MODIFIED PONTOON ASSEMBLY FOR IMPROVED FLOTATION AND METHOD OF ASSEMBLY THEREOF

Abstract

A section of a pontoon for a pontoon boat includes a tubular body having a first end and a second end. The second end is configured to being coupled to another section of the pontoon. An end cap is coupled to the first end of the tubular body and a profile having at least two curvatures. The at least two curvatures include a first curvature defined by a first radius and a second curvature defined by a second radius.

Description

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

The present disclosure relates to a pontoon boat, and more particularly to a modified end portion and end cap of a pontoon boat.

BACKGROUND

Pontoon boats are popular recreational watercraft that are desirable due to their ability to carry a large number of persons and a heavy load. Early versions of conventional pontoon boats were assembled by attaching a wooden deck to the top of two columns of steel barrels welded together end to end to form a cylindrical pontoon. While most pontoons may now be formed of aluminum, many pontoon boat companies still utilize the conventional design of wooden decks attached to two cylindrical barrel-shaped pontoons, each having a nose cone and an end cap.

Over the years, improving pontoon boat performance has consisted of using a larger motor, which can provide more thrust, or adding a third pontoon to the center of a pontoon boat, which can reduce drag by giving more pontoon surface area to support the weight of the boat and allow the boat to float higher in the water. While these design changes have improved pontoon boat performance, problems still arise from the continued use of traditional cylindrical pontoons. It is generally desirable for the performance of pontoon boats that the pontoons generate lift. However, conventional pontoons often generate very little lift because the bottom surface of the cylindrical pontoon is rounded.

SUMMARY

In a first implementation of the present disclosure, a longitudinal section of a pontoon for a pontoon boat includes a tubular body having a first end and a second end. The second end is configured to being coupled to another section of the pontoon. The section includes an end cap coupled to the first end of the tubular body. The end cap includes a profile having at least two curvatures, where the at least two curvatures includes a first curvature defined by a first radius and a second curvature defined by a second radius.

In one example of this implementation, the first curvature is convex and the second curvature is concave. In a second example, the profile forms a S-curve. In a third example, the first radius is greater than the second radius. In a fourth example, the first radius is less than the second radius. In a fifth example, the first radius and second radius are approximately the same.

In a sixth example, the profile of the end cap is formed by a plurality of portions, the plurality of portions including at least a first portion, a second portion, a third portion, a fourth portion, and a fifth portion. The at least first portion and fifth portion are generally flat and disposed in planes parallel to one another. In a seventh example, the fifth portion includes a surface area that is greater than a surface area of the first portion. In an eighth example, the second portion forms the first curvature and the fourth portion forms the second curvature.

In a ninth example, the third portion is generally flat and disposed at an angle relative to the first and fifth portions. In a tenth example, the first and fifth portions are arranged in vertical planes offset from one another, and the third portion is arranged in a horizontal plane.

In another implementation of the present disclosure, a pontoon boat includes a frame having a first end and a second end, the first end located at a bow and the second end located at the stern. A deck is mounted to the frame, and a pontoon for floatation of the boat includes a longitudinal section formed by a tubular body having a first end and a second end. The second end is configured to being coupled to another longitudinal section of the pontoon. The pontoon includes an end cap coupled to the first end of the tubular body, wherein the end cap includes a profile having at least two curvatures. The at least two curvatures includes a first curvature defined by a first radius and a second curvature defined by a second radius.

In one example, the pontoon comprises a plurality of pontoons. In a second example, the first curvature is convex and the second curvature is concave. In a third example, the profile of the end cap is formed by a plurality of portions, the plurality of portions including at least a first portion, a second portion, a third portion, a fourth portion, and a fifth portion. At least the first portion and fifth portion are generally flat and disposed in planes parallel to one another. The second portion forms the first curvature and the fourth portion forms the second curvature. The third portion is generally flat and disposed at an angle relative to the first and fifth portions.

In another example of this implementation, the pontoon boat includes a bracket coupled to the fifth portion and a wire chase coupled to the end cap. The wire chase extends between the first portion and the fifth portion. A riser assembly is coupled between the tubular body and the deck. In another example, the riser assembly extends rearwardly of the end cap to overhang the tubular body.

