History of Pontoon Boats

Why Invent Pontoon Boats? 

Pontoon boats have come very far since the early days of a simple floating platform. Today’s models have countless luxury features, but the vision behind them remains the same: a flat deck on pontoons, built for spending time on the water.

More Than One Origin Story

Several companies lay claim to inventing the “modern” pontoon boat. Regardless of who truly did it first, it’s clear that a few forward-thinking individuals started experimenting with the idea around the same time in the early 1950s.

First Modern Pontoon: The Empress

Ambrose Weeres, a farmer in rural Minnesota, is widely credited as the first to bring the idea to life in the U.S. In 1952, he tied a wooden deck to aluminum cylinders, thus creating what many consider to be the first modern pontoon boat, named “The Empress.”

The idea caught on, and Weeres began building boats and selling them locally, founding Weeres Industries, which became one of the earliest commercial pontoon boat manufacturers. Ambrose was later inducted into the Minnesota Marina Hall of Fame for his innovation in the watercraft industry.

Early Innovators of the Pontoon Boat

Around the same time, other makers were launching similar designs:

Kayot Pontoons

Originating from Kay Auto Parts, where the owner built a pontoon boat for personal use, the reaction from neighbors sparked a new business: Kay-Yacht Pontoon, later renamed Kayot.

Aqua Patio

Started in Sturgis, MI by Freeland Co., building galvanized steel pontoons. It was sold to Godfrey Conveyor Company, which kept the Aqua Patio name and grew into a major industry player.

Harris FloteBote

Based in Fort Wayne, IN, Harris was among the first to build factory pontoon boats. In the late 1960s, they shook up the industry by adding upholstered seats and consoles, transforming pontoons from platforms into pleasure boats.

Waco Manufacturing

Waco began building aluminum pontoons in 1960. They introduced two major upgrades still used today — the sundeck and the upholstered rear motor cover.

Sylvan Pontoons

Founded by John Cripe in North Webster, IN, who was known as one of the original pontoon innovators. After selling Sylvan, he later founded JC Pontoon.

Crest Pontoons

Originally Maurell Products, started in 1957 by Maurice Schell in Owosso, MI. Crest has been building one of the most diverse lines of pontoon boats for over 50 years.

From Simple Benches to Floating Living Rooms

In the beginning, pontoon boats had a few wooden benches or no seating at all. It wasn’t until the 1960s that companies began adding upholstered furniture and helm consoles to their boat designs, including items like plush loungers, built-in storage, reclining captain’s chairs, sound systems, lighting, and more.

While these standard features have drastically changed over the years, the fundamentals have not. Modern pontoon boats still use the same basic structure: a flat wooden deck, aluminum tubes underneath, bolt-on seating, and flooring.

This is great news if you’re restoring a used boat–as long as the frame and tubes are solid, you can upgrade everything else you desire to bring your pontoon back to life on a budget. 

That’s the mission behind PontoonStuff: make high-quality pontoon restoration accessible, adorable, and beginner-friendly.