hp for a 24' pontoon

[patpatrickc]

i have a 24' pontoon that has a 87 40hp evinrude....me and my wife have three kids that go with us and they really want to tube....now the question what size motor would i need to get to get this done the 40 just vibrates when we try to turn..thanks

 

[Drowned Rat]

Re: hp for a 24' pontoon

I would think a 90hp would do the job well, while a 70 or maybe even a 60 would be just barely enough.

 

[rogerwa]

Re: hp for a 24' pontoon

Whats the HP rating for your boat?? I have a 25' with a 90Hp (its max hp) and we tube. Its not the same ride I had with the bowrider, but its better thann nothing..

For comparison, I go about 20MPH towing a tube. That's with 8 people on the boat and 2 in the tube.

In my Bowrider, I used to run the tube in the upper twenties.

 

[rogerwa]

Re: hp for a 24' pontoon

One other thing that I would check on your current setup is whether your propped correctly. If you are not achieving full RPMs for your motor, a lower pitch prop may reinvigorate your setup. Also, check the height that your mtor is mounted. Often the motor is mounted too low and it struggles.

If you know your specs (speed on GPS, RPMs and prop pitch) you can caluclate your theoretical speed and the depature from your theoretical will indicate your prop slippage. I upgraded last summer from a 40 to a 90 and the larger blade surface gave me a much lower slippage, which = more efficiency from your motor.

 

[steelespike]

Re: hp for a 24' pontoon

With a careful setup and prop selection your 40 will stop venting and probably do about 17 mph with a light load.With your family somewhat less.
You could do a saucer,or a surf board, possibly a wake board though wake may be lacking.You might get the kids up on 2 skis.The 40 would use about 4 GPH(gallons per hour)at wot(wide open throttle.A 90 would do about 24 mph and you could tube and ski if you were not to fussy.The 90 would use about 9gph.at wot.It would use about the same amount on a lighter faster boat.
Cruising at 10 to 12 mph on the pontoon it would use about 2.5 gph
which could actually be less than the 40 at the same speed.

 

[TOHATSU GURU]

Re: hp for a 24' pontoon

At least a 70, but a 90 would be better. My first 24' pontoon had a 90 on the back and we could ski behind it. I have a 24' Bennington now with a 115. I weigh 200lbs and get up on a slalom ski ... All of the manufacturers put 40's on to keep the package price down and for 1/2 the people that buy a pontoon that's okay, but 16 mph to 18 mph is a tad too slow in my opinion.

 

[patpatrickc]

Re: hp for a 24' pontoon

thanks for all the help .....the limit on the boat is 115

 

[steelespike]

Re: hp for a 24' pontoon

At least a 70, but a 90 would be better. My first 24' pontoon had a 90 on the back and we could ski behind it. I have a 24' Bennington now with a 115. I weigh 200lbs and get up on a slalom ski ... All of the manufacturers put 40's on to keep the package price down and for 1/2 the people that buy a pontoon that's okay, but 16 mph to 18 mph is a tad too slow in my opinion.

I have to agree.I used to think a little (40hp)motor was ok because a toon is so slow anyway.But the 40 had to work its a-- off to make a reasonable speed. Under ideal setup a 90 could cruise easily at the 40s max speed and deliver close to the same gph through the 40s speed range.The max speed difference is marginal 4 to 6 mph with a huge increase in gph. But cruising speeds are pretty close in gph and the 90 is loafing.Of course price is a killer.

 

[DJ]

Re: hp for a 24' pontoon

We have two 22' toons. Both are powered by 75 HP Merc's. One 2-stroke, the other (newer) four stroke.

Any bigger toon and I'd go with a 90 Minimum.

We get 25 MPH at WOT on both, as a rule.