New to toons.

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Lilguy
Posts: 27
Joined: Sun Sep 01, 2019 8:16 pm

Re: New to toons.

#16 Post by Lilguy » Fri Sep 06, 2019 9:25 pm

We’ve focused in on a South Bay 224RS w/ a Mercury 250
on it. With double axle trailer first quote is 60,900.00 OTD. This number I’ll work on.
One ? Is, what is Seastar Hydraulic steering? PS or not?

Steiner
Posts: 390
Joined: Thu Aug 01, 2019 7:51 am
Location: Lyman, SC

Re: New to toons.

#17 Post by Steiner » Sat Sep 07, 2019 6:01 am

SeaStar is kinda power steer...well, man power. They won't put cable steer on anything over 90hp pretty much now.

You'll have to ask if it has power assist. Just hydraulic alone is not power. I think there is electric and some outboards have internal.
Last edited by Steiner on Sat Sep 07, 2019 6:10 am, edited 1 time in total.
2019 G3 SunCatcher V322 SS tritoon, Yamaha F200
2019 F-150 XLT SuperCrew FX4, 3.5L EcoBoost Max Trailer Tow Package

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Liquid Asset
Posts: 486
Joined: Tue Jan 03, 2012 12:21 pm
Location: ortonville,mi

Re: New to toons.

#18 Post by Liquid Asset » Sat Sep 07, 2019 6:08 am

Seastar is manual hydraulic steering. With a 250 your going to want " power assist" steering. There is an electric hydraulic pump that does the work. It makes the steering as easy as driving your car. The " power assist" can be added to the basic sea star so it may already be on boat.
2018 Tahoe ltz elite windshield powered by a 175 Mercury verado with sea legs
Rebuilt custom 20' 1983 riviera cruiser tritoon SOLD

2017 crew cab F-350 gets me to the lake !

Steiner
Posts: 390
Joined: Thu Aug 01, 2019 7:51 am
Location: Lyman, SC

Re: New to toons.

#19 Post by Steiner » Sat Sep 07, 2019 9:58 am

250hp 24 footer. You should retitle the thread "New to toons....and not ****ing around."
2019 G3 SunCatcher V322 SS tritoon, Yamaha F200
2019 F-150 XLT SuperCrew FX4, 3.5L EcoBoost Max Trailer Tow Package

FogHorn
Posts: 56
Joined: Mon Jul 22, 2019 5:57 am

Re: New to toons.

#20 Post by FogHorn » Mon Sep 09, 2019 9:58 am

Lilguy wrote:
Fri Sep 06, 2019 9:25 pm
We’ve focused in on a South Bay 224RS w/ a Mercury 250
on it. With double axle trailer first quote is 60,900.00 OTD. This number I’ll work on.
One ? Is, what is Seastar Hydraulic steering? PS or not?
Instead of cables, pulleys, or push/pull rod/cables... hydraulic steering is a system that uses hydraulic fluid to operate the rudder or outdrive/outboard for manuvering. The steering wheel actually turns a pump which pushes hydraulic fluid thru tubing to an actuator that moves the steering at the rudder or outboard, etc.

In my experience, it has definite advantages over the older cable type steering for example: the old steering systems could not be turned loose or the rudder/outboard could move and the boat suddenly head somewhere on its own. Hydraulic steering has check valves that require the steering wheel to be moved before the steering system allows any change. The typical SeaStar system is NOT power-steering... YOU are the power when you turn the wheel the hydrualic fluid is moved within the system. It also greatly reduces the effort necessary to handle large boats or large horsepower.

I have personally used SeaStar systems on both small and large boats and have found it not necessary to have “power steering” even with large rudders and engines. (I have used it on 34-50 foot yachts and found it very manageable without great effort. But a a small woman or boy might want “power steering” instead of simple hydraulic steering. Or, if you want to use only one-finger to spin a wheel at speed you might want power steering.)

I would not pay extra to add “power” to a pontoon boat but would not refuse it if I found a boat I liked with it already installed. YMMV
2015 SouthBay 522FRC w/ F150 Yamaha
1983 Conroy X18 w/ Volvo 125 I/O

Lilguy
Posts: 27
Joined: Sun Sep 01, 2019 8:16 pm

Re: New to toons.

