully with the vinyl floor I won't have to worry about it. I was looking hard for one without wood but this fell into my lap at a deal I couldn't pass up. I had no interest in a fishing pontoon or one this new but I caught everyone sleeping at an auction and picked it up for less than half what the original owner had into it. T

Now to try to get this pig cleaned up and running over 32 mph, it feels like I'm driving a dock around but has been a blast so far.
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