In a further implementation of the present disclosure, a method of forming a pontoon for a pontoon boat includes forming a substantially flat piece of material into a tubular body, the tubular body having a defined length and diameter. The method includes forming an end cap to include a profile having at least two curvatures, the at least two curvatures including a first curvature defined by a first radius and a second curvature defined by a second radius. The method also includes coupling the end cap to the tubular body, forming a first section of the pontoon with the end cap and tubular body, and coupling the first section of the pontoon with at least a second section.

In one example of this implementation, the tubular body is formed by rolling the material to a desired diameter and cutting the material to a desired length. In another example, the forming an end cap includes pressing the end cap to define the first curvature and the second curvature, and forming a plurality of portions of the end cap to define the profile. The plurality of sections includes a first section, a third section and a fifth section being substantially flat and a second section and a fourth section formed by the respective first curvature and the second curvature.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above-mentioned aspects of the present disclosure and the manner of obtaining them will become more apparent and the disclosure itself will be better understood by reference to the following description of the implementations of the disclosure, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional pontoon boat;

FIG. 2A is a side view of a pontoon of a pontoon boat;

FIG. 2B is a bottom rear perspective view of the pontoon of FIG. 2;

FIG. 3 is a rear view of the pontoon of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a side view of a rear section of the pontoon of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the rear section of FIG. 4; and

FIG. 6 is a flow diagram of a method for forming a pontoon for a boat.

Corresponding reference numerals are used to indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

It should be understood that the drawings are not necessarily to scale and that the implementations are sometimes illustrated by graphic symbols, phantom lines, diagrammatic representations and fragmentary views. In certain instances, details which are not necessary for an understanding of the implementations described and claimed herein or which render other details difficult to perceive may have been omitted. It should be understood, of course, that the inventions described herein are not necessarily limited to the particular implementations illustrated. Indeed, it is expected that persons of ordinary skill in the art may devise a number of alternative configurations that are similar and equivalent to the implementations shown and described herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the claims.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The implementations of the present disclosure described below are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure to the precise forms disclosed in the following detailed description. Rather, the implementations are chosen and described so that others skilled in the art may appreciate and understand the principles and practices of the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 1 of the present disclosure, a conventional pontoon boat 100 is illustrated. This in only intended to be one of many examples of various pontoon boats. Nonetheless, in this implementation, the pontoon boat 100 includes a frame forming a bow or front end 102, a stern or rear end 104, a port or left side 106, and a starboard or right side 108. The pontoon 100 may comprise a deck 110 mounted or otherwise coupled to one or more conventional pontoons. In FIG. 1, for example, the deck 110 is mounted to a first pontoon 112, a second pontoon 114, and a third pontoon 116. In other implementations, the deck 110 may be mounted to only two pontoons. In yet other implementations, the deck 110 may be mounted to three or more pontoons. Although not shown in FIG. 1, one or more power-generating devices such as motors or engines may be coupled to the frame for powering the boat 100. In one implementation, the one or more power-generating devices are coupled to the stern 104 of the boat 100.

The pontoons may be formed of a metal such as aluminum, whereas the deck 110 may be constructed from a marine-grade plywood or composite decking material. In some implementations, one or more mounting braces 118 may be used for attaching the deck 110 to the pontoons 112, 114, 116.

As is known with conventional pontoon boats, each pontoon may be constructed with a nose cone 120 at the front end of each pontoon. The nose cone 120 may be seam welded 122 in a factory to an adjacent cylindrical section of the pontoon as shown in FIG. 1. Moreover, the conventional pontoon generally has at least three components including the nose cone 120, a number of barrels or substantially cylindrical sections joined by circumferential welds, and an end cap. The nose cone 120 may be constructed by forming two nose cone halves, a right and left half. The respective nose cone halves are then welded together along a vertical axis to form the nose cone piece.

The body of a pontoon is generally constructed from a number of barrel segments or cylindrical sections. Generally, a pontoon barrel segment or section is constructed from a flat rectangular piece or sheet of metal that is shaped into a cylinder and joined by a longitudinal weld seam. A conventional pontoon is thereafter constructed of two or more pontoon cylindrical sections joined at one or more ends using circumferential welds. Each cylindrical section-joining circumferential weld is oriented perpendicular to the length of the pontoon, and when the pontoon sections are welded together, they form a long cylindrical pontoon body to which the nose cone and end caps are attached using circumferential weld seams. Together, when the unit is completed, it is commonly referred to as a pontoon.

