How to camp on a pontoon boat.
One of the advantages of owning a pontoon boat is the ability to camp where others can’t. Whether you pick a beach, an island, or stay on board, the view will likely beat anything a luxury hotel has to offer—plus, it’s a great escape away from crowds that fl ock to traditional vacation spots.
Most lakes and navigable rivers offer numerous opportunities for boat-in camping. On the shores of these waters are thousands of parks and wilderness areas that permit primitive camping—and no, that doesn’t mean sharing a campground with Neanderthals. Primitive camping just means that there are no facilities like electricity, showers or bathrooms. But with a pontoon, you can easily bring civilization with you.
How to scout out a perfect camping location.
One of the most fun aspects of pontoon camping is looking for new places to explore online, and you can get the whole family involved in the hunt and make it part of the adventure. In the dead of winter, searching for camping locations helps keep your boating passion burning as you visualize your family enjoying each location. To get started, look at a map of your region and focus on the color blue. When you zoom in and see green next to blue, this usually indicates parks or wilderness areas—most of which allow boat-in camping. Make sure to research the rules and restrictions for camping in these areas that—many require a free or reasonably-priced permit.
A fantastic tool for scouting out new locations is Google Earth, a free website that uses satellite photos that allow users to prospect locations from overhead. It’s the equivalent of owning a plane and doing a reconnaissance fl yover to fi nd places to pitch a tent or beach your boat, though sometimes the overhead perspective can fool you. Some places look like ideal campsites from the sky until you get there and discover there are no fl at areas and your ultimate “beach campsite” slopes down to the water at a 30-degree angle. Always follow up with more research such as calling the park directly and asking rangers’ advice about potential campsites.
What makes a great pontoon camping location?
The United States has more huge man-made lakes than anywhere else in the world and most are surrounded by wilderness areas that are ideal for “dispersed camping,” which is another name for primitive camping. Some of the best are found at places like Lake Cumberland and the Land Between the Lakes in Kentucky, Dale Hollow Lake in Tennessee, Bull Shoals Lake in Arkansas, Sam Rayburn and Toledo Bend in Texas plus countless parks and wildlife management areas on the Great Lakes. In Florida, the Everglades National Park offers fantastic boat camping on its beaches, land campsites and chickees, which are platforms on the water where you can pitch a tent. Rivers like the St. Croix in Wisconsin and wide spots on the Tennessee River called lakes have numerous primitive campsites on the water. Invest in a roomy tent that’s easy to put up and take down, and always remember to leave a camping spot cleaner than you found it and pack out all trash.
Why pontoons make ideal camping vehicles.
Pontoons make great fl oating RVs and when compared to typical Class-A motorhomes cost a lot less. Sleeping onboard also forgoes the hassle of getting permits or making reservations that are required for most land-based campsites. Harris Pontoon Boats makes it easy to convert its models into fl oating campsites with the simple addition of a full enclosure. Not only does this turn your pontoon into a giant tent, but also makes it an all-weather cruiser, so even when it’s drizzling, you can still enjoy a day on the water. And its protection from the elements will add at least a month to both ends of all-too-short northern boating seasons.
Most floorplans include roomy benches or aft loungers that can double as sleeping platforms, and there’s usually enough space between bow settees to fi t a queen-size infl atable mattress. Equipping your pontoon with a changing room also creates the perfect place for a Porta-Potti. The addition of a rail-mounted grill takes care of cooking needs, and if your boat has an entertainment center, washing-up are easy. If your boat doesn’t have a sink, a pump dispenser on a gallon jug or moist towelettes can substitute for cleaning hands and faces.
What to bring along on your pontoon camping adventure.
You don’t want to spend a lot of time cooking and cleaning when trying to relax and the best way to bring along enough food for multiple days of camping is to make meals ahead of time and freeze them in vacuum sealer bags or freezer bags. To avoid having to clean cooking pots, the food in these bags can be safely heated by dropping it straight into hot water that’s just below the boiling point. Check your bag manufacturers recommendations, but most can be safely used in hot water.
Keep bedding and clothes in plastic bags to keep them dry and stow them away during the day to reduce cockpit clutter. For easy cleanup, an ample supply of baby wipes can be quite refreshing, and portable showers are ideal for washing hair in remote areas. Pop-up changing rooms are available for many pontoons, and can offer privacy for changing clothes and cleaning up.
It’s time to go pontoon camping!
Pontoon boats are the ultimate platform for channeling your inner explorer—and while camping on a boat might involve foregoing some of the luxuries found at resorts, it’s far more budget-friendly, promotes bonding, offers spectacular scenery and allows your family to avoid the hordes of fellow vacationers found at most destinations.
