Archive for October, 2010
A Brief History of Pontoons
Ambrose Weeres, a farmer from Minnesota, is credited with inventing the first pontoon motorboat in the United States in 1952. In order to create a more stable vessel, Weeres toyed with the idea of using cylinders to add extra support to a floating structure. Living in the “land of 10,000”, Weeres was well acquainted with the needs of boaters and saw the potential to market a new boat design.
The first time you see pontoon on the open waters, it can be bit concerting. Due to their flat hulls, pontoons often appear to simply be a fixed room or platform bobbing across the water. All pontoons, even inflatable pontoon boats, feature the same basic construction Weeres developed to stay afloat; there is a pair of closed cylinders (aka pontoons) that support the structure and provide its stability.
A Brief History of Pontoons
Ambrose Weeres, a farmer from Minnesota, is credited with inventing the first pontoon motorboat in the United States in 1952. In order to create a more stable vessel, Weeres toyed with the idea of using cylinders to add extra support to a floating structure. Living in the “land of 10,000”, Weeres was well acquainted with the needs of boaters and saw the potential to market a new boat design.
The first time you see pontoon on the open waters, it can be bit concerting. Due to their flat hulls, pontoons often appear to simply be a fixed room or platform bobbing across the water. All pontoons, even inflatable pontoon boats, feature the same basic construction Weeres developed to stay afloat; there is a pair of closed cylinders (aka pontoons) that support the structure and provide its stability.
My Furry First Mate
Like most golden retrievers, my dog has no problem plowing through the waves of a nearby lake if it means tracking down a precious tennis ball. At least once a week, I take the dog down near the shore where she’ll pad happily along the sand in pursuit of the ball. When she started bounding through the water with reckless abandon, I was struck with an idea.
I raised the launched my inflatable catamaran into the water and called the dog to see if she would jump onboard. Much to my surprise, she took to the boat like a fish to water, sitting patiently on the bow with her tongue lolling to one side. Before taking her out in deep water, I purchased a dog life jacket online. These days she starts wagging her tail the moment she sees me picking up the jacket. That’s a clear indication that it’s time for a leisurely coast around the lake.