best pontoon

[newtopontoonboating]

Hi we are new to the world of boating. We are looking for a pontoon boat but not sure what to buy. We are lookging for something under 20k, I have been reading some of the questions asked from years ago about what is the best? I don't know what all the terms mean, what motor is the best. I have read that you don't want less than 90hp as my husband would like to pull a tube. I would like something that holds 10-12 people, something with a lifetime warranty not a limited lifetime warranty. Just want to make sure I get the right boat without getting taken. Can anyone help me? thanks!

 

[The Rooster]

Re: best pontoon

Welcome !!! Where and how you plan on using your boat will be important considerations, but if you are going to be carrying 10-12 people on a regular basis, I'd suggest 24' as a starting point. I'm not sure I've ever heard of a complete lifetime warranty for everything on the boat. I think you are in the right HP range w/ a 90 for pulling tubes. Might be tough with your budget for a brand new rig w/ that much HP. There are plenty of good brands these days to choose from, and one thing I would look for would be cross members spaced every 18" instead of 24". Good luck !!!

 

[lncoop]

Re: best pontoon

Welcome aboard. Rooster is right. A regular crew of ten to twelve calls for a 24 footer. He's also right when he says a brand new rig that would meet your needs would exceed your budget, so you need to focus less on a warranty and more on finding a quality used rig. The nice thing about barges is the diminished potential for hidden issues. There are several threads in this section about what to look for in a used rig. I'd suggest reading through those then beginning the search in earnest. If you run across one you find compelling let us know and we'll be glad to give you whatever guidance we can. Good luck, and remember, the search is half the fun.

 

[newtopontoonboating]

Re: best pontoon

Thanks, I appreciate you getting back to me. I have been reading but still have so many questions, as I am not sure of the technical terms and don't want to get something that isn't good. I am not sure there will always be 10-12 people, I have a large family and we tend to do things together alot. Of course we get the boat and people come out like flies but we do spend a good bit of time with family.What brand engine is good? With gas being so high now what is the average cost of being on the lake for a day? I searched on boat trader and found I think some really good deals. I found a 2004 Weeres Special 200 Yamaha 40 but not sure if the 40 means Hp or what. Do you have any suggestions? I got the lifetime warranty from a section not sure who it was from. Thanks again!

 

[mmcneice]

Re: best pontoon

Welcome! I see you are from Georgia. A friend of mine picked up a new Bentley 22 with a 115 Merc for just under $20K (no trailer) at a dealer near Gainsville, GA. Good luck on your search...

 

[rrhodes]

Re: best pontoon

I am running a 25' TriToon with a Honda 115hp.. If there are 4 of us on board everyone can stretch out, if 12 people want to come out then they can...

As far as cost in gas that depends on how you run it and what you do.. running wide open on mine burns about 9 gph.. So tubing can run through some fuel but cruising at 18-20mph on mine is not too bad. I figure $40-$50 per day average if we mix up Tubing, cruising and swimming. My boat holds 55 gallons and a day usually burns through 1/4 tank... Heavy Tubing and rolling at 27mph can burn almost a half of a tank...

 

[ezrollin]

Re: best pontoon

Here are some signs of a quality boat:Larger diameter tubes for a given size boat,marine plywood for decking,not all are,stainless sell deck fasteners,thru bolts are better than screws.Do a search on 2 and 4 stroke motor both have pros and cons,then make your choice.If you're gonna trailer make sure the trailer is adequate for your boat.I just read a post were a guy had to exchange a single axle trailer for a tandem.

 

[rrhodes]

Re: best pontoon

Just to add a little, All of your lifetime warranties will be limited. Pontoons typically come with a deck and Log warranty but abuse of either will render it void. Most of these are non-transferable. So you are looking for a Brand new (To get a warranty) pontoon with at least a 90hp outboard. This will limit your search quit a bit but it can be done. Bentley has a plant here in SC and they have Boats in your range, Bentley Pontoon Boats are backed by a limited express warranty. (Whatever that means)

The motors will come with a manufacturers warranty, My Honda has a 5 year warranty. Everything else is between 1 and 2 years.

More important than any of that is dealer support. Do your research on dealers because most of the complaints I read are not about the boat or motors, they are about how the dealer responds after the sale to take care of any potential issues. If I was buying and my budget was under $20k I would look at lightly used Pontoons, you can get a lot more boat and motor for your money. As long as they were taken care of and the motor is in good shape you could end up in a $30k+ Boat for $20k and may still have an engine warranty to boot.

 

[southernboater]

Re: best pontoon

We are fellow Georgians and bought our first boat, 22 ft Manitou Ospry Pontoon, two years ago. It is a 2006 Manitou with a 90 horse Honda and came with depthfinder, trawling motor, trailer and a few other goodies. We found it on Iboats for $15,000 on consignment with a dealer. I felt more confortable buying from a dealer since this was our first boat. Down side was that we had to drive eight hours each way to get it, but no regrets. Don't buy on impulse, wait for your deal - its out there.

