HP??

[lovemx]

Time for another dumb question. As stated in another topic I just bought a Harris with a 225 Verado. Haven't picked it up yet as I am waiting on a trailer. It is used and I did drive it. I got it to 41MPH. Here is my question. In reviewing this forum and talking with sales persons. 40mph is not unheard of for simialar boats with a 150hp setup. I have also read on here that around 40 for a 225 is also common. Shouldn't a pontoon with a 225 go faster than one with a 150?? I am very happy with 40mph and have no problem with that being top speed just looking for thoughts?

[Cycleman07]

There are so many variables to consider regarding this. It is possible the boat is propped wrong, motor height is off, or it could be just what you are going to get. For informational purposes my South Bay 524E with 2 tubes, strakes, and underskinning hits GPS'ed 36mph with a light load and a Mercury Fourstroke 150

[Bamaman]

Pontoon boats are not planing hulls, but displacement hulls. They will use "X" horsepower to get to a specific speed, and every mph over that takes much more horsepower. And 30 mph may be the point of no return on a 2 pontoon boat.

People use lifting strakes and a third pontoon to fool the boats to get "up on a plane", but they're still not as efficient as a single planing hull boat of the same weight.

3 toons take sufficient horsepower just due to their inherent weight, wind drag and ultimately water drag to overcome. And 40 mph may be the point of no return on a 3 toon boat with lifting strakes.

Ever notice how it takes 100 horsepower just to get 3-4 mph more than a 150 hp?

But I'll admit that a 150 hp will not handle a heavy passenger load as well as 250 hp. And I'm sure the 250 hp will pull skiers substantially better than 150 hp.

But I personally went with 150 hp as a compromise between decent performance and economy (initial cost and fuel mileage.) And realistically, I don't do that much cruising over 30 mph anyway.

[smoker62]

Bama, I am looking at a 24 ssrx with an etec 150. It has the full center tube not the express. It is not the higher perf oval tube but the full length standard 25 with strakes. Does yours have the center tube ? What speeds would you think with the full 25 center tube. Dealer says mid 30's which seems honest.

Dealer is asking 38,500 for a ssrx, upgrades are tri toon, etec 150, in floor storage, sea star hydraulic with power assist, upgraded pillow top upholstery, dual recliners,extended aft deck,upgrade stereo, gps speedo.

[Bamaman]

I have the Express Tube, and the full center tube you're talking about would be preferable. My question about the ETEC 150 hp is is it a HO model? Note: Evinrude's HO is a hotter engine in porting and horsepower than the regular 150 hp.

When shopping for my boat, I was looking at a Manitou Oasis with three 25" toons--not their high performance hull. The dealer, who sold Honda, ETEC and Yamaha, really liked the 150 HO motors on that boat, and said it was good for 43 mph.

It seems that Yamaha's are sold on most Benningtons, as Yamaha and Bennington have a tight business arrangement. That means Yamaha motors (ordered thru the Bennington factory) are perhaps less expensive than some other engine brands.

I would say that the price quoted is very good, given pillow top upholstery, in floor storage, extended aft deck and power assist Sea Star are very expensive options. That SSRX seating arrangement is tops in my book. And you'll really enjoy the aft deck.

One thing that's nice about the ETEC is it doesn't have to be broken in. See if the dealer will do an in water demo on the boat. After 5 minutes warming it up, throw the pedal to the metal and see what it'll do after you trim the engine up. I'm sure you'll be satisfied.

[smoker62]

Thanks Bama, not the HO just a standard . My only complaint is the 21 gal fuel tank. My SB with a 115 has a 28 and it seems too small . Plus I think the deck is 1 foot smaller.

[Bamaman]

Smoker: I don't have any problem with a 21 gallon tank. With 90/10 gasoline causing so many problems, a smaller tank does have its advantages. I have never used that much gasoline in a day anyway.

[Bryden24shp]

You have to figure in your weight difference between the Verado 225 and the 150, too. My 225 Verado weighs 625 pounds, a 150 Pro weighs about 200 pounds lighter. That there takes about 5 to 10 mph off.

[Nautical]

People use lifting strakes and a third pontoon to fool the boats to get "up on a plane", but they're still not as efficient as a single planing hull boat of the same weight.

I love I/Os. I've never owned a boat but I've ridden in them, driven in them, rented them, etc. I love the look of them the most. I'm getting ready to buy a boat and of course started out looking at the good I/Os like Chaparral and Cobalt and the like. I wasn't even considering a pontoon 6 months ago. I've jokingly and lightly made fun of pontoons calling them "the minivans of the sea" and telling a story I made up about how they were invented by a Larry the Cable guy type with two spent beer kegs, a sheet of plywood and a loud "watch this" or "look ma." However, after riding in a few, shopping, comparing and reading (a lot on sites like this one) I've come to recognize their many advantages, one of which is supposed to be fuel economy. I'm now shopping for either a Benny or a Manitou with the upgraded 3 tube package and a 225 or 250 outboard and I'm comfortable and happy with that decision.

A long way to come when I could have just asked my question right here So one of those advantages . . . I thought . . . was that they were MORE fuel efficient mainly because of the outboard engine. Planing hull vs. displacement hull nothwithstanding I even read statistics that supported this. Fuel economy is important to me so I'd really like to know for sure! So if we forgive that a 350 car engine in a modern I/O has a much higher top speed, which boat at "normal cruising speed" will burn more fuel?

[Bamaman]

Nautical:

The outboard manufacturers have performance reports on their websites that show mph and mpg for different brands of boats and different sizes of outboard motors. They're a good place to research a boat that would fit your needs.

I've had two inboard outboard bow rider boats (and still have one.) I've also had pontoon boats since 1985. My thoughts on I/O's are that the marine salvage yards are full of I/O hulls with the engines out. They're fine the first 7-8 years, but they require pretty major maintenance when they get old. I have done entirely too many mechanical repairs on I/O's.

With an outboard, you can repower them in 2 hours by hanging another engine on the boat. I've always been assured that that outboard's going to start when I touch the key. And modern outboards, whether 2 or 4 strokes, are big improvements over old generation motors in every way.

The pontoon/tritoon boats are now so plush in seating, and the floorplans offered really spoil you to having so much room. To get that much room and people carrying capability in a full hulled boat, the boat would have to be incredibly large, heavy and invariably tough on fuel.

[Bryden24shp]

Nautical, I'm an old I/O guy myself. I owned several outbaords in the 80's when I first started boating. Then went to I/O's. Last was a 525 hp in my 272 Baja. Family grew, Baja went and pontoon came. I agree with my buddy, Bama! Outboards have come such a long way. My Verado is 310 HP, it gets 3.2 MPG at 3000 RPMS. Burning 90-93 octane. WOT gets 1.8 6250 RPM's and 52 MPH (GPS). My last 350 in a Baja 22 Caliber got about 2.5 at 2800 RPM's and at WOT got .8 MPG 5200 RPM's and 62 MPH.
When I'm out tomorrow, I'll set my S/C to GPH instead of MPG and see what I get. I had it written in my files, somewhere when I was testing props, but can't find it in my boat info folder.
...Bryan

[Mosnowman]

Lovemx..

I have a new Harris Tritoon Cruiser 240CX with a Verado 150. My top end with two of us has been around 36 mph. I agree the BIG difference will be with a fully loaded boat! When I have 10 people on board my top end declines significantly...I don't think yours will due to power. With a lot of people on board I get to about 30mph max. My guess is you will see the difference between 150 & 250 when the load is heavy....

Bottom line...you will LOVE your new Harris! Enjoy!!!!!