In FIG. 1, the pontoon boat 100 also includes perimeter railing 124 to enclose a seating area on the boat which may include various seating. In FIG. 1, the boat 100 is shown including a first arrangement of seating 126 towards the bow 102 and a second arrangement of seating 128 towards the stern 104. A first gate 130 located towards the bow 102 and a second gate 132 located at the port 106. The pontoon boat 100 of FIG. 1 also includes a bimini 134, which is a type of folding canvas top used to protect passengers from rain and sun.

With conventional pontoon boats, there is a desire to continuously add more power via a larger engine or motor and add more carrying capacity in the form of additional passengers and/or cargo (e.g., anchor, etc.). With this desire, larger engines are heavier. Additional passengers or cargo further adds weight to the boat. This additional weight can cause the pontoon boat to sit deeper in the water. More specifically, larger engines add further weight to the stern or rear of the boat. As a result, there is a need to increase flotation at the stern to help float the engine.

Moreover, it can be desirable to have the deck support built into the pontoons to help support some of the weight. This may also allow the deck to extend more rearwardly from the chassis of the boat. The deck rearward extension is becoming more popular and can provide a strong foundation.

To obtain some of these desirable attributes, there is a need to increase the flotation of the pontoons and further allow a cantilever portion of a supporting structure to support the deck. As is known in the art, government regulation with respect to capacity limits on a pontoon boat can be based on flotation, i.e., does the boat sit level in the water while at rest. With better flotation, more people and gear (or cargo) may be onboard the pontoon boat.

Referring to FIGS. 2A-2B, one implementation of a pontoon 200 is shown. Here, the pontoon 200 may include a body forming a front end 202, a rear end 204, a top end 206, and a bottom end 208. The pontoon 200 may be formed by a plurality of segments or sections, as described above. The pontoon may be formed along a longitudinal axis defined through the front end 202 and rear end 204. In this implementation, the pontoon 200 may include a first section 210 located at the front end 202. The first section 210 may also be referred to as the nose cone. Adjacent to the first section 210 may be a second section 212, and adjacent to the second section 212 may be a third section 214. A fourth section 216 may be located adjacent to the third section 214. The fourth section 216 may be located at the rear end 204 of the pontoon 200. While in this implementation there are four sections shown, in other implementations there may be three or fewer sections. For example, there may be a single section between the front and rear of the pontoon. In another example, there may be a nose cone and another section coupled thereto. In yet another example, there may be a nose cone, a rear section, and a section coupled therebetween. On the other hand, in some implementations there may be more than four sections. Thus, the present disclosure is not limited to the number of sections used to form the pontoon.

Each of the plurality of sections may be welded to one another via a seam welder. Each section may be constructed of a metal such as aluminum, and provided as a sheet of metal which is then formed into its substantially cylindrical section as shown. While welding is one manner in which the different sections are coupled, the present disclosure is not limited to any particular method by which the sections are coupled.

In FIG. 2A, the pontoon 200 may include a lifting strake 218 and a pad 226 (or running pad). The lifting strake 218 and pad 226 may be conventional components designed for performance whereby the boat is better able to reach the top of the water quicker. In some implementations, the lifting strake 218 and pad 226 may only be coupled to the pontoon on its inner side. As shown in FIG. 3, a keel 304 may be provided on the bottom of the pontoon 200. The keel 304 may be conventional in its design and function, i.e., to further assist with lifting the boat out of the water.

The pontoon 200 may also include a support system including a riser assembly 220, as shown in FIG. 2A. As shown in FIG. 3, the riser assembly 220 may include a first riser 300 and a second riser 302. The first riser 300 may be located on one side of the longitudinal axis and the second riser 302 may be located on the opposite side thereof. In one implementation, the first riser 300 or second riser 302 may extend longitudinally approximately the full length of the pontoon 200. In another implementation, the other of the two risers may only extend a portion of the length of the pontoon. For example, in one implementation, the other riser may extend between 1-2 feet. In another example, the riser may extend at least one foot. In yet another example, the riser may extend less than one foot. In one implementation, the first riser 300 may be located on an insider whereas the second riser 302 may be located on the outside of the pontoon 200.