 

[lamac]

Re: best pontoon

I have a Mercury 90 hp 4 stroke and it has a 5 year warranty also. Honda is not the only motor with a 5 yr warranty. This is my first 4 stroke engine and I will not buy another 2 stroke motor. The 4 stroke engine is very quiet does not smoke like a 2 stroke motor and is very good on gas. The upkeep on a 4 stroke is much easier also. I would suggest looking into this issue before buying. Buying a good used boat would be a great option for you take your time. There is some new boats around your price range I think you could make a deal.
Good Luck

 

[lncoop]

Re: best pontoon

The upkeep on a 4 stroke is much easier also.

Really? A properly running two stroke will require nothing more than a new impeller and LU lube every couple of years and occasionally a new set of spark plugs. Pretty sure four strokes have considerably more maintenance needs than that. Not knocking them as they have many desirable characteristics, just calling into question your assertion regarding upkeep. Also, generally speaking two strokes have better hole shot.

 

[rrhodes]

Re: best pontoon

4 strokes require more maintenance than 2 strokes, however they typically last longer if properly maintained. As far as hole shot. I don't think you will really notice this on a pontoon as much as a bass boat.

1. quiet
2. no smoke
3. no oil to mess with on a regular basis
4. fuel efficient (Not really noticeable unless you track your fuel usage for years)


Most mechanics will tell you that you will get AT LEAST twice the life out of a 4 stroke and that is where you will save the money. The average life of a 4 stroke is 3500hrs and a 2 stroke is around 2500hrs but I will bet the rebuild on a 4 is higher than a 2...

I think when you come down to it the 2 stroke vs 4 stroke comes down to personal preference. the newer 2 strokes like the Etec run clean and efficient. They have a cult following that swear they are the best thing since sliced bread and I don't have any personal experience that would lead me to believe one way or the other.

I should also clear up that when I said my Honda had a 5 year warranty I was not saying that others don't, I believe most have 5 years on new motors.

Personally I like the 4 strokes, Yamaha or Honda but that is because I don't want to worry about buying 2 stroke oil.

 

[Silver Eagle]

Re: best pontoon

See if there are any boat shows going on in your area. The dealers don't like to bring back the boats thay take to them ,you can get some pretty good deals that way. Also try Ebay. I don't like that way but you can find some pretty cheap buys there.It all depends on how far your willing to travel to get one. I have a 24fter 90 hp with a trailer. I bought it two years ago and paid $13,800 The boat is a Starcraft (07), and the trailer is a 5 Starr (06).The motor is under warrenty to the end of 2012.It's a Merc.

 

[Mr_Shamrock]

Re: best pontoon

I can give my opinion on the 22' Bennington that we bought new in 2007 (2008 model). It has been a great boat, but was quite a bit more than 20K new. Hindsight I would look for a good used one. There are pro's to buying new, but if you do the research and really have a used boat/motor checked you can obviously save a bundle. Anyway, we have had 7 adults and 4 kids on our boat and we were comfortable. That's about all I would want on our 22 footer though. We opted for the largest motor it was rated for which is a 150 Yamaha 4 stroke. I can't say enough about this motor. It pushes the boat well and is SUPER quiet. I have always had offshore boats with 2 strokes and while the power was great the noise and smoke got annoying when just cruising around at slow speeds. My only complaint on the Bennington which will be with about any toon is the carpet. It has held up well, but requires a lot of cleaning. You have to be real careful around here with this clay as it wants to stain. We have had a steam cleaner come out a few times and it does come back close to new, but there are a few spots that aggravate me. That is about the only thing I miss about the fiberglass boats.

 

[Mr Crabbs]

Re: best pontoon

Our Merc came with a five year warranty, the SunTracker comes with a lifetime warranty on the welds. I don't think you could give a lifetime warranty on anything else, sunshine, water and time are just too persistent.

We have a 20' boat, you'll want 24' at least.

 

[Bamaman1]

Re: best pontoon

I have a 24' Starcraft w/Yamaha 115 hp 2 stroke. I wouldn't want to carry 10-12 people on it. I suggest you look for a good used 28' unless you can reduce your "guest list." 28 footers are getting hard to find, as shorter boats are easier to handle and tow.

You've received a lot of good suggestions above--from experienced pontoon people. After careful study, I suggest always buying a pontoon boat with either the largest horsepower motor allowed--or one size smaller if the budget is tight.

For $20K, you'll probably need to take your time to find "a deal" in a used boat. If you're in Georgia, there are hundreds and hundreds of pontoon boats around Atlanta on Lakes Alatoona and Lanier--la la land for all boats. Florida obviously has a huge retail boat market. You've also got the South Carolina lakes 1 hour up I-85 from the edge of Atlanta--around Anderson/Clemson, SC. EBayMotors.com and BoatTrader.com are great places to watch, and you can filter for mileage from your zip code. Sometimes you've got to be willing to drive a little to save a lot.