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Vantage pontoon protection

I just completed the purchase of my first boat, a Bennington 22SSBX. The dealer had this as a $1995 add-on option at the end. I’m not sure if I see the protection value in it. We live on a 90 acre lake that is a giant oval in shape. They were recommended for general protection going in and out of my Shore Station pontoon lift. I’m not sure if they are worth the money for that protection. Plus everything is insured with gap/replacement and low deductible.

Curious on the thoughts of anyone who has these installed.
 
Chris Z said:
Jack, do you recall whether they were willing to sell you their product directly? Or did you have to involve one of their distributor/dealers?

Montana, looking forward to hearing about your experience moving forward.
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Hey Chris, I finally found some time to put on the Vantage wrap and guard. Absolutely painless...definitely need a helper in the process for holding and aligning but otherwise relatively easy. Had about 6 hours into it all said and done but could have went faster if I wasn’t so dang picky. Also my toons were polished so I had the extra step of making sure the polish/wax was all off. Really great kit, has everything you need except some isopropyl alcohol. Kit was pre-cut for my model and needed no altering. All in all...far better experience than I expected. Attached some pictures.
 

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That looks good with the blackout and color of your pontoon. Thanks for sharing the pictures. My dealership offered to do them for me at a reduced price due to some pontoon scuffs when we got our boat three years ago. I didn’t take them up on it. However, based on how good they look on yours (we have a blackout and Smokey grey boat color combo), and the good reports I’ve heard from others like Michiman about the product, have me reconsidering having it done.
 
Looks fantastic. I love the black but was concerned that it would show hard water deposits more given my lake quality.
I ended up going with the silver, however it is easy to not notice it. Boat Vantage.jpg
 
Bronco said:
I have it on my Benny and I'm glad that I went with it. There are many shallows, rocks and other hazards in my waters and I feel like it was a solid investment.

The guards still look new after a full season in salt water. I recommend them if you think that you need the protection. They have delivered as advertised for me so far.
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Pbakk said:
Looks fantastic. I love the black but was concerned that it would show hard water deposits more given my lake quality.
I ended up going with the silver, however it is easy to not notice it. View attachment 27029
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I really like the silver on your boat. Bought my Benny from Miller Marine as well. I got to MN to pick it up and saw the Vantage product in their showroom. Had they had the kit in stock I would have stayed over a day for them to install it...as it was...self install.
 
Really like the blackout Vantage Guard with the blackout package on MontanaQ’s boat.
Looking to get updated opinions on this product from all that have it: like/dislikes, durability, aesthetics, anything a perspective new purchaser would want to know, etc...?

It is under consideration as an offer made to us to cover up scratching and scuffing of our starboard side pontoon due to incompetent mooring of a neighbors rented pontoon boat (next door cottage is a VRBO, so always something bothersome happening).

On 7/20 people renting the cottage next door had their rental pontoon break free. Rental company had moored it up. Renters were supposed to re-secure it, but didn’t, so its a muddled situation. Anyway, the rental pontoon drifted into our boat that was up on its sea legs. It then slide along pontoon cosmetically damaging it. It eventually got wedged into our dock and Sea Wall where we found it.

Owner of rental company offered to cover half the installation costs of putting Vantage Guard on our pontoon (him covering our starboard side pontoon that is damaged, and then I would pay for the port side/dock side pontoon myself).

Thoughts on the product? I’ve eyed it before, so I know basically what it is, and have seen it on boats in the showroom. Curious to get first hand experiences with the product. Thanks in advance.

