Pontoon Boat & Deck Boat Forum

We have switched teams.

For 30 years, I've only ever owned performance boats, and I've just sold the last performance boat I'll probably have, and it was a sweetheart... Eliminator 236 EagleXP. 81mph on Havasu was our last blast, last labor day weekend.
Hotrod boats is all I've ever known, but I've decided that I'm ready to enjoy the 'toon life.

We've recently ordered our 2017 Avalon Catalina Entertainer, and we couldn't be more excited. We are scheduled to take delivery of it End of May/first week of June.

I've been reading many of the threads here, and there is a very real sense of community here. It seems that taking it slow, and enjoying the day on the water is the new boating life for me. I've enjoyed seeing some of the builds here, reading about brand new boaters and many of the other topics. I look forward to being a member of this new lifestyle. We will finally have room for the dogs, a place to relax with a glass of wine, and probably whip up a couple of kabobs on the grill.

We are pretty sure we are going to be the cool kids on the lake this year. All of our hot boat friends don't quite see the allure.... yet...

Old habits die hard, and I'm sure your going to hear me asking about squeezing more performance out of this 'refrigerator in the water' as one of you called these things...As I have it in my head that I might be able to see high 50's with my engine/hull package ( even though I havn't seen any supporting evidence online anywhere)

Currently I'm trying to decide on prop pitch. Verado Pro with a 340hp tune from Simon or Whipple will be providing power. The Enertia prop ( not the ECO ) will be my prop of choice, as it has raving reviews. I'm thinking I will start with a 17 pitch, but really hope I can pull a 19 or ultimately a 21. Looking at several performance review and engine tests, it appears slip rates are between 8 and 12%. We want to be able to pull a single ski or wakeboarder, and occasionally hammer it for a little speed fix, and make the dogs ears flap.

So, If any of you are running anything like the Avalon Waveglider system ( lifting strakes on both sides of all 3 pontoons ) and big outboard power ( over 300 hp ) let me know if my speed fix can sorta live on, or if I need to just accept life at 45mph

Regards,

-Todd-

You should see at least high 40's stock I'd imagine. A friend has had two Tahoe's which are the same as the Avalon's. The first was a 22 footer that started with a 225 ficht evinrude and ran low 50s then switched to a new 225 HO and ran right at 50. I think he was running around a 21 pitch prop. His new one is a 25 footer with a Verado 250 pro and hits 45 without any tweaks yet. He'll probably go up a bolt hole first before changing from the factory pitch. He did that on the first boat and was able to outperform the data tests. They had both boats setup from the factory where you couldn't trim the engine to the point it would cavitate. Raised the engine one hole and you just had to use common sense because you could trim it out of the water. I guess they set it up for people without common sense.

Good point on the engine height. I imagine most riggers try to set up the boats for first timers, keeping the engine buried safely deep enough to prevent ventilation and cooling problems. I'll look into that on delivery.

sounds like you will need at least 500 hp

I came to pontoons out of bass boats and can relate to the need for speed. Pushing a pontoon to speed is a bit like my Vietnam era pilot friend used to say about F4 Phantoms. That the F4 was proof that a Brick could fly if you put big enough engines on it.

Since I have a six mile run to the open water where we float and relax, the faster I can get there the sooner I can chillin!

Enjoy your toon....

I have a 300 Verado Pro and Simon told me they could only get it to 315 . Not worth the 900 bucks. May run a little cleaner / better fuel but again not for 900.

You see more bikini's for a longer period of time when toonin!

[quote="NonHyphenAmerican"]You see more bikini's for a longer period of time when toonin![/quote]

You've got a point there....

[quote="Towdaddy"]I came to pontoons out of bass boats and can relate to the need for speed. Pushing a pontoon to speed is a bit like my Vietnam era pilot friend used to say about F4 Phantoms. That the F4 was proof that a Brick could fly if you put big enough engines on it.

Since I have a six mile run to the open water where we float and relax, the faster I can get there the sooner I can chillin!

Enjoy your toon....[/quote]

How dare you criticize an F4!!! (My LOL is not showing up) At the time that F4 was the hottest thing out there and the USAF was still flying sorties (?) with them in '75. I worked on a flightline in Incirlik Turkey at the time and was awestruck with watching them "exercise". If anything was a brick it was a C141 (memory?)

[quote="seminolewind"][quote="Towdaddy"]I came to pontoons out of bass boats and can relate to the need for speed. Pushing a pontoon to speed is a bit like my Vietnam era pilot friend used to say about F4 Phantoms. That the F4 was proof that a Brick could fly if you put big enough engines on it.[/quote]

How dare you criticize an F4!!! (My LOL is not showing up) At the time that F4 was the hottest thing out there and the USAF was still flying sorties (?) with them in '75. I worked on a flightline in Incirlik Turkey at the time and was awestruck with watching them "exercise". If anything was a brick it was a C141 (memory?)[/quote]

Place a F15 and a F4 Phantom side by side in a drag race. When the F4 lifts its wheels off the ground the F15 is at 5000 feet AGL.

Well i guess I suffer from sentimental value! Nothing like watching any of those jets. Just amazing.

Bricks. Once I had a '71 chevy wagon, 454engine and 4 barrel Carb, with 180,000 miles on it. On the way home from work some snot nose with a Corvette started playing games with me speeding up, slowing down. I gave my "brick" some peddle to floor, and I think I was out of site when the snot nose realized he was "Oh God!" Left in my dust, LOL. I respect bricks.

I have a Bennington 2375 RCW with ESP package, Merc 250 Pro with Simon Tune, 19P Enertia prop. I can get 54mph, I moved my motor up also. I don't know how big or heavy your boat is, but if it is bigger and heavier than mine I don't see how you will hit high 50's.

I sold my 38 top gun and went into "Toonin". We love it... for our family it's a better experience. I tried to keep some performance in the transition with a 300 Verado. I do love tooling around all day and not even moving the gas gauge. With the twin 800's it drank gas. Cost $60 just to get on plane. Now $60 will last me a week! Enjoy the transition!

somebitch!

[quote="Scott1"]I have a Bennington 2375 RCW with ESP package, Merc 250 Pro with Simon Tune, 19P Enertia prop. I can get 54mph, I moved my motor up also. I don't know how big or heavy your boat is, but if it is bigger and heavier than mine I don't see how you will hit high 50's.[/quote]

Looks like the Catalina is the same size at 25 feet, but it comes in 400 lbs lighter. I'm not sure if the bottom will be as fast as the ESP, but If I can run mid 50's like you are, I'll be really happy.

What kind of RPM are you seeing with that 19 pitch?

Also, is there a reason that we can't run a jack-plate on a pontoon? Seems like that would make that vertical adjustment too easy.