First test ride with dealer tomorrow.

jffry

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Hello all. My boat just arrived, and I will be going out on a lake with my dealer for !st ride.
As this is my first pontoon, I would appreciate any suggestions for questions I should be asking my dealer during this first ride, as well as things I should look out for or be aware of. Thx in advance and excited!!! John

(2022 21'LSB/90hp Yamaha, Twin Elliptical Freshwater Performance Package... ordered early May.)
 
Congrats on the new boat! Ask him how to operate the navigation lights and the courtesy light on the helm.

Also make sure they show how to operate the bimini, and completely cover/uncover the boat. There's a trick to the plastic clips - disengage by pulling from one side of the clip.

Have him share how the battery switch works, and talk through trailering and any bits that need to be secured/stowed while underway.

Discuss proper break-in procedure and maintenance schedule.

Pay attention to how they load and unload the boat for proper trailering. If you're mostly trailering, you might want to consider trailer guides to make it easier to get on and off your trailer.

You may also want a demo of how to use the funnel to fill up with gas - sometimes it can be tricky.

Otherwise, look for any loose connections, scratches, issues with upholstery, etc.
 
Ask how to operate the courtesy light on the helm, that one has gotten most of us.

Practice shifting forward and reverse with the dealer there. The Yamaha control is a little different from others. Its easy but it felt weird to me in the beginning. Having the dealer there to reassure me was good.

As far as what to look for. Things I encountered with my new boat this year:
1. no drain holes in the seat compartments. The ones on top are there, but there should be holes in the base to let water out. Dealer is taking care of it this winter
2. Is everything there that is supposed to be.

Congratulations! It is a very excited time
 
I also have the test ride tomorrow! I found this thread to be pretty helpful:

 
Congratulations to both of you. I hope the test rides go flawlessly, and that after this long wait your boats come in in optimal condition.

If some things are not right, I recommend having them get those items rectified before taking full possession, and completing the transaction. Once you sign off on possession and make whatever final down payment or pay off you need to make, you are at their mercy in regards to timing and fixing things. Until signed off, they are a bit more motivated to take care of your issues/concerns, and to do so quickly so as to close the deal/sale.
 
Hello all. My boat just arrived, and I will be going out on a lake with my dealer for !st ride.
As this is my first pontoon, I would appreciate any suggestions for questions I should be asking my dealer during this first ride, as well as things I should look out for or be aware of. Thx in advance and excited!!! John

(2022 21'LSB/90hp Yamaha, Twin Elliptical Freshwater Performance Package... ordered early May.)
If he is a good dealer you shouldn't have any questions. Just smiles. Enjoy !
 
One thing I noticed last week was some of my in seat cup holders have the drain screw on, some off. So some the water from the holder will drain out of the holder and into the lower compartment and some it will stay in the cup holder. Are some supposed to be on and some off?
 
Congrats on the new boat! Ask him how to operate the navigation lights and the courtesy light on the helm.

Also make sure they show how to operate the bimini, and completely cover/uncover the boat. There's a trick to the plastic clips - disengage by pulling from one side of the clip.

Have him share how the battery switch works, and talk through trailering and any bits that need to be secured/stowed while underway.

Discuss proper break-in procedure and maintenance schedule.

Pay attention to how they load and unload the boat for proper trailering. If you're mostly trailering, you might want to consider trailer guides to make it easier to get on and off your trailer.

You may also want a demo of how to use the funnel to fill up with gas - sometimes it can be tricky.

Otherwise, look for any loose connections, scratches, issues with upholstery, etc.
"Discuss proper break-in procedure and maintenance schedule" - what my dealer told me and what the manual said were two entirely different set of parameters - so be sure to also read the manual!!!!
 
Other Items:
1) Understand how the seats work and make sure you give all passengers lessons.
2) Ask about the little reset breakers on the helm dash.
3) Open the compartment to find the bilge pump (so you can check to see if you are holding water, especially when stored - standing water is no good - i used a towel to soak the remaining water).
4) Open the compartment to see the gas tank - being able to visually see the amount of gas you have is key - we find our gauge is not so accurate (flashlight helpful / needed).
5) Know where the fuse box is and make sure it comes with extra fuses..
6) How to trim the motor from both the helm and the rear of the boat.
7) How to properly tie down the boat to the trailer (though my dealer had no idea). I prefer tie downs for front and back, with the back NOT going over the top of the rear pontoon boxes (I routed them to the outside and down to the frame using nylon loop straps). I don't push the front deck against the vertical stops as this will damage the rub rails if you don't have the protectors.
8) If you have the Simrad - allocate a lot of time to figure that out - not a dealer thing, but helpful if they will do a quick walk through.
9) Verify all the rocker's switches and lights work!

And just smile, smile, smile! Enjoy!!!!
 
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