* pics are from the incident:

CBB89EB5-CA02-4C8B-BDAA-3A5F886B37CA.jpegDB1E9F26-D5FF-49D1-B250-5D68F9E4ED13.jpeg4EF93932-27C7-4DD7-9ECD-6783840DC2D5.jpegA4D81789-F29B-4F06-8883-681F063EEC37.jpeg9CE54BA9-3DD0-42B7-899F-95BF8B96A1F0.jpegA0CCF6AD-A1AD-46EA-A447-DBD9CC749BC1.jpeg00DE2E37-A0D8-446D-BCAA-575C49736330.jpeg8042DC5C-0FA6-4557-9891-55B0742A3C2B.jpeg9BF6F656-5238-43EA-8984-C1C652494159.jpeg3996900D-6DE4-4FA7-A0F6-C0D4BFAEED1D.jpeg6E664F89-9398-496B-8BAD-F5F6410C523C.jpeg2CAE4631-D186-441B-87DF-22BBF2197EFA.jpegE0CDD569-6FEA-4204-856D-1542A15F3768.jpeg9082A4CC-8AE0-4504-B881-780ABACDAAA9.jpeg7CC00235-384F-40B0-926D-289E283428C7.jpeg
 
Vikingstaff said:
Really like the blackout Vantage Guard with the blackout package on MontanaQ’s boat.
Looking to get updated opinions on this product from all that have it: like/dislikes, durability, aesthetics, anything a perspective new purchaser would want to know, etc...?

It is under consideration as an offer made to us to cover up scratching and scuffing of our starboard side pontoon due to incompetent mooring of a neighbors rented pontoon boat (next door cottage is a VRBO, so always something bothersome happening).

On 7/20 people renting the cottage next door had their rental pontoon break free. Rental company had moored it up. Renters were supposed to re-secure it, but didn’t, so its a muddled situation. Anyway, the rental pontoon drifted into our boat that was up on its sea legs. It then slide along pontoon cosmetically damaging it. It eventually got wedged into our dock and Sea Wall where we found it.

Owner of rental company offered to cover half the installation costs of putting Vantage Guard on our pontoon (him covering our starboard side pontoon that is damaged, and then I would pay for the port side/dock side pontoon myself).

Thoughts on the product? I’ve eyed it before, so I know basically what it is, and have seen it on boats in the showroom. Curious to get first hand experiences with the product. Thanks in advance.

* pics are from the incident:

View attachment 27487View attachment 27488View attachment 27489View attachment 27490View attachment 27491View attachment 27492View attachment 27493View attachment 27494View attachment 27495View attachment 27496View attachment 27497View attachment 27498View attachment 27499View attachment 27500View attachment 27501
Click to expand...
Vikingstaff said:
Really like the blackout Vantage Guard with the blackout package on MontanaQ’s boat.
Looking to get updated opinions on this product from all that have it: like/dislikes, durability, aesthetics, anything a perspective new purchaser would want to know, etc...?

It is under consideration as an offer made to us to cover up scratching and scuffing of our starboard side pontoon due to incompetent mooring of a neighbors rented pontoon boat (next door cottage is a VRBO, so always something bothersome happening).

On 7/20 people renting the cottage next door had their rental pontoon break free. Rental company had moored it up. Renters were supposed to re-secure it, but didn’t, so its a muddled situation. Anyway, the rental pontoon drifted into our boat that was up on its sea legs. It then slide along pontoon cosmetically damaging it. It eventually got wedged into our dock and Sea Wall where we found it.

Owner of rental company offered to cover half the installation costs of putting Vantage Guard on our pontoon (him covering our starboard side pontoon that is damaged, and then I would pay for the port side/dock side pontoon myself).

Thoughts on the product? I’ve eyed it before, so I know basically what it is, and have seen it on boats in the showroom. Curious to get first hand experiences with the product. Thanks in advance.

* pics are from the incident:

View attachment 27487View attachment 27488View attachment 27489View attachment 27490View attachment 27491View attachment 27492View attachment 27493View attachment 27494View attachment 27495View attachment 27496View attachment 27497View attachment 27498View attachment 27499View attachment 27500View attachment 27501
Click to expand...
So after a couple of months of using our boat with the Vantage Guard and film...I’m more sold than I was before putting it on. From the the slip to people putting skis on in the back of the boat with their skis touching the toons....the product has done all that I had hoped for. The guard itself gives the most protection but the upper wrap keeps the visible scuffs from happening. For a do it myself job...so far nothing has peeled away or failed.
 
