1991 Lowe 20' Pontoon Restoration Before & After

[@faronmastin2091]

Good idea with the radio on the side. Awesome job on the boat.

[@tomspontoons]

It was a combo of “it’s the only place for it” and “it makes perfect sense to make it more accessible to passengers”…I think it worked out great! Thanks!!

[@craigallen7554]

Great video! A newbie to the whole pontoon boating world. Planning on restoring an older boat versus a new boat. Thanks for all the information!!

[@tomspontoons]

Glad you found the channel! Restoring an older boat isn't necessarily cheap, but buying a new or even newer used boat will end up costing a small fortune....and a used boat that's 5-10 years old is going to be due for repairs within a few years anyway depending on how it's been taken care of. Just look for big diameter pontoons and the more welds you see holding stuff together the better!

[@Formerlywarmer]

Very nice rig and excellent presentation. I’ve learned what little I know about pontoons so far from you buddy. Thx for all the tips.

[@tomspontoons]

Thanks for watching, and for the kind words! I hope that our channel can teach folks in other boating categories some tips and tricks too along the way. Especially the wiring and electrical component stuff!

[@craigr.2755]

I recently refurbished my 1996 Misty Harbor fishing pontoon, I put in new floor with new woven vinyl got the seats and sund deck reupholstered, restored the console(learned fiberglass repair) re did wiring, added deck mood lights, from docking lights, and several other upgrades, I didn't do a new engine or fence, and kept stuff that I could, but it looks 1000% better, a lot of it I learned from this channel.

[@tomspontoons]

Glad the channel was helpful for you and your project!! Now you get to enjoy the hard work you put into it, you learned some new skills, and probably gained some confidence in working on boats in the future. Nice work!!

[@RHEC1776]

😂 9:00. No joke. I was like aahhhh no big deal 😂 ended up taking mine to the shop and paying 5k for a new floor and updated marine carpet/flooring. Best 5k ever 😂

[@tomspontoons]

I'm just glad you understand the value in what we do! Of course, experience and working on pontoons daily helps with troubleshooting and efficiency...BUT it's still usually a ton of work and some headache mixed in. Glad you're loving your new flooring and are happy with your investment in your boat!

[@craigr.2755]

I do like the layout of this boat though. It looks awesome.

[@tomspontoons]

Thanks! It’s unique and most importantly it’s exactly how they wanted it!

[@Zforce800Trail]

Hello Sir Around what price was that engine you installed and also what size trolling motor was that? We are wanting to eventually go with a 4 stroke and also are looking to add a trolling motor. Very nice job on the motor you done an outstanding job Sir

[@tomspontoons]

Those new 60 hp high thrust motors are around $10,000 installed after all the new rigging components, prop, etc. Not cheap, but can make the whole boating experience so much more enjoyable! It was a 12V 45 lb thrust. Just a small lake they like to fish on. A 12v 55lb thrust would be great for most 20’ pontoons. Much bigger than that and you should move up to a 24v and 80 lb thrust.

[@messiah7769]

Hello there, I am in the middle of my complete rebuild of my 18 foot 2006 forester. I added crossmembers on the last 20 inches and moved my engine pod back. I am getting the rear entry railing kit from pontoon stuff. I see in this one and another you did with that slick slide in changing room you have a fill in for what is usually the engine recess. Since my engine sits way back I don't see that on the site. any idea how I can get that style? Thanks!

[@tomspontoons]

Awesome! Glad you're taking on the project and it's a smart move pushing everything back...just modernizes the whole boat to help it look like a brand new one. Unfortunately on those boats that you've seen on my channel I was using their prototype railing kits which had a different stern entry and had no sundeck area....so I had to make those configurations myself using different panels and pieces. They've now moved to their railing kits on the website which is what I've been installing later in the spring and summer of this year and in the future. I liked the boxed in style like I used to do, but it required having a custom cushion made for the sundeck and was a lot more work fitting it all up nicely than their new kits.

[@messiah7769]

@@tomspontoons well beautiful work sir!. one more question. where did you get that nice matching complete bimini and the risers. I am going to be ordering the blue 8x17 rear entry kit, similar to this this boat.

