So, you're out on the water with a cool breeze caressing your face and a cold one in hand when suddenly - nature calls! During those moments, you might find yourself wondering - do pontoon boats have bathrooms? Can they have bathrooms?
If you've got the extra bucks to spare (and we mean a lot of extra bucks), you might be able to cop a pontoon boat with a toilet on board. But if you're on a tight budget, you can set up a pretty sweet pontoon boat bathroom without having to spend a fortune, and we're teaching you exactly how to do it.
Do Pontoon Boats Have Toilets?
The obvious answer is no, not all pontoon boats have bathrooms, and that's probably why you're here. While they're definitely convenient to have on board, a built-in bathroom will take up significant space and will require meticulous care and maintenance.
Nonetheless, there are some higher end models that tout everything from toilets, to sinks, and even running water. Having the whole shebang on board definitely offers unprecedented convenience, which is also why these boats are sold at a luxury price.
Pontoons with Bathrooms
Since most of the pontoon boats with bathrooms are often part of the luxury line, they can be quite expensive. But hey, if money is no object, then these pontoons might be worth checking out.
Harris V270
This luxury pontoon boat features its own bathroom nested in the center tube. Complete with a porcelain toilet, a faucet and sink, a shower head, and running fresh water, the bathroom features a dual-hatch system that makes it easy to access.
Southland Hybrid Recreational Vehicle
This pontoon boat is more of a house than a recreational vehicle. Coming equipped with a bathroom, a bedroom, a kitchen, and a dining area, this boat features everything you might need to live out on the water. It's bathroom is especially noteworthy, offering spacious convenience whenever you need it.
Southland Mistral
Another hotshot from the Southland brand, the Mistral pontoon boat doesn't come with a toilet straight out of the showroom. But boat buyers looking to have one on-board can have their Mistral customized by the dealer. The added toilet automatically comes with a waste and freshwater tank for easy breezy operation.
Why It's a Good Idea to Have a Bathroom on Pontoons
Of course, the convenience factor might be reason enough for you to consider getting a boat with a bathroom or setting one on-board. But there are a bunch of other reasons to have one installed.
Kids and the Elderly
If you're never without your kids, or if mom and pop want to tag along for a family boat ride, an on-board portable toilet just makes sense. We can't all just hold it in until we get back, and those nagging nature calls can easily drown out the fun. Having a toilet on your pontoon boat makes sure you don't have to worry about driving the long way back to shore before the fun is over.
Parties
A pontoon boat makes the perfect venue for a party or a camping trip, but things can go downhill real quick when all the booze and food start gumming the works. If you want to make your pontoon boat fully equipped for those fun-filled family and friend parties, a portable toilet and privacy curtain might be all you need to keep your guests bopping all night long or 'til the break of dawn.
Medical Conditions
If you or someone in your family suffers from a medical condition, then a portable toilet is a no-brainer. Whether it's a frequent need to empty out the system, or if its a bout of motion sickness from all the ebbing, on-board portable toilets just make things easier and more comfortable for everyone.
How to Set Up a Bathroom on a Pontoon
So maybe you don't have the cash to buy a boat with a built in toilet, but who needs that when you can install one with a bunch of supplies from your local hardware or marine equipment place? If you're dead set on having a bathroom area set up on-board, here's what you're going to need.
Create a Bathroom Area
First things first -- how do you plan to create that enclosed toilet space? Well, you've got a bunch of options. You could try a collapsible changing room or shower tent which you'll find in the camping aisle. Or you could set up a hanging privacy curtain that attaches to your bimini top frame.
The benefit of the collapsible tent or changing room is that you get full coverage, but then you also have to consider how to keep the floor panel clean in case of spills and splashes. While the changing or privacy curtain might not have flooring material to worry about, you run the risk of a strong breeze blowing your privacy curtain up ultimately defeating its 'privacy' purpose.
Check out this Green Elephant Shower Tent or the Privacy Curtain from Carver Industries.
For even more great options, check out our complete guide to pontoon collapsible changing rooms.
Set Up Your Portable Potty
As the centerpiece of your on-board loo, the toilet should offer comfort and convenience that fits your specific standards of maintenance and use. Some things to consider include size, water tank capacity, waste management, flush system, marine grade construction, and odor control.
