Writer / Rosalyn Demaree
You don’t need to be a boat owner to pack a picnic, the fishing gear and swim bag to experience Morse Reservoir’s seven miles of navigable water. Morse Marina rents pontoon boats, a watercraft growing in popularity among young families nationwide.
“They’re kind of like a big playpen,” said Scott Durfey, marina manager. Kids can roam and romp on the 20-foot boats that have 2 ½-foot-tall walls. Empty-nesters are enjoying them for floating wine-and-cheese parties. The wide platform makes a pontoon boat accessible to people in wheelchairs, too.”
A day on the water can be almost anything a person wants it to be. “You can throw the anchor and swim or lie out in the sun. Or you can run the boat all day,” Durfey said. Top speed is 15-20 mph.
A rental day is 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Weekday rentals are $125 per day plus gas; weekend rentals are $250 per day plus gas. Renters must be at least 25 years old. The boats will carry up to 10 people.
Pontoons create a stable platform. “They’re very safe. There’s really no way to sink,” Durfey said. “Even if you’re running fast and hit something that punctures a pontoon, you won’t sink.”
If your mother or Boy Scout leader taught you to always be prepared, though, you’d be smart to read the water safety tips Pontoon Boat Guide offers online.
Pontoon boating is one adventure where you don’t need lessons to begin.
”You just get in and ride,” Durfey explained. The trickiest part typically is parking at the gas dock, and he will take first-time renters out to practice this maneuver if they ask.
Not convinced it’s easy? Find pontoon driving tips and a video on YouTube.
Weekdays offer the best chance to rent a pontoon on the spur of the moment. Reservations can be made for any day. Depending on the weather forecast, it’s common for all three boats to be booked on weekends.
Be certain to plan ahead for holiday rentals. The Fourth of July was booked more than a month in advance.
