Buying first pontoon, need advise/suggestion

[winty03]

Good Afternoon Everyone,

Looking for some guidance, and or suggestions. Like many, we have out-grown our runabout. We currently have a 05 Glastron GX 185, and its just not able to hold our growing family. After a few years of "fighting" with the idea and mulling it over, the way to go is with a pontoon. We have never owned one, let alone even rode on one, that I can remember?!?! Doing a bit of looking online, it seems there are 50 some manufactures and MANY layouts of each model.

Our main needs are...
Hold 11-15 people
Kids swimming from craft would be our main use, anchored middle of lake
Have available shade/sleeping area for infants/small children during long days on the water
Pull a 2 person tube (kids) nothing wild or crazy

Looked into Suntracker just because it was the only manufacture I could think of. Looking keep the purchase around 30k.

Please post with your suggestions and reasoning. If there is any sites or links that would help in decision making, please post those too.

Thanks

 

[WaterDR]

Re: Buying first pontoon, need advise/suggestion

Phew, there could be a million responses this one (lol).

I would say look for a 22 to 24 ft boat. Might be best served to get one with either a full bimini or two individual ones to shade the entire boat. Those are hard to come by and not typically offered. All of them have about 50% shade covers though.

For pulling a tube, a 115 would be adequate for a boat in this size range. $30K is a reasonable budget. It will be very hard to find new in that size range for much under 30k with a 115. Some can be $40K.

BUT, if you can get by with a 20 footer and a 90 hp or less, the prics will drop a bunch.....even under $20k.

This is actually late in the season to be buying a toon believe or not. Most inventory around here is gone. So, what is left is what is left and dealers are starting to mark them down for quick sales. After the 4th, things really drop off. Prices are probably about as good as they will get, but slim pickings.

There are a lot of great makes and models! Usually best for a new owner to pick one that is pretty close to home for help.

BTW, when my kids were little, our 20 footer with a 40 hp motor was plenty fast for tubing for them. For kids under 5, anything over 15 mph is pretty fast to them. By the time they are 10 or 12, they are yawning and 25 mph is more like it. You really don't want to tube faster than that IMO.

Good luck!

BTW, as to brands, check out Bentley if you have a dealer in your area. Here ares ome great examples of their boats froma local dealer for me:

This one is just a 20 footer but has a 90 hp....under $20k.

http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/wsh/bod/3060911638.html

 

[winty03]

Re: Buying first pontoon, need advise/suggestion

I believe, looking at some pontoons bimini's,a single setup will be suffient for shade we are looking for. 115HP outboard would be what we would get the most use out of. We have a 10, 4, and 3 year old that would get many years of fun out of the upgraded motor.

When is the best time to look for inventory? Jan, Feb? Also looking at a few more models it is hard to telling the difference between the model or lines of a manufacture. Is there much difference? The website don't have pricing so it's hard to tell what's base model and which is luxury model.

Also would like some reassurance, we would be towing this pontoon with an 03 Murcery Mountianeer premier 4.0 v6. I've read that there isn't much weight to pontoons versus our runabout. We it be able to handle towing down highways?

Thanks

 

[5150abf]

Re: Buying first pontoon, need advise/suggestion

You are in luck sir, model change in the pontoon world is mid summer and dealers often give very good deals on last years models, still a brand new boat with all the warranty ect but it is last years boat.

Get out to local dealers and see what is out there local, that si a key, you don't want a dealer that is an hour or two away, find one that si close that seems like they will help you out when something goes bad and you need the warranty.

As you said there are 50+ builders and a millin flavors of boats so anything you could want is out there and all of them make boats in you price range.

With 11-15 people you are looking at a minimum of a 22' and I think that may get tight so probably a 24-25 would work best but of coarse those can be a bit more being bigger.

Get out to a dealer and see what is out there.

 

[The Rooster]

Re: Buying first pontoon, need advise/suggestion

Excellent advice "Winty". ^^^ For a crew that large, 24'+ would be nice. I would be a little concerned about towing w/ your V6 rig if you will be travelling longer distances. Toons catch a lot of wind at highway speeds, and then there's the stopping. something to consider. Good luck !!!

 

[WaterDR]

Re: Buying first pontoon, need advise/suggestion

A 24ft Pontoon is MUCH larger than a 20ft. Okay, it's only four feet, but seriously, they feel much bigger, tend to be a lot heavier, need more power to push and also seem to come with a lot more amenities. i think if you went 20 it would feel small. If you went 22 or 24, depending on the layout, you will be fine.