#21 Post by Lilguy » Mon Sep 09, 2019 8:10 pm

Thanks for the input. I can put an assist pump to make it power steering. We’ve had it on our three previous boats.
My wife is tiny, don’t want complaints on a expensive new toy. I see South Bay in some signatures, would appreciate any info on your boats. Is the ride/feel any different from a wood deck toon?

wc9550
Posts: 52
Joined: Sun Oct 22, 2017 5:38 pm
Location: Montgomery, IL

Re: New to toons.

#22 Post by wc9550 » Tue Sep 10, 2019 9:20 am

Lilguy wrote:
Mon Sep 09, 2019 8:10 pm
Thanks for the input. I can put an assist pump to make it power steering. We’ve had it on our three previous boats.
My wife is tiny, don’t want complaints on a expensive new toy. I see South Bay in some signatures, would appreciate any info on your boats. Is the ride/feel any different from a wood deck toon?
The big thing I noticed between this boat and my first one (first one had wood) was how much softer it feels on my feet. There is a cushion type feel to it over the wood. I also notice a difference when I’m towing the boat as well. The new boat has a dry weight of only 2215lbs. and my old boat seemed to weigh quite a bit more. As for the ride, I can’t really comment, because my old boat was a 96’ two log boat and was 19 feet powered by a 70hp. My new one is 24 feet (more like 25+ feet) powered by a 200hp. The new one definitely rides very nicely even over rougher water. We couldn’t be happier with it.
2019 South Bay 224SB2 3.0 tritoon with 2019 Merc. L200

Lilguy
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Joined: Sun Sep 01, 2019 8:16 pm

Re: New to toons.

#23 Post by Lilguy » Tue Sep 10, 2019 6:53 pm

May I ask what steering system do you have?

wc9550
Posts: 52
Joined: Sun Oct 22, 2017 5:38 pm
Location: Montgomery, IL

Re: New to toons.

#24 Post by wc9550 » Wed Sep 11, 2019 5:23 am

Lilguy wrote:
Tue Sep 10, 2019 6:53 pm
May I ask what steering system do you have?
I have sea start hydraulic steering and I do NOT have the power assist option. I noticed that it is a little harder to turn the wheel, but it’s not bad. My wife drives the boat on and off the trailer every time and she hasn’t complained that it’s too hard. Plus I haven’t found it hard to maneuver the boat in tight spots either. Some people say it’s needed when running over 150hp, but I don’t personally think so.
2019 South Bay 224SB2 3.0 tritoon with 2019 Merc. L200

Steiner
Posts: 390
Joined: Thu Aug 01, 2019 7:51 am
Location: Lyman, SC

Re: New to toons.

#25 Post by Steiner » Wed Sep 11, 2019 6:04 am

I haven't had a power assist setup but have only had a 90 and 200 with standard SeaStar......To me, the non-assist SeaStar feels almost like power steer at idle and low speed and like manual steer over 15-20mph which is kinda what I prefer but then I don't feel I need to be turning mine on a dime at 30mph. It's still easily steerable with one hand at higher speeds but two hands works better if making an aggressive turn. Like most things I would guess it's always easier to have it and disable it if you want than it is to add on later.....
2019 G3 SunCatcher V322 SS tritoon, Yamaha F200
2019 F-150 XLT SuperCrew FX4, 3.5L EcoBoost Max Trailer Tow Package

Lilguy
Posts: 27
Joined: Sun Sep 01, 2019 8:16 pm

Re: New to toons.

#26 Post by Lilguy » Wed Sep 11, 2019 12:18 pm

I’ll get a quote on adding a PS pump for reference.

It’s fall in my area so marinas are pushing deals. The toons we’re looking at are 24+- footers with 225-250 hp
Mercs. 60 grand +- with trailer out the door is where I’m at with a South Bay 200 and a Harris Solstice. How does
that line up with any who’ve purchased this season?

