How to measure a pontoon deck.

    The deck measurement traditionally is determined by the 4' X 8' decking boards used.  There are some pontoons that have 8'6" wide decks or even 9'.  The primary reasons these are uncommon is the cost of material.  The other reason is the hassle of trailering anything over 8' wide on the road.  Sometimes this requires special permitting to trailer loads over 8' wide.  This makes the measurement of most pontoon decks simple.  Some newer model pontoons are now being built with the additional use of a 5' x 8' board to extend the decks out even farther.   So a physical measurement should be made of the entire deck.

     To plan a furniture layout for your pontoon the area of most concern is the area inside the fence.  Measure the inside dimension of the fence.   With a standard 8' wide deck the inside dimension should be approximately 7' 4" to 7' 6".  The fence is generally mounted within 2" to 3" from the edge of the deck.  The square tubing of the fence is about 7/8" to 1 1/4".  The inside measurement from front to back will be determined by the length of the pontoon.  Most common is a 24' deck on a 28' pontoon, 20' deck on a 24' pontoon, 16' deck on a 20' pontoon.  There are pontoons much smaller than these as well as much larger.

    Another critical measurement are the openings or gates.  The placement of the gates will be very important to the placement of the furniture layouts available.  The width of these openings vary widely.  The newer models often are made to be wheelchair accessible. 

     Note the location of any holes in the deck.  Under the steering console there will be at least one hole for the steering cable and usually another for the shifter.  If the pontoon originally had a livewell there may be holes there also.  Check for holes where removable pedestal seat bases may have been and leg sockets for tables.  These are particularly important if you are not replacing the deck or carpet at this time.  Often these holes can be reused or easily covered with a deck plate or a drain plate similar to a shower drain.

    With these measurements layout options can be studied.  See our sample layouts for a good start in becoming creative.