In some implementations, cross members (not shown) may be supported on the riser assembly 220. The riser assembly 220 may form part of the chassis or frame of the pontoon boat 200. In several implementations, the deck of the pontoon boat 200 may be supported on the riser assembly 220. In one implementation, the first riser 300 and second riser 302 may be coupled to the pontoon 200. For example, the first riser 300 and second riser 302 may be welded to the pontoon 200. In one instance, the risers may be welded directly to the fourth section 216 of the pontoon 200. In another instance, the risers may be welded to two or more of the sections including the fourth section 216. In other implementations, the risers may be coupled to the pontoon via other conventional means besides or in addition to welding.

As shown in FIGS. 2A and 4, a bracket 224 may be coupled to an end cap 404 of the fourth section 216. The bracket 224 may be coupled to the end cap 404 via welding, fasteners, or other known means. The bracket 224 may be referred to as a “bilge bracket” in some instances. In any event, the bracket 224 may be utilized for a plurality of functions. In one implementation, an underwater light or lighting may be coupled to the bracket 224. In another implementation, a transducer mount may be coupled to the bracket 224 for detecting a water temperature and/or water depth. One or more anodes may be coupled to the bracket 224. Other uses may be carried out with the bracket 224 such that it is a multi-use bracket.

As shown in FIGS. 3-5, a wire chase 306 may be provided and coupled to the end cap 404. The wire chase 206 may comprise a first end 500 and a second end 502, where the first end 500 is coupled to the end cap 404 near a top end 206 of the fourth section 216. The second end 502 may be coupled to the end cap 404 proximate the bottom end 208 of the fourth section 216. The wire chase 306 may be constructed as an aluminum extrusion in some implementations. In other implementations, the wire chase 306 may be formed of other materials such as other metals or plastics. In one implementation, the wire chase 306 may be formed of a generally square tube or hollow structure that defines a channel therethrough. In another implementation, an annular-shaped tube or structure may be used for the wire chase 306. Other shapes and sizes are contemplated by this disclosure. The wire chase 306 may follow the profile of the end cap 404 as shown in FIG. 4. The wire chase 306 may be useful for routing wires from above the pontoon 200 and/or above the deck to the bracket 224. In some implementations, these wires (not shown) may be coupled to lighting, sensors, a transmitter or other device coupled to the bracket 224.

As also shown in FIG. 5, the pontoon 200 may include a spray rail 504. In one implementation, the spray rail 504 may be located on an opposite side of the pontoon from the lifting strake 218. The spray rail 504 may be welded or otherwise coupled to the pontoon 200, and specifically to at least the fourth section 216 thereof.

The pontoon 200 of the present disclosure may achieve greater flotation via several ways, but one of which is due to the profile or cross-section of the end cap 404 and fourth section 216 of the pontoon 200. As shown in FIG. 2, the profile 222 of the end cap 404 may comprise multiple undulations and curvatures. Unlike conventional end caps, the end cap 404 of the present disclosure is not substantially flat and arranged within a single plane. The end cap 404 of FIG. 4, for example, is formed outside of a single plane.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4 of the present disclosure, one implementation of the fourth section 216 and end cap 404 is shown. In this implementation, the fourth section 216 may be formed of a tubular body 402 having a front face 400 and the end cap 404. The end cap 404 may be disposed on an opposite side of the body 402 from the front face 400. Specifically, the front face 400 may be coupled to the third section 214 of the pontoon 200. Further, a weld seam or the like may be formed around the circumference of the front face 400 to couple the third section 214 and fourth section 216 to one another.

As shown in FIG. 3, the end cap 404 may be formed into a plurality of portions. For example, at a top 206 of the end cap 404, the end cap 404 may include a first portion 308. At a bottom 208 of the end cap 404 is a fifth portion 310. In one implementation, the first portion 308 and fifth portion 310 may be generally flat and disposed in vertical planes which are substantially parallel to one another. The surface area of the end cap 404 that forms the fifth portion 310 may be greater than the surface area that forms the first portion 308. Moreover, in some implementations, the surface area that forms the fifth portion 310 may be greater than the surface area of any of the other portions of the end cap 404.

The end cap 404 may also be formed including a second portion 312, a third portion 314, and a fourth portion 316. As shown in FIG. 4, the second portion 312 may be formed having a curvature defined by a first radius, R₁. In another implementation, the fourth section 316 may be formed having a curvature defined by a second radius, R₂. In some implementations, the first radius is greater than the second radius. In other implementations, the first radius is smaller than the second radius. In yet other implementations, the first and second radii are approximately the same. In one implementation, the first radius, R₁, forms a convex curvature. In an implementation, the second radius, R₂, forms a concave curvature. In some implementations, the end cap 404 is formed by a plurality of curvatures. One of the plurality of curvatures is convex and another curvature is concave.