[@tomspontoons]

@@messiah7769 I usually get all of my bimini tops through Pontoon Stuff. It looks like they're out of stock currently for the heavy duty bimini, but they should have them back in eventually here. You could also try PMI Marine as they sell the same materials as Pontoon Stuff (sort of a sister company). Their website is a little outdated, but you can call and order.

[@mjcassville3918]

Great video! I am looking at purchasing a fence kit from pontoonstuff, however I need one without the sundeck. They told me they are coming soon, but from the look of that one could you eliminate the sundeck and still have the same L couch layout? Let me know if you have time. Thanks!

[@tomspontoons]

I used some some of their old prototype pieces to make this one work. What size boat (length and width) and what color are you looking to do? I didn’t know they were going to do a no sundeck option. That’s great!!

[@mjcassville3918]

@@tomspontoons We're building a 25 and a half foot 8.5 wide tritoon. I need 19' inside the rails, which is their 21' with sundeck kit. I can only go black because I need 30" front radius.

[@tomspontoons]

Just a heads up, the 30" front radius corners are available in all of the colors they offer (black, blue, beige).

[@mjcassville3918]

Wow! That's a big help, the website says black only for the 30" and brown and blue have to be 36"

[@tomspontoons]

@@mjcassville3918 It's all based on width of the kit. 8' kits have 30" front corners (32"x32") and 8.5' kits must have 36" front corners (38"x38"). That's how they close the gap of the front door.

[@jasonpowell6301]

Hey Guys, do you have a link to the heavy duty bimini from pontoon stuff? I'll I see is the economy version

[@tomspontoons]

They were out of stock for a while this summer. Your best bet is to shoot them an email or call their customer service to get one on order for when they have them back in stock.

[@breeannagribble2770]

what do you do with all the decent cushions that you pull of boats?

[@tomspontoons]

I sell them as cheap and quick as possible locally when I can to keep them out of the landfill.

[@matthewreed1781]

Hey Tom great vid. Do you know the measurements on the deck and which kit you ordered? I heard you say the sundeck was a little smaller how so? Getting mine from storage Monday.

[@tomspontoons]

This one was pretty darn unique because we had configured it based off of the prototype kits we'd been using for the last couple of years. We used some of the new kit and some of the prototype parts we had in stock, so the sundeck was only about 20" deep, which with the new kits is roughly 26" deep. The deck was slightly under 20', but I actually ordered the 21' kit to get all of the pieces I'd need and then some to make modifications. I haven't worked with a single kit yet that's just bolt up and go because the boats I'm working on were configured a while back. However, I've got several boats that I'll be restoring this spring getting the new kits installed exactly as they come...so stay tuned for videos on those in the near future!!! I'll be starting on one of them in the next week or two!

[@taidatnguyen3]

Hi Tom, where can I buy the Vinny whole roll

[@tomspontoons]

www.pontoonstuff.com/tomstoons They have a store wide sale going on right now!!

[@jdthebluecollarconservative]

I did the same thing on the back with my 2000 sweetwater, how much space did you give between the motor mount and the back of the decking?

[@tomspontoons]

Every motor is a little different. Usually my transom is about 13" to 16" behind the decking. I've never had an issue with tilting the motor up and hitting the decking...but I've had it come really close or even in contact with the railings! That's not so fun, especially on older motors that don't have a limiter option for tilt!

[@jdthebluecollarconservative]

@@tomspontoons perfect. I had planned on 14”. We just have an older 9.9 right now but eventually plan on bumping up to a 50 hp.

[@tomspontoons]

@@jdthebluecollarconservative I would think you'll be just fine with 14" between the transom and decking with a 50 hp!

[@JonnyHs]

What’s the benefit of moving the transom back? I’ve got an older pontoon that has the transom flush with the back of the boat. Should I consider moving mine back by one crossmember? Do I need to consider how long the steering/throttle cables are when the transom is flush?

[@tomspontoons]

Moving the transom back is mainly to gain usable floor space, but it always improves trim response by getting the motor back where the toons aren’t levering against it. It can also reduce issues with ventilation and cavitation as the wash is cleaner and higher behind the toons. You DEFINITELY need to make sure your cables will reach otherwise you’ll be replacing the steering cable and shift/throttle cables ($300 ish total)

[@luisaraujo4708]

Another entertaining and instructive video. Thanks. Question; when you move the motor or helm further apart is it easy to get control cables and a wiring harness to fit the new configuration? On my pontoon houseboat (30 ft overall length) I’m planning to move the helm about 5 to 6 ft forward from its factory position.

