Lower end and transom repairs arnt cheap either.
A three ft depth would be about right though one thing about this pontoon is that it comes with a couple large MinKota trollers I think for that reason . If it gets too shallow for the outboard you tilt it and use the trollers. Not really sure about that, or they might have used them for some quiet cruising time. I do know this pontoon was used on the Wabash with the sand bars...