The third portion 314 of the end cap 404 may be generally flat unlike the second and fourth portions. The third portion 314 may be generally disposed in a horizontal plane as shown in FIG. 4. In other implementations, the third portion 314 may be angled relative to the longitudinal axis defined through the pontoon 200. The formation of the radii in the second and fourth portions of the end cap may be limited based on how easily the material in these portions can be pressed or otherwise formed. In one implementation, the end cap 404 may be a substantially flat sheet of metal such as aluminum, and the material may be press formed into its desired shape.

In the same way, the fourth section 216 of the pontoon 200 may be shaped and sized for receiving the end cap 404. The end cap 404 may be welded to the fourth section 216 during the assembly process.

The present disclosure further contemplates a method of forming and assembling materials into the pontoon 200 of the present disclosure. Referring to FIG. 6, one implementation of a method for forming a pontoon for a boat is shown. The method 600 may include one or more blocks for forming the pontoon 200. In one implementation, the method 600 includes a first block 602 of providing a blank sheet of material. The material may be pre-cut by a supplier into the desired length. In another implementation, the blank sheet of material (e.g., an aluminum sheet) may be cut to its desired length in block 604. The cutting process may utilize a laser cutter, for example, to cut out the desired shape in block 604.

Once the material has been cut, a third block 606 is executed in the method 600 by rolling the sheet of material to a desired diameter of the pontoon. In some implementations, the diameter may be between 15-50 inches. In other implementations, the diameter may be between 20-40 inches. In yet other implementations, the diameter may be between 20-30 inches. For example, in non-limiting implementation, the desired diameter of the pontoon may be approximately 25 inches. Once the sheet is rolled into a cylindrical section or tube in block 606, the method 600 may advance to a fourth block 608 where a seam weld may be formed on top. The seam weld may form a top seam, for example, on the formed tube in block 608, and the welding process may be achieved using a seam welder.

In a fifth block 610 of the method 600, a baffle may be installed on a front side or portion of the newly-formed tube to form a seal. A welding process may be used in block 610 for installing the baffle. Once block 610 is executed, the method 600 may advance to block 612 where another welding process is performed for coupling an end cap to a rear side of the tube. The end cap, or back plate, may be pre-formed in some implementations. In other implementations, the end cap may be formed from another sheet of material such as aluminum. The desired shape of the end cap may be achieved via a laser machine cutting the shape in the material.

Once the desired size of the end cap is cut via the laser machine or other cutting machine, the method 600 of forming the pontoon may include in block 612 press forming the end cap to its desired shape. In one implementation, forming the desired shape of the end cap may be achieved using a press machine. Here, the end cap 404 may be formed by pressing the material to the desired radii as shown, for example, in FIG. 4. Once the end cap 404 is formed into the desired shape and size, the end cap 404 is coupled to the rest of the tube section, e.g., fourth section 216, in block 614. With the fourth section 216 formed in block 614, the method 600 advances to block 616, the formed fourth section 216 and end cap 404 may be welded or otherwise coupled to another section. The pontoon is either formed in block 616, or the method 600 advances to block 618 where the fourth section 216 is coupled to additional sections forming the pontoon 200. The sections of the pontoon may be welded or otherwise coupled to from the pontoon. Weld seams, for example, may be used for coupling adjacent sections of the pontoon. Following the welding process, the general shape of the pontoon 200 as shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B may be achieved.

Following formation of the pontoon 200 in block 618, the method 600 may continue to block 620 where a wire chase 306 as well as a bilge bracket 224 may be coupled to the end cap 404. Fish tape, string, or another suitable device may be used to route wires through the wire chase 306 to the bracket 224. The wires, for example, may be installed or assembled along a top of the pontoon 200 from a helm area of the boat. Lighting, sensors, transducers, anodes and the like may then be coupled to the bracket 224 in block 622 of the method 600.

The method 600 may further include coupling the one or more formed pontoons to a deck 110 of a boat 100 in block 624. In one implementation, a riser assembly 220 may be coupled to an underside of the deck 110 for coupling the pontoon to the boat. For a boat with a plurality of pontoons, the same method 600 may be used for coupling each of the plurality of pontoons to the boat 100.

