Why Buy a Pontoon Boat?

More and more families are recognizing that pontoon boats offer a unique opportunity—and value—for on-the-water adventures. From entertaining to cruising to watersports, pontoon boats can do it all.

While the origin of the pontoon boat goes back thousands of years, it wasn’t until the early 1950s that a Minnesota farmer had an idea for building a family-friendly watercraft comprising a wooden platform strapped atop two steel barrels. And thus, the modern-day pontoon was born. More than 60 years later, pontoon boats, as well as the industry as a whole, have come a long way. Now, numerous manufacturers craft and sell them in a wide variety of shapes and sizes. Plus, designs, construction processes and performance capabilities have been vastly refined and improved. From fishing to entertaining to watersports, pontoon boats now provide the versatility to do a wide variety of activities on the water. Speaking of activity, what is the primary reason to consider a pontoon boat? The company.

When was the last time you took an album-worthy photo in front of the television? Pontoon boats are like a family room on the water, where great memories come easy. Pontoons provide a wide, stable platform with enough room for the whole family. For grandparents, it’s a great way to spend time with the grandkids out of the house. The high fences and gates (inward swinging on every SUN TRACKER) provide extra security for those boating with younger children. And as for friends—who wouldn’t love a leisurely day of cutting loose and relaxing on a floating deck?

Pontoon boats offer a variety of advantages over other boats. For one, while speed boats are nice, they’re not easy for just anyone to drive. With a pontoon boat, though, pretty much anyone of legal age and ability can take over the captain duties, allowing others to sit back and relax. Plus, pontoon boats feature wide gates and open floor plans, providing easy access and space for those with mobility issues.

Pontoon boats are also easy to use, easy to maintain and have a low cost of ownership. As long as you take care of it, a pontoon boat will last a long time. In fact, pontoon boat ownership tends to be 20–25% longer than any other boat. And since they come with outboard motors, winterizing becomes a smaller task than with sterndrive or inboard motors.

Because of that, pontoons provide a big return on a person’s investment. In terms of resale value, pontoons are phenomenal—the best boat segment overall. And that’s not even going into the non-monetary returns—photos, laughs and memories. And now that you know why the pontooning lifestyle is so good, the next question is simple.

SUN TRACKER Pontoon Boats was started by Johnny Morris, and as most know, Johnny has a history of ideating, building and selling quality products to help families experience the great outdoors. After all, he was the one who started Bass Pro Shops® in 1972, and introduced the first fully outfitted boat, motor and trailer package to be sold at a nationally advertised price in 1978. So, creating quality pontoon boats families could enjoy together was truly right up his alley. 

Today, SUN TRACKER is a renowned leader in the pontoon industry. Our BASS BUGGY® was the first fishing pontoon boat. The PARTY BARGE® lineup is the epitome of the recreational pontoon lifestyle. FISHIN’ BARGE® and SPORTFISH™ models are easily some of the most versatile pontoon boats around. Across the lineup, you’ll find a slew of standard, factory-equipped features that make each model ready for the water. These include the STOW MORE™ seat storage system on models 20 ft. and longer and SUN TRACKER® QuickLift™
Bimini top deployment system. Plus, our XP3 performance pontoon boats provide exceptional handling, top-end speeds and watersports capabilities. 

All provide top-tier craftsmanship backed by the industry-leading 10+LIFE™ warranty. And SUN TRACKER offers all that at our exclusive, nationally advertised NO HAGGLE NO HASSLE® pricing. Which is a huge comfort for potential owners, because today’s shoppers like to know the price up front. Then, all they have to decide is what size and what model is best for them.

It comes down to asking a series of simple questions. What are you going to do on it? Are you planning on taking family and friends out? Grandkids? If so, how many? What is your budget? How are you going to stow it, and how big is the space?

Sales consultants are available at every SUN TRACKER dealership and through our Online Sales Team to help you at every step of the shopping proces, from choosing and locating a model to exploring finance options, and even delivery of your new pontoon. If you are not ready to talk to a sales consultant, a great first step is to build and price a pontoon using the SUN TRACKER Build Your Own tool. Begin by easily selecting from the comprehensive list of fishing or recreational pontoons ranging from 16 ft. to 24 ft. and tailor your selection to your needs on the water. It’s easy to get started!