Looking

[mieletj]

I currently have an 18 ft boat with a 10 hp motor that i haul with my 95 shortbed chevy Z71 package, 350 engine. My two boys and i are looking into purchasing a pontoon boat, which i will also have questions on but for now I'm wondering if i can even tow a pontoon boat with my truck or do i have to look for a bigger truck first.

thanks

[HandymanHerb]

Welcome, You should be fine I towed mine with my Dakota with a 318, just slowed me down because it's like pulling a parachute made my top speed 70 but that's plenty but there is a lot of wind drag, going slow you have no problem at all.

[mike]

Most pontoons are VERY light compared to fiberglass boats...

I actually pulled my 21' tripple toon voyager with my 2002 Honda Odyssey (wouldn't want to make it a habit but worked just fine even up some nasty grades)



You should be fine! I actually had a 96' shortbed regular cab 350 1/2 ton pickup I used for the first year to pull it...

[badmoonrising]

I pull my 32 ft Party Cruiser with a short bed 1999 Ford F-150 (4WD/4.6 liter). Used to do it every weekend, now just twice a year. Into the slip and out. I bought it in Baltimore at Bass Pro Shops and it towed fine up I-95

[mieletj]

Thanks for the quick response folks, we have a couple boats that we're looking at and now we can make a decision on one of them. I will keep this site bookmarked as I've seen a lot of information and I'm sure I will have questions after I purchase a boat.

Thanks again

[HandymanHerb]

Tell us which one's your looking at and we can help with the pro's and the con's of each and tell you to get a bigger engine, but all kidding aside most will say get the biggest engine you can afford when buying, because it expensive to do afterwords .

[mieletj]

Well right now I guess I'm looking at every pontoon boat that i see in the pittsburgh area. Is there anything that i should be looking at as far as year, or manufacturer and as far as engines, what would be a minimum size? I was thinking 50 hp or perhaps even 90 since i have a 9.9 and two trolling motors on my fishing boat. You mention that its more expensive to add a bigger engine after the purchase, is that true? Thanks again and i appreciate any advice you have!

[HandymanHerb]

You need to tell what your going to be using for and where with how many people, If you were going to be on small lakes with only 4 of 5 people and you mostly wanted it for fishing, I say stay with a 20 or 24 foot model.

Great thing about a pontoon is your taking your own 8 foot wide dock with you to fish off of and is great for teaching young ones to fish.

As for the engine again it what your going to be using it for and how big the lakes are your going to be on, I have a 50 on mine and I can do 16 mph with five or 6 on board and on a big lake that you had to cross to get to the fishing area it might be slow for you, one thing most will tell you is you can always slow the bigger engine down.

And you have to consider the winds to as we do have big wind loads but it works great in drift fishing as you can go up wind and let it blow you across the lake.

[mieletj]

I plan on keeping my 18ft Grumman fishing boat with its 9.9 hp for local fishing trips with my sons. I'm leaning more towards a boat to get out on some bigger lakes and just relax, fish a little and have a few friends aboard. My family consists of 5 of us so i guess i may be looking at 10 or so with friends aboard. I see most have a 50 hp but a few have 90. My sons also tell me that it would be nice to be able to pull something behind to ride on if possible.
Thanks

[HandymanHerb]

OK now being on bigger lakes a 24 foot or longer for the smoother ride and you want a 90 or maybe bigger most say get the biggest you can afford, a 90 on a 24 you should be around 18 or 19 mph with 10 on board, guys are putting 250's on them now days but a 150 or a little bigger might do you well.