How Does a Pontoon Boat Work?
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Pontoon boats are one of the most popular boats on the water today. The reason is they are easy to maintain, can go almost anywhere and are very stable. That's because of their design. The pontoon boat is made from solid aluminum or fiberglass "pontoons." These are filled with air but they are not pumped with air. The pontoons are not like inner tubes or floats; they use a simple principal to stay above water.
Floating Pontoons
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A pontoon is essentially a large tube made from sheet aluminum or fiberglass that is very light. It's main advantage is measured in terms of cubic feet. Since most of the cubic area of the pontoon is air, it will float on water. Air is lighter than water, and the aluminum that surrounds this air is also very light. Though it wouldn't float on its own, when it encompasses an area that contains lighter air, it will float. Using this principal, a pontoon boat is able to float and carry a great deal of weight.
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Weight and How they are Made
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Most family pontoon boats are made using two individual pontoons with a v-shaped front end on a steel frame. This results in a catamaran style, double hull. The pontoons are riveted to the horizontal frame bars or crafted as part of the hull. A platform is then built on top of the frame and the interior installed. The pontoons can be built in any size to hold various amounts of weight. In fact, there is a ratio to the amount of weight a pontoon boat can carry to the size of the pontoon. The more cubic square feet of air in the pontoon, and the lighter the pontoon exterior, the more the boat can carry.
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