Pontoon Boat & Deck Boat Forum

I have recently bought a 2008 Party Barge 21 with 90 hp optimax motor. The boat runs great with just me and my wife and 2 small children. The problem is when you add two more adults. The boat will not plane off with the added weight. It makes it feel like you are pulling 2 skiers. It currently has a 15 pitch prop. Any suggestions?

The pontoon boat does not have a planing hull but a displacement hull. The more weight you add the more it will plow into the water. Try putting more of the weight in the back to lift up the front of the tubes. You might read up on adding lifting strakes or a third toon to help your planing proble. By the way, stay away from tap fins.

Check the RPM on your motor at WOT and see if you are close to max on your specs then you can decide if you neet a lower or higher prop pitch. Increasing RPM by decreasing the pitch does not guarantee more speed it just guarantees more RPM. Post pictures of your toon when you can so we can see what your ride looks like.

The back of the boat sits lower than the front when the boat is not moving. It is a lot worse when the boat is under power. Even with the motor trimed in as far as it will go the nose of the boat will not go down. Prior to this boat I had a 24 ft lowe with 110 hp motor and it sat and ran level in the water.

Was thinking it might be the log size (dia) but if it is a 2008 it should have good size logs. My old toon was an 89 sanpan, not sure what size log, an it really plowed through the water, even with the 90. Any chance you might be holding water in the tubes? If the water line on the back of the toons is about half way or less you should be sitting about right.
doc

I HAVE THE 09 W/90 HP . SITS EVENLY IN WATER, AT ABOUT 3200 THE NOSE WILL START TO DROP AND FEEL LIKE ITS ON PLANE W/ IT TRIMMED UP A GOOD BIT. IT HAS 15 PITCH WHEEL. BOUGHT A 17 SOLAS BUT DON'T LIKE IT. 27MPH W/ 17 PITCH NEVER GPS IT W/ 15 PITCH . WHEN YOU START PLOWING PEOPLE IN BOAT I RATHER SIT THEM IN THE BACK.

My problem is that the bow will not go down even with the motor trimmed in as far as it will go.

check for water in the toon see if that might be causing your problem. also try displacing the weight better if you want you nose to go down make sure you are trimmed all the way down and put alittle extra weight in the front. if you can give us some pics with her sitting in the water and some with her running down the lake river etc.

I am new to the pontoon world and have recently purchased a 2005 Suntracker Regency XP3 25 I/O (4.3 Alpha One 190 horse). I have called the dealer and searched the internet but can't seem to find out what to expect out of it as far as "Top End Speed" goes. First off the Tach is broken. I have one in the mail from Suntracker as we speak. I know that the WOT should be 4400-4800. The dealer said that the boat came with a 15 1/4 X15 prop on it (that is what was on it when I bought it). The prop that came with it was a little dinged up, So I took it to the prop shop. He let me test a SS 15x 17. So here is my question. The best I have been able to get from it is 28 MPH GPS. The boat seems to get out of the hole great, but when I want to max it out is seems to slip out (loose speed at higher RPMS). It does have strakes. If anyone out there has the same boat I would appreciate some info on the performance of yours. Thanks.