Avalon & Tahoe Pontoon Boats: A History Of Adventure, A Legacy Of Awards

Published: Thursday, June 4, 2020

In our current world, far-flung adventures are limited but boating is still here for us, satisfying the adventurer in us while still keeping our distance from the new realities that face us. So, let’s have some fun revisiting the pioneering adventures that Avalon & Tahoe Pontoon boats have taken over the last 15 years.

“You can’t do that in a pontoon boat”—This was the conventional wisdom of most of the boating community for years even after the advent of high-speed triple pontoons with performance packages. Sure, you could now go fast, but big water? Ocean water? Nah.

It was September of 2004. A small voyage in Lake Erie to a little island called South Bass Island takes us to the tiny conclave of bars and restaurants called Put-in-Bay where a group of folks from Avalon & Tahoe were enjoying all the fun of this Key West of the Midwest. And there, following the activities that inspired pirates of old, they decided it was time for the world to see what pontoon boats—specifically only their pontoon boats—could do.

“To the real Key West, that’s where we will go!” was the cry. From where though? “Why, Baltimore, the place of Fort Henry, of course.” Well, okay then.

A month later, Captain Jim Wolf and crew were in eight-foot seas in the Chesapeake Bay, fighting waves and praying for their lives. But, as luck would have it, a port was seen and they were able to tuck in and revive. It was off toward Key West again the next day, where they experienced cold nights, scenes of hurricanes past, manatee zones, engine troubles, drunken assistants, and finally, four days later, 13 miles off Key West in six-foot seas after no sleep for 30 hours, they were in sight of their goal. An hour after the deed was done: “Where to next?!”

2005 – The next adventure was to be across Lake Michigan from Chicago to Mackinac Island, Mich. This trip would see a couple of different crew members since some of the original crew found the first trip to be more adventure than they wanted. In some ways, this was a bigger test for a pontoon boat as the swells of the ocean are traded for the constant chop of one of the Great Lakes. Although only a 24-hour trip, the weather became varied and navigation was a challenge, but ultimately the goal was reached. Another first for an Avalon Pontoon boat.

This was getting exciting, so a few months later it was off to the Mississippi River to travel from the home of Mark Twain in Hannibal, MO to St Louis. As described in “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer,” the river can be shallow and unpredictable… but no problems arose and the trip made by the captain and one novice dealer-adventurer was described as interesting, but unchallenging.

So in 2006, it was back to the ocean. The next trip pitted the same captain and experienced first mate (but with two more novices) against the Bermuda Triangle. The few hour trip from Fort Lauderdale, FL, to Bimini in the Bahamas was easy for the now-experienced captain. A couple of hours was spent exploring, then it was back aboard. An hour into the triangle, the crew felt the propeller slip. It had torn its hub and left the craft unable to move more than a couple of knots per hour. The search for the spare prop never began…. as there was none aboard. Now, as many vessels that challenged this part of the sea had found, they were affected by the strong gulf stream current. But, unlike the many vessels lost to time in the Bermuda Triangle, the ever-so-slight grip the propeller still had was able to overcome the current, and they limped back to Bimini. A new propeller was sourced and return to Florida was made without further incident.

There was a three year stretch where the adventures were on hiatus, but in 2009, when a severe recession hit the country, the crew decided the tough needed to get going. “Let’s show the world we will survive!”

So back to sea, to the Caribbean this time. Destination: a small group of islands, found by Ponce de León, located in the Gulf of Mexico about 67 miles west of Key West called the Dry Tortugas. On one island is the largest brick masonry structure in America, historic Fort Jefferson. This trip was a fun adventure. The seas were calm; the trip short. Coming ashore near the fort, snorkeling for lobster, and boiling them for dinner was the crew’s pinnacle activity.

Soon after, adventures became secondary as business was growing rapidly. The company’s reputation was growing—in no small part to the buzz created by coverage of the World First voyages. In 2012, Avalon & Tahoe won its first Innovation Award for its all new Ambassador model featuring an automotive style body.

Once business was running smoothly again, thoughts turned to a new adventure. In 2014, the captain was joined by new members of the Avalon & Tahoe design team for its most challenging adventure yet: the Pacific Ocean!

The namesake Avalon was derived from a small town on Catalina Island, about 30 miles off the coast of Los Angeles so this would be a metaphorical voyage home. To make the route challenging, a triangular route was chosen from Los Angeles to Catalina Island to San Diego and back. Travel was selected during days where weather was to be optimal, but the weather doesn’t dull the effect of the constantly rough water from L.A. to Catalina Island. Once there, Avalon Bay provided shelter and the town of Avalon provided nightlife. Next, it was off to San Diego; more rough water, but manageable. On the return trip however, the weather did not hold off. Half way back to Los Angeles, the wind howled, the sky darkened, and the twin engine-powered Ambassador raced to stay ahead of the oncoming storm. At close to 70 MPH, the craft was able to out race Mother Nature and came into port just as she finally caught up. Another first accomplished, the Pacific, navigated successfully by a pontoon boat, an Avalon.

In 2017, the United States had, for the first time, allowed travel to Cuba and so an Avalon would need to go there. Equipped with twin 400 HP outboards, the same crew from the Pacific (except for one) left Clearwater, Florida, and set out for Cuba.

They traveled to Marco Island and refueled, then continued on to Key West where they stayed overnight and enjoyed the island. The crew convinced the new member that a huge wave existed between Key West and Cuba, one that had to be crossed and that this was the greatest threat to the trip. The wave, of course, was not true but created such distress in the new member that it caused him to become nauseous.

The crew made it to Cuba, enjoyed the day, and the nausea abated. The seas were supposed to be calm on the return trip and the trip back to Key West was uneventful. However, the following day, the fictional wave turned out to be not so fictional as, halfway to Clearwater, two large rogue waves appeared. The boat rode through the first but the second opened the front gate and water washed into the boat. For a brief moment, the water filled the rails halfway up but then it exited out the rear. The bilge area in the floor storage had been filled and the boat listed, but quick action by the crew bailed and pumped the water and the worst was over. The relieved crew arrived in Clearwater a few hours later.

You would assume the Cuba trip would deter the crew but it was not to be. Ironically, the most recent adventure in 2018 was retracing the last voyage of the Edmond Fitzgerald on Lake Superior. The calm water and beautiful weather allowed the crew to lay roses at the exact spot the ship went down. And, unlike the huge ship, the Avalon made it back to port safe and sound.

Find out more about Avalon & Tahoe pontoon boats at www.avalonpontoons.com or www.tahoepontoons.com.

In 2019 and 2020, Avalon & Tahoe accomplished and was awarded the following:

Michigan Manufacturer of the Year
2020 Innovation Award for the its Waketoon
Boating Industry magazine’s Top Product award
The first ever pace boat for an offshore race at the Roar Offshore powerboat race in Fort Myers, Florida
NMMA CSI Award