Pontoon Boat & Deck Boat Forum

Started looking at other brands tonight other than South Bay and wow is there a lot of good looking boats to choose from now! Pretty overwhelming. Lol. Anyways, there are some pretty decent deals on Crestliner Rally DX models but have never checked one out. Any opinions on them? Some of the Crest models look pretty good too,but again, I'm not familiar with them. I am looking for a 22-24' tritoon with at least a 150hp motor but the prices seem to have really increased over the last few years. I've been primarily looking at the Bennington and South Bay boats but it sure doesn't take long to hit some crazy numbers!! Just wondering if anybody has any suggestions on a good quality boat that might be a bit more budget friendly.

I think you'll find the #'s get crazy with everyone. Crest makes damn good boats, Crestliner I believe Is just getting back into pontoons.

All those brands make more budget friendly models.

[quote="Renegade"]Started looking at other brands tonight other than South Bay and wow is there a lot of good looking boats to choose from now! Pretty overwhelming. Lol. Anyways, there are some pretty decent deals on Crestliner Rally DX models but have never checked one out. Any opinions on them? Some of the Crest models look pretty good too,but again, I'm not familiar with them. I am looking for a 22-24' tritoon with at least a 150hp motor but the prices seem to have really increased over the last few years. I've been primarily looking at the Bennington and South Bay boats but it sure doesn't take long to hit some crazy numbers!! Just wondering if anybody has any suggestions on a good quality boat that might be a bit more budget friendly.[/quote]

Looked at a few of the crestliners and it looks they are built on a similar platform to the Harris/cypress Cay pontoons. Well built boats with a lot of options.

What is your price range? I just picked up a 2017 Crest Caliber 230, (23') with a Mercury 150hp on the back. Love the boat. But out the door, with a trailer, was 52k, if you're looking for something around 30k, you'll have to go used. So many good used mid tier boats out there.

Im looking for a toon. Retiring next year. Been looking at alot of different makes. So far I've narrowed it down to Sylvan and Veranda, but I aint done looking yet. Going to the Chicago boat show next year and see what kind of deal I can make.

[quote="brocja01"]What is your price range? I just picked up a 2017 Crest Caliber 230, (23') with a Mercury 150hp on the back. Love the boat. But out the door, with a trailer, was 52k, if you're looking for something around 30k, you'll have to go used. So many good used mid tier boats out there.[/quote]

Many nice tritoons with 150's can be had in the low to mid 30's. We paid mid 30's for ours and it's well equipped with pillow back seating, double bimini, full enclosure, tow bar, interior lighting, etc.

I looked at the Crestliners online. They're nothing to do with Crest pontoons. They appear to be okay, but they're certainly lacking in the 100+ seating configurations and many different lengths some of the industry leaders offer.

What I like is their statement, "Your Crestliner was built to deliver top-notch fuel economy. It's just another example of how Crestliner builds in the value." There's no such thing at top-notch fuel economy in a 24' barge with aerodynamics like a brick.

Crestliner is an old aluminum boat line, and I do remember them. The new Crestliner looks like a completely new company out of Minnesota. I cannot remember anyone on the bass boat forum ever mentioning them, so they look like a brand mainly used in the far north.

Crestliner never went way, just quit making pontoons around 2010. I went to marine surplus store that had a lot of their old stock when they quit the pontoon business to pickup some items for my rebuild. These new ones look nothing like the old ones, the older ones had a Unique look to them with the top 1/2 of the pontoons painted to match the interior color and were very well built chassis with middle of the road furniture. Up here the fishing boats are considered a mid-high range quality boat, hopefully the new pontoons are too.

I have a 1992 Crestliner 2485 LSI. It is their top of the line boat from that time. It is a beautiful, solidly built boat. I'd buy another one in a heartbeat!

We have a 2010 2365 Batata Bay with a 2006 Honda 115. Its a great looking Toon. Nowhere near as fast as I want it too be but I get by with the "Other" boat

We have a G3 SunCatcher V322 FC (22.5 ft) with a Yamaha 150, including trailer on order. It's a tritoon with several extras. We're paying just over $38,000 out the door.

Correction: $38,000 without taxes and registrationfees.

We have the same Crestliner as the one pictured above, except it is a tri-toon with underskin and lifting strakes, it has a 150 Merc on it.
Love the boat, no problems at all. Notice on the picture that the toons are painted above the waterline, looks real nice.

Also owned a Crestliner V-Hull Sportsman fishing boat. Also a great boat. Crestliner makes a sturdy boat.