I have a 24 footer, that is more like 26 ft with the swim platform. I pull it with a Chrysler Pacifica. It pulls fine. Your tow vehicle will be more than adequate especially for short distances. We are now in a wet slip because I got tired of all the towing and launch nonsense, but I pay dearly for it.

so, when is the best time to get a deal? I think anytime of the year BUT april to june is about the best. But, inventory and selection is much better in the spring. It also really depends on how the season went for the dealers. Around here, there is little inventory left. My dealer sold 200+ pontoons this year by early May. He has no toons left. Last year, he sold 100. Mercury is 8 weeks behind on motors which is also another concern. There are still places with boats here. Perhaps it was a model that did not sell well, but will work well for you. Perhaps someone factory ordered one and then changed their mind. Happens a lot especially when dealers were only wanting $500 for a deposit. some dealers just planned better and bought enough boats.

IMO, if you want a good price, look for ones that are already advertised with boat and motor. This means the dealer has it water ready. It has been my opinion that when they are "water ready" they are priced to move better. Also, some of the large dealers have a simple pricing scheme. They will give you a base price with a say a 60hp and then tell you what each motor upgrade costs.

Some dealers are also affiliated with marinas around here. This means you might be able to negotiate a new boat and then get a free slip for the rest of the season if they still have slips. Three years ago, they were doing this with any new boat purchase. This year at our marina, the slips were all gone in early Feb for the season.

Lastly, I have notice that some of the larger dealers are able to get specials. This means that they order a slew of boats with upgrades, but they don't charge you for the upgrades. Sort of like with cars. We have a local Premier dealer that orders a few hundred Sunsations....they can't be beat on that package because of their add-ons. if they have any left, they will want them gone before the 2013's show up. i am not sure when that is.

Good luck with your search. It can be daunting, but fun.

 

[winty03]

Re: Buying first pontoon, need advise/suggestion

We don't plan on launching it with the Mountianeer, we would use a Chevy 1500. We have a yearly trip up north in MN that pushes 4 hrs for us, is the big haul. Once there we would swap tow vehicles and launch with the 1500. On the way up the 1500 has the camper, and the Mountianeer is left for the boat.

I think we will end up traveling to a bigger dealer some place in MN, because the local dealer has 2 pontoons in house. We are in no rush to purchase, we have talked about moving to a pontoon for awhile. So 24' , 115hp outboard, how did you decide on manufacture? There's so many? Ever post I read it's a different manufacture.

 

[WaterDR]

Re: Buying first pontoon, need advise/suggestion

For me, I was thinking about going with a Bently, Birkshire, Premier, Benny, or Sylvan. I ended up with the Sylvan only because of the deal I got which was 5 to 6k lower than I could find the same boat even on a nation-wide search.

If you want some dealer suggestions in MN (near the TC's) let me know and I can offer some good suggestions. Dan's Southside Marine http://www.danssouthsidemarine.com/ has a really good reputation and have a lot of boats. The sales folks seem to be really great. They sell Birkshire and Premier.

 

[winty03]

Re: Buying first pontoon, need advise/suggestion

Southside ends up being like 10 blocks from my sister in Bloomington, so we might have to swing by. I was intrested in the Premier pontoons. Do you have enough knowlege to tell me which pontoon line or package would be close to the 30 to mid 30's range? I was just browsing thier touring line of pontoons, but have no idea what price range they end up in.

 

[WaterDR]

Re: Buying first pontoon, need advise/suggestion

If you look at the 220 Sunsation series, they are priced at a little over $27,000 with a 115 four stroke from them. If you buy from them, they upgrade the boat to the 25inch tubes, berber carpet, and 7 star helm chair. It's a package special to the dealer. If you go with the triple tube package, it comes to $31K but that also includes either a 140 or 150 hp motor (I don't recall) and hydraulic steering as well as a few other features. IMO, the extra 4k is WELL worth it. That IS the package to get IMO. No one will ever regret a third tube or a bigger motor. The motor, tube, and steering is easily worth 7k more. BUT, it is easier for me to spend your money than I can spend mine.

Also, they carry Birkshire which is a new line for them. VERY NICE looking boats. very elegant looking and more up to date, IMO, than the Premier's from a style stand point. Boat for boat, I think the Birskire's are nicer looking, but you will pay a little more for the same boat, but not much. They have a lot of nice touches like many styles with rear teak floors which look very nice. Elegant interiors, helms, etc.... Boats that must be appreciated in person. The Birkshire Entertainer is the nicest pontoon I have ever seen and runs around $40k. It's a 26 footer with a full galley (bar). Amazing boat. We nearly bought one.

I paid around $25k for my toon listed in my sig. I went with the Sylvan over the other options ONLY because of the deal that I got. This boat was bought from a dealer that lost their floor plan and bank took it. My dealer got four in at noon and they were all sold by 5 pm the same day. Everyone else had my boat priced at 31+k. My boat is a bit longer then those 22's and I prefered the lay-out of my 8524LZ which has the rear racing lounge chairs. Looking back, a third toon and a bigger motor would have been better for us, but would have run me a lot more than the 25k. I went cheap in the end a bit for us, but still got a very nice boat.