The Serenelife Outdoor Portable Toilet is a porta potty that comes with all the features you might want in a toilet for your pontoon. With a 5.3 gallon of holding tank, the potty also features a double sealed valve to prevent spills and leaks. The design also features a sealing slide valve that keeps odors at bay, and a comfortable toilet seat for an at-home experience.
If you're looking for something extra burly to survive the onslaught of a large family's use, then the Camco Heavy Duty Portable Waste Tank for boats and other outdoor uses might be up your alley.
We've recommended more in our guide to buying a pontoon toilet and portable potty for pontoons.
Add a Portable Sink
You don't want people walking around your boat without washing their hands after a trip to the toilet, do you? Well, in that case a portable sink might come in handy. Again, there are lots of choices to consider, but you might want to look into convenience and ease of use.
Some portable sinks feature large 5 gallon freshwater tanks for multiple uses, and that definitely comes in handy if you don't want to have to keep refilling your sink. Those that come with a built in foot pump feature that lets you get water going. Of course, a drain hose and carry handles might also make for a more convenient experience if you're thinking about how to clean the thing.
We highly recommend the SereneLife Portable Camping Sink with Towel Holder.
Other Bathroom Accessories to Consider
Just like any other bathroom, your on-board portable toilet space is going to need some constant TLC. While the changing room or curtain, portable potty, and sink all come together to create a pretty sweet bathroom ambiance, there are a bunch of other accessories you might want to toss in.
Toilet Paper Roll Holder
Changing rooms and bimini curtains almost always have loops inside that let you hang clothes and other items while you change or in this case, answer nature's call. If you've got a hanging toilet paper holder, you can add another bathroom-worthy element to your pontoon boat toilet space. They're also really easy to stow away and come with zipper closures to keep your toilet paper nice and clean while tucked away in storage.
Look for something like this Waterproof Hanging Toilet Paper Holder by Kakaforsa.
Deodorizer
While your toilet's holding tank might have some sort of seal to keep those foul odors concealed, there's really nothing wrong with having a few porta potty deodorizers in hand. They're sold in the form of small pods or liquids that you toss into the waste tank to neutralize foul odors. Just one pod or a small amount of the solution should be more than enough for several gallons of waste material, so you don't have to worry about cost.
Trash Can
Now that you've got some toilet paper at the ready, gotta make sure there's a place to toss the used stuff away. A portable basket is an essential not only for pontoon boat toilets, but for boating in general. A collapsible garbage bag holder should be the perfect choice. These designs offer easy set up and let you fold the frame up for storage when not in use.
Things to Remember
Pontoon boats with portable toilets might seem like an added convenience -- and they are! But there are a few important safety and maintenance tips to keep in mind to prevent any major mishaps.
Stow Away When Underway
Your changing room or bimini top hanging curtain can't be in place when your boat in underway. Changing rooms and curtains have large surface areas that make them a hazard especially against strong winds. This can be particularly dangerous for pontoon boats capable of higher speeds.
Always stow away all of your pontoon porta potty essentials if you're still underway. Once the fun is over and you're ready to head back home, make sure you collapse the changing room, tuck away the bimini curtains, and keep all of the other bathroom essentials in storage.
Proper Disposal
Remember -- whatever you collect in your potty can't just be tossed overboard. All the gallons of sewage collected during your boating trips need to be properly disposed of in consideration of the environment. After your family trips, make sure you visit your local authorized portable toilet dump.
Sanitize Regularly
Toilets and other bathroom elements can easily breed all sorts of bacteria and germs after just a few trips with the kids and family. To make sure your pontoon boats privacy bathroom is always ready to use, sanitize it regularly between each trip. It also doesn't hurt to air things out under the sun after a wash to make sure they're free from bacteria.
Do Pontoon Boats Have Toilets?
Do pontoon boats have bathrooms? Not all the time, but you could always just make your own. If you've got a large enough space to set up a privacy tent or changing room, then yes, you've got enough room for a bathroom. Sure, pontoon boats with built in toilets might be effortlessly convenient.
But a DIY pontoon boat bath room can be double the fun, and way cheaper to boot. Just cop yourself a changing room or a curtain, toss in a pontoon porta toilet, and add in a few accessories, and you've got yourself a fully functional toilet room that does everything those fancy luxury pontoons offer.
