Second Chance — Completed
Pontoon Rebuild
Pontoon boat TBD
A family pontoon boat, bought rather than let go, brought back with a new deck, a reworked electrical system, and a lot of family time.
Why it was bought
This wasn't a random salvage find — it was a father-in-law's boat, headed toward being sold as life circumstances changed. It was bought for a few thousand dollars rather than watch it go to someone else; the kids already knew it as Nanny and Pop's boat, and that was worth more than the asking price.
What it needed
It wasn't stripped and it wasn't in wonderful condition, but it didn't need to be. The rebuild was about a new deck, an electrical system upgrade, and getting the engine caught up on deferred maintenance. The whole project stretched over about a year in calendar time, but amounted to only a couple of months of actual work — fit in around a large family's schedule and, where possible, with the kids helping.
Gallery
Notable components
Deck
Fully replaced
Fence
Original part, preserved and powder-coated rather than replaced
Furniture
Sourced from pontoonstuff.com's clearance section
AGM cranking battery + lithium house bank
With a DC-DC charger providing an emergency path from lithium back to AGM
Fish finder
Added during the electrical rework
Electronic bimini top
Replaced
Engine
No major repair needed — fluids, propeller, and deferred maintenance caught up
Lessons learned
- Not everything needs replacing. The original fence was still solid — it got powder-coated and reused instead of thrown out.
- pontoonstuff.com's clearance section, including furniture with small cosmetic tears, was one of the best sourcing experiences of any project on this site.
- A family project doesn't have to happen all at once. A year of calendar time and a couple months of actual work is a realistic pace with kids and a full schedule.