Pontoon Construction

Sun Tracker is part of the Bass Pro Group and has been making pontoons since 1983. Its boats feature some neat construction features worth taking a glance at.  Sun Tracker pontoons are cylindrical, welded chambered and air filled; the latter is of interest as the craft ages. Any holes or leaks can be TIG (tungsten inert gas) welded, and makes a new hull, essentially. No foam to worry about. The pontoon shape makes Sun Trackers ride higher, as well.

The standard pontoon logs are 24” in diameter, featuring a no-keel design. The bulkheads are then welded around the entire circumference of the tube, providing an air tight seal and structural support.

The decks are fastened to the pontoons via full-length M-shaped brackets (which are welded to the pontoons; two to each pontoon) to which full width Z-shaped cross members are bolted and to which the deck is then fastened (think of it as joists in a home’s construction). They also use coated TEK-brand fasteners to attach the floor and Z bars; these friction-weld as they are tightened.