Pontoons, kayaks turn heads at Boat Show plus usual boats, of course

If years past are an indication, Minnesotans will spend more than $370 million between now and freeze-up on new boats, many of which will be pontoons — and the fancier, it seems, the better.

Pontoons again this year are making a big splash at the Boat Show, which opened Thursday at the Minneapolis Convention Center and runs through Sunday.

Invented in Minnesota, pontoons traditionally have been used here by cabin owners for lake touring, especially at happy hour.

But their appeal is broadening as they have become more seaworthy and outfitted with bigger outboards. These more modern craft can pull tubers, wake boarders and skiers. Anglers increasingly employ pontoons as well.

Miller Marine of St. Cloud brought 31 pontoons to the show, and within a few hours Thursday afternoon was writing orders, including three for Bennington pontoons that carried $149,990 price tags, excluding trailers.

The "27 QBRX2," as Benington calls these snazzy models, includes a boatload of plush amenities, among them a bar, sink and refrigerator.

Pontoons more typically sold by Miller Marine range in price from $30,000 to $40,000, said salesman Jesse Allen, who had no shortage of customers on Thursday.

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If you don't want to buy a pontoon, but want to use one occasionally, Heinen's Marine in Osseo (heinenmotorsports.com) is among dealers that rent pontoons. These rental units are outfitted with trailers and can be picked up on a Friday and returned Monday. Mike Busch of Heinen's said a typical weekend rental price is about $600.

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Lund, Alumacraft, Crestliner, G-3, Smoker Craft and Starcraft are among manufacturers exhibiting affordable fishing boats at the show. New 16-footers that are way fancier (and more dependable) than anything I fished in for more than half my life can be bought for $15,000-$18,000, depending on model, dealer and motor size. Financing options are available at the show.

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Yet even veteran kayakers can have difficulty climbing into and out of these two-ended craft, particularly from a dock. Enter EZ Dock (EZ-Dock.com), which builds an "EZ Launch" system as an option for their all-weather docks.

To use the EZ Launch, a paddler sets his or her kayak onto a floating dock section that is outfitted with a series of rollers. (The section is connected to the larger dock.) The paddler steps from the dock into the craft without worrying about tipping. Then, gripping side rails on the dock that parallel the kayak, the paddler pulls himself toward and onto the water, launching the boat quietly and safely. Upon return, the paddler enters the EZ Launch and pulls himself back atop the rollers, stabilizing the kayak for exiting.

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If your kids can't have enough fun diving off your pontoon or other large, stable boat, consider installing a Lillipad Diving Board (lillipaddivingboards.com) on the stern. Billed as "the world's only diving board designed specifically for mounting on a boat," the invention, displayed at the show, is clever. It can launch users weighing up to 250 pounds, has a nonslip platform and a hand rail for user stability. A quick release pin drops the board out of the way when docking. Price: about $1,300.

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• Friends of Pool 2 (friendsofpool2.org) has a booth at the show and is looking for additional support and memberships. The group is a worthy steward of the Mississippi River as it flows downstream of the Ford Dam in St. Paul to Lock and Dam 2 near Hastings.

• Need to take a boating safety course? Do it online at boat-ed.com/Minnesota for $22.50.