First Pontoon Questions

[4wheeldeal]

So here is the deal, wifes due with our second little boy in may so we are looking for a pontoon for next year. Most likely order one in the fall of this year or boat show next year.

Just got back from a local boat show. The brands I like are Legend, Bennington, Starcraft, lowe. Basically all the ones with taller and solid side panels, not the old school open rail. I'm in Ontario looking at spending 40-45K I would be happy spending alot less but I want something to last me 10 years and not have to upgrade the motor or something stupid.

My first question... I've been on a bunch of old pontoons 15 years old etc, and one new starcraft twin tube. 23 foot. It's my uncles and I love it but its a twin tube with only a 60hp yamaha 4stroke. I have not been on a tri toon with a bigger motor, nor have I been on a twin tube with planning strikes. I'm hearing different stories from different sales guys, some say I can get mid 30s from a twin tube with a 115hp others say I need a tri toon? We still have ice and will for a few more weeks so I want to know will I be able to get mid to low 30mph with say a 115hp twin toon with lifting strikes or is this BS sales talk? Note I'm leaning to a 140hp Suzuki vs 115hp.

Second question... What is the actual weight of a pontoon, they say the hull is 1900 to 2600lbs and motor is 500lbs say trailer is 500lbs so 3000 to 3800lbs? is that correct or is there a wet weight gear etc? Im use to snowmobiles and dry weight but add fluids snow etc my 435lbs sled is 530lbs on the trail any day.

Thanks, note I'm not new to boating, trailering, etc etc. But this is my first pontoon or $ boat purchase. Its for the family and not just me, if it was me I would have an Allison XR2002 or a BR2100 checkmate. But Those days are over after baby #2. But Im sure I will have a blast with the family on it for years to come.

[steveiam]

First of all welcome to the site~

I cant help you with those questions but somebody will be along that can in short time-
there is some very good information in here from some great folks-
Enjoy the new toon and congrats on the new baby!

[04Ram2500Hemi]

We bought a 21ft Starcraft Pontoon with the 115hp motor last year, and for the most part it's a great boat. My only grumble is top speed. If I'm by myself and the water is perfect I can squeak 34-35mph out of the boat. Once we load the cooler and put four adults in the boat, 20-22mph is the max. I really wish we would have bought a tri-toon with a bigger motor. Maybe in a few years we will upgrade.

[4wheeldeal]

We bought a 21ft Starcraft Pontoon with the 115hp motor last year, and for the most part it's a great boat. My only grumble is top speed. If I'm by myself and the water is perfect I can squeak 34-35mph out of the boat. Once we load the cooler and put four adults in the boat, 20-22mph is the max. I really wish we would have bought a tri-toon with a bigger motor. Maybe in a few years we will upgrade.

Your top speed with you sounds fine but wow i didnt expect it to drop that much i guess thats where the tri toon comes in. Interesting. The 216 and 236 are on my short list too. Do you have lifting strakes?

[ralph]

I have a 20' Sweetwater with a 90 HP Yamaha and 27" pontoons. The "wet" weight is about 2500 lbs. With 2 people and a full tank of fuel I'm just under 30 MPH at wide open throttle. Speed is not one of my main concerns and I really don't think about it too much (I'm older anyway so I don't care). We mostly just cruise around up to 3200 RPM at best. I just don't like beating my equipment.

My pontoons do have the lifting strakes so I would imagine this does help. I don't know for sure, but my belief is that tritoons need the extra HP because your pushing more volume through the water. I am confident that you will see over 30 MPH on two pontoons with lifting strakes and a 115HP engine. The best suggestion I have for you would be to test drive one if you have the opportunity

[curtiscapk]

my 20 year old 24 footer with a 115 gets 22 with just me and 20 loaded. Strakes do wonders! with a 140 hp no worries hitting 30 minimum

[4wheeldeal]

I have a 20' Sweetwater with a 90 HP Yamaha and 27" pontoons. The "wet" weight is about 2500 lbs. With 2 people and a full tank of fuel I'm just under 30 MPH at wide open throttle. Speed is not one of my main concerns and I really don't think about it too much (I'm older anyway so I don't care). We mostly just cruise around up to 3200 RPM at best. I just don't like beating my equipment.

My pontoons do have the lifting strakes so I would imagine this does help. I don't know for sure, but my belief is that tritoons need the extra HP because your pushing more volume through the water. I am confident that you will see over 30 MPH on two pontoons with lifting strakes and a 115HP engine. The best suggestion I have for you would be to test drive one if you have the opportunity

With a 90 that sounds about what ive heard for speed as well, im starting to think that the tri toons just get the nose up more and give it maybe 2 to 3 mph more. Not sure handling diffs.

Funny you mention test drives. The local lowes dealer claims they are the biggest in ontario but dont have a boat i can test drive. I want to test a two toon with strakes and a tri toon with strakes. I have time this summer but once fall hits marinas shut down for the winter.

