Buying a pontoon boat can be a decision that your family appreciates numerous times in the year ahead. If you live near a body of water, being able to tour around in comfort on this type of boat can be something you enjoy with family and friends on multiple occasions each summer. When you visit a local dealer to browse pontoon boats for sale, you'll see some that have a single deck and some that have a lower deck and an upper deck. The latter can be desirable because it offers more space to carry passengers. If you're planning to buy a boat with an upper deck, here are three things to assess. 

Square Footage

If you're looking at a few pontoon boats that have upper decks, be sure to confirm the square footage of each. The size of the upper deck can vary considerably between models, and a deck that offers more square footage may be more appealing to buy. An upper deck that is just a few square feet larger than another one will be more spacious for your guests and/or allow you to carry more gear when you travel, so it's smart to look for a boat that has the biggest upper deck you can find.

Seating

It's common for the upper decks of pontoon boats to have some type of built-in seating. You can count on some of your passengers spending time in this space, and you want them to be comfortable. An upper deck that has as much built-in seating as possible can be handier than one that has minimal built-in seating. If you were to buy the latter type, you'd likely need to put folding chairs on the upper deck. Not only would this be a bit of a hassle each time you take the boat out, but these chairs wouldn't likely offer the same degree of comfort as the padded built-in seats that are common on these boats.

Features

The features that are present on the upper deck of a pontoon boat can vary from boat to boat. Check out a few models to note their features, as this will help you to decide which model is best. For example, some upper decks have a built-in table, which can be handy if you expect that people will enjoy eating meals or playing board games in this area. You'll also see various types of storage space, which is always useful on a pontoon boat. Visit a local boat dealer to shop for a new pontoon boat.