Cooking On Your Pontoon
Spring is almost sprung, and it brings with it plenty of boating and time on the water! But riding or hanging out on a boat can work up a serious appetite, and a cooler only takes you so far—so what do you do? Luckily, your pontoon has more than enough room to cook up a meal or two! We here at Nisswa Marine want to help you have some maritime fun on a full stomach, so we’ve put together a few tips for cooking on your pontoon. If you have any questions, or you’d like to see the boats we have for sale, contact our store in Nisswa, Minnesota, today.
Grilling
The average pontoon won’t have a galley, so your best bet for making food on your pontoon is a marine grill. These handy appliances come in many shapes and sizes, so make sure you know the space you’re working with and the size of the grill you’re looking at. Some attach directly to your vessel, others sit on a pedestal on your deck, and still others just rest on any heat-resistant surface.
You might also want to equip your grill with a VertiGrill, which adds vertical skewers to allow you to make more food without increasing the surface space you’re cooking on. Maybe you want to make some nice veggie kebabs without losing out on space to grill your freshly caught fish! With a VertiGrill, you’re all set.
Efficient Storage
Your livewell or a cooler can be useful for storage, but most pontoons are going to be pretty sparse on the storage side of things. Longer voyages might necessitate some canned food in smaller packages, allowing you to stay full without generating leftovers or too much waste. If your planned meal takes some preparation, you’ll want to do that before you ever climb aboard—these vessels have even fewer prep surfaces than storage options!
Safety Precautions
As convenient and fun as these options might be, there are still safety concerns. Choppy waters and high winds can knock over an unsecured grill and the steamy contents, potentially causing injuries or fires. Make sure your marine grill is secured, wherever it’s located, and that you have a first aid kit and fire extinguisher on hand. Propane grills should have the gas turned off whenever possible.
Another reason to prep before you embark is to avoid having sharp utensils aboard. Anything sharp that needs to be brought with you should be stored securely while you’re on the water. Spoons or sporks can substitute for forks to help minimize the number of sharp objects on board, and always wait for foods to cool before serving.
We hope these tips help you stay safe and comfortably fed on your next voyage! If you want to know more, or you’re looking for a pontoon to try cooking on, contact us at Nisswa Marine. We proudly serve the people of Minneapolis and St. Cloud, Minnesota—let us serve you today!