Don’t worry, this isn’t a trick or a way for us to disclose where we’ve hidden our paddle this month. Forum member WoodenPontoon recently had a question that he posted on our forum.
[WoodenPontoon] Does anyone know anything about paddles made specifically for pontoon boats? Any recommendations? Any experiences?
[belercous] Amazingly, a paddle moved my boat towards shore, but it wasn't fast. (My boat weighs around 3 tons empty, well over that with fuel, water, beer and incidentals.) The lower unit went out so we had to try something. Unfortunately, the plastic paddle broke, then sank. But it did move the boat. We had to resort to “keggeling” to get us out of the channel at dark since barges are not pontoon-friendly. By “keggeling” I mean throwing the anchor as far as possible, then pulling the boat towards it.
I don't know about paddles meant specifically for pontoon boats, but I now have two that float and the longer, the better. You may never need a paddle, but if you do, having two onboard makes things much easier. I'd recommend collapsible aluminum ones for most pontoon boats since they're easy to stow under a seat.
[WoodenPontoon]
I hope I never have to find out if a paddle will move my boat! I currently have two wooden canoe paddles onboard. I found a Squid Pontoon Paddle that is designed specifically for pontoons. It was reviewed in PDB (PDB TESTED feature in the August 2013 issue).
Basically, it's like a push pole with an umbrella attached at the end. The umbrella opens when pushing the pole into the water and folds during the retrieval. The pole extends to about 10 feet long so it can reach the water while standing on deck. It actually looks like it works pretty well in the videos.
Do have any paddle advice to add? Join in the conversation and share your thoughts at www.pdbmagazine.com/forum.
