Shop Talk Exterior This photo shows a full enclosure on a double decker pontoon with screens and blackout curtains. Pontoon enclosure process honed to perfection By Michael Charpentier H " Modern pontoon boats can give the nicest runabout boats a run for their money in luxury and power. " Change is the only constant We started fabricating pontoon enclosures back in the early 1980s using round tubing for the front bimini frame. After some debate about whether pontoon boats would stick around, we bought a 1-inch square tubing bender so we could match the 36 Marine Fabricator | September/October 2021 ere at Paul's Custom Canvas Inc., we have seen our fair share of pontoon boats over the years. Some of the fi rst were a few pieces of wood bolted to two pontoons with basic seating and a rail to keep you from falling in the water. They had a 75-horsepower motor that almost got the boat on plane. Things have certainly changed. Modern pontoon boats can give the nicest runabout boats a run for their money in luxury and power. back bimini frame. In the early 2000s we upgraded to a 1¼-inch square tubing bender, and now we are trying to decide if we should order black 1¼-inch square tubing to match the newer black frames from the factory. Start with questions In Denver, Colo., we have a unique situation where almost all of the boats are trailered. We require customers to bring the boat to our shop for us to work on, which means we are able to work on most boats inside. Our fi rst step for a pontoon enclosure is to meet with customers and determine what they are looking for and how they plan to use the enclosure. Will they keep it up all summer in a slip? Up while camping overnight? Up only for rainy weather?