Also, if you are headed up through the area and want to look, try Boat Doctors Marine and ask for Kathy.

http://www.boatdoctormarine.com/

Their web site is crappy, because they do not show inventory, but very nice people to deal with! You can look at all the styles though. The business is run by a husband and wife and they are very nice and fair. They don't have a lot of inventory because their products move faster than they can keep them. I have four times tried to buy a toon fom them, only to find out it was sold. They sell Bentley's which is a manufacturer that just came to the area. There are two dealers in the area and neither can keep them in the showroom. One is right up the road from me in Houlton, WI. The owner (Brian) is also a nice guy. Boat Doctors will probably be more convenient for you. Bentley has some very aggressive pricing IMO. They are targeting the family. Their neither make cheap, very basic boats, nor do they make super high-end stuff.

 

[Old Screwball]

Re: Buying first pontoon, need advise/suggestion

We JUST bought an 18' Sun Tracker Party Barge. We don't have near the seating requirements you do. We opted the largest motor the transom would hold, a 75hp Merc. I also opted (500 bucks) for the vinyl floor. Kids climbing in and out drag a lot of sand and dirt, spill drinks, etc. I installed a motorhome water pump under the seat, so I can hose off the floor easily, no wet carpet.... just a thought. Whole package, out the door was just under 21 grand.

Happy hunting!

 

[winty03]

Re: Buying first pontoon, need advise/suggestion

Looking at the sunsation specs, if we went with the 3 tubes we would be able to go to 14 people, just staying with the 25" 2 tubes its rated at 11 cap. If I am reading their charts right. So we would want to do the dealer package you talked about. Looks like it bumps the MAX HP up to 175, is that Merc or Suzuki mottors they put on them?

Birkshire seems to be made my Forest River, Which our camper is....Rockwood Roo. I do like the wood look.

Looking at layouts, really not interested in captain swivel seats, would rather have bench seating and or sundeck on back...a front ladder would also be real nice. Hydraulic steering and electronic throttle control is a must. Front and back room around the edge would be great for kids to jump off of rather then launching from seats or top. Going to look into those different brands a bit more. Don’t think need 24, but room would be nice  We are thinking 22 will be the ticket…

 

[WaterDR]

Re: Buying first pontoon, need advise/suggestion

Not sure on the specs for seating....I did nto look. These specs are designed for lots of difference reasons including actual seating capacity and bouyancy. We have just two toons, but can seat 14. My toons are 27 inches.

look at all the layouts....soo many options....get what works best for you guys. the traditional L shapes with the rear sun decks are the most popular.

Vinyl floors are becomming more common and a good option. So is snap-in carpet. I prefer the feel of carpet on my feet. Our barge actually is carpeted but is Vinyl in the back.

Sit on some 18's, 20's, 22's and 24's and envison how it would best fit everyone.

 

[winty03]

Re: Buying first pontoon, need advise/suggestion

Looking at a dealer that has some Sunsation and the Solaris stack up to each other? I found a dealer that has both of them in house stock. Looking at them spec wise and or youtube video they look very similar.

 

[WaterDR]

Re: Buying first pontoon, need advise/suggestion

their models are numerous and confusing. I am not sure. BTW, they are not alone. many others are confusing too.

 

[winty03]

Re: Buying first pontoon, need advise/suggestion

What do you guys think about Palm Beach Pontoons???? thats what our local dealer sells. Sounds like Premiere bought them out, but they will continue to make the Palm Beach line.

 

[gmctodd]

Re: Buying first pontoon, need advise/suggestion

I just sold our 07 Crownline 200LS that weighed in at 5260 lbs. on the trailer and bought an Avalon LS 2300 w/ 115 Merc that weighs 3680 lbs on the tandem axle bunk trailer. We tow with an 08 GMC Envoy with a 4.2L I6 and 3.73 rearend. Point is the Crownline towed much better! Our tow is an hour each way. The pontoon is like towing a parachute! Other than that we are glad we went with a toon. Would the scissor lift type trailers work better because the boat is closer to the ground and tucked in behind the tow vehicle

 

[WaterDR]

Re: Buying first pontoon, need advise/suggestion

First, how can that toon weight that much.....are you including the trailer and gear?

Anyway, bunk trailers are better for towing than scissor lift style. I have used both and currently have a scissor lift trailer. The wheels are much closer together and they sway. Those trailers have their advantages, but they are meant for long hauls. You really have to watch yourself in turns. I almost lost the toon one time.

 

[Old Screwball]

Re: Buying first pontoon, need advise/suggestion

Oh Oh, just thought of something.... height. When I bought my Sun Tracker I measured everything BUT height, figured all the other boats fit in the garage....WRONG

Had to modify the garage door opener, and remove the windshield. Neighbor has to take out the helm chair. You can see in my sig picture I clear by 2 inches now.

 

[The Rooster]

Re: Buying first pontoon, need advise/suggestion

Good old American know how. Nice work Steve !!!