What size of motor for 20' pontoon?

Check in here and say hi!

Moderators: Redneck_Randy, badmoonrising, lakerunner

Post Reply
Message
Author
Mike&Renee
Posts: 2
Joined: Sat Jan 30, 2010 3:46 pm

What size of motor for 20' pontoon?

#1 Post by Mike&Renee » Sat Jan 30, 2010 3:57 pm

We are in the process of getting a pontoon boat. We are looking at a sweetwater Tuscany 2086 and was wondering if anyone would know if a Yamaha T50 would be to small for it. If you have a 50 HP on yours, do you wish you would have a gone with a bigger motor?

Thanks for any answers.

Mike & Renee future pontoon owners!

User avatar
HandymanHerb
Site Admin
Posts: 14314
Joined: Fri Mar 17, 2006 8:57 pm
Location: Orlando Fla

Re: What size of motor for 20' pontoon?

#2 Post by HandymanHerb » Sat Jan 30, 2010 4:09 pm

Welcome!!!

Good tip is go as big as your toon or wallet will let you , I have a 50 on mine and I get around 15 mph lightly loaded, but would like a bigger engine for pulling tubes.

But we need to know how you be using to to better guild you too, but it's cheaper to go bigger now because no one has said here I wished I got a smaller engine.
In Memory of John 6x6 Larsen

Image

User avatar
Ghost Rider
Posts: 186
Joined: Fri Oct 16, 2009 10:51 am

Re: What size of motor for 20' pontoon?

#3 Post by Ghost Rider » Sat Jan 30, 2010 4:16 pm

What are you going to be doing with your toon. Are you going to pulling a tube. Fishing, Or just putting around. You need to take all these things into consideration. I have a 40 on my 20 footer but all I use it for is cruising around, And it is perfect for that. But if I want to pull the kids I have to use my in-laws Ski boat. I am sure the guys here will all agree. See what your boat is rated for in HP and get the most you can afford..
Ghost Rider
1976 20 Foot Flote Bote
40 HP Mercury 4 Stroke
Home : Channahon Illinois
Boating on Cory Lake in MI

User avatar
lakerunner
Site Moderator
Posts: 4820
Joined: Fri Mar 17, 2006 2:31 pm
Location: Live in McAlester, Ok Boat on Tenkiller
Contact:

Re: What size of motor for 20' pontoon?

#4 Post by lakerunner » Sat Jan 30, 2010 8:11 pm

Min 75 perfect is a 90 for a 20. I had a 20 with a 50, fine for few passengers and slow cruising. To run from weather your soaked.
Loyd & Betty Meeks
Livin the lake life
2004 Tracker 22 Regency/2010 90 E-Tec. Pulled by Ford 2020 F 250,
McAlester, Oklahoma
Home lake is Tenkiller

User avatar
Bamby
Posts: 1409
Joined: Mon Nov 03, 2008 7:30 am
Location: Near Wheeling W.V.

Re: What size of motor for 20' pontoon?

#5 Post by Bamby » Sun Jan 31, 2010 4:46 am

We have a Honda 50 on our 24 footer and actually we've always been happy with it for our use. But then most of the places we boat at are in reality rather small by the standards of the size of some of the waterways some of the folks on here boat in.

The 50 may also suit your uses just fine also, but one thing I've learned is to exploit largest in class motor if possible in this case the T50 and T60 are exactly the same size and weight so why forfeit the extra 10 ponies when I'd be carrying them around anyway with the 50. You can see a table here to see what I mean. http://www.yamaha-motor.com/outboard/pr ... specs.aspx
Respect Our Recreational Resources
Leaving Only "The Footprints of Your Passing"

Boating the Muskingum River
1972 35' Crest Pontoon Houseboat
2007 90 hp. Yamaha

User avatar
dahogman
Posts: 347
Joined: Sun Nov 09, 2008 6:56 am
Location: Galesburg, Illinois

Re: What size of motor for 20' pontoon?

#6 Post by dahogman » Sun Jan 31, 2010 10:31 am

I had a Yammy 90 four stroke on my 20 footer, I still wanted a little more motor. Best speed I ever got was 28 mph, under perfect conditions with just me on board. :)
Deja Moo.....The feeling that you've heard this Bull before!!!
2011 Tracker Targa V18 WT, 150 Mercury Optimax

User avatar
ROLAND
Posts: 4248
Joined: Sat Oct 03, 2009 4:29 am

Re: What size of motor for 20' pontoon?

#7 Post by ROLAND » Mon Feb 01, 2010 3:51 am

Mike&Renee... I have a 20' bennington SFi, rigged for fishing. It has a 75 hp 4 stroke on it. Seems to move plenty fast enough for us, but then again we're not trying to race anyone. As a comparison, my son has a 22' party barge with a 115 4 stroke on it. And his boat dosn't seem to go if at all, much faster than ours. Could be the difference in weight of the 2 boats also.

Roland
Roland & Jo
2010 Bennington 20 Sfi
Yamaha 75 4 Stroke
Shreveport, Louisiana

User avatar
wed
Posts: 144
Joined: Sun Aug 23, 2009 7:22 pm
Location: Lafayette Louisiana

Re: What size of motor for 20' pontoon?

#8 Post by wed » Mon Feb 01, 2010 6:59 am

my toon is a little over 21' and is rated for 90 HP. I bought it with a 60 HP 4 stroke. The salesman told me that I really should get the 90 if I planned to carry more than two or three adults. I went back and got the 90 and I am glad I did. If you plan to cover distance, run from weather, pull tubes, etc. you need to get as much motor as you can afford within the rating of the boat. As other have already said... I have not heard anyone complain about too much motor.

Good luck with you decision.
2009 Tracker Fishing Barge 21 /NV logs/90 Merc 4 stroke
2007 GMC Sierra
Toledo Bend Reservoir Louisiana (mostly)

schmir
Posts: 67
Joined: Wed Jul 01, 2009 8:46 am
Location: Streator, IL

Re: What size of motor for 20' pontoon?

#9 Post by schmir » Wed Feb 03, 2010 2:29 pm

Go with the 90 if you can. I have a 20 footer with a 90 on it and and I get about 23-24mph with 2 guy and light load. When I have a full load of people, it really slows down and just pushes water.
23ft 2007 Parti Kraft, 115hp Yamaha 4 stroke on the Mighty Vermilion River!

User avatar
Snider4
Posts: 217
Joined: Mon Aug 25, 2008 8:35 am

Re: What size of motor for 20' pontoon?

#10 Post by Snider4 » Wed Feb 03, 2010 6:58 pm

If it's in your budget, get the 90hp. If you think you will get it in the future, get it now and you'll save a little with the package.
Our 50 does what we ask it to, but it is limited I started with a 9.9 with plans to move up some day and that day came very soon!


Oh yea, welcome to the club! :nana
Snider4
Misty Harbor 2080RE
Merc 50
Sprinter Select 26BH
Ohio

Post Reply