[@tomspontoons]

Thanks for watching! Yes, steering and shift/throttle cables are easy to replace, and cost around $300 total to get new longer cables. You can usually find them online, or call Van's Sport Center and talk to Brad...he will get you whatever you need shipped to you! Ignition harnesses can sometimes work without replacing, but once in a while you'll need a longer harness too. Again, not a huge deal to replace, but can be a bit more expensive in the $250+ range for just that part.

[@luisaraujo4708]

@@tomspontoons, thanks Tom! I’ll start looking for a supplier up here in TENSEC (The Evil Northern Socialist Empire of Canada 🇨🇦) 🤪

[@tomspontoons]

@@luisaraujo4708 Best of luck! If not I'm pretty sure Van's Sport Center here in Grand Rapids, MI will ship to Canada...might not be cheap after it's done though!

[@Robert-bx1ij]

Do you sell the old motors that you remove?

[@tomspontoons]

I typically sell them or I trade them towards the new motor, just selling/trading them for what I give for trade to move them quickly. But lately dealing with FB Marketplace has been more frustrating than worthwhile for that sort of stuff so I've just been hanging onto them. I don't get a whole lot, just a few each season.

[@Robert-bx1ij]

I completely understand that I am looking for a older 60 or so preferably a evinrude or Johnson that's in good shape if you would keep me in mind if it's something you want to move thank you very much for replying

[@tomspontoons]

@@Robert-bx1ij Where abouts are you located? Shoot me an email: [e-mail]

[@martinnemeckay1052]

So is it ok to use regular green cca pressure treated plywood instead of marine grade? It would be about 1/3 of the price.

[@tomspontoons]

The glue is different and the surface isn’t smooth with voids filled. It would likely last longer than untreated marine grade, but won’t be as clean of a look and may be likely to delaminate because of the glue between plys. The treated marine grade that we use is well worth the investment. It’s warrantied for 30 years…longer than most anyone will ever own their boat for.

[@martinnemeckay1052]

@@tomspontoons Good information. I'm looking to build a camper/shantyboat and trying to do it as inexpensivlely as possible. I'm already in my mid sixties so the 30 year thing is probably not an issue. Thanks.

[@tomspontoons]

@@martinnemeckay1052 That's a unique application where I think regular treated wood might be just fine. Plus you might be laying a different floor on top inside where you spend most of your time like a vinyl or laminate. Best of luck with your project!

[@martinnemeckay1052]

@@tomspontoons Thanks again

[@J.W.W.]

You guys started moving so fast at 2:20 that I think I heard cavitation… 😉

[@tomspontoons]

I'm pretty sure I heard the same cavitation when I was editing the video....obviously I didn't edit it out!

[@skylark4901]

I was a little surprised how much the price jumps on the consoles when you add the gauges and wiring 😬Also I didn't know you can add that extra piece on the side for the throttle, I wanted my throttle there but thought it only came with that deluxe console...great job!

[@tomspontoons]

I totally understand the price shock when adding in the electrical and gauges. Gauge packages are usually around $300 to $400 (tach, fuel, volt, speedo). Then add in the wire and time to pre-install...plus the switches and wiring...and the accent paneling the gauges and switches are installed on. It's steep, but not cheap to manufacture I'm sure. You have to search "side storage" on the website to get the part for the shift/throttle. Not sure how I stumbled across it one day, but I do really like it for that standard smaller helm and a binnacle control!!!

[@skylark4901]

@@tomspontoons Thanks for the search tip! (edit) That price is very doable too! 👍

[@tomspontoons]

@@skylark4901 Happy to help!

[@kwhp1507]

I bet cardboard is a real problem for you guys lol.

[@kwhp1507]

Maybe put in a wood stove for the winter months to burn it all and heat your shop.

[@tomspontoons]

@@kwhp1507 Haha! It’s about 10’ high right now!! Luckily we can take it to the local county dump and unload it for free. I like that idea of heating the shop with it though.