When the expert crafters of Pond King build our pontoon boats, the primary goal in mind is to make sure that our great customers spend as much time on the water as they can and as little time on maintenance as possible.
But, there are a few things all mini pontoon owners may want to do to prepare their boat for the winter - or really any extended period of non-use.
Preparing Your Pontoon Boat for Winter
Because we make the pontoons from welded aluminum, when you become one of our pontoon owners, there's nothing you need to do to prepare your metal frame or floats for winter. However, some people ask how to clean the pontoons.
Recommended Cleaning Product for Aluminum Pontoon Boats
We recommend a product called Shark Hide, but if you feel like they need cleaning, we suggest doing that in the spring, so they look nice and fresh for the coming boating season.
What About Maintaining The Pontoon Decking Material?
That also goes for the skid-resistant, powder-coated tongue and groove decking - there's nothing to do to prep them for winter. You just may want to give them a good scrub in the spring with a gentle brush and detergent. Be sure not to use a high-powered pressure washer, as that could damage the coating.
Store or Dry Dock Your Pond King Pontoon During Hard Freezes
If you live in an area where your pond or lake will experience a hard freeze, we recommend you pull the boat from the water, especially if you have a livewell or other below deck storage.
If you are simply storing the boat on the shore, you may want to consider putting it up on supports, so the aluminum isn't sitting in the mud, which could cause discoloration, but it isn't required, nor does this damage the material.
Stowing Your Pontoon’s Seats and Furniture
When you are getting ready to put your pontoon up for winter, it's a really good idea to give the furniture a deep clean prior to storage.
The best way to clean your seats is with a simple 1:1 mix of mild soap and water. Simply clean the seats with soap and water, rinse with clean water, and dry thoroughly.
We also recommend you either cover or remove the pedestal seats and store them out of the weather and away from pesky rodents.
If you have bench seats, we suggest replacing anything you have stowed in them with a lining of dryer sheets to prevent any critters from nesting inside.
Of course, if you are leaving the boat outside, you should cover the bench seats, too.
Trolling Motor and Battery Care
Trolling motor maintenance is crucial for getting the most life out of your equipment. Cold weather, rubber coatings, wiring, and moving parts don’t necessarily mix well without proper care.
Whenever you're not going to use your trolling motor for an extended period, it's a good idea to remove the propeller and wash away any debris.
If you are putting the motor away for the winter, give it a final wash with clean water, paying extra attention to where the propeller attaches to the motor.
If you can, the optimal thing to do is store the trolling motor out of the elements, keeping it dry.
Trolling Motor Battery Maintenance and Storage
As for the battery, charge it completely before you store it for longer lifespan and power. Disconnect all wiring from the battery terminals and store it where it won't freeze or get wet.
To extend the battery's life, you may want to consider leaving it on a trickle charger to keep it from draining - or at least hit with a charger once a month.
According to Interstate Battery's FAQ, a fully charged battery will not freeze unless the temperature reaches approximately 75° F below zero F (-60° C). But if discharged, it can freeze at 15° F (-9° C).
Keeping a battery fully charged will prevent it from freezing!
Winterizing an Outboard Gas Motor
Pond King mainly sells Tohatsu outboards with our boats.
These motors have in-depth instructions on how to winterize your outboard motor. The manufacturer breaks the winterizing process into two categories: motors 2 to 6 hp and motors 8 hp and up.
General Instructions for Winterizing Outboard Motors
The main difference in how you'll winterize your Tohatsu is based on size is the water source you'll need for flushing, but for all their motors, the steps they recommend include:
- Flushing (cleaning the engine)
- Fogging (draining the fuel system)
- Treating the outboard with "fogging oil"
- Greasing the propeller shaft
- Changing the gear oil
- Greasing all moving parts
- Protecting the exterior
- Storing the engine vertically in a dry area
Because how you winterize your outboard can affect the warranty, we highly recommend visiting the Tohatsu website for a more detailed explanation of these steps.
Low Maintenance Mini Pontoons by Pond King
As you can see, the pontoon itself requires very little preparation for winter. But, to get the very most from your investment, you'll want to take some care while placing your pontoon in storage for the winter.
By following Pond King’s proper maintenance and preparation guidelines, you’ll be saying what many of our long term customers say, “ All the "add-ons" last as long as the boat!”
If you have any questions, don't hesitate to give us a call or contact us about building your next mini pontoon!
As always, we look forward to seeing y'all down at the pond!
