Pontoon Boat & Deck Boat Forum

I'm trying to decide if I want to get a tritoon or a deck boat to upgrade from my 20' toon. Any opinions as to which one is better for inshore pleasure boating?

Pontoon, especially with the coastal waves....

curtiscapk wrote:Pontoon, especially with the coastal waves....

Just wondering why you say that. I thought the deck boats were more stable in a chop. Am I reading something wrong?

Everyone has there own opinion I suppose but a deck boat rides on top of the wave while a pontoon cuts through the wave more or less. I have never felt tired after a day on a choppy lake riding on a pontoon. I can't say the same about a hulled boat!

curtiscapk wrote:Everyone has there own opinion I suppose but a deck boat rides on top of the wave while a pontoon cuts through the wave more or less. I have never felt tired after a day on a choppy lake riding on a pontoon. I can't say the same about a hulled boat!

Thanks, thats what I figured. I only have a 20' toon now and it doesn't handle the waves very good. Hoping maybe a 24' tri would fit my purposes better. I always use it in coastal waters up to 5-6 miles out but here in FL it can get pretty choppy very fast.

I would take a toon over a deckboat any day when there is a chop involved. Most of my offshore fishing buddies with bad backs have moved to these (same concept as pontoon vs deckboat):

http://www.worldcat.com/

A deck boat has a very high center of gravity with the seating on the top of the hull--more than down in the hull. And most are what used to be called trihulls--not deep v hull boats that cut the waves better. And it's true that the deck boat will beat you to death.

The tritoons will handle moderate choppy waves better than a deck boat. We've seen many pontoon owners get a deck boat--only to return to a tritoon that's more seaworthy and that rides better.

If I was going a deck boat, it would be the Bennington Azure that's no longer built. They're available used on Boattraders.com most of the time.

If you're going to leave a pontoon in saltwater all the time, you'd want to get it painted. And it's got to have special anodes as part of a saltwater package. But if you're taking it in and out of saltwater (trailering), you just need to hose the hull down when removing it from the water and flush the engine with fresh water.

I gave serious boat show consideration to a Splendor and a Starcraft, and ..

I bought a tune rigged for salt. I should be comfortable 8-10 miles out in the Gulf.

BobL wrote:I would take a toon over a deckboat any day when there is a chop involved. Most of my offshore fishing buddies with bad backs have moved to these (same concept as pontoon vs deckboat):

http://www.worldcat.com/

I had a 2006 Sea Cat in 2012, it rode smother than a deck boat or a deep V. It was smooth enough for most 2 to 3 foot waves in the Gulf. But, not smooth enough for my very bad back in a storm I was caught in ten miles off shore.

After the two months it took me before I could walk again (with a cane). I bought the Premier pontoon that I now have. As good as the Sea Cat was..... The Premier's Way a smoother dryer ride. And, as a bonus, I now have Bou Cou more HOT Florida sun protection than the Sea cat's T top gave me.... I sold the Sea Cat. A younger man with a stronger back bought it. There's a season for everything.

A Cat's Ok, But, NO WAY Jose as smooth as a pontoon.... And mine is only a dual toon. A triple is even better!

Rascal

I had a pontoon traded it for a deck. Boat had it 2 years. Guess. What I have now. Yep traded it for a pontoon. So my 2 cents worth. Stay away from the deck boat get the pontoon you will enjoy it more.

I had a 2007, 24 foot Splendor deck boat and loved it. My biggest concern was operating a stern drive in the salt water. I only had it in the salt water for 2 year in Panama City, Fl when it was new and in fresh water the last 5 year. The boat hull held up just fine but the motor needed some serious work due to rust and I flushed it meticulously.

After 7 years I just traded in the Splendor for a 23 foot Bennington tritoon with a 150 Yamaha outboard and I couldn't be happier unless I could've got the 300 hp... It handles the wave and chop very well and there's just more room to lounge around. I loved the deck boat but if you're gonna be in salt water definitely above all else, get an outboard motor. These new tritoons aren't anything like your grandfathers pontoons.

Ok I went out in rough water sunday in conditions that would have swamped my bass boat and the old 24 ft tracker pontoon handled it great . I had water washing across the deck plowing into waves and I wasnt worried about the boat , the motor on the other hand had me a bit concerned since it wasnt running right . On a standard boat it would have been painfull as hard as I hit some of the waves