I have been thinking about getting a 2 or 3 man pontoon boat as I do not have a rig that can pull a trailer. My question is can these be strapped to the rack of a car or easily be broken down to fit in the trunk/ and or a box on top of my rack? Also how much effort goes into breaking one down?

Last is am I better off buying one already built or buying the pontoons and building the frame myself, and do they sell kits to build a frame?

Thanks in advance!!

most will break down to manageable size,just takes time to put togeather and inflate the tubes,some frame pices may be long. get a premade out.

i just recently got a pontoon boat for christmas, 1 man, surprisingly easy to put together and take apart, can easily be strapped to rack. also have seen racks built into beds of trucks that can haul two at once.would be a great purchase. can buy frames to build own. buy what you want because once u get it, you'll want something bigger or nicer

Most of the multiple passenger pontoons I've always seen on trailers. They are pretty slick boats though. There is a guy on the cowlitz that has a two person I believe. He straps a trail 90 motorcycle to the back for transportation back to his vehicle. However, most frames are pretty easy to assemble but like the previous post, some frame pieces will have some length. Just go check em out at a store put together and look closely and the frame configuration. Depends how much time you want to spend before and after each trip, assembling, disassembling, and airing up. I'd recommend finding a pickup to pull a trailer and cut out the hassle myself.

chromeslayer

cromeslayer-

are you the guy i saw trying to load a pontoon into a little white mazda w/ the ground effects hanging down to the ground?? or was that your buddy w/ the trebs

ps i too have also caught a few cutties in my day

I had the same problem as you. My car isn't really suitable for towing. Only difference is, I've owned an A frame inflatable before. They suck. IMHO, unless you're talking about large RIBs, inflatables are best left as dinghies on larger boats. I owned a 8'6", and my troubles were as follows:

It's flat on the bottom. Therefor difficult to row, and at the mercy of the wind.

The pontoons take up a large amount of interior space. Once I got myself and all my gear in: trolling motor, battery, tackle box, ect., there was hardly any space left.

It was damn heavy. Weighed like 70 pounds, and I had to wrestle it in and out of the trunk.

It took too damn long to get inflated and out on the water, then when I got back in, I'd have to squeeze all the air out of it to fit it back in the trunk.

I went with a Porta-bote instead. They're not cheap, the one I bought last weekend ran about $1,100 plus about $330 of extra accessories that I got for it at show prices. But that's about the same price as a quality inflatable. The prices are good through Feb. 4th, so jump on it if you want one. Sometimes they can be found used. Check out this site for more info and links:

Dave\'s Porta Boat page

philpac-
Keeping talking trash bud, just delaying a great day of steely fishing with me. Are you the guy I saw with those spending polarized glasses, with a tupperware bowl of chicken fried rice, Rex style, on the banks of Squal? Just wondering bud, clean it up.

chromeslayer

By the way, I don't need trebs like I heard some like you do.

chromeslayer-

my water or yours?? probably yours to keep it fair...just take me to a few of your most favorite spots, i'll use my eggs, you use sturgio's..have to do it this week or sunday, back to work for me on monday, unemployment has done me well the past few months

Trebadia,

clean it up phil pac, correct me if i am wrong, you, mef, beardy, and bink are the combers.

Thanks to some of you for the feedback...

Had one more question before I let this drop off the map. Does anyone know where I can go to check out some of the bigger 2 or 3 man catarafts in the seattle area. All I can find is places that sell little 6' and 8' one man boats? Need to at leaste check them out in person before ordering one...

Thanks!

Look for Osprey and Steelheader69 in here. Both have been running Catarafts for quite some time. In addition Osprey builds a great custom frame. I have one on my 12' pontoons.
Tom

For the price youd have to spend on a 2 or 3 man pontoon, youre better off buying a new rig capable of towing a trailer. If not, i've seen some pretty dinky rigs towing stuff a lot heavier than a d boat.