I’d also appreciate what trailers you all have gone with.
Two out of the three trailers I’ve had were problem plagued.

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Liquid Asset
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Location: ortonville,mi

Re: New to toons.

#27 Post by Liquid Asset » Wed Sep 11, 2019 3:00 pm

My last trailer was a Hoosier. I liked how low it sat with the torsion axle but it didn't hold up. Over the 9 seasons I had to weld on it 3 times . I will say II probably put more miles on it than most people would and the roads in Michigan are not exactly the best lol . For just around town it was a great trailer

My new trailer is a yacht club. That brand is what the dealer sold. They showed me one and I didn't want anything to do with the basic trailer they were offering, already been there! I looked up what yacht club had for options and they make a really good trailer, just seems most dealers keep price point models in stock. I ended up ordering a heavy duty 5600lb gvw 3"x5" full frame, 14" wheels , real fenders, disc brakes with electric reverse lock out . I am beyond pleased with how it tows. I've put a couple thousand miles on it so far. I found out after it was ordered that they offer custom colors , 17" wheels etc. You can totally match one to the boat and make it fancy like a ski boat trailer!
2018 Tahoe ltz elite windshield powered by a 175 Mercury verado with sea legs
Rebuilt custom 20' 1983 riviera cruiser tritoon SOLD

2017 crew cab F-350 gets me to the lake !

Steiner
Posts: 390
Joined: Thu Aug 01, 2019 7:51 am
Location: Lyman, SC

Re: New to toons.

#28 Post by Steiner » Wed Sep 11, 2019 3:14 pm

Did they give you a retail price and sales price? I just looked at my invoice from July and before tax my sales price was 30% off total retail for boat/motor/trailer/freight/prep. Here you pay full sales tax on the trailer but the boat is capped at 5% on the first $10k or $500 max.....but they more than make up for it with property tax. I'm sure they told you the 2020s are probably starting off at least 5% over 2019 retail.

That was for my G3. I had priced a Sweetwater tritoon package at the local dealer in late June where I had bought my pontoon and he was at I reckon about 25% off retail but would have had to order it and I probably wouldn't even have it now.

My two trailers have both been Yacht Club tandem axle drive ons with the 5500gvw package and single axle surge brakes, ST145-12 radials. My round trip to the lake is 150 miles, made every two weeks. The new one I also installed a Fulton fold away tongue kit myself so it would fit in the shop (24x30, 29'3" usable) without having to swing it diagonal, previous one I was able to set the stop/steps enough forward to get total length under 29'.
2019 G3 SunCatcher V322 SS tritoon, Yamaha F200
2019 F-150 XLT SuperCrew FX4, 3.5L EcoBoost Max Trailer Tow Package

FogHorn
Posts: 56
Joined: Mon Jul 22, 2019 5:57 am

Re: New to toons.

#29 Post by FogHorn » Wed Sep 11, 2019 4:24 pm

Lilguy... it might be helpful to you if respondents knew your location. Many dealers supply trailers from local sources. My South Bay was supplied/mated with a Magnum trailer which is a central Texas mfr’r and known for good, basic trailers and a few custom models. It’s a two-axle (3500#ea), standard sprung with surge brakes (manual reverse-disable) and with 175/80/13 tires on steel wheels. It’s a basic model but well built with extra bracing at structural points that many trailers lack. Sells down in Tx for $3500 +or- new w/LED lighting and center-guides, plastic bunk-covers (rather than carpet that rots.) It pulls well and is easy to load.
2015 SouthBay 522FRC w/ F150 Yamaha
1983 Conroy X18 w/ Volvo 125 I/O

Lilguy
Posts: 27
Joined: Sun Sep 01, 2019 8:16 pm

Re: New to toons.

#30 Post by Lilguy » Wed Sep 11, 2019 6:57 pm

I live near the Fox River / Chain of Lakes system NW of Chicago.

The Harris Soltice list for $75,401.00 with a Merc 225.
Out the door with trailer $59,190.00
Im waiting for equipment/ price sheet on the South Bay.

I thinks list and sale prices are set by dealer. Not
Manufacturers SRP.

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