China’s New $13,000 Pontoon Boats Could End the Pontoon Industry Forever!

Subscribe! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCl40MDImtmCtsC1S_M1RNXA?sub_confirmation=1 Affiliate Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. If you purchase through them, you support the channel at no additional cost to you. Resources & Links RVMasking Pontoon Boat Cover, 1400D, 25–28 ft 🛒 Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CH9SN6MP?tag=cycleworth-20 iCOVER Trailerable Pontoon Boat Cover, 17–28 ft 🛒 Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CQ4N1V8W?tag=cycleworth-20 STAR BRITE Ultimate Aluminum Cleaner & Restorer for pontoon boats 🛒 Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EVIJPFI?tag=cycleworth-20 Replacement Bimini Top Canvas with Boot, 9 ft x 8.5 ft 🛒 Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09231HCV2?tag=cycleworth-20 Hoffen 4-Step Stainless Steel Pontoon Boat Ladder 🛒 Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07VLF6KMX?tag=cycleworth-20 Oil Change Filter Kit 8M0065104 for Mercury 75–115 HP outboards 🛒 Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GWHSQM25?tag=cycleworth-20 Water Pump Impeller Kit 89984 for Mercury 65–225 HP outboards 🛒 Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DB552S6M?tag=cycleworth-20 Seloc Mercury Outboards 2.5–350 HP 4-Stroke 2012–2020 Repair Manual 🛒 Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C2X865V8?tag=cycleworth-20 Stearns USCG-Approved Type IV Throwable Flotation Cushion 🛒 Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000NVD0JY?tag=cycleworth-20 Kidde Mariner 5 Marine Fire Extinguisher, 5-B:C 🛒 Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CBCRVPC7?tag=cycleworth-20 Stearns Adult USCG-Approved Type III Life Vest 🛒 Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000NV7OMI?tag=cycleworth-20 Absolute Outdoor Type II Life Jackets, 4-pack with storage bag 🛒 Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000KKEOWA?tag=cycleworth-20 Vintage Weeres pontoon boat 🔍 eBay (Best Deals): https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=Weeres+pontoon+boat&mkevt=1&mkcid=1&mkrid=711-53200-19255-0&siteid=0&campid=5339196185&toolid=10001&customid=legacyboats A 25-foot aluminum pontoon from Qingdao Allsea Boats is listed on Made-in-China for $14,300, or $13,260 each for two or more. Pontoons are the best-selling boat in America: according to the NMMA (June 2026), they were 33.6% of the 156,754 new powerboats sold in the U.S. in 2025. Could a $13,000 Chinese pontoon end the American pontoon industry? We read the whole listing, the 5083 aluminum, the 25-inch tubes, the standard equipment, and then the part the price leaves out: it is a factory price, with no engine, no trailer, no ocean freight, no import duties or tariffs, and a three-meter-wide crate that will not fit an ordinary shipping container. Sources: NMMA — Powerboat Sales Trends Report Offers Snapshot of 2025 Market — https://www.nmma.org/press/article/25543 Made-in-China — Allsea 25FT 7.6m Aluminum Pontoon Boat with CE Certification (Qingdao Allsea Boats) — https://allseaboats.en.made-in-china.com/product/tJYrNSzOCRVZ/China-Allsea-25FT-7-6m-High-Quality-Offshore-Water-Entertainment-Luxury-Aluminum-Pontoon-Boat-with-CE-Certification.html Electrek — I bought a cheap electric boat from China — https://electrek.co/2023/02/15/i-bought-a-cheap-electric-boat-from-china/ Boating Industry Canada — 50% Aluminum Tariff Hits Boats, Engines and Trailers — https://boatingindustry.ca/featured-articles/50-aluminum-tariff/ Polaris Inc. — Form 10-K for fiscal year 2025 — https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/931015/000162828026008033/pii-20251231.htm Discover Boating — 10 Budget-Friendly Boats for 2026 Marine Fabricator — New boat sales declined 9 percent through January 2026 0:00 The $13,000 Chinese pontoon on Made-in-China 2:17 Pontoons: one in three new powerboats (NMMA) 2:59 Ambrose Weeres and the oil-drum pontoon 6:38 Elkhart, Bennington, Harris and the $100,000 pontoon 9:27 A market already squeezed: sales and aluminum tariffs 11:59 What FOB leaves out: engine, trailer, freight, duties 15:24 A real import: the $1,000 boat that cost $5,000 18:51 The warranty answer vs Bennington's lifetime warranty 22:06 Where the pressure really lands 23:41 What it means if you're buying a pontoon Write to me: [email protected] This channel is made by a boating enthusiast, not a marine professional. I'm not a licensed surveyor, broker, marine mechanic, naval architect, financial advisor, or insurance agent, and nothing here is professional advice. All content is for entertainment and general-interest purposes only. Boat histories, prices, specifications, and opinions are based on publicly available sources and my own research, and may contain errors, omissions, or out-of-date information. Prices and values vary widely by location, condition, and time. Brand names, models, and trademarks belong to their respective owners and are referenced only for commentary, education, and historical discussion. Before buying, selling, restoring, insuring, or operating any boat, always do your own research and consult a qualified professional.