[Bamaman]

A properly setup 2 toon boat with lifting strakes is going to be faster than a tritoon with or without strakes of the same horsepower. But it will not be nearly as seaworthy or handle as well as the tritoon.

Throw any 2 toon boat into a tight turn, and the outside toon is going to dig deep into the water--slowing down your speed greatly. It's nice to have maximum allowable horsepower to quickly get it back up to speed when the boat's straightened out.

I've got a Starcraft 2 toon pontoon with a Yamaha 115 hp 2 stroke. It accelerates great up to a speed where it hits a wall--just won't go any faster. It's part of being a displacement hull.

My new boat is a Bennington 24SSLX tritoon with a Yamaha F150 4 stroke. Take it from me, and don't waste your time or money considering anything less if you'll ever be doing any water sports, tubing, etc. It's nice being to be able to run 40 mph in case you need to outrun storms, etc. The tritoon is the way to go and a 150 hp is so much more motor tan a 115 hp.

[04Ram2500Hemi]

We bought a 21ft Starcraft Pontoon with the 115hp motor last year, and for the most part it's a great boat. My only grumble is top speed. If I'm by myself and the water is perfect I can squeak 34-35mph out of the boat. Once we load the cooler and put four adults in the boat, 20-22mph is the max. I really wish we would have bought a tri-toon with a bigger motor. Maybe in a few years we will upgrade.

Your top speed with you sounds fine but wow i didnt expect it to drop that much i guess thats where the tri toon comes in. Interesting. The 216 and 236 are on my short list too. Do you have lifting strakes?

We do have lifting strakes on our toons. The hull shot is great, it's just top end where it hits a wall. Next time I'll get a tri-toon with a bigger motor. For now I'll just pack a bigger cooler to make sure I never have to worry about dehydration.

[ralph]

Bamaman and 04Ram is correct on the performance of the tri-toons. They are better handling without a doubt.

[baumann6]

I have a South Bay 522cr and I get about 26mph top speed and it is a twin tube with no lifting strakes.

[Littlehoe]

speaking from 100% experience, I have had the identical boat in both 2 toon with strakes and as a tritoon, both fitted with the same yamaha 115 engine. Its a 23 foot xcursion, pretty sure shes a heavy girl too but best I can do fully loaded is in that 24-25mph mark. 2 of us on calm water hit 29 last year and that was the fastest I have ever got her....

If I was doing it again (which I wish I could) I would go with a 150 or 200 or 250, the biggest engine I could legally put on the boat as well as the biggest I could afford. Learn from my mistakes, if you are financing the boat and plan to keep it go big right off the start, trust me.

[Palazzoblues]

After awning a 93 Master Craft for 23 years, and still do , We decided our next and second boat would be a pontoon. So, we ended up with an Aqua Patio sun lounger. This is a triple toon/lifting strakes and a Yamaha 250 SHO. It will do 53 with two adults and 2 teenagers on board and get there real quick. The only regret I have is not going with the 350 V8 outboard.

[mpilot]

With a 115 a tritoon and two toon with lifting strakes will be close to the same speed as you don't have enough HP to get the full advantage of the third toon. With a 150 it is similar but not many manufacturers put a 150 on two toon boats. The big advantage is handling and rough water stability with the third toon. Sweetwater makes a package on a 22 foot boat with 27 inch toons with the big lifting strakes and a 115 Yamaha that will run low to mid 40's with two people on board. We test drove one a couple of years ago and it was quick out the hole and handled okay in rougher water but not quite what a tritoon will do. The tritoon we have on order is actually a little slower than that boat but it will handle better which is what we want.

[4wheeldeal]

Update.

Stopped in a a few dealers. Rode a 21 sunchaser with tri-toon hmx planing strakesm full length tube with a 140 Suzuki. I like it. I stupidly didnt gps it but the speedo said 34mph on a short wot run like 1000ft. Handles great felt like a boat not a pontoon no flex over the waves.

So basically the same packege in the showroom starcraft rear lounger, vinyl floor hmx. Tritoon same 140ho was 39k but it was sold. This is cnd fyi. Marshes marine is where that one was. Very very nice guys to deal with straight up no bs.

New questions...

1.Should i get the part tritoon called pts or full length tritoon called hmx?

2. Will there be huge handling differences?

3. Will there be huge speed diffs?

Anyone with experiance with these new short tritoon package? I could save some money or use that money to get a bigger motor?

Also... I talked to another dealer BRP is the way i want to go.. Im a skidoo guy so etec 135ho is an amazing motor. 148hp for cheaper then a 150. Just heard that the g2 150 will be out for 2017 thats amazing but im sure its too much $ for me. Trying to get a trailer tax in deal for little or 50k.

Anyways thanks for everyones help. Im sold just the details might change who knows boat might change too but its happening in the fall or boat show.

Mike