Just bought a Wilderness 9 ft pontoon boat from Costco and have questions
 

I read the reviews on it and watched the youtube videos and it seems like a good pontoon boat. They are on sale at Okotoks for $329.00 right now.
So here is my battery of questions.
Does anyone on here have one?
If so am I in for any surprises?
Do you wear your waders when you float or just a pair of jeans?
Do you deflate the unit every time you are finished for the day?
Do they handle being pulled up on shore well or do I have to lift it up and out of the water?
This is my first pontoon and as a cautious person I have no interest in learning the hard way, or by fear, or by accident, so any of you that would like to pass on some sage advice, I would deeply appreciate it.
Yes I will always wear a flotation device. I'm short, fat, and swim like a shot duck.

I bought one last year....

I like it, I mounted an electric to it and it's kind of not ergonomically made to steer comfortably with a motor mounted...I wear my waders and a PFD. It's not too bad to drag, I strap it down to my hard top truck box cover fully inflated...it travels well. I leave it inflated and have a roof hoist set up in my garage which is where it lives when I don't use it.

LC

Was looking at them last nite in same store. Looks very interesting and price is attractive.

Good enough for pothole lakes?

My buddy and I also have this pontoon. I used it maybe 20 times last year with nothing but good experiences. The only issue I have is that it always seems like the air pressure is a little low, i'm a big dude but sometimes it feels like I can't fill the pontoons with enough air.

I'm 6' and 170lbs.

How many bllader chambers does it have?

I am 6ft 205lbs, had a battery and electric motor on and never felt unsafe. Keep the proper hand air-pump on board with you and you can adjust pressure on the fly.

LC

I'm really not sure. I'm 6'4 240 lbs and I feel like I sit a little bit too low in the water but it's never been bad enough to be concerned.

Think I'm gonna swing by the store and get me one. Got a big canoe but it's a pain to load and unload for one person.

Loss of air pressure
 

Kissarmygeneral:

Coming from a whitewater guiding background one suggestion for your possible loss of inflation maybe this: If you pump any inflatable craft up on a hot day and leave it sitting in the sun while dressing etc it increases in pressure and feels hard enough but as soon as you throw her in the water the colder water temps that we enjoy (??) in Alberta will condense the air inside the bladders and drop the pressure. Ideally you can pump your craft to the pressure you desire then pour a bunch of cold water over the craft thus condensing the air enabling you to top it up before hitting the lake or river. This works well. Not saying this is what you may be experiencing but is common with any inflatable craft. If you use this method however and maybe leaving your craft onshore for some time in the sun keep and eye on the pressure to avoid blowing your tubes.

A well made pontoon boat costs about $800 with a top quality boat costing $1200.
A $300 boat - - make sure to wear a life jacket.
I have used a pontoon boat for near 20 years and already have 14 days afloat this year.
I don't use junk.

Don

Pontoon
 

X2

If you are going to use it to float around on the pothole lakes then you don't have to go so expensive. You wouldn't buy a Lambourgini to go pick up groceries every day. If you are planning on a float trip down the Amazon then I would tend to the more expensive side.

$300 and $1200 seem to be both ends of a large price range. You may be getting a good deal - mine cost about $600 - $700 and I love it and trust it. They have made a lot of improvements in workmanship and materials in the last 20 years or even 10 years.

You made a good decision to ask what kind of experiences other people here have had. I would tend to listen more to the people who have actually had one than those others who just love there own. It is like religion, politics, and women (or men to be PC)

Price up over 500.00 doesn't necessarily guarantee any particular quality either. Remember the Water Skeeter brand ? Really good frame and options and pontoon covering, krappy bladders, now out of business. Most of the boats out there are based on the Outcast frame ( I suspect a lot are an Outcast frame), which is pretty hard to have any trouble with, the bulk of what you are paying for is the options, bags, stitching, zippers, the cover material, skid material on the bottom, type of frame fasteners and straps, type of oars and the locks. There are ways they can cut cost there, but, the major one is the bladders. Are they repairable?? Any of them can likely be replaced or repaired, but---when,where from, what with and what cost? Some are not designed to be easily repairable, some don't have repair kits easily available. Some are made from material that deteriorates over time. A guy like the Kissarmygeneral needs to check the weight capacity, most 8 ft boats are only 300 lb , some 9ft boats are maybe 350. Doesn't take much to be near capacity, and rules out some options. Some of the fishing gear, cameras, lunches and other goodies add up.

Curiously, water kills no matter where found. A decent boat reduces the odds.
As I've used pontoon boats for a while, I've experienced the following problems on decent equipment.
I've had 2 frame failures when using aluminum frames. My present pontoon boat is composed of parts representing what wore out and what was a decent replacement. The new parts include Outcast 800 tubes, Outcast 9IR frame, Bucks Bag Seat, two Bucks Bag gear bags, Scadden side pockets, Chineses Oars ( would have liked Carlisle but couldn't find them in Canada) divers fins bought in 1972 c/w new heel straps, anchor made from tire lead weights, transport wheel my design, anchor rope from CDN Tire. I guess that 90>100 days/year wears out stuff.
But what do I know about Costco boats - not much and ain't prepared to learn. Got fishing left to do. Drowning doesn't take long but does reduce the fishing time.

Don

Lol...don't knock it till you try it, what fly shop sponsors you with a floaty Don?

LC :)

Knock 'em- like hell, wish there were more pontooners in crappy boats. Would thin the herd.

My sponsor - The Royal Mint.

Don

Poor marketing skills on Costco's part,they should just raise the price to $700 to silence the critics and make the boats more attractive to the typically pretentious gear***** flyfishing crowd,lol.:D
Seriously though,inexpensive doesn't necesarily mean "cheap".I actually "almost" bought one of these last spring in a small central Alberta town from an RV dealer that shall remain nameless.Checking it out with scrutiny,I liked it better than many of the $7-900 boats who's tires I've kicked,and not knowing any better,was planning to pull the trigger and pay the "bargain" $500 asking price......that is until I did some Google research on it and found out it sells at Costco for $350ish?
Buddy is making a tidy little profit trucking them 10 at a time an hour west from Red Deer Costco I'd say?

hahaha x2.. your so right.. i bought one last year on sale in fall for 279 at costco.. ive used it many times already.. it works great.

I am 6'2 205 and i have used it with a 40lb thrust motor (over spec however) and a full size 12v boat battery. like said before not very economical but none of the other models look good either.

i would highly recommend it!

http://http://www.outdoorsmenforum.c...d.php?t=216704

i have some pics from a recent trip to duck lake and there are a few pictures of us on pontoons. one is a 700$ and then mine is the wilderness..

my friend who just bought the fishcat felt ripped off however ill say the material his pontoons are made of does appear to be more durable.

Dead link fishermans friend. Could you repost it please.