Doug Henry, of Michigan, has a deep love for family, and enjoys spending time on the water, fishing, or hanging out. “I love fishing,” he said. “While my family comes out with me a lot, sometimes it’s just me and my dog on the boat, looking for bass and pike.”
Having spent his childhood on the water he was very familiar with pontoon boats, but up to 2019 he only fished his small lake with a little rowboat equipped with an old Evinrude outboard. His buddies at Freeway Sports Center, in Fenton, Michigan had always helped him out with parts for his Evinrude, but Henry was looking to make a bigger purchase in 2020.
“Those guys are great,” he said. “I did a ton of research on a variety of pontoons. I wasn’t super concerned with the price point, but I was generally surprised how my Qwest came in compared to other brands, in terms of cost with even more features.”
Henry decided on a Qwest 818 Lanai because he loved the wide-open floor plan and the large table in the back for people to gather. Henry said that he really loves the Lanai so his passengers can sit back and relax. "My family loves the big back table for hanging out and having a cocktail."
“Honestly we just love everything about it,” he said. “Having elderly parents too, the dock I built is the perfect height for them to walk right on the pontoon, zero-entry (barrier-free) through the side door.”
When it comes to fishing from his 18-foot pontoon, Henry said “I flip docks and fish deep holes. The size of the boat doesn’t hold me back. I’m actually sort of sponsored by a couple of brands in the fishing industry. They loved it when I put their bass stickers on my pontoon boat."
In addition to the floorplan and loaded features of the Qwest Lanai, Henry noticed that Apex Marine Inc. was in the upholstery business and he said a person can tell that they put extra time and effort into their seating and materials.
“The raised bevel of the seats really works well,” he said. “I can just spray everything down and it’s ready to go. I have seen lesser upholstery rot in five years. I’m confident that won’t happen in my Qwest. All the attention to detail is there right down to the captain’s chair and molded helm. It’s the perfect all-around boat for us!
