thanks for the replies guys.
1. I used to be a bigger deep-V boat guy, sold that and wandered creeks & rivers for years trout hunting. My intent is to expand to other species still focused on the fly, ie. bass, musky, NPike, etc. I have no desire to go out into deep lake or big river waters (ie. Lakes Erie, Ontario, or Niagara River). Thats just where my heads at - smaller more intimate venues but expand my target species.
2. hooks-in-inflatable-pontoons has crossed my mind, although I'm an experienced fly guy and know what I'm doing, accidents do happen. The pontoon sleeves are inflated with a dual bladder system, so if one gets punctured somehow, I'll be crippled, but wont sink. Again, I'll never be more than 100 yards from a shoreline.