Pontoon winter storage

[cklenske]

Finally bought myself a pontoon this year, and have really enjoyed it. I just store it on the floor of the back garage during fishing season, but now that the season is about over, I have to decide what to do with it this winter. The garage is usually filled with all of the yard decorations and furniture, garden tools, and other stuff during the winter, so storage gets a little limited. I keep the canoe out there too, upside down on a couple of saw horses. I was thinking of just balancing the toon crosswise on top of the canoe to get it off the floor. Also thought of deflating it and taking the pontoons off the frame as well. But being a newbie, I'm not sure what is the best plan. Any suggestions?
Thanks.
CJ

[DarrinG]

I take my frames off my tubes and hang the frames off bicycle hooks from the ceiling rafters. I deflate the tubes to about 1/3 and put them up on a shelf. If you don't have room to leave the tubes partially inflated, I would suggest completely deflating and rolling them up instead of folding them. The folds will create creases in the bladders and over time can cause them to wear prematurely.

Good luck!

[WarrenP]

"The folds will create creases in the bladders and over time can cause them to wear prematurely."

The above advise is very good and important! If you fold the bladders they will go bad at the creases just like an inner tube that has been left folded or like the rubber hippers did at the creases where they were folded. Your best bet would be to just deflate the pontoons some and find a place to store them partially inflated so that no creases will be made.

You have received excellant advise from DarrinG.

[ducksterman]

If you have wall space...just hang it up on large hooks by the rings on the pontoon tips....no need to dissemble.

I deflated to some degree even if it was for the winter.

[Normand]

i agree with ducky on this one.

just deflate the tubes and dont bother disassembling it. hang it on bicycle hooks or rig up one of those canoe pulley systems and hang it from the ceiling of the garage.

[Joel D. Popham]

CJ,

I let about 25% of the air out of the bladders, leave them attached to the frame, and hang the whole works by the frame to the ceiling in the garage. I have some heavy duty hooks screwed into the rafters and use my NRS straps to hold it. Good luck and Best Regards.....

[jimsnarocks]

I don't have a garage. I have been storing my 9' pontoon deflated, disassembled and stacked on a bench under a tarp. It is stored, except for the tarp, in pretty much the same configuration as it was shipped to me. I take it this is wrong for long time storage.
I expect the pontoon to last me a long time as my 6' kickboat fell apart and I had to have a new frame built. Should I partially inflate the bladders and hang them out of the weather by the D rings? I do have some room under the awning on the back porch. Maybe I should write Creek Co. and ask them too. Jim

[jimsnarocks]

I asked CC the question. Here's their reply:

Mr. Faulkenberry, if possible, indoor storage is the best for the actual pontoons & bladders, leaving them in the garage or a shed is an invitation for rodents to make a nice cozy home for the winter. Anytime you can avoid excessive 'folding' or 'creasing' of the bladders the better, ideally, if you remove the pontoons from the frame and store them flat folded in 1/3's in a temperature controlled environment, (making sure that they are absolutely dry inside and out), you should be fine. It's when they are left outside in very cold weather that the PVC bladder material can become 'brittle' and susceptible to mold & mildew, hope this helps, Thank You. The Creek Company

[ducksterman]

I asked CC the question. Here's their reply:

Anytime you can avoid excessive 'folding' or 'creasing' of the bladders the better,

I've always felt this partial quote from their reply to be true for waders of any type and hippers.

[Max]

You heard the talk above about avoiding folds, creases, etc in the pontoons. Best way to store is put the INFLATED PONTOONS on the frame and hang the entire boat by the FRAME up against the garage ceiling. This will also keep the mice away from chewing on your pontoons or side bags if the ceiling is enclosed. I use 3 eye screws and 3 pulleys and some light rope to accomplish this---one on the back and 2 on each side of the front frame.