Pontoon Renovation Starts With a Dream (and Facebook)
Drew Biasini, Texas, sold off his small Gillgetter pontoon because he was dreaming bigger–he wanted to tackle a neglected 1989 Beachcomber and turn it into a full-fledged party barge.
Drew found his ideal fixer-upper on Facebook Marketplace and got to work! The kicker? He was adding to his family at the same time. With a baby on the way and a boat to overhaul, Drew had a busy half a year ahead of him.
The Boat Overhaul of a Lifetime
Once the old 1989 Beachcomber was in his possession, Drew spent the next several months rebuilding the boat from the deck up.
Starting a Total Pontoon Boat Renovation
Drew replaced everything (and we mean everything). This included fixing dented pontoons, installing new decking and vinyl flooring, plus the addition of luxury seating and a custom center console with all the bells and whistles.
Using a fencing kit from PontoonStuff, Drew installed new fence panels. He also took on the task of renovating his boat’s electrical system to accommodate new wiring and wall lighting–an intimidating task for many pontoon boat DIYers.
Pontoon Deck Space: The More the Merrier
To top off this boat overhaul, Drew even extended the deck length to 21 feet to accommodate more seating and space. One of the biggest (and most fun) upgrades was a custom-built subwoofer box that doubles as a seat and is a unique feature to complete the beautiful C-shaped lounge area he customized.
Overcoming Boat DIY Challenges
Redoing boat electrical systems, replacing dented pontoons, and working in the Texas heat are already a challenge, but Drew also found himself pitted against the pressure of time. Being a husband, father of four, a board member of his county's Farm Bureau, and holding multiple professional roles, there was very little time to make this renovation a reality.
New Boat and a Baby on Board
Of course, there was also the challenge of having a newborn to care for while taking on this massive project, but Drew managed to find the right balance between fatherhood and boat renovation. Every chance Drew got, he, his family, and his friends worked on the boat together to make it worthy of the party barge title.
The Power of Pontoon Restoration Resources
To help the workload feel more manageable, Drew credits his success to guidance from West Michigan boating expert, Tom’s Toons, and PontoonStuff customer support.
“I might be on a first-name basis with the team at PontoonStuff,” Drew joked. “Their support and products made this so much easier.”
From cutting boat components in the living room (his wife loved that part) to learning the value of plug-and-play harnesses, Drew tackled every challenge head-on (with a few lake-day bribes for the friends who stepped in to offer support).
Boat Renovation Wisdom: Drew’s Advice
Drew’s specific piece of advice? Don’t skimp on pontoon size. “I learned my lesson and added too much weight on smaller toons,” he said. “Follow the videos from Tom’s Toons. It really took the guesswork out and made me look like I knew what I was doing!”
Drew has plans to move to a tritoon setup for even more stability and customization, but we believe he’s got enough practice to pull it off even better the next time around!