While exemplary implementations incorporating the principles of the present disclosure have been disclosed hereinabove, the present disclosure is not limited to the disclosed implementations. Instead, this application is intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the disclosure using its general principles. Further, this application is intended to cover such departures from the present disclosure as come within known or customary practice in the art to which this disclosure pertains and which fall within the limits of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A longitudinal section of a pontoon for a pontoon boat, comprising: a tubular body comprising a first end and a second end, the second end configured to being coupled to another section of the pontoon;an end cap coupled to the first end of the tubular body;wherein the end cap comprises a profile having at least two curvatures;wherein the at least two curvatures including a first curvature defined by a first radius and a second curvature defined by a second radius.

2. The longitudinal section of claim 1, wherein the first curvature is convex and the second curvature is concave.

3. The longitudinal section of claim 1, wherein the profile forms a S-curve.

4. The longitudinal section of claim 1, wherein the first radius is greater than the second radius.

5. The longitudinal section of claim 1, wherein the first radius is less than the second radius.

6. The longitudinal section of claim 1, wherein the first radius and second radius are approximately the same.

7. The longitudinal section of claim 1, wherein the profile of the end cap is formed by a plurality of portions, the plurality of portions including at least a first portion, a second portion, a third portion, a fourth portion, and a fifth portion; wherein at least the first portion and fifth portion are generally flat and disposed in planes parallel to one another.

8. The longitudinal section of claim 7, wherein the fifth portion comprises a surface area that is greater than a surface area of the first portion.

9. The longitudinal section of claim 7, wherein the second portion forms the first curvature and the fourth portion forms the second curvature.

10. The longitudinal section of claim 9, wherein the third portion is generally flat and disposed at an angle relative to the first and fifth portions.

11. The longitudinal section of claim 10, wherein the first and fifth portions are arranged in vertical planes offset from one another, and the third portion is arranged in a horizontal plane.

12. A pontoon boat, comprising: a frame having a first end and a second end, the first end located at a bow and the second end located at the stern;a deck mounted to the frame;a pontoon for providing floatation of the boat, the pontoon comprising: a longitudinal section formed by a tubular body comprising a first end and a second end, the second end configured to being coupled to another longitudinal section of the pontoon;an end cap coupled to the first end of the tubular body;wherein the end cap comprises a profile having at least two curvatures;wherein the at least two curvatures including a first curvature defined by a first radius and a second curvature defined by a second radius.

13. The pontoon boat of claim 12, wherein the pontoon comprises a plurality of pontoons.

14. The pontoon boat of claim 12, wherein the first curvature is convex and the second curvature is concave.

15. The pontoon boat of claim 12, wherein the profile of the end cap is formed by a plurality of portions, the plurality of portions including at least a first portion, a second portion, a third portion, a fourth portion, and a fifth portion; wherein at least the first portion and fifth portion are generally flat and disposed in planes parallel to one another;wherein the second portion forms the first curvature and the fourth portion forms the second curvature;wherein the third portion is generally flat and disposed at an angle relative to the first and fifth portions.

16. The pontoon boat of claim 15, further comprising: a bracket coupled to the fifth portion;a wire chase coupled to the end cap, the wire chase extending between the first portion and the fifth portion; anda riser assembly coupled between the tubular body and the deck.

17. The pontoon boat of claim 16, wherein the riser assembly rearward of the end cap to overhang the tubular body.

18. A method of forming a pontoon for a pontoon boat, comprising: forming a substantially flat piece of material into a tubular body, the tubular body having a defined length and diameter;forming an end cap to include a profile having at least two curvatures, the at least two curvatures comprising a first curvature defined by a first radius and a second curvature defined by a second radius;coupling the end cap to the tubular body;forming a first section of the pontoon with the end cap and tubular body; andcoupling the first section of the pontoon with at least a second section.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the tubular body is formed by rolling the material to a desired diameter and cutting the material to a desired length.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the forming an end cap comprises: pressing the end cap to define the first curvature and the second curvature; andforming a plurality of portions of the end cap to define the profile, the plurality of sections including a first section, a third section and a fifth section being substantially flat and a second section and a fourth section formed by the respective first curvature and the second curvature.