Do any of you use a trailer for your personal pontoons? Me and a friend have recently purchased 2 pontoons and we are discovering that carrying 2 in one truck may not be the easiest way to do it. You have to deflate half way and lift one up over the other to stack them. It doesnt make alot of sense to take 2 trucks (gas wise). So I have a trailer that was built for a old aluminum fishing boat just sitting and I thought about trying to fix it up to carry the pontoons.
So my question is: do you use one and if so, could you post pics to help me get an idea how to design the best way to carry 2?

You need to be very careful of anything that will flap in the wind. I left my spripping net on to run around the bend and shredded it. Whith the propper precautions, should work.

I'd have a hard time justifying a trailer for anything that you have the ability to inflate and deflate. Instead I'd be looking at the quickest and easiest way to inflate them and a good air pressure gauge. The best air pumps that work off of a cigarette lighter adapter aren't very expensive and will make short work of a pontoon.

In your situation I'd consider traveling with one of them 100% deflated and carry the other 100% inflated.

Well we are just looking at the fact that they are alot easier to handle if they are inflated, and stacking them on top of each other isnt the greatest because of oar holders and other things that stick up. You are right it is kinda hard to justify paying for tags on a trailer for something that can be carried in the truck. I'm just trying to figure out the best way. Deflating is not really a big deal either. I have a 12v pump. Its just that stacking them is awkward.

I've seen photos on the California kickboat site of a guy using a 4x4 or 4x8 trailer. It was one of the ones like you find from Northern Tool. If you wanted to use one this would probably be the least expensive route. I guess you're talking one on the trailer and one in the truck?

www.northerntool.com and enter "trailer" in the search feature. I hope that helps a little.

actually we are trying to come up with an idea for a double layer.

Try this:

google "kayak trailer" and click on Images. You should get plenty of ideas. Some stack them and some build them side by side. I just did it and found lots of ideas.

Here's one example using the trailer I mentioned, although it looks like they lengthened the tongue quite a bit.

Like KD suggest get ideas and put them to use. I have a bed cover on my truck that I load my toon onto and use ratchet straps to hold it in place. I have thought about a using trailer. When I get to the water it takes some time to get the battery, tm, milk crate, ores, rods, fish finder, ect all rigged. I generally launch at a boat ramp and I hate taking so much time if someone has to wait on me. If I used a trailer I would rig up at home and like most boaters just launch when I get to the ramp.

That is another thing I am considering, I am getting ready to put a trolling motor and battery and that is more to do like you said. There is no way to load them in a truck without taking most everything off first. with a trailer we should be able to leave everything on them. I saw several on google, but most of them are for kayaks and we need to come up with something different for pontoons.

I don't think you can leave everything on a kick boat unless your trailer is enclosed. I've lost rods, paddles, PFD, etc. because they work loose with vibrations or air wizzing by. Can't leave them unattended cause of possible sticky fingers picking up smaller items. If you have a camper shell topper, you might be able to put one inside at a tilt with some things on it to cut loading and unloading time. The other would be tied on top and have to be loaded and unloaded. My small one fits between the wells of a F-150 completely rigged up, and I have a locking hard cover where I tie down another one on top that is not rigged up when needed. Heres another idea if you have a receiver hitch though you would still have to load. http://www.tackletour.com/reviewezpackerpg2.html

You can avoid tying up or waiting for ramps by using pontoon wheels to roll to any convenient access point. My wheels are light enough that I can just flip up when on the water and flip down when rolling on land.

Hope this helps.

Porta

Porta

I hate trailers, expense, maintence, tags, storage...

So some tedious set up time is the lesser of the evils.

By the 5th + trip
you should figure stuff out.

Boat 1 goes here... cooler goes here... clothes bag wedges here...

Pretty cool though, you have the problem 99% of the people WISH they had. It begins with "I'm going to the lake..."

: )

Porta did you make your wheels? I have been toying with the idea of using the front fork and wheel from an old bmx bike my son dismantled years ago. I�ve looked a the wheels offered online but I don�t want to spend the money on something I can make myself. My idea is to use the fork and wheel, a old trolling motor mount I have and attach it to the motor mount on my toon. My concern is the added weight on the back of the toon when I�m on the water.

As far as the wheel, I have the wheel to roll down the bank or to the boat ramp and that certainly makes it nice. I dont have to sit right at the bank or the ramp to get everything water ready. And like you stated it just flips up sideways and stores out of the way.

Ricky J did you buy or make your wheel setup?

it came with the boat. It attches under the seat frame and is held in place with a quick pin and a big set screw. Do you have a pontoon you are wanting to put a wheel on? I can send you pics of mine to start you in the right direction.