Boarding & Weight Distribution
The time has come to board your passengers. Whether you are moored to a marina slip or tied up to a courtesy dock at the ramp, you will board via the port side entry gate. If you are beached you will enter need to climb onto the bow swim deck and enter through the bow entry gate. Some helpful guidelines when boarding a boat:
- Always step, rather than jump onto the boat.
- Always board one person at a time.
- Distribute weight evenly from port to starboard and forward to aft.
- Stow and secure all loose gear in storage areas, making sure not to block safety equipment.
- Never board while carrying gear. Set the gear on the dock, board the boat, then pick up the gear.
- Never use the engine unit as a boarding ladder.
- It’s always courteous to ask permission to board so the owner/captain is aware of your presence on the boat.
Getting weight distributed evenly across your pontoon boat is essential if you want to keep things safe. With the front and rear balancing, the more people or weight you have at the aft, the better-balanced things are and the faster you will be able to run because there is not as much surface drag on the pontoon tubes when the front is out of the water.
20’ triple-toons carry 12 passengers and bi-toons carry 10 people.
22’ triple-toons carry 13 passengers and bi-toons carry 11 people.
25’ triple-toons carry 15 passengers and bi-toons carry 13 people.
Your speed depends on multiple variables including how much load you have including gear and passengers, wind speed, how much gas you have in the tank, and so on. The most important factor always comes down to weight and distribution. In other words, where the weight of the pontoon boat is located can have a huge effect on speed and performance. You will want to make sure that the center of buoyancy and center of the gravity line up. If you can distribute the weight in your pontoon boat near to the center of gravity you should get better performance, including speed, fuel consumption, and how the boat handles. Learn how to trim your engine effectively. By trimming your engine, you can re-direct thrust up from the prop, lifting the bow out of the water, getting you to the best spot in terms of performance.
For additional information please look inside the Basic Boating and Safety Manual, included in your Veranda dry bag, reach out to your nearest authorized Veranda dealer or visit www.verandamarine.com.