You literally have the worst luck!!!

I’d counter and tell him, he can pay for both side or a new toon for that side.
 
Yup have him pay for everything!!!
 
3 seasons in and the guards and wrap look great. I like the black color on the pontoons versus the uncovered aluminum but that's just a subjective cosmetic opinion. Performance wise they work exactly as advertised. I'd recommend them.
 
I am going on 12 months with my guards and no issues at this point. I have Ultra Legs, thus they don't get tested much from a bumping into the lift or dock.
 
lakeliving said:
You literally have the worst luck!!!

I’d counter and tell him, he can pay for both side or a new toon for that side.
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I have no luck so far in 2020. None. :oops:

That said, this situation is a bit of mess. The rental boat company delivered the boat and moored it off temporarily. VRBO boat renters were supposed to move it to the dock. The did not. Instead they went out for the morning site-seeing. They VRBO renters said they “never touched the boat” and its on the rental company, But the rental company said they at least went on the boat to check it out based on my pictures of the incident as the bimini and something else had been changed up. From a legal position, the VRBO renters signed the rental agreement taking full responsibility for the boat once delivered. Legally they seem to be the at fault party, but they have since went home and passed the buck onto the boat rental company in my conversations with them.

The boat rental owner volunteered to step up to try to reach an agreement on the damage to avoid a legal squabble and bad online posts/reviews. However, they said the VRBO renters were instructed to move the boat, and they did not, and of course there is the rental agreement. Kind of mixed culpability in some ways. The owner has been good to work with so far.

I am thinking I will take the Rental Boat company up on his offer, and pay 1/2. He covers the cosemetically damaged starboard side, I cover the unaffected port side. I will then ask for reimbursement from either or both the VRBO property owner, and their renter at the time, to reimburse me for my half.

IF they say no, I am then thinking about filing a civil suit in small claims court. I have never done that, but I hear it is easy, and in this case would be justified. My position: IF NOT for their negligence in securing the boat, mine would not have been damaged, and I would not be paying for any Vantage Guard at all.

This will probably play out over the winter as I am not even going to mess with it until this fall when the boat goes in for the off season. Just another ridiculous situation to deal with. A had string of luck stretching back to the snowmobile/cottage accident in Feb.

Where is 2021? I keep looking but cannot find it yet. :D
 
lakeliving said:
You literally have the worst luck!!!.
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BTW, my brother in law was joking with me and saying the same thing. He said he appreciates my wife and I supplying the family with good stories to share with their friends. I told him I hope to provide some boring and uneventful stories in the near future. :D
 
The neighbors homeowners policy might have some automatic boat liability coverage built in, maybe once their policy takes a few hits they’ll get out of the vrbo game. Technically a watercraft left their premises and struck yours. Something else to consider.
 
lakeliving said:
The neighbors homeowners policy might have some automatic boat liability coverage built in, maybe once their policy takes a few hits they’ll get out of the vrbo game. Technically a watercraft left their premises and struck yours. Something else to consider.
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Sounds like a true experienced insurance professional!!!
 
Insert thinking emoji here.
 
I took delivery of a 2021 22SVSR in May. Before the pontoon hit the water for the first time I installed Pontoon Guard, from Megaware
(https://keelguard.com/product/pontoon-guard/). I didn't consider the Vantage product, as I felt $2k was too steep. I paid approx. $300 for the Megaware kit. I got the gray color kit, and you can barely see if from a few yards away.

Installation went well. It does help to have a second pair of hands to guide the strip as you remove the liners and install the guard. I found that the time I spent laying out the install location was time well spent, as the installation has nice straight lines. Megaware is not kidding in their installation advice, when they say once you bond the guard to the pontoon, it's on there for good. There is no opportunity